The South Beach Diet was invented by a Florida-based cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston, along with help from Maria Almon of the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami.

Dr. Agatston originally developed the diet to avert heart problems in his obese heart patients who were finding it challenging remaining on the standard low-fat diet suggested by the American Heart Association. Dr. Agatston started advertising his diet program for weight loss after becoming successful in utilizing it to take care of his patients.

The principle behind the South Beach diet is that for dieters to lose weight, they should swap the intake of "bad carbohydrates" with "good carbohydrates" and "bad fats" with "good fats". Thus, it's based on the distinctions of what the diet regime categorizes as "bad" and "good" dietary fats depending on their degree of saturation and also on what "bad" and "good" carbohydrate foods are according to their glycemic index.

Consuming "bad" carbohydrate foods, according to Dr. Agatston, leads to men and women becoming insulin resistant - insensitivity of insulin receptors and consequently their incapability to appropriately regulate glucose levels. Also, the program notes that insulin resistance often contributes to the human body stowing excess glucose within the circulatory system as glycogen within muscle and liver cells and also as fat in body fat cells. Dr. Agatston is in addition convinced that overindulging on "bad" dietary fats at the same time causes a greater body weight gain and threat of heart problems.

Although Agatston categorically states that the South Beach diet is neither a low-fat nor a low-carbohydrate diet, it however restricts the ingestion of both these food classes. Essentially, Dr. Agatston's South Beach diet can be looked upon as part a short-term rapid weight loss diet program and part a long-term calorie-restricted, portion-controlled diet plan.

Dr. Arthur Agatston's South Beach diet is basically split into three levels.

Phase One

The level one of the South Beach diet is the strictest level of the program and allows the minimum choice and quantity of carbohydrate foods. There isn't any allowance for pasta, rice, fruits, potatoes, bread, and virtually any sugar- or flour-containing foodstuffs for the two weeks period of this phase.

However, this stage does allow for the consumption of a number of low-glycemic index vegetables which add important nutrients like heart-healthy folate and other vitamins and minerals. The many salads and vegetables that are allowed in unlimited quantities provide satisfaction and also assist in blood sugar levels control.

Stage one likewise provides for ample percentages of protein and good fats through the consumption of such foodstuffs as oils (canola and olive oils), spices, tofu (low-fat or calorie-reduced), eggs, nuts, seafood, meat, poultry and artificial sweeteners. Meal size is likewise not really stringently regulated because individuals are actually permitted to have a regular calorie intake of between 1,200 and 1,400 spread across three regular meals and 2 or 3 treats.

This particular level is to aid dieters break up their bad cravings and equally to significantly fix any kind of insulin insensitivity. Dr. Agatston is convinced that dieters can shed between 8 - 13 pounds from largely belly fat during this stage of the diet plan alone.

Dieters are advised to never employ Phase One of the diet regime like a long-term diet program. On the other hand, certain those on this diet could find it challenging to follow due to experiences of fatigue, dehydration, and nausea.

Phase Two

The second phase of the South Beach diet is much more generous and people are generally supposed to drop about 1-2 pounds (0.6-1 kg) each week. This level actually lets people to take pleasure in several of their "allowed" most desired foods - even though a little less than they were accustomed to before specifically with regards to the permitted portions.

In this stage, dieters are permitted to slowly and gradually begin adding several "good" carbohydrate foods such as whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, sweet potatoes, fruits, whole grain rice as well as more starchy veggies.

Individuals are encouraged to continue with this stage of the diet program up to the point they achieve their goal bodyweight before going on to the last phase of the diet plan. The span of time Phase Two takes depends mostly on the measure of bodyweight the individual hopes to lose.

Phase Three

This is actually the maintenance phase of the South Beach diet and is begun as soon as the person reaches his or her goal body weight. This level was created to assist individuals guard the benefits gained from completing levels 1 and 2. The set of restricted foods in level three is pretty much like that of stage 2 since food items made of white flour and that contain high amounts of refined sugar stayed unacceptable.

Phase three consequently is a daily life of making the proper food choices as have already been realized in the preceding stages. People are also encouraged to participate in decent amounts of aerobic workouts and also strength training.

Even though the South Beach diet is fairly new when compared to the likes of the Atkins Diet and have virtually no independent scholarly study undertaken about it as at yet, many individuals have nonetheless enthusiastically accepted the diet plan.

Aside from the quick weight loss in the early phase of the diet plan that happens to be its major issue of disapproval with some nutritionists and dietitians, a good number of health specialists are of the point of view that the overall concepts powering the South Beach diet are actually sensible.