South Beach

[MrsTU]

Is South Beach actually a low carb program? Has anyone found much success with it?

Thank you,
MrsTU

[orygungirl]

I work in a bookstore and the South Beach Diet book has flown off the shelves.. and I keep hearing success stories about friends/relatives of the people that are buying it. I just checked it out from my store yesterday.. thinking about giving it a shot. It seems a bit more liberal than Atkins, but it is low carb.. just not AS low as atkins. It also has what they call Phase 1 which is similar to Induction and during that part it is verrrry much like atkins.. seems like after that it, it varies a bit.. keeping carbs around 30 a day and teaching you how to reintroduce things like bread, pasta, fruit back into your diet reasonably. Im still reading on it.. might give it a try.. but Im afraid it might to be too forgiving and I might need the discipline of the atkins plan. Anyways.. have a wonderful New Year and good luck!!
Tracy

[bluesmoke]

This is a low carb perspective on the South Beach Diet by Dr. Byrnes

3. Book Review: The South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston, MD. Rodale, Inc., 2003.

With the popularity of low-carb diets reaching a high point recently, it was only a matter of time before someone adjusted it into "nutritional correctness." Enter the South Beach Diet by cardiologist Arthur Agatston, MD, of Miami, Florida.

The South Beach Diet is most certainly a low-carb eating regime with the usual carbohydrate foods such as bread (even whole grain), fruit, fruit juices, and rice, potatoes, and pasta excluded (or kept to a bare minimum) The emphasis is on high protein foods, non-starchy vegetables, and skimmilk and other non-fat foods. Of course, white sugar is out, as well as the whole gamut of processed carbohydrate snack foods. While there is certainly nothing unhealthful about eliminating or greatly reducing one's intake of carbohydrates and sugar, this book is full of shortcomings and is quite weak on the science which supposedly supports it.

In the first place is the content of the book. Of the books 310 pages, only about 100 are devoted to explaining the diet to readers. Sprinkled within those first 100 pages are real-life stories of people who succeeded on the diet. So the actual amount of writing from Dr. Agatston drops considerably. From page 108 on, however, the book's content is meal plans and recipes in line with the Diet's principles. While lots of the recipes look inviting and tasty, they all suffer from the same problem: They are full of low or non-fat ingredients, non-fat sour cream and half-and-half being favorite ingredients. Any recipe for chicken requires it to be skinless, again to get rid of those nasty saturated fats that Dr.
Agatston thinks are so lethal.

The book makes some bizarre and nonsensical claims about saturated fats. It claims that diets high in saturated fats cause chemical changes in the bloodstream leading to accelerated atherosclerosis and clogged arteries. They also raise the so-called "bad" cholesterol, LDL, which in the author's opinion, elevates one's chances of a heart attack and heart disease. Dr. Agatston is your basic run-of-the-mill cardiologist who adheres to the usual dietary claptrap taught about diet and heart disease. It does not seem to occur to him to check his theories with actual humanhistory. If he had done this, as Dr. Price had done several decades ago, he would have discovered the embarrassing truth that people who traditionally eat diets high in saturated fats do not suffer from heart
attacks or heart disease. It should also be noted here that the book contains no footnotes--not even a bibliography--to support any of the nutritional claims made.

Dr. Agatston gives the thumbs-up to politically-correct fats like canola oil and olive oil, but avoids butter like the plagues he thinks it causes. Instead, processed spreads are advocated and show up in a number of recipes. Nuts are OK, as well, due to their preponderance of monounsaturates. Fish oils are also ranked high on this diet. The author rightly gives the thumbs-down to margarine and shortening because of the trans-fatty acids in them. Despite this, margarine shows up in several of the books' recipes later on. Eggs are also viewed favorably, but egg substitutes show up in the recipes as well. He also totally avoids any dairy product with the fat still in it. The recipes are full of no-fat cheeses, skim milk, fat-free sour cream, etc. One wonders how any of the recipes on this diet could leave one feeling satiated or happy with the taste of the meals because fat is what makes food taste good and is also what makes one feel full after a meal. Animal fats are also the carriers of the fat-soluble vitamins A and D. There is no good source of vitamin A in this diet, something to be aware of considering how much protein one is ingesting. Vitamin A is required by the body to process and metabolize protein.

Though there is certainly nothing unhealthful about cutting out white flour, sugar, and processed foods from your diet, in the long run, the South Beach Diet has too many questionable components to make it a recommended form of eating day in and day out. Though people have certainly lost weight on the diet, the absence of animal fats is unhealthy, as well as the use of margarines, artificial sweeteners, egg substitutes, vegetable and canola oils.

[orygungirl]

thanks for the input.. i think ill just take the book back and stick with my trusty ol Atkins Low Carb WOL . Its never let me down yet!

[pre3teach]

There was something in the book yesterday that I read and he contradicted himself. Can't think of it right now.

I thought he was trying to copy Atkins but say that Atkins had the fat part all wrong. His diet also seemed alittle more strict to me in some ways...such as no cream or butter etc. Also the meat selections where not as desirable.

The book repeats itself alot too. I am going to get some of the recipes from it and sell mine on ebay. Live and learn I guess. I will stick to the plans that I know work!

[gawdess]

Ive been thinkin of switching to SBD after I lose all of my weight, however I find the book is a little nonspecific. They give meal plans , but dont discuss caloric intake, or what you are monitoring . It is more of a good food/bad food approach I think. I dont know that I trust myself on it.

[gawdess]

Just thought I would take this time to say we should have our own South Beach forum on here

[vir99]

I just got this book for Christmas and read it in one day. That's how little actual content there is. I like the food plans. I think it is low carb, although it opens by saying it isn't. I think it's worth reading, if only for some different food ideas.

[TiffanyC]

I have been doing the SBD but maintaining the Atkins approach on the saturated fats... I am primarily following the recipes that are low carb... some of them are still what I consider high in carbs as I am still in induction. I love the little follow up good fats good carbs guide... it has helped my hubby & myself when we go to the grocery store.

[LilaCotton]

One thing that I find really interesting is comparing Atkins For Life with some of these other plans. I don't know how many have read it, but if not I highly recommend it. I actually read it before DANDR (read the old Diet Revolution first) and found it very useful.

Dr. Atkins doesn't say a person can never again have pasta or breads or rice or what have you. He simply recommends the least processed and most natural foods one can get ahold of, and lists food that should be used frequently, moderately and sparingly (and of course things like processed flour is in the 'sparingly' list).

Anyhow, like I said, if anyone hasn't read the life plan book, you should. It is a very informative read.

[JAYJOY]

I'm just starting South Beach, after losing 30 lbs over the last 3 years with different diets, I have found that Lo-Carb really works the best and is much easier to stick to. I have the last 15 lbs to lose (seems a lot harder when you get closer to your goal), and I thought I'd give South Beach a try. The first phase is similiar to atkins, but keeps you away from a lot of saturated fat. Later the plan re-introduces whole grains and fruits, but you can stay in the first phase to lose most of your weight before you move on. It just seemed very logical and healthy, to me (read the book!). I am wondering if there is a forum on this site for South Beach? Let me know, I'm anxious to talk to anyone who is following it.

Jayjoy[FONT=Arial]

[bluesmoke]

What's wrong with saturated fat? The only saturated fat that has been shown to be unsafe is transfat, and that is allowed on South Beach. The low fat, no fat foods, again allowed on South Beach, are loaded up with sugar, That's healthy? Nyah Levi

[anais57]

....why this thread got moved and why there isn't a sbd forum. i really don't want to buy the book, but am interested in learning more. i haven't exactly plan hopped, but i have tried different plans as i don't lose on any of them. i lost my initial weight on atkins(the first 2 weeks). my body can't process on atkins. the big C left me with an apendectomy and i suspect ibs or shhould i say atkins aggravates the ibs. i have held for all these months. i am an exercise fanatic. though i have kicked back these last days. and now i am ready to regear. the only thing i can think to try now is to reduce the fat. sbd might just work or maybe i will stumble on to my own combination of lo carbing. i am also interested in knowing how sbd is working for people.
~catherine

[greeneyes]

I too would like to see a sbd forum. I bought the book and have read most of it... started 3 days ago. I guess it's all about various interpretations and maybe some selective recall of what you've read (about any diet). So, it would be nice to have a forum that would bring forth different perspectives. I've done Atkins for most of the past 7 months. What has bothered me about it is the elimination of too many nutrient rich foods and the reliance on nutritional supplements. 20 years ago, I did the Overeaters Anon thing and did quite well. That eating plan is basically the elimination of white flour and sugar. What I like about the sbd is that after the 2 week phase one (almost identical to Atkins 2 week induction) you can have certain fruits, whole grains, milk, and even a little dark chocolate. Supposedly, the carb cravings don't return while eating this way. This just seems so much healthier to me and if it works for me, I'll be thrilled!

Happy New Year to all of you!

Vicki

[BLBM]

I think you can get alot of those important nutrients on Atkins also through nuts and seeds mostly, But also if you can trust yourself to stick to 1 slice every day or every other day I don't see why you cand whole grain bread as well as long as it is not made from sudar or white processed floue. Its easy to stay in you carb limit with that as still be getting the nutrient.

[Galadriell]

Catherine, Vicky, if you want to get more info, you can find on the prevention.com site. Both info and forum.
The info:
http://www.prevention.com/cda/feature2002/0,4780,s1-6267,00.html
The forum:
http://forums.prevention.com/forum.jsp?forum=40

[gawdess]

I have been on here advocating for a South Beach forum and am wondering where there is such resistance. It is a lower carb plan, just read the diet. I did check out the prevention websites, I guess I just love the community I have found here.

[pookie10]

Hello,
I am on the SB. It is (in my mind) very different than Atkins. I can not have bacon, most cheeses, etc. It monitors the fat as well as carb. There are "good" carbs and "Bad" carbs.

[lawoman]

Hi everyone,

I read the SB book last week and DH and I started the plan today.There are a few untruths posted here about the fats (he does not advocate hydrogenated fats or anything with them in the ingredients) The margarine he suggests is I Can't Believe it's not butter spray( 0 fat) The tub marg. had hydrogen oils so is not allowed.

I have been doing Atkins,from Jan. 1999-20003 when I did the fat flush plan for 6 months. I went off plan and found I need to be on a plan,so I went searching for a happy medium. I like this plan and it does sound very healthy to me as it is mostly whole foods versus processed.

I know I got lengthy so let me get to the point.I think that YMMV and we should all be accepting of variations of LC'ing. I enjoy this forum and want to stay here so I think it is important that we all support those (me included) who choose to try an alternative LC plan. Even the late,dear Dr. Atkins said that when you stall out to try another LC plan but just stay on a plan. The SB plan has been a success for many,many people and we should all be free to try something new.One last thought...remember back at all the mis-information for yrs. about Dr. Atkins WOE but it worked for so many and apply that to the choice I and others would like to make(whether it works for us or not). If I fall,it will be on my own face (or other body part :) ) but I would love to have the support of others the same as I support them here in their choices.

Hugs,
Linda

[The Goose]

I coudn't agree with you more! I myself don't adhere strictly to the Atkins plan. I struggle with the supplement part of the plan and think that if you eat healthy, nutritious foods in moderation you can lose weight. This includes all kinds of fruits and vegetables and whole grains. The thing that Atkins has taught me is to be more aware of the carbs in foods so that I can make low carb choices. And isn't that what this is all about - choices?

I choose to eat low carb foods. Each of the LC plans here gives me a different perspective on the LC way of life and provides me with choices. I take what I need to from each and am more aware now of how my body feels when I eat different foods. Maybe not a perfect way to "adhere to plan" but it seems to work most of the time for me.

I'm learning more and more about portions and moderation and am learning to listen to my body. That I think, more than anything else, is the key to healthy living and weight loss - whether it's Atkins, SBD, CAD, whatever...

(Stepping down from the soapbox now...)

[lawoman]

Hi Goose and other SBers!

I hope it is going well for you.I am on day 3,eating good,cravings gone and I'm down 4 1/2 in 2 days. I couldn't be more thrilled that I found this plan.Like you,Goose,I have been listening to my body for several months.It's not a bad idea for anyone. The only reason the Atkins quit working for me was that I was taking the "can haves" way too far. Not Atkins fault...it was how I reacted. I listened to my body and found that it may not have been the insulin spike causing me to over-eat certain foods but rather the taste of them.If I made something dessert I could not quit until it was gone...not a good thing.:rolleyes: I am happy with this medium so this is what I will do not to get the weight off and keep it off.I have read about everything now and there are definitely good and bad carbs as well as good and bad fats.

Ok,enough of that...Have a good day whatever plan you choose...

Linda
PS.If any of you find a thread started for SB please let me know in my journal or PM. Maybe we could go to the buddy list!

[ckoudsi617]

Hi, Fellow "Beach Babes" (and Dudes)! I was 192 on 09/15/03 and lost thirty pounds before Christmas. I put back a few over the holidays but I suspect that by Monday, January 12 I will be back around 162. I cannot recommend this plan highly enough. It is the only WOE that has truly worked for me. (Linda, I'm with you! I have trouble with those "allowed" foods. SBD doesn't make you count calories, but I keep a food log anyway, just to keep track of quantity. It really helps.)

I found Atkins too restrictive also and it didn't seem "healthy" to me. I like the idea of good carbs/bad carbs. After the initial Phase (about two weeks or more, if you think you need it), you ARE allowed cheeses and so on. The key here is moderation and overall nutritional value, I think. It's not so much a low carb diet as it is a low glycemic (sugar) diet. This tends to reduce the carbs considerably by default.

Another key is to eat as much fiber as your system can handle comfortably and gradually increase it. This should offset a lot of the carb detriment. You can even have limited alcohol after the first Phase. Red wine is the most accepted, but you have to have it with meals. (I like the Aussie Shiraz wine "Yellow Tail" the best so far. Their Merlot is good, too!)

As far as desserts, you can have them also, if they're the right ones. If you make it yourself, then you can just make enough for that day's portion, if you'd like. I found a lot of good recipes on the web. I like the Splenda sweetener the best. They also have a granulated version that you can use in recipes.

I like the idea of a buddy list. Linda, I will look up how to contact you directly in your profile, if allowed. I know they don't like us to put our email here. Jayjoy and others, I agree that we beachers should have our own forum as well.

Have a great day on the Beach, everyone! (Here is Boston is not exactly tanning weather - a balmy 18 degrees! Brrrrr!)

[mle_ii]

My wife picked up the South Beach diet book to start that diet plan. So I decided to give it a read. Here are my few thoughts on the diet/book.

1) It seemed more restrictive than Atkins (perhaps the foods I wanted to eat were a no no on SBD) For instance I like that I can eat cheese and fatty meats which are a no no on SB. (He says that saturated fats are bad, but from the studies I've seen I haven't seen where they are unhealthy).
2) I really didn't see any major differences in what I could eat on Atkins (in moderation) than what was in SB besides what I noted above. (That is when you are beyond induction) .
3) For me it didn't have enough information. I liked that Atkins spelled out everything. No guessing about whether I could it it on SB or not. It was also more difficult to figure out how much of foods I could eat.

I will admit that I read though it rather quickly. And that my wife has lost a bunch since she's been on it. Helped her get though the holidays and still lose weight. Thats a huge plus for anyone.

PS. I'm not trying to say that this diet is wrong or bad or won't work, as I said it worked for my wife, just providing my thoughts on it.

[lawoman]

Thanks for visiting us beachers,Mle. we always enjoy any insights. Ok,here's the BUT...:lol:

1. You can have your cheese and eat it,too.He suggests low fat cheese as it has no real difference in carbs than whole cheese but much less sat. fat.

2.The major difference between Atkins is that it is in lower in sat/hydrogentated fats. You still eat good fats mainly from canola/olive oil. The difference come after 2 wks. when you can add back in whole foods that Atkins does not allow(can we say beans...LOL) grains,oatmeal,Kashi Go-Lean crunch cereal,fruit,etc. You may have milk as long as it's low fat without using so much heavy cream.I use a new one out by Hood that I found at Wal-Mart in 2% that is Atkins approved(a seal on it) and is low in fat and carbs.

3. I am info'd out! I was grateful that he gave the basics but I was easily able to figure out what I could have by looking at sample menus and glycemic index. The recipes are really good.

I'm so happy for your wife that she chose the SB and it is working for her.I started on Tues. and was down another # today which makes 5.5 since Tues. I hope you and your DW can both stop by this thread again.It gave me a chance to add a bit of info for those who are curious!:)
Linda

[doreen T]

...The difference come after 2 wks. when you can add back in whole foods that Atkins does not allow(can we say beans...LOL) Ooops .. actually .. beans and legumes are permitted during Phase 1, as they're low on the Glycemic Index.

:read:

http://www.prevention.com/cda/feature2002/0,4780,s1-5350,00.html

Vegetables and legumes are allowed in "unlimited" quantities, as long as you tolerate them, ie they don't induce cravings and you're losing weight. So no technical need to count carb grams. Just focus on the Glycemic Index, choosing those foods which rate a GI of 50 or lower in the beginning. However, it probably wouldn't hurt to keep the overall carb counts in mind ;)

When moving up to Phase 2, the "ongoing weight loss", you add back more lower-GI foods, but very gradually .. eg, one new thing a day, with fruit suggested as the first thing. In general, because they're higher on the Glycemic Index -- grain-based foods and starchy veggies (yams, squash, etc) are recommended to be used sparingly eg, whole wheat pasta once a week.

Also, do not try to go low fat. Dr Agatston states that you may use the allowed fats and oils liberally .. you're only to restrict specifically saturated fats, especially dairy. Whole eggs are unlimited as well, unless you have medical directions otherwise.


hth,


Doreen

[lawoman]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for the correction,Doreen. That is just why we need a thread like this for those of us doing SB.I have only been doing this WOE for 4 days and I'm still learning.I am grateful for all tips and corrections.Hmmmm,I think I'll have some beans!...LOL

Also,I missed reminding about adding foods back in gradually so I'm glad you wrote that. I think I will go back and read the book again and not be in such a hurry this time.I also need to revisit the prevention.com site as there is great info there that I found before starting it but it will be more meaningful now.Oh my,always lots to do...LOL

Have a great weekend and hope to see more posts here soon...

Linda
PS.weight stayed the same today but I'm still happy with 5.5 in 4 days.:)

[Lisa N]

The major difference between Atkins is that it is in lower in sat/hydrogentated fats.

Actually, neither plan allows hydrogenated or transfats. :)

[edina]

Morning, everyone. I'm new to the site/forum and I've fallen in love with it.
I feel that the SBD will work better for me because it is less restrictive and, in my humble opinion, healthier (I'm a huge advocate of reliable studies).
I like reading the feedback/comments --they're helpful reminders that I'm not alone on this personal mission.