Rating: 
Summary: Great Diet if you have a personal chef
Review: I've never been on a diet before so I was a bit nervous going in. I'm one week into it now and have lost 6 pounds. So far so good. The food tastes great. Yes I was a bit weak the first day or so, but now I feel fine and am never hungry. Fantasies about a bag of Doritos with a chuckwagon and a Mountain Dew? Sure but not often.
The thing that is driving my wife (an experienced dieter) and I crazy is that we are cooking like caterers to stay on the menu. Bad carbs are the most convenient carbs - but stuffing 10 cherry tomatoes with cottage cheese? a hamburger patty for lunch? We have to work. The meals are not designed for two people working full time. I've come to imagine they are designed for "Mr. South Beach," a wealthy slightly overweight retiree from Florida who has got a bad ticker so he gives this book to his personal chef. Almost there Agatson - just make the menus more convenient.
Rating: 
Summary: Book bad, diet good.
Review: First, The South Beach diet book is poorly written, as it is very disjointed, and conclusion leaves the reader up in the air. However, as I come from a family of type 2 diabetics (none of my family members are overweight based on BMI, except me) I decided I wanted to try this. I wanted to lose at least 5% of my weight (7-8 lbs) to be under the "overweight" BMI. Prior to this, since I do not believe in "diets," I tried the Atkins since this was something I thought I could do for a long time (I am a meateater). After 6 weeks on the Atkins, I lost 6 lbs. and was tired to having ketone breath and checking my urine for ketones. Yuck! And the weight came back. I couldn't maintain this diet. Then I heard about the South Beach diet and I've lost 10 lbs. and a dress size in a month. During this month I have gone to the Western Washington State Fair and had a scone, corndog, curly fries and BBQ ribs. I've also had a high butterfat content ice cream cone, real chocolate cake, Snickers bars and Dove Promises dark chocolate candy during this month. This is a food plan I can work with for the rest of my life. 1] It emphasizes eating low fat protein, not the bacon and butter that is in the Atkins. 2] It emphasizes the glycemic index when incorporating carbs back into your diet. 3]There is no counting carbohydrate grams. I loved this since I love to eat fruits and vegetables. I feel satiated sooner and longer. I can walk by the goodies at work and I don't eat until I'm past full. It helps that I regularly exercise although less than I used to since my glycogen stores have been depleted on this diet and I exhaust a little quicker. But my husband and I just came back from an 8 mile hike on Mt. St. Helens yesterday. Two things that I have to say though is I had an intractable headache the first two days in phase I and I have to drink a lot of water so I'm going to the bathroom a lot at night (same as Atkins). I heard people on the Atkins also use starch blocker pills when they start eating carbs. I'm trying that too. I'm not sure that works but I think (as do my friends, co-workers and husband) I look better, I'm wearing my "skinny" clothes again and I feel great. WooHoo!
Rating:
Summary: Judge a Book by Its Cover
Review: I don't know how Arthur Agatston claims to have invented a new diet. And I don't know how Rodale published this. He is bordering on plagarism. This is not an Atkins redo - this is Atkins! He copied the Induction Program. He copied the Ongoing Weight Loss and the Maintenance diet. Rodale jazzed it up with a glitzy cover and title. There is no description of the diet anywhere - allowable or unallowable foods. Just examples of recipes for each phase. It is a poorly written and poorly organized copy of Atkins in a beautiful cover! If you want to judge a book by its cover, this ones for you!
Rating:
Summary: This diet has worked for me, and it's not difficult !!!!
Review: The first two days on the diet, I felt a little dizzy, but eventually that feeling went away. During the first phase, I never felt like I was starving or deprived, my appetite was always satisfied. I was surprised to see that in the first 10 days, I dropped 7 pounds. I haven't followed this diet perfectly because I still had alcohol during the first phase, but cutting out the carbs has made such a difference. I was addicted to potato chips and french fries, and now I don't have cravings for them like I used to. I have been on the diet for one month now and am introducing carbs back into my meals, I've lost 10 pounds total.
Rating: 
Summary: Vauge
Review: I'm fasinated by all types of self improvement through eating regimens, and "South Beach" was no different. It's an interesting read, with a solid amount of facts and well thought-out opinions. My only real complaint, albeit a major one, is the phrase used so often: "you'll lose weight". What exactly does that mean? Losing weight can define several different physical loses. I believe what should have been stated, and what most people want to hear, is that they "will lose fat". How much of the "South Beach" diet is base on bone density, water, muscle, anatomy fluid, and such. Clarify this please, one certainly does not want to lose bone and muscle.
Rating: 
Summary: Exercise is not optional
Review: I just finished a copy of this book that a friend gave me. Since there has been so much press, I wanted to read what it had to say. First of all, I have had a weight problem my whole life. The only time I lost any weight (about 26 pounds) was earlier this year with a program I read about in Good Housekeeping magazine by Jim Karas. I read his book, called "Flip The Switch" and was impressed with how he talked about eating, exercise and the emotional issues that surround body image (I have a BAD one and an trying to change that.) So, I kept hearing that you can lose 8-15 pounds in two weeks on this South Beach Plan. I don't know a single person who has done so. In fact, according to Flip The Switch, it is physically impossible to do so. Plus, this Dr. says exercise is optional. Come on, anyone reading this, you and I know that we have to get moving to get rid of unwanted weight. So, I say forget this South Beach thing and buy Flip The Switch instead.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting concept, but too restrictive for real life.
Review: The book does a pretty good job of explaining good carbs vs. bad carbs and what they do to one's body. However, after trying the diet, I realized that it was too restrictive and unrealistic. For instance, beer is not allowed at all, and I like to enjoy a beer or two on weekends. Also, I'd like to have a bun with my hotdog and beer. The diet seems like a great concept, but is it something one can do for the rest of one's life? Not really.
Rating:
Summary: Another Fad Diet
Review: My husband and I tried the diet for a couple of days. The diet left us feeling weak and sick. I do not think this is a very good diet for people who enjoy food. You should only lose 1-2 pounds a week, and not 8-13 pounds in two weeks! In order for someone to lose weight they need to cut their calories and exercise. In order to lose 1 pound you need to cut 3500 calories a week, and you can do this without cutting out the foods you enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: 25 Pounds in Less than Three Months
Review: The diet works, if you can make it through the first two weeks. I found myself to be dizzy just before meals at the beginning, but then the dizziness disappeared as I emerged from Week 2. Most of the recipes for entrees and salads are tasty and easy to make, and after a while I came to prefer them over heavier things I used to eat. I'm no longer hungry at all, I've lost 25 pounds in less than three months (I started July 1) and I have gone down two belt notches. Actually, since I have a sweet tooth I combined this diet with sugar-free desserts from the sugar-free section of the grocery store in order to be successful (because the primary dessert recommended in the book is inedible). Overall, this diet has worked better than anything else I've ever tried.
Rating:
Summary: Not good for the slightly over weight and/or active people.
Review: I'm 6'2" and started the diet at 186. My ideal weight is about 165 (I have a small frame, and am 40 years old). I stuck with phase 1 for 12 days until I couldn't stand it anymore. I did lose 7 pounds. But I had no energy at all and could barely work out. Another male friend around my age and body type had the same experience. Also, a 31 year old female friend had the same experience. The diet has some very sound advice (stay low on the glycemic index) but I don't think it makes sense for active people with less than 20 pounds to lose. And the editing is terrible and contradictory. At the end of the text, he says that you can have white bread and white potatoes after working out. What if you work out several times per week? There are several other inconsistencies. The diet restricts amounts, however the testimonials sound like they come from Atkins dieters, they mention unlimited amounts of some things.
I did lose about 7 pounds in 12 days but I was miserable. I'm much happier on Body-For-Life because it provides some carbs and gradual, sustainable weight loss.
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