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The South Beach Diet Plan is one of the latest weight loss and weight management crazes sweeping the United States, with reports of a high rate of effectiveness. Part of this is due to the fact that it is apparently easier to follow than many diets, since there is no calorie counting or portion control. In fact, the only limitations of the South Beach Diet are the types of carbohydrates and types of fat that you eat.
The South Beach Diet is divided into three basic phases, the first of which lasts two weeks. The idea is to break you into the diet slowly rather than changing your entire lifestyle all at one time. |
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What’s So Special About the South Beach Diet Plan?The diet’s inventor believed that humans are resistant to change, and the implementation of a drastically different diet is one way to assure failure in the continuation of healthy eating habits therefore, during the first two weeks of the diet, limitations are placed on carbohydrates. It is necessary to avoid those that rank moderate or high on the glycemic index scale, such a sugar, bread, potatoes, cereals, and fruit. The point of this phase is to reduce and eliminate insulin resistance within the dieter’s body. South Beach Diet food approved for Phase I include lean beef, skinless poultry, seafood, veal, fat free or low fat cheeses, eggs, nuts, vegetables, and canola or olive oil. One 75-calorie sugar free sweet is allowed per day, such as a sugar free fudgesicles or jello. During this phase, most dieters lose between 8 and 13 pounds.
During Phase II of the South Beach Diet, whole grain foods and fruits in small amounts are slowly reintroduced into the system, with an emphasis on those with a low glycemic index. This is measured by the carbohydrate’s effect on the blood sugar levels within the first two hours of consumption. By reintroducing carbs into the diet slowly, you are offering your metabolism a proverbial peace pipe, giving it the source of energy it needs to maintain a healthy level of activity while not upsetting your natural insulin production and usage now that you have cleared out this area of your endocrine system.
During Phase III, you are expected to look closely at all foods you eat to make sure they fit within the realm of South Beach Diet food. This is a maintenance phase, during which you are put back on a regular diet with three servings of whole grains and three servings of fruit on a daily basis. Again, the emphasis is on consuming good carbs and good fats rather than “bad” ones. Note that good fats are mono- or polyunsaturated fats and omega oils, and the South Beach Diet preaches the exclusion of trans fats and saturated fats from the diet, something that has become an unwritten law in the health community of late.
Good carbs tend to have high levels of fiber and are high in good fats. They are also slower to digest in the body, meaning that they will not cause a spike in blood sugar levels after eating. This gives their low ranking in the glycemic index, which is one of the most important measurements for South Beach Diet food.
After completion of Phase III, dieters are prepared with a new, healthier lifestyle. Of course, the only true way to lose a fair amount of weight on this diet plan is to combine the South Beach Diet Plan with regular exercise.
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