Rating: 
Summary: Easy to follow and I saw results immediately
Review: I've always been intimidated or annoyed with diet books -they are sort of like reading manuals, which I also hate. But this book is concise and really easy to follow, and the fact that the diet is so restrictive and unambiguous in the first two weeks makes it easy to stay on track. They key is that you are allowed to each as much as you want as long as you stay away from the sugars and the refined-foods carbs. But, you still end up eating a lot less than you used to because you aren't hungry. I can't say that at first I wasn't finding it hard to resist a huge pile of pancakes, but I was losing about a pound a day and that is an amazing motivator. Also I found that my energy level for my cardio workouts was down at first. I'm a victim of the high tech world and I've gained 25 pounds in the last six years. I'm going to South Beach in a few months, which was a great motivator to loose weight, and I'm achieving amazing results with this book. All my pants were loose on my after the first four days - it's like after all this time my body is saying "thank you!" for eating right and is rewarding me with rapid weight loss. This is a healthy diet that encourages the consumption of food in a satisfying quantity in its most natural state - not overly processed or refined or sugary. It's the type of food we are meant to be eating.
Rating:
Summary: It's working for us, but what a scavenger hunt!
Review: The South Beach Diet works
but following the recipes
in the first phase of it
has been no day at the beach.
The menus call
for a scavenger hunt
just to live
on this scavenger diet,
Krogersurvivor Island.
I hunted and hunted
for Laughing Cow Cheese
(no jokes, please,
about mad cow disease)
and some other
equally arcane ingredients
that seemed udderly laughable.
The sudden popularity of this diet
has caused inflation,
the price on certain items
rising faster than gas
as we drove from store to store
looking for rare items,
trying to beat the rush,
hoping we could get done
before the cheese went south
and the cows had their last laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Testimonial from a vegetarian
Review: This diet really works. At first I was a little bit reluctant about trying the South Beach diet. After all, I am a vegetarian.
However, I've been able to stick to it for 18 days. So far, I have lost 14 pounds [couple of inches around my waist :)] the results are very noticeable. Now, I am not the only techie doing this but couple of more geeks in my department.CD
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't work for me
Review: I am not writing this to slam the South Beach Diet since so many people have benefited from it and I'm happy for them. It just didn't help me very much which is why I gave it only two stars. During the two-week strict phase I lost only 4 pounds. I certainly didn't need to buy this book and do the special diet to lose only 4 pounds. I could do that by cutting back a little on food and exercising a little more. During the two weeks I felt light-headed and sick most of the time. When hunger hit me, it hit harder than with my regular way of eating. A lot of reviewers point out the lack of emphasis on exercise. I want to point out a lack of information related to supplements. There are supplements that can help people control blood sugar and cravings. Before starting SBD, I had already lost 14 pounds in 5 weeks by following the common-sense French-style of eating described in Chic & Slim by Anne Barone and The Fat Fallacy by Will Clower (and enjoyed eating a lot more, too!). I was trying to get more weight off fast by going on SBD. For those people concerned that you lose only water-weight in the early parts of a diet, some of us with persistent edema would be very happy with that. For those people who retain a lot of water, I recommend The False Fat Diet by Dr. Elson Haas. I did this diet, which is based on food reactions, and lost 8 pounds the first week and then shed another 27 pounds in three months. However, I looked like had lost 50 pounds, because I got rid of that layer of water under my skin. My face and hands lost that puffy look and my stomach was perfectly flat. I also felt marvelous since the bothersome foods and chemicals were out of my system. I let the weight creep back on because I got lazy and started eating candy again and not paying attention to what I was reactive to. Dr. Haas really backs up his diet with a lot of info. I am going to get back on that diet. Final notes on SBD: I did appreciate SBD's emphasis on vegetables at every sitting. We really have to get back to preparing and eating our own fresh food. It is the pre-made, pre-packaged, pre-digested foods that got us into this obesity epidemic in the first place. If SBD doesn't work for you, don't give up hope. I recommended three other books that may just be your ticket to weight loss. I wish you all good luck!
Rating: 
Summary: It worked for us!
Review: I WAS 149, 5'4'' 139 yrs; Since our daughter was born 3 years ago I was just going up and up, I didn't want to see 150!! After 6 weeks on South Beach Diet my husband and I lost 15 pounds; It was my first diet; My mother started 2 weeks earlier and lost as of today 18 pounds (after 8 wks)at 65 yrs. Mother tried many diets and liked this one a lot and the idea of following a daily menu from breakfasts to dinners & snacks; The first 2 weeks are a bit difficult but its great to see within 7 days that we are really melting! Grocery shopping cost: much higher with all those fresh veggies, spices & meats, for 2 its $50-80 more a week-we followed exactly the menus; But I heard any diet is expensive; The recipes are great but time consuming; Plus getting lunches ready for work I felt I was always in the kitchen! Today we are still following Phase 2, we like it; I sometimes borrow recipes from phase 3 dinner or we switch breakfast; We like those chocolate treats for desert too; We really liked SBD and being now at my pre-pregnancy weight I feel so much better; It worths putting the time & energy in the kitchen; The recipes are so good.
Rating:
Summary: I'll never be overweight again!!
Review: I've been needing to lose 25 pounds for quite some time now. Atkins scared the living daylights out of me as it didn't sound safe and losing the weight I did in high school (running) wasn't an option because of the stress these extra pounds were putting on my knee. I had heard of South Beach and decided to pick up the book. It is a quick read but the best part is that he isn't just saying, "Do this and this and you'll lose weight" but he does an excellent job of explaining WHY following his advice works. And did it work? You bet!!! I lost 13 pounds in two weeks, as promised, doing nothing but his diet and ten minutes of walking every day (getting my knees back into shape). I then switched over to the next stage he recommends. At this rate, I should have lost my entire 25 pounds in two more weeks (I've been doing this for a little bit over a month now). I was concerned on what it would do for my heart. I took a couple of blood pressure tests and it is as excellent as ever!! I'm glad that I'm not only loosing the weight, but doing it safely. This book delivers on its promises and I'm living proof that it not only takes the weight off but keeps it off. And if I ever put some back on, I can loose it in a matter of days. As my title states, I'll never be overweight again. I have more energy, I'm easily fitting in pants I've been struggling with for a long time, and I feel so good about myself. This book is highly recommended with two notes. 1) I also read Dr. Phil's Ultimate Weight Loss Solution. I would recommend this as a companion as it does discuss a lot of common sense ways of getting a mental edge over your weight. Except on what it suggests eating, I found these diets very compatible (I eat the South Beach way, though). 2) They have a web site you can use to track things and get recipes for about $5 a week. DON'T DO THIS!!! There are a ton of web sites that will do it for free over for peanuts. Most disappointing is that I Emailed them a question when I started my diet and I STILL haven't received a response. For $20 a month I would expect more service. Take my word on it, this is the last diet you'll ever need!!!
Rating:
Summary: Actually 4.5 stars!
Review: After much skepticism I tried this program and was amazed! It does work, after the third day on Phase 1 the weight literally flew off. I don't know how practical it is me long term. I do loves my carbs, especially sugar! The choices are limited on Phase 1 (ugh, not another egg!) but when you start shedding the lbs it motivates you to stay on it. Did not find the recipes in the book inspiring- did not care for the cookbook either. If you are looking to jumpstart your diet this is a good one.
Rating:
Summary: I'LL NEVER BE OVER WEIGHT OR HUNGRY AGAIN
Review: This is a great way of changing your life!! I lost 20 lbs in three months with little life style change. I am never hungry !!!
Rating:
Summary: Not for the average busy person!
Review: The diet is o.k., but for me living in New York and always on the go, this diet is not for me. There is no way that I have the time to cook London Broil and Flank steak when I come in from work. If you are a person who does not arrive home until after nine at night then the diet will be hard for you to follow. Just thinking about when to prepare the foods is just so difficult. If the diet was something similar to Weight Watchers, then it would be easier. There is just too, much preparation and if you do not have time to prepare your food then this diet will not work. Please, don't even think about eating some of these dishes at the restaurant because it will cost you an arm, a leg, and a lung. The food sounds good, but it is not for a busy person.
Rating:
Summary: the only diet i've ever tried that works exactly as promised
Review: bought the book in february after 3 years of hovering at 160 pounds (i'm a 5'6" female). 15 weeks later, i weigh 140, and the weight is still coming off. i've never felt deprived, i've enjoyed my share of red wine and chocolate, and i've even cheated a bit. i don't own a scale, but weigh myself now and then at the gym. for three months, everytime i've gotten on the scale, my weight's been lower. the diet works, and that's it.
| 
