How Does the South Beach Diet Work? A Plan for Long-Term Results

If you have been wondering how does the South Beach diet work, the answer is simple. It works not just as a “low-carb” diet plan, but because it alters the way you have been eating which has made you overweight.

By eliminating the bad carbs that store fat, you will overcome what is called carbohydrate sensitivity. The basics of the South Beach diet helps you eliminate the pre-diabetic condition that results from the over-production of insulin.

What is the South Beach Diet?

The South Beach diet was originally designed by cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston and dietician Marie Almon to help prevent heart disease with healthy eating. It also helped people to lose excess pounds effectively as well as curb cravings. And unlike other low-calories starvation diets, the South Beach diet boasts that hunger is controlled because you get to eat until you are full.

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If you come into the plan thinking it is designed to replace bad carbs with good carbs, you would be at least half-right. Dr. Agatston developed a plan that does not create spikes in blood sugar – a problem when individuals eat carbohydrate-rich foods especially found in refined grains and sugar. The list of foods you can eat – which is surprisingly long – includes a number of carbs that have a low glycemic index rating much like the Nutrisystem diet.

Get to Work

Somewhat like the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet works by dividing it into three phases.

In Phase 1, you will eliminate all processed carbohydrates, fruits, sugar, and certain groups of vegetables for two weeks, resulting in a slew of health benefits. This is your chance to break that sugar addiction! Fruits, with the exception of berries, actually contain a lot of natural sugar and need to be dropped during this initial phase. So do starchy veggies that rank as high on the glycemic index. You will also eliminate processed carbs, which described as the white foods: i.e., white flour, white bread, potatoes, and rice.

Some of the restricted foods in Phase 1 are permitted in moderation in Phase 2. This second phase will last for as long as you need to lose weight to reach your goals. In this phase, you will be allowed fruits and veggies again, whole grains, and complex carbohydrates.

In Phase 3, the work of the South Beach diet is done: you have achieved your target weight and will have the knowledge and tools to eat healthy and follow the plan for the rest of your life. While there is no list of forbidden foods at this stage, you will have an innate understanding of how sugar and carbs affect your body and mood. You will have experienced for yourself how much better you feel, and how much more energy and mental clarity you have once you have identified and cut back on the junk food that caused the weight problems.

Taking Steps on the South Beach Diet Journey

Though exercise isn’t heavily emphasized as part of the South Beach diet work, you are nevertheless encouraged to get at least 30 minutes a day of exercise. You don’t have to join a gym or buy equipment; just a good walk every day, or at least four times a week, will help take the weight off and slim your body. As you can see, the South Beach diet plan isn’t a quick-fix; it is designed for long-term success.

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