In order for the South-Beach Diet to work for you it needs to be followed exactly how it was designed. Furthermore, each individual South Beach-Diet that you follow needs to be tailored to your specific body. This will help you lose weight safely in a way that was meant for you.

The South beach diet is very similar to the Atkins diet in that it is a low carbohydrate diet. Dr. Arthur Agatston originally designed this diet with some of his heart patients in mind. These patients had a condition called the insulin resistance syndrome, most commonly known as the metabolic syndrome.

People with insulin resistance syndrome are people who have a combination of symptoms including high blood pressure, signs of obesity (especially in the belly), elevated blood glucose, high triglycerides, and low HDL.

These people do not respond as well to the traditional low fat diets that contain quite a few carbohydrates. Therefore, the South-Beach Diet became the alternative. Since then it also have become a popular diet alternative for those of the general public wanting to lose weight, even if the reason is to look good in a bikini.

The South Beach-Diet is divided into four phases. These four phases are as follows:

Phase One: This phase excludes most carbohydrates including all fruit, most dairy products, and most sources of saturated fat. What you can eat during this phase of the South Beach diet include lean meats, eggs and egg whites, seafood, soy foods, fat free and low fat dairy products, one serving of beans, and low starch vegetables (carrots, broccoli, lettuce greens, leeks, cauliflower, etc.).

The starchier vegetables such as potatoes, corn, and peas should be avoided during this initial diet phase. This is the most rapid stage of weight loss and lasts approximately two weeks.

Phase Two: This is the stage that the dieter continues until he or she reaches desired weight loss. During this phase of the South-Beach Diet the dieter will start to add one carb a week that was disallowed during the first two weeks of the diet. Usually dieters will start with a low glycemic fruit such as berries or grapefruit during this phase, and then continue to add more and more carbs.

This also is the phase in which the dieter tests the waters and finds foods that are a fit. If there is no negative reaction to the foods tried during this phase the dieter continues to add more and more carbs. This phase lasts until the dieter reaches the desired weight goal.

Phase Three: This is the maintenance stage of the diet. This stage is very similar to Phase Two of the South Beach-Diet. The big difference between this stage and the stage two is that in this stage, carbs are allowed to be eaten more often. Otherwise, this stage is a continuation of the previous stage, which is to just eat the foods that the dieter has defined as right for them in the previous stage.

This stage of the diet lasts for the dieters lifetime and contains mostly lean proteins, fruits, whole grains, and sources of mono and polyunsaturated fats such as avocado, nuts, and olives.

There is no cut and dry way to succeed at the South Beach Diet. However, those who are determined to make it work for them can find this diet to be a great alternative. Therefore, if you are a person who has a desire to lose weight in order to fit into that bikini you have always wanted to wear you can learn the South-Beach-Diet plan and make it work for you.

If you want more information regarding the South-Beach-Diet you can read other articles such as this one or contact your doctor or dietician for more information. You can also refer to the South Beach Diet book, as well. You can also read more articles such as this or contact a health care professional for more information about nutrition and dieting.

One more thing you always need to remember when dieting: aerobic exercise will help you reach your weight goal faster if it is done along with proper dieting. This is the case more than just dieting alone, no matter what type of diet you are on.