One of the most popular diet systems of all time is the South Beach diet. This diet promised healthy weight loss with no counting or measuring. This diet first hit the market in 1980s and gained popularity in the early 2000s. The diet was created by cardiologist Arthur Agaston as an alternative to other low fat diet like the Ornish diet and Pritikin diet. Originally, the diet was created to improve the cholesterol levels and insulin levels of his patients. The book The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor Designed, Foolproof plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss is the bestselling diet book.
The South Beach Diet is broken down into 3 phases. In the first phase Phase 1 is 14 days long and focuses on stabilizing your blood sugar, jump start your weight loss, and eliminate cravings for sugary foods and refined starches. In Phase 2, other nutritious foods are gradually introduced, you maintain a steady pace of weight loss, and you reach your weight loss goal. There is no set time limit for Phase 2 and it is not completed until you reach your weight loss goal. Phase 3 is when you can reintroduce all foods in moderation, maintain your goal weight, and keep off the extra pounds.
What made this diet so popular was when in President Bill Clinton started it in the late 90s. In his 2004 memoir entitled My Life, he explained how he lost 35 pounds on The South Beach Diet. Twenty years after the diets debut it’s still one of the go to diets for many people.
This diet isn’t just a throwback, it’s still around. Now it is new and improved with different products besides the book and recipes. To satisfy your inevitable cravings for a sweet snack The South Beach Diet now makes snack bars, protein bars, 100 calorie smoothies, and cereal bars. They also have a snack called sweet delights which are soy nuts covered in dark chocolate.
Did you ever try the South Beach Diet?
Featured photo via
I actually didn’t mind this diet so much when it was popular. It definitely highlights some very important attributes of a healthy lifestyle. My problem with ALL diet plans though is that they are for X amount of days. What happens AFTER the diet is “over”?! I feel like people go back to the way they were eating only to be dis hearted by the fact that they gained all their weight back. People need to see healthy living and eating as a LIFESTYLE not something with a time limit.