The South Beach Diet - How The South Beach Diet Works

Before we look at how the South Beach Diet works, let's take a moment to consider why the South Beach Diet works.

Why does the South Beach Diet Work?  The South Beach Diet works because it is easy to follow, easy to maintain and gives quick results within the first two weeks.  The South Beach Diet is not boring and does not leave dieters feeling hungry, so people find it easy to stick to the diet.  The initial rapid weight loss gives dieters the incentive to continue with the diet.  The South Beach Diet is adaptable, flexible and suitable to most people - NB. anyone with any health issues should consult their doctor before embarking on any dietary regime.

How does the South Beach Diet Work?  The South Beach Diet works by classifying carbohydrates and fats into "good" and "bad" categories and restricting the intake of the "bad" carbohydrates and fats.

The "bad" carbohydrates have  a high glycaemic index (GI). The GI is a scientific reference to how the carbohydrates in individual foods affect blood glucose levels. Food with a high GI contain carbohydrates that have a dramatic effect on blood glucose levels, while food with a low GI contain carbohydrates with much less impact.  By eating food with a low GI, the blood sugar level is kept stable and the swings between fullness and  hunger are avoided.  Eating "bad" carbs causes a temporary feeling of fullness and a sudden rise in blood sugar levels, but the levels soon decline creating feelings of hunger and lethargy.  It is this downswing that leaves people on other diets vulnerable to "cheating" or giving up the diet altogether.  The South Beach Diet enables dieters to avoid these regular bouts of lethargy and hunger.

The "bad" carbohydrates are mainly found in processed foods like white bread and pasta, while "good" carbs are found in fruit and wholegrain products.  The "bad" fats are saturated fats such as are found in fatty meats and dairy products while "good" fats are the monounsaturated fats produced from olives and rapeseed oils.

The keys to how the South Beach Diet works are that the dieter is never hungry (the diet includes three meals and two snacks each day) and no food is forbidden forever (even chocolate and wine are permitted in moderation).  These two factors remove the hunger that causes the temptation to overeat and the craving for forbidden favourite foods.  The South Beach Diet online offers fantastic support to dieters (including online chats with Dr Agatston) plus access to over 800 recipes.  The South Beach Diet is the food lovers diet.