South Beach Diet - How and Does it Work?

This diet is about the dieter relying on the right fats and carbohydrates. Therefore all bad fats and carbohydrates are avoided.

This is a difficult diet to follow in my opinion because it consists of 3 phases:

Phase 1

This phase lasts for 14 days; you have to consume 3 well-balanced meals everyday, consisting of fish, beef, turkey, shellfish, and eggs, chicken lots of nuts, vegetables, cheese and salad.

You can have snacks in between breakfast and lunch. Also, you are required to drink as much water as you can!

However the foods you can't eat during phase 1 are; bread, rice, pasta, fruits, baked goods, ice cream, sugar, cookies and cake. All these foods can be eaten during phase 2 in moderation.

Phase 2

Phase 2 is very different from Phase 1. With this phase you haven't got a set duration, you simply continue with phase 2 until you have lost your desired weight, this will vary from dieter to dieter; your body will react differently to the next person.

By the time you have started the second phase you should have lost between 8 to 13 pounds, provided you have followed phase 1 precisely.

Most of the initial 8-13 pounds weight-loss is expected to be water-weight-loss caused by carbohydrate control.

This weight loss is usually regained, once the carbohydrate intake starts again. An additional disadvantage of the South Beach Diet is that it doesn't completely cater for people who can't eat dairy.
Various snacks are dairy-based, yet the diet forbids soy in the first two weeks.

However; with this diet you are just eating good carbohydrates and good fats which is why in phase 1 you will have dramatic weight loss, in phase 2 you will lose weight more consistently.

It will be around 1-2 pounds a week. Some of the foods that were avoided in phase 1 can be gradually added back during phase 2.

Phase 3

Phase 3 only starts when you have lost your all of desired weight, and therefore phase 3 will be that similar to your normal eating habits which can be adapted to follow for the rest of your life.