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Summary: A diet book that actually works... who knew??
Review: My cousin and I have been on this plan just over five months. She's lost 48 pounds and has dropped from a 16 to an 8. I've lost 91 pounds and have gone from a 32 to a 24. Obviously I have a long way to go, still, but for the first time in my life I have the tools to make it happen. The book is clear and an easy read. The recipes are helpful, though I never followed the meal plan. I have given away several copies of this book and many of my friends have bought their own. It works. It's the best money I've ever spent.
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Summary: Do not buy this book if you are allergic to eggs or milk.
Review: Just a warning that if you allergic to eggs or milk it is better not to buy this book. His plan calls for eggs almost every morning. Also, if you are well versed with the glycemic index value of foods, you might find this book repetitive. This weight loss plan is a version of a low-glycemic diet plan. If, however, you do not know about the glycemic index and how the body reacts to refined carbs, you will need to read this book or any other article that explains it.
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Summary: Well Worth It!!!!
Review: I have two kids who are 18 months apart and it was hard to get rid of the pregnancy weight. This book is great!!!! It not only helped me with the list of proper things to eat but also change the way I thought about how I should eat. If you're going to have ice cream then don't get the sprinkles and hot fudge...it's better than nothing. I lost 15 lbs in the first week (with the book and very little excersing) and I stayed on the first week menu for a long time. I weigh less than before I had children and even the same weight the day I got married. Thank you!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Wow!
Review: I've been on the SBD for 9 days now and I'm so excited to say I've already lost 6.4 lbs and have about 10 more to go. Like most of you, I've tried every diet out there and I lose a few pounds, but then the motivation wears off. So far so good with this one. I'm a very picky eater, so the Phase One portion is tough in certain ways and pretty easy in others. I have a hard time w/ portion control; I can't just have one of something. It's either all or nothing. With this diet, since I'm not allowed ANY sweets or white flour, it's easier for me not to even have it. Then I don't have to worry about it. What's been hard for me is coming up with a variety of foods that I like. There are only so many salads I can eat and so many Egg Beaters I can stomach. I love them, but only on occasion. I really haven't been very hungry, so that's been a blessing. I've tried a few of the recipes and all have made me gag. I've tried the Gazpacho, the Spinach Frittata and the Vegetable Quiche Cups. I've been eating more nuts than they recommend, but I'm still losing, so I figure it can't be hurting me too much. I have to eat something! Even though Dr. Agatston doesn't push exercise very much I'm exercising, which I've always done, so I'm sure that's helping my efforts. I'm looking forward to Phase Two, because the meal plans look much more varied and appetizing. There are still lots of salads, so I'll have to modify that sometimes, but at least I'll be able to eat some fruit and other off-limit foods. I like the fact that Dr. Agatston is a cardiologist and that this diet got started and was successful long before he wanted to make a buck or two. That makes the SBD seem more legit to me and not a gimmick. I just hope I can continue with my progress. I'm worried about Phase Two because I'm afraid once I'm allowed a little of something I'll go nuts and won't be able to control myself. I realize that this has to last me a lifetime if I want to keep the weight off, so hopefully I'll just be grateful not to be eating eggs and meat all the time and appreciate what I put in my mouth.
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Summary: My daughter lost 40 pounds
Review: I have to write a recommendation for this great book because it produces results. My daughter has been overweight for 15 years and no diet has had any impact. I read the reviews here six months ago and bought two recommended books, Optimal Thinking: How to Be Your Best Self to help her get rid of her self-sabotage and teach her how to be her best in every situation, and this book, which showed her how to eat sensibly and lose weight. All I can say is that the combination worked!
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Summary: Five stars!
Review: I've been fitness conscious my whole life, but I needed to lose weight after my son was born so I decided to pick up the South Beach Diet book. It not only tells you how to lose weight, but how to do it safely. For a diet book, I give it five stars! Debbie Farmer, parenting author of 'Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat'
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Summary: Just Finished Book - My Two Cents
Review: I just finished this book last night, and wanted to share some of my thoughts. I have yet to start the diet (I'm waiting until after my birthday - who in their right mind starts a diet on their birthday?), but I am hopeful. As an extremely hypoglycemic individual, I've long held that fats and proteins go a long way towards preventing hunger - Dr. Agatston merely validates what I believe to be true about blood suger, carbs and hunger. Being a female over 40, I have found shedding excess pounds extremely difficult (I need to lose about 15+ lbs. - which is a lot when you are only 5' tall). I have read a slew of books about weight loss in women over 40, and they noted that women in perimenopause and menopause stages tend to store carbs as fat, and process proteins differently. Finally, my own Dr. reccomended the diet, as research has shown that perimenopausal and menopausal women have the best long term success on low carb diets (he had just returned from a conference when he told me this, and had just recieved the latest and greatest info on obesity and diets). Yes, half the book is recipies and yes, the principles of the diet could have been stated in a much shorter book (in the early days, apparently the diet was explained on a sheet of paper or two). But don't let that sway you. I was impressed with the variety of the recipies, and feel that I got a good 2 for 1 deal: a diet book AND a decent cookbook. Many recipies are from the top chefs in South Beach. I don't understand the people that found this book confusing - I found it clear and easy to understand. I enjoyed the antedotes; I suspect those who did not were men. As a general rule, I think women enjoy "chit chat" and stories more than men, thus would appreciate that part of the book. Thanks!
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Summary: What your doctor Won't or Can't Tell you
Review: That is the book we should all be reading. I think you'll be shocked to read what goes on in the world of medicine. Written by a practicing cardiologist in New York.
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Summary: It worked for me!
Review: For years, I've battled with my weight and making good food choices. Although I ate low-fat foods as well as plenty of fruit and vegetables, and exercised, I was much heavier than I liked. After the birth of my second daughter two years ago, I just couldn't seem to get things under control. I read a few articles about Dr. Agatston and the diet, and decided to give the book a try. There are a few details that weren't worked out in advance such as--Metamucil is recommended, yet the book fails to inform readers that a sugar-free formula is available. He also fails to let readers know whether they must stick to the powder form, or if capsules are also okay. And, until recently, the type of yogurt he recommends (low-sugar) was pretty much non-existent. Now Carb Control (Dannon) and Carb Sense (available in health food stores) are available, and contain no high fructose sweetners or refined sugar. Aside from small details of that kind, the book offers pratical advice and delicious recipes. I never dreamed I could eat steak and pork tenderloin, and have dessert, and lose 20 lbs. I really hate to refer to this as a "diet" since I believe it's more a lifestyle change. Ten years ago I lost 30 lbs. on Health Management Resources' doctor supervised diet, and my biggest concern was keeping the weight off. And, it did slowly creep back. This time I have every confidence that I can keep the weight off, and I love planning my meals. I highly recommend this book. I used to love bread and pasta--I could care less about them. I now eat them in moderation, and don't miss them a bit!
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Summary: 40+ pounds
Review: -
I will give the diet results since that is actually what I was looking for when I was reading reviews. I started this diet on Dec. 17,2003 at a weight of 189.5 and 33% body fat with high bad cholesterol, high triglicerides, and low good cholesterol while taking cholesterol medication. I went to the doctor on March 29, 2004 with the following results.
Normal triglicerides, normal good cholesterol, still high bad cholestrol (249 which is lower than when I was taking cholesterol medication), 19% body fat, and 151.5 pounds.
I don't think this is the diet for everyone, serveral at my work have cheated on the diet because they can't give up the bread. As a result, they haven't lost any significant weight (less then 10 pounds) and have been hungry. If I get hungry, I eat until I'm full. I had moved to phase 3 - weight maintenace, since then my dr. said to lose 10 more pounds so I have moved back to phase 2 and have lost another 2.5 pounds in the last 2 weeks. Almost forgot to mention, I did not exercise. I simply wanted to see if the diet worked on its own merits. I'm satisfied with the results.
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