Tag Archives: Healthy Diet

What is the South Beach Diet & Does It Work?

south beach diet

There are so many diet options out there, it can be hard and confusing to find the one that will work best for your lifestyle. You might not even remember the name of a certain diet you’ve heard of but know you want to try it. Like, which fad diet was developed by celebrity doctor Arthur Agatston? The name of it is on the tip of your tongue, it’s the South Beach Diet!

What is South Beach?

Which fad diet was developed by celebrity doctor Arthur Agatston? It’s called the South Beach Diet, and it’s a fairly easy plan to follow. Some people refer to South Beach as a modified low-carb diet, meaning it does focus on foods that are lower in carbs and higher in protein, but it’s not strictly low-carb, and you don’t have to count carbohydrates.

How Does It Work?

The South Beach Diet focuses on a balance of good carbs, lean protein, and healthy fats. Many find success with the plan because it’s easy to follow and is all about changing your eating habits, so you can stick with it for life. The key is to remove “bad” carbs from your diet, or foods that have a high glycemic index, and skyrocket your blood sugar quickly, and for longer periods of time. Examples of these “bad” carbs include anything made with refined sugar, such as:

  • Sugar Sweetened Drinks (Soda and Fruit Juices)
  • White Bread
  • Cookies, Pastries, and Cakes
  • French Fries and Potato Chips
  • Candy and Chocolate
  • Ice Cream

In addition to changing the types of carbs you eat, South Beach also focuses on limiting “bad” fats and increasing the amount of healthy monounsaturated fats you eat. You are also encouraged to eat plenty of fiber through whole grains, vegetables, and even fruit!

Phases of South Beach

The South Beach diet works in phases, with the first phase being the most restrictive in terms of sugar and carbohydrates (even the “good” ones) to reduce cravings and stabilize your appetite. 

Phase 1: Day 0-14

Most people can expect to lose between 8-13 pounds during this first phase. You’ll eat three meals a day, plus two snacks, that include lean protein, non-starchy veggies, low-fat dairy, and some healthy fats. It’s also important to note that you may not drink alcohol during this phase. 

Phase 2: Day 15+

Once phase 1 is complete, you can begin to add limited portions of certain foods back into your diet, such as fruit, whole grains, and some alcohol. You will remain in this phase until you reach your goal weight and can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week. All the foods from phase 1 are allowed in phase 2. 

Phase 3

When you’ve achieved your goal weight, you’ll enter Phase 3, which is the maintenance phase. You’ll still be eating the way you did in Phase 2, but occasional treats are allowed, and no foods are completely off limits. The good news is that if you slip back into your old habits and start putting on weight again, you simply go back to Phase 1 again for two weeks. 

Supplements for the South Beach Diet

Supplements are a crucial part of any elimination diet. Here are some things you need to grab before you start to help you achieve healthy success with your diet!

  • Multivitamin – A high quality multivitamin is important on any diet. Take one daily!
  • NatureThin by AlternaScript – A key blend of over 200 botanicals to optimize healthy weight management. 
  • Probiotics – Make sure you are protecting your gut while you diet. A high quality probiotic will help keep you regular, and reintroduce good bacteria into your gut to reduce bloat and encourage weight loss. 
  • Carb Intercept by Natrol – Helps your body metabolize the carbs you do take in during Phase 1 and 2, and transform them into energy fuel. 

So remember, the next time someone asks you, ‘Which fad diet was developed by celebrity doctor Arthur Agatston?’ You can tell them, it’s the South Beach Diet, and it works!

What Constitutes A Healthy Diet?

healthy dietJacquieIconBy Jacquie Eubanks
BSN, RN
 

With so many conflicting studies, negotiating the maze of nutrition advice is not easy.  Many of us rely on government recommendations in deciding what constitutes a healthy diet and what foods we should or should not eat and in what amounts.  However, large corporations and lobbyists often dictate government policy, everything about our food is now big business, and the agricultural industry is set up to produce subsidized grain products for lower margins and higher profits, not health.  Walk any supermarket aisle and you will see thousands of food products that are low in fat and high in added sugars, refined oils and processed grains, all designed for shelf life but which may be secretly sabotaging your health.  Where does that leave people who believe that nutrition is the most important factor in protecting their health and avoiding chronic disease?  The fact is that it’s your body and your health and we are all left to make our own informed choices. 

Grains, grain products and added sugars are the most pervasive foods in the American diet.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which developed the Food Guide Pyramid, recommends a diet that keeps all fats, even healthy fats, to a minimum and suggests that the largest portion of the daily diet be devoted to grain products, including breads, cereals and pastas.  More recent scientific research suggests that turning the food pyramid upside down may be a much healthier option.  Healthy fats, it turns out, are not only necessary but are good for your health and help you to better manage your weight.  Many nutritionists, physicians and scientists are now challenging the belief that grain carbohydrates should form the basis of our diets.  Refined carbohydrates, it seems, cause inflammation.  Inflammation is the basis for most chronic illnesses, including metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders and some types of cancer. 

A number of health professionals now believe that a low carbohydrate diet, higher in saturated fat and protein, is a much better option when it comes to avoiding obesity and other chronic diseases.  Some health advocates now think that in 10 years time, a low-carb, high-fat diet will become the norm.  And although dietary cholesterol was, and in many circles still is, touted as a precursor to developing cardiovascular disease, cholesterol is vital to many bodily functions, most importantly cognitive functions such as learning and memory.  Some wonder when the war waged against cholesterol will end and are questioning the science behind the dietary cholesterol blockade, as studies show that dietary cholesterol does not raise the blood levels of unhealthy cholesterol in the body. 

As nutrition science changes, the conflicting information may leave one to wonder what exactly constitutes a healthy diet.  A good approach is a balanced nutritional lifestyle that maintains growth and energy and promotes good health.  Current popular lifestyle approaches include the Paleo diet, the Mediterranean diet, the gluten-free diet and the low carb-high fat diet.  While the scientific debate continues, perhaps taking good advice from all of these diets is a sensible approach.  Again, eating whole foods as close to nature as possible is highly recommended for overall health and wellness.  Essentially, to ensure you are getting your daily vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients and fiber:

  • Eat mostly plant foods, including a good variety of vegetables, especially cruciferous and green leafy types, fruit in moderation, and legumes for fiber and protein.
  • Many people need to avoid gluten, but if you are not gluten sensitive, consume whole stone ground grain products also in moderation.  Try naturally gluten-free grains such as wild rice, amaranth or quinoa. 
  • Limit or avoid refined grains as found in white bread, pasta and snack foods, which have been stripped of nutrients and contain little or no dietary fiber. 
  • Avoid added sugars found in soda, candy, alcohol and other foods, which are simply empty calories with a high glycemic load and raise blood sugar and insulin levels associated with cardio-metabolic diseases.   
  • Eat more fatty fish, preferably wild caught, to get the benefit of omega-3 fatty acids. 
  • Consume healthy fat as found in butter, dairy, nuts, avocados, coconuts, olives and olive oil.   
  • Eliminate trans fats, hydrogenated and refined oils, which are found in fried foods and most pre-packaged and processed foods, and are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease and inflammation.   
  • Eggs are considered a perfect protein.  Add them back into your diet if you have been avoiding them due to cholesterol concerns.   
  • Eat good quality complete protein, such as grass fed beef, to get the full complement of amino acids, essential minerals, B vitamins and enzymes.
  • Drink enough water every day to stay hydrated.  In general terms, drink water with each meal, between meals and before, during and after exercise. 
  • No healthy lifestyle would essentially be complete without a recommendation for 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. 

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