Editorial Review:Product Description:Great food that's good for you--that's the foundation of the
South Beach Diet and the reason millions of people around the world have adopted it as their lifelong eating plan, shedding unwanted pounds in the process. Created by leading Miami cardiologist Arthur Agatston, M.D., the diet emphasizes good fats and good carbohydrates, the kind that stave off cravings for unhealthy sugary food and promote long-term weight loss. It's not 'diet' food--it's satisfying, flavorful dishes that are good for your health
and your waistline.
Amazon.com:The verdict is in: those simple carbs we've been living on are killing us. For good health, we've got to get our blood sugar under control and stop the incessant cravings. Or so says Dr. Arthur Agatston, author of
The South Beach Diet. The first half of the book details the science behind the diet. Most of the explanations revolve around why things you thought were healthy—-orange juice, wheat toast, carrots—-are actually evil. To avoid blood sugar surges, Agatston created a modified carbohydrate plan, recommending plenty of high-fiber foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while cutting bread, rice, pastas, and fruits. Major differences from other diets include a lack of concern over portion size and a serious indifference to exercise. Feeling full while on a diet is a beautiful thing, but it seems odd that a cardiologist buries his exercise recommendations in a solitary sentence.
The last half of the book covers his three-stage plan; daily diets are mixed with recipes, some of which are from South Beach restaurant chefs. The most restrictive period lasts just two weeks, enough time to stabilize your urges and lose a few pounds; stage two adds fruits and a handful of other carbs, while stage three is meant to last the remainder of your life, with occasional lapses for white bread or birthday cake. While the diet is sound, the book could be better organized. The first half mixes scientific study with anecdote in a seemingly random way, while the mix of meal plans and recipes can be confusing. Still, the recipes are varied and tasty, and you'll never feel deprived, unless you currently happen to live by bread alone.
--Jill Lightner
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
-
WOW!!!
What: South Beach Diet
Start Date: 6/30/2008
Beginning weight: 256 lbs
Today's Date: 8/31/2008
Current weight: 224 lbs
TOTAL POUNDS LOST: 32 lbs in 2 mos.
I heard of the SBD many years ago when it was first introduced. Like every other fad diet, I dismissed it without even giving it a second glance. "They never work," I said, and went about my happy carb-filled and FAT life. I have always been heavy, and my famliy is full of big people, so losing weight hasn't ever been encouraged at home.
I was raised on lots of bread, pasta, potatoes and fattening carbs. I NEVER drank water. I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and it left me feeling depressed and hopeless. I hated how I looked in everything--even though I loved clothes and fashion--because of my weight. I had tried several times to lose weight, to restrict myself, and would average 6-8 lb losses before giving up and reverting back to my old ways.
June of '08 I actually found a copy of The South Beach Diet outside in a shopping cart at the grocery store. I picked it up and flipped through it, threw it in the car and thought I might read it. Someday.
It sat around the house for a while before I finally picked it up and gave it a go.
Immediately I thought, WOW, is this the answer?
and then right after that: "YEAH, RIGHT."
But, negativity aside, I read the book and decided to give it a try.
It made total and perfect sense why I was fat--the book explains the reason behind it and the why and how, and the proof is undeniable.
I completely cut out bread, potatoes and pasta, and anything with sugar in it. I followed Phase 1 pretty well for about 4 weeks, and in that time alone, lost about 18 lbs. I would sometimes walk for 10 or 15 minutes here or there, on my lunch at work, or at home around the block, but I wasn't making any real efforts as far as exercise went. However, it was so much more than what I used to do, I started seeing a difference in how I felt and looked almost immediately.
As each week passed by and the number on the scale steadily decreased, I found myself feeling more and more energetic, and committed to the new "lifestyle".
It doesn't feel like you're on a diet, it feels like you're just being HEALTHY.
I have never been able to stay on a diet before, but the South Beach Diet is so easy to follow, and the results are so remarkable, I can't even stop myself now!
It took me a while to get into the swing of things, but now that I have been doing it, it is natural to me.
I was once a skeptic of this and other fad diets, but now I am recommending it to everyone.
Even with minimal exercise, to date, I have lost a substantial amount of weight and the best part is--I don't feel hungry or deprived--EVER!!!
I really have to give it to Dr. Agatston because even though I have only lost a fraction of the amount of weight I want to lose, I know that it is something I will acheive because of this diet.
I stepped on the scale today and had to smile: 224lbs.
I haven't weighed that since college (sadly!).
I know I still have a long way to go, but I also know that I will make it, and all my thanks goes to Dr. Agatston and his book The South Beach Diet.
I urge anyone who is fed up with being overweight, and fed up with diets, to BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It really changed (and IS changing) my life, everyday.
I think it can do the same for you too.
It works if you work it!!!!
Rating: 
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It's a cookbook
I looked at this book for research purposes, not really interested in going on a diet right now... my general impression: The diet itself can be basically summarized in a page or two (it's practically on the back cover), so, really, you might think about borrowing the book versus buying for diet purposes, and writing the three phase plan down. The science behind the plan is, as most of dietetics, under question and debate, although there does seem to be a consensus that the American addiction to simple carbohydrates is a health problem. What is more interesting about the book is that a large chunk of it is devoted to recipes based on the phase of diet, a few which I have tried and seem to be worthwhile. Other people must also think so, as there have been spinoff south beach diet cookbooks that have also been successful (haven't tried them yet). So, one might consider purchase for that reason.
Rating: 
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Didnt work for me
Dont waste money on this or any diet book.
Just get online and use a free calorie calculator, determine how many calories you can eat and loose weight, dont exceed that and step up excercise.
You dont need a book, just control how much you eat!!!!!
Rating: -
My word! A practical diet!
Finally, a member of the medical profession who has an inkling of human nature, a connection to something besides mere medical reality! I'm normally highly skeptical of such books and almost any medically recommended diet I've ever heard, seen, or smelt. This one is so firmly wedded to practical, everyday concerns and human nature that it simply blew me away. There is no fear peddling, no lecturing--just straightforward, easy to read and understand explanations. Above all, the diet is practical. Its only shortcomings are the considerations of time and expense, especially the latter. This is not so much a failing of the diet or the book, but rather that the agribiz megacorporations have decided that healthy food should be expensive, and food that is bad for you should be cheap. But I can guarantee one thing: you will be astonished at what food is healthy! This diet isn't hard--its tasty and fun!
Even if you aren't particularly overweight, this book is worth reading and serious consideration.
Rating: -
This "diet" works for me!
My wife and I have been on this diet for nearly 8 weeks now. In that time I have gone from 242 pounds to 208. I have been very good at following this diet with one small exception while eating out. My wife has had less success, but she is close to her target weight and had much less to lose than I did.
I believe the author does a good job describing the diet, the logic and science behind it and how the diet has evolved. It is interesting that weight loss for the patients on this diet was a bit of a happy side effect. The primary intention was to get patient's blood sugar and cholesterol levels in control. With diabetes in my family, as well as my wife's, this got our attention. We didn't realize what we were doing to ourselves with our earlier eating habits.
By itself, this book is only a start. I found it necessary to do more reading and looking at other cookbooks (including SBD cookbooks) to increase the variety. However, everything needed for the first few weeks is included. The knowledge gained by reading this book is enough to make healthy choices at the grocery and in restaurants.
As others have stated, this is not a "diet" as much as a lifestyle change. I have found that our food bill has increased somewhat, especially at first. We tried many new recipes and they often had ingredients that weren't in our pantry. This is not a complaint! We have discovered some wonderful new meals as a result of having our horizons opened. Some of those meals are in this book.
For your convenience, there is a Phase 1 diet plan already designed for you. The meal plan includes all the recipes for the meals and snacks. We tried this plan, but for two people it wasn't all that convenient. We spent a great deal of time preparing food - our evenings were consumed with cooking dinner, eating and preparing lunch and snacks for the next day. The included plan does a poor job for using leftovers and simplifying the food preparation. I believe this is due to the author attempting to provide more variety. After about a week, we abandoned the prepared plan and adopted our own version that fit our time budget. For this reason, I give this book 4 stars instead of 5.
For anyone heading down this weight loss path, I highly recommend a sugar substitute called Stevia. It is an extract of a plant that is very sweet and is sold in health food stores. Unlike the other chemical substitutes out there like Splenda, Nutrasweet and Saccharin, Stevia is a natural product that has been used for three decades in Japan with no reported side effects. The jury is still out on Splenda. There are different companies that produce Stevia extract, with different results. The best I have found so far is NuStevia No Carb blend. Good luck!