It's a bit of a different twist from other low carb diets as they emphasized the "eat all the meat you want" aspect of the diet. In his low carb diet, Dr. Agatston focus on a more traditional healthy way of eating emphasizing fruits, vegetables and lean meats more so than the other diets.

It has been called the gentler version of the Atkins Diet, but what does that really mean?

The South Beach Diet restricts carbs, similar to the Atkins Diet Plan, but claims to be neither low carb nor low fat. It stresses eating good carbs and good fats and claims to reduce risk of heart disease and lower your cholesterol as well as stop cravings.

The diet has 3 phases. A two week induction phase focuses on eating lean meats good fats and low glycemic index carbs. This diet allows more food choices in the induction phase than the Atkins and stresses well balanced meals, therefore has a tendency to be healthier and easier to stick to.

The second phase allows you to introduce more carbohydrates and even fruits! You can even add in yogurt, some whole grains, and desserts like sugar free pudding, semi sweet chocolate (limited), honey and ice cream. This second phase lasts until you reach your goal weight.

The third phase is even more liberal where you determine what you can eat to maintain your weight. Should you start to "carb out" again The South Beach Diet recommends you simply fall back to phase 1 or phase 2 for a while until you get back to your goal weight.

If you can stick it through the induction phase - The next phases of the South Beach Diet are quite healthy and offer a nice variety of foods. There's even a recipe ebook to keep you from getting bored with the same old foods.

Diet Pro's

Induction phase is restrictive

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South Beach Diet Online Resources:

South Beach Diet™ Website - offers customized plans, hundreds of recipes, meal plans, grocery lists, support and more!

South Beach Diet™ Recipes - recipe eBook with low carb recipes specially written for this diet.

South Beach Success - Weight loss success stories on the South Beach Diet.

South Beach Diet Articles - All our articles about this popular diet in 1 spot

South Beach Diet Food List - Learn about some of the foods you can eat on this healthy diet

South Beach Diet Cook Book - Get cooking with a hardcover or eBook

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