Rating: Summary: inconsistent? Review: Perhaps I am just confused since I only recently purchased this book along with the Good Fats Good Carbs Guide, but I have already noticed disagreement between the two. For example, the large book state that NO dairy (including yogurt) should be consumed in Phase 1. The smaller reference book specifically INCLUDES yogurt and milk as acceptable options. The result is that I am confused as to whether I should have the yogurt I love during the first 2 weeks... Again, I am new to the book and my confusion may be cleared up upon further reading, but at first glance, the books do not mesh.
Rating: Summary: Recent changes to the SB Diet (more dairy now allowed!) Review: Info below is from The Daily Dish (01/20/04) online newsletter for subscribers to www.southbeachdiet.com:South Beach Diet Updates The South Beach Diet (SBD) continues to evolve as new nutritional studies and information come out. Recently, the results of new studies have shown that some of the "foods to avoid" may not be as bad for us as the original studies on glycemic index demonstrated. There are also some new, exciting studies about the role calcium plays in weight loss. The end result is that you can continue to enjoy all of the foods recommended for the SBD-as well as adding back in a few of your favorites! Here are the major changes: Milk: Old Version: Avoid all dairy in Phase 1, except for less than 2 tablespoons fat-free = and =, nonfat milk, 1 percent milk, or soy milk allowed with coffee. New Version: Phase 1: Now includes low-fat milk (fat-free and 1 percent), soy milk, and yogurt (low-fat or fat-free plain or vanilla light/lite only) on the Phase 1 "foods to enjoy" list. Phase 2: May add light/lite fruited yogurt as a "food to enjoy" in Phase 2. Note: Since the SBD is still low in saturated fat, high-fat whole milk products will remain on the "foods to avoid" lists for all Phases. Tomatoes: Old Version: Limited to one whole tomato or 10 cherry tomatoes per meal in all Phases. New Version: Not limited in any Phase. Onions: Old Version: Limited to = per day in all Phases. New Version: Not limited in any Phase. Carrots: Old Version: Avoid carrots in Phase 1 and 2; allowed in moderation in Phase 3. New Version: Allowed, starting in Phase 2.
Rating: Summary: Lost 15 lbs. (hubby lost 19+) in 2 weeks & was never hungry Review: I've lost 25+ lbs. before on Weight Watchers and on NutriSystems but never kept it off for long. This plan appealed to me because I saw a relative lose 10 lbs. in 2 weeks with minimal effort -- i.e., no food diaries, no measuring food, and no hunger. The first 95 pages helped me to learn how bodies digest "whole" foods (like nuts, non-instant oatmeal, certain vegetables, etc.) differently from "processed" foods (especially white foods like white bread, white rice, white potatoes, white pasta). My family has never eaten healthier than we are eating on the SB Diet. Now that I've lost 15 lbs. and my husband has lost 19+, we have the energy to start exercising and will choose an exercise book to compliment this diet book. I can't say enough good things about this book -- I like the fact that we're not "all consumed by food" on this diet -- I don't have to preplan way in advance every morsel I put in my mouth, I'm not buying expensive "diet" foods, I'm not logging everything in a diary, or weighing/measuring every serving (what we ARE doing is merely avoiding the foods on the "avoid" list and eating the foods on the "eat" list). We're now eating a well-rounded diet of whole, non-processed foods and we feel better because of it. I can run into a grocery store and grab a few items for a quick meal "on-the-go" as fast as I can drive through a fast-food joint. Please don't just jump on this diet without reading the first 95 pages of this book first; after doing so, you may choose not to follow the diet but you will learn how bodies digest processed foods vs. whole foods. If you do go on this diet and you're hungry, be sure to eat your 2 snacks and dessert in addition to your 3 meals and don't forget your 8 glasses of water each day! Go for it -- what do you have to lose (except 8 - 13 lbs. in the first 2 weeks!)? Thank you, Dr. Agatston :)
Rating: Summary: Stop fooling yourself Review: Read From Chunk to Hunk to get control over yourself. You don't need this.
Rating: Summary: Positive results!!! Review: This is my first week on the South Beach plan and I have lost 7 pounds. What amazes me is that my energy level has been much higher without all the bread, pasta, rice and sugar in my system. I no longer come home from work and throw myself on the sofa. What a difference in such a short period of time. Phase one has been pretty easy and I have never been hungry. Exercise is a very important part of this plan and even though the doctor does not mention it more in the book that is a no brainer.I am looking forward to phase two.
Rating: Summary: South Beach Diet vs. Atkins Review: I wouldn't recommend this plan for anyone with more than 50 pounds to lose. I've read Atkins, and been on his program for 6 months and lost 50 pounds, and now under the advice of my doctor, I'm considering switching to South Beach Diet for lifetime maintenance. This diet is a bit less restrictive than Atkins. The main differences between this diet and Atkins is that you're allowed more cheats occasionally (such as sweets). You're also allowed more vegetables than Atkins, as well as breads and grains in moderate amonts. The difference is, you will be more successful with Atkins if you have a lot of weight to lose. To make it simple, if you have the willpower to stay with Atkins, you will lose more weight in a quicker amount of time. If you have less weight to lose or don't think you can maintain your willpower, SBD might be a better alternative. That being said, my reason for 3 stars is due to the writing style of the book. Unlike Atkins, Agatston does not back up many of his claims with examples or scientific data. He just states them as fact. Secondly, he blasts Atkins' diet, when his is virtually identical. Having read both books, it's almost as if he took the Atkins plan verbatim, and then halfway through it decides to throw in a few grains and fruits. He also mirepresents the Atkins diet as allowing zero carbs, when it actually allows up to 100 carbs a day in later stages. My biggest problem with the book however is that he makes virtually no mention of exercise!!! Regardless of what weight plan you're on, especially low carb, you HAVE to exercise! This is a cardiologist for crying out loud. The pros of the book: As I said it's an easier plan to follow, especially for lifetime maintenance. It also discusses fats more in depth than Atkins and goes into why some saturated fats are bad, and which fats are good and which to avoid. Atkins doesn't discuss saturated fats too much in his book. My best advice though, is to definately read Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution in addition to this book, even if you have no plan on doing the Atkins diet. Although this book is pretty much worthless. Everything you need to know to do this diet can be found on their official web site. If my rating was solely for the content in the book and not for the program as well, I would give it 0 stars. The menus are worthless, and the entire first half of the book should be tossed. Agatston did not need to spend 320 pages describing this diet, and if he did, he should have included more scientific diet about why the diet works instead of pointless anecdotes. If you want to do this program to see if it works, find the plan online. If you want to do it for life, then get the book. Don't waste your money. Atkins' book will give you the knowledge to understand exactly why a low carb diet works, something this book fails to do. Once you learn the basics of a fat-burning system instead of a carb-burning one, you can use that knowledge to make The South Beach diet much more effective for you.
Rating: Summary: Now I Can Walk Again! Review: Seriously the kid who designed this diet should receive a Nobel Prize - now I can eat again! Like most image-conscious trophy wives I make sure to find the trendiest diet and stick with it! That way I have plenty to talk about at dinner, when I'm not eating, and everyone else is. I've tried everything to lose those last few pounds of fat in my hips, fingers, and armpits, but to no avail! It was if my body felt it needed that fat to survive! Like many, I tried to Atkins diet - it made my breath smell terrible, but it was a welcome change from my vegan diet. After my liver failed and I bought my way up the transplant list, my doctor insisted I give up eating 10-20 pounds of red meat a day. So I went on the oh-so popular Ally McBeal diet, but I found I no longer had to the energy to do the simplest of household chores, such as instructing the nanny what time to pick up the stepchildren from soccer practice. I ended up having to give up walking entirely in order to stay true to the diet. But now the South Beach Diet has saved my life, or at least that's what the doctors tell me. Whatever diet you're on ladies, whether it's the liquid diet, macrobiotic, laxative, or the famous "if it's not on my plate it doesn't count" diet, get off it now and switch to the South Beach Diet! You too can soon have the body of a 12 year old girl!
Rating: Summary: A bit of a fad, with modest results... Review: No diet replaces healthy exercise. I lost 50 pounds last year by minimizing/eliminating sugars, running 3-4 miles per day 5 days per week and little else. This diet will help you lose weight; but to keep it off, I suggest exercise & moderation. Nothing more.
Rating: Summary: You'll want to hear this... Review: An easy to read book that offers an interesting weight loss diet. Bottom line is that you will lose weight if you can stick with it and the long term safety of this type of diet is, as yet, unproven to be safe in the long run (that is no studies can be cited that have examined patients after being on the diet for a long period of time- period, no one can argue with me). Know too that the diet does limit calories (just check out the menus) so that is also a factor responsible for one losing weight (not necessarily the whole carb thing). People on diets often have a lot of trouble with back and knee pain so if this is you, you might want to look into "Treat Your Own Knees" or "The Multifidus Back Pain Solution" as well.
Rating: Summary: Not That Exciting A Diet Book - A Bit of a Fad Review: I am sorry to say I found that this book was a bit too trendy for myself. The reason I say that is that is has emphasis on actually planning a persons diet for a period of days and listing what to eat and when to eat it, i.e: day 1, day 2, day 3, etc. . Also some of the recipes are a bit too complicated and exotic. But I want to stop there in being negative. Any diet book can be good so there are good points here on motivation, selecting foods, planning meals, etc. But having said that one gets the feeling that this is really a faddish book that one will quickly lose interest in, and it will be soon forgotten. After a month will you ever look at this book? Some will but sadly most will not. Three stars. Jack in Toronto
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