The South Beach Diet was created by a Florida-based cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston, together with help from Maria Almon from the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami.

Dr. Agatston originally developed this diet to avert heart disease in his obese heart patients who have been finding it challenging remaining for the standard low-fat diet suggested by the American Heart Association. Dr. Agatston began advertising his diet system for weight loss after becoming successful in making use of it to take care of his patients.

The concept behind the South Beach weight loss program is that for dieters to lose weight naturally, they need to swap the intake of bad carbohydrates and fats with good ones.

Hence, it is based upon the distinctions of what this diet regime categorizes as bad and good dietary fats according to their amount of saturation as well as on what bad and good carbohydrate foods are as outlined by their list.

Consuming bad carbohydrate foods, according to Dr. Agatston, results in men and women becoming insulin resistant - insensitivity of insulin receptors and therefore their incapability to appropriately regulate sugar levels.

Also, this program notes that insulin resistance often leads to the human body stowing excess glucose inside circulatory system as glycogen within muscle and liver cells as well as fat in cells.

Dr. Agatston also believes that overindulging on bad dietary fats simultaneously causes a greater weight gain and threat of heart disease.

Although he specifically makes it clear that this South Beach meals are neither a low-fat nor a low-carbohydrate diet, it however restricts the ingestion of both these food classes.

Essentially, Dr. Agatston's South Beach diet may be looked upon as part of a short-term rapid weight loss diet system and long-term calorie-restricted and portion-controlled diet.

Dr. Arthur Agatston's South Beach diet is primarily categorized into 3 levels.

Phase One

The level one of the South Beach diet is considered as among the most rigid level which only allows the minimum choice and amount of carbohydrate foods.

Under this diet, you are advised to refrain from pasta, rice, fruits, potatoes, bread, and just about every food containing sugar and flour for your 2 weeks duration.

It only allows you to consume vegetables which provide vital nutrients like heart-healthy folate along with other vitamins and minerals.

The various salads and vegetables which can be allowed in unlimited quantities provide satisfaction as well as assist in blood sugar control.

It also supplies ample percentages of protein and good fats from consumption of such foodstuffs like canola and olive oils, spices, tofu (low-fat or calorie-reduced), eggs, nuts, seafood, meat, poultry and low calorie sweeteners.

Meal size is not necessarily stringently regulated because individuals are in fact permitted to use a regular calorie consumption of between 1,200 and 1,400 spread across 3 regular meals or treats.

This particular level is usually to help dieters split up their bad cravings and equally to significantly fix any type of insulin insensitivity.

Dr. Agatston is convinced that dieters can shed between 8 - 13 pounds from largely stomach fat during this stage of diet plan alone.

Dieters are not advised to employ Phase One of the diet regime as being a long-term diet routine.

On the other hand, those on the diet plan could find it tough to follow as a result of fatigue, dehydration and nausea.

Phase Two

The second phase of the South Beach diet is|weight loss program is much more generous and individuals are more likely to shed about 1-2 pounds (0.6-1 kg) every week.

This level actually allows them to achieve pleasure in a number of their most desired foods despite the fact that a little less than they were used to before specifically according to the permitted portions.

In this stage, dieters are allowed to slowly and gradually begin adding several good carbohydrate foods like whole grain bread, pasta, sweet potatoes, fruits, whole grain rice along with more starchy veggies.

Individuals are asked to carry on with this stage until they gained their goal bodyweight prior to proceeding to the final phase of the diet plan.

The length of time Phase Two takes reliess largely on the measure of bodyweight the consumer hopes to shed.

Phase Three

This is really the final phase of the South Beach diet which began once the person reaches his or her weight goals.

This level was designed to help individuals guard the advantages gained from completing levels 1 and 2.

The list of restricted foods here are similar to Phase Two since foods made of white flour and containing high sugar levels are forbidden.

Phase Three can consequently be a daily life of making the right food choices as have been completely realized within the preceding stages.

They are also asked to participate in regular aerobic workouts and muscle building exercises.

Even though the South Beach meals are fairly new as compared to the likes of the Atkins Diet and still have virtually no independent scholarly study undertaken over it as at yet, most people still accepted the diet plan with enthusiasm.

Besides the quick weight loss within Phase One of the diet plan which happens to be its main problem of disapproval with many nutritionists and dietitians, many health specialists acknowledged that the overall concepts of the South Beach diet are acceptable.