Rating: 
Summary: It works!
Review: I'll keep this brief. This diet has worked incredibly well. Finally a program that allows you to eat till you are full. By following the program, I've lost 24lbs, and still losing since July. Thank you Dr. Agaston!
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Summary: Life Changing Words
Review: 'The South Beach Diet' isn't just a book about how to lose weight. It's a personal manifesto on self-improvement. To lose weight is to become empowered, and Arthur Agatston provides the key to empowerment. Many people have followed the advice given by the author and have succeeded. Most notable is surely Marlon Brando. Marlon sent me a copy of the book recently with this written endorsement attached: 'Schwarz, before I read this book I was desperate. I'd tried everything from mouth staples to do-it-yourself liposuction. Nothing worked, including my remote contol after I'd sat on it while watching Richard Simmons mince around in his ludicrous hairpiece. But Agatston was my salvation. I'm now down to only 6 meals before lunchtime and I don't feel a day over 84. Although the whole book is wonderful, you should focus on a few specific sections. Chapter 3, 'Stop Eating Completely and Live Longer!', speaks for itself and in Chapter 6, Agatston provides information on the different types of food groups and explains why fats aren't good for you, especially when they cause death. Chapter 7, 'Snacking on Chocolate' is brilliant, as is the final chapter that presents 100 recipes in which lettuce is the sole ingredient. Cheers - Marlon.' If 'The South Beach Diet' worked for 'Buffet' Brando, it'll work for anyone. Well, maybe not Fergie.
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Summary: You better like to cook and shop, and have a lot of time
Review: While the concepts behind this diet are solid, the thought and planning that went into the menus and recipes are maddening. You need to do a LOT of planning ahead to follow the meal plan (I've been on it for one week, and already I've had to marinate steak, shrimp and chicken overnight.) The recipes are by and large excellent, but the ingredient lists are expensive. And if you're cooking for one, as I am, you wind up trying to cut things in halves, quarters or eighths, or have a lot of leftovers. Breakfasts are problematic. Who has time to get up and cook a smoked salmon frittata before work, while preparing dilled shrimp salad for lunch (if you remembered to marinate the shrimp overnight) and assemble snacks of cottage cheese stuffed tomatoes or cumcumber rounds with salmon spread. I believe the diet works, but a much more flexible menu plan is needed. Also, factual information is inconsistent. The book says you can eat eggs or regular mayo, yet many recipes call for egg substitute (no problem) or light mayo (nothing can make that taste good.) Portion sizes are also vague. For example, one night you make marinated steak, the next day you're supposed to have the leftover steak on greens with a salad dressing. What leftover steak? If you make the right amount, you have to cook more for lunch tomorrow.
I still recommend the book, though. Just beware or wait for the 2nd edition.
Rating: 
Summary: good recipes and flexable
Review: I think it is easy to follow. Since I only have 10 pounds to lose, I skipped phase one and stayed on two. I am slowly losing about 1-2 punds a week. Which is fine with me because I have only 10. I can only speak for those who have this to lose. I love veggies, I love protein now---I was a major carb overloader (breads!Pasta! etc) I find I eat less often, have far less cravings then ever in my life, and I feel great. My workouts with the weights are better then ever. I am feeling the protein is helping....not sure. I drink more water now. I can not complain. But, it meets my goals for slow weight loss, long term eating plan, more energy, less cravings for sugar, and not feeling "fat"! Works for me---
Rating: 
Summary: CD Version is terrible Buy the book!
Review: Let me first say, I love the diet, 6lbs in 1 week so far, but I only learned how to do the diet by using my friends written copy and purchasing the online memebership. I have never written a review before, but found this expensive audio version so disappointing that I felt I had to let others know, specially since I can't get my money back. I'm not even sure how they can sell this as the SBD because it doesn't give you the information to actually do the diet. The CD version is lacking in almost all the information on what specific foods you can eat nor how to structure your eating during the day. What is left is just medical "why it works" and "why these foods are bad for you". I have purchased other diet books on CD and they normally include either a CD-ROM or booklet with anything that really can't be read, like meal plans, food lists and recipes. The SBD CD did not have any of this information. I really like the actual book so if you interested in the diet BUY THE BOOK BUT DO NOT BUY THE CD VERSION!
Rating:
Summary: A 204 page infomercial
Review: While it is clear that the diet will work for many people, it does not include all the neccessary information to make good decisions on food choices by yourself. In many respects, it's information is contradictory. For example, It says that during phase one of the diet, you should try to stay away from all dairy products, then so many of the phase one recipes call for low fat cheese products and ricotta cheese. Dr Agatston suggests that the web site for an additional 39.95 for six weeks can be helpful as well. To me, the book itself, chock full of testimonials and recipes but gives little hard core information. It did not give me the information I need to make decisions about different products by reading the nutritional information on the packaging or make informed decisions on my own.
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Summary: This book sucks.
Review: This is not a diet - it's called starving. You don't need a book to do that. Everything on the menu is tasteless and/or horrid. People want miracles - but I truly believe moderation is the best solution. Why eliminate everything enjoyable from your diet? The only thing you have to do is eat LESS - rocket science and miracles are not involved. Anyone can lose weight eating shrubbery and calorie-free genetic defect-inducing sugar - no book necessary. Do yourself a favor and avoid the freaky 10-calorie sugar-fee gelatin "snack".
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Summary: Thank You Dr. Agatston
Review: This is a wonderful way of eating! You name the diet - I've done it (yes, Atkins too). I lost 7 and 1/2 pounds the first week and I'm sticking with it. You truly lose your cravings (and I was a pretzel and popcorn person not to mention gummi bears!) Yes, you do need to plan your day but it's not a big deal. I truly like the no pressure of measuring at first - eat until you're satisfied - not stuffed so you're not stressing out about ounces. The first couple of days of any new way of eating is difficult but it's worth it - you'll be happy that you did.
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Summary: Be prepared to COOK!
Review: I was so excited to get this book. I heard of friends doing it and being successful. So my husband and roommate decided to do it together. Good thing, too. We're done with phase one and we all lost at least 5 pounds each. Part of it is the diet and all the running around you have to do. Every night, we would prepare, cook, prep the next day's lunch, and eventually eat. There is a lot of cooking involved, and we didn't even go by the menu plans exactly. There isn't much mention of what to do with the leftovers so we would alter the menu plans to fit them in. (That's why I gave 4 stars instead of 5.) I won't say that this diet is easy. The first week was hard, but it does get better. You start figuring it out and you will feel better. But, you have to read the book to know why you're eating what you're eating.
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Summary: Quick Results and a Healthy Process
Review: My husband and I went on this diet together from day one and into our 5th week he has lost 25 pounds and I've lost 14. I lost 14 by the end of 4 weeks so now I'm just maintaining since I've reached my goal. My husband is also exercising and lifting weights on a regular basis and I'm not doing any real exercise right now. The book is a great guide to eating healthier, portion control to what's sensible and in the end you really learn how to eat when you're out even if you don't have the book to refer to. The first 4 days were difficult for me while my body got use to not having bread, fruit, milk and just all the things I usually ate throughout the day, but by the end of the first week it got easier and when I looked at the scale it was worth the effort (and intermittent hunger) . It was kind of labor intensive for Phase 1 - the first 2 weeks because I was preparing all of my meals and his and I felt like I was constantly chopping vegetables and running to the supermarket for things I didn't normally buy so that took some dedication BUT loosing 14 pounds in 30 days, measuring 3 inches off my waist and seeing a slimmer me in the mirror was worth it all. I recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind cooking and chopping every day and wants to be slimmer AND be healthier which is the biggest bonus of all.
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