When it comes to the South Beach Diet, one of the most common questions is, "How safe is the South Beach Diet?" You may be skeptical of the South Beach Diet because you have tried fad diets in the past where a bunch of weight is lost only to be regained with gusto as soon as the diet ends. That type of diet is not safe. But the South Beach Diet is not that type of diet. Simply put, the South Beach Diet teaches you new and healthier eating habits. When you follow these healthy diet habits, you lose weight.
What are the benefits of the South Beach Diet? The biggest benefit found on the South Beach Diet isn't weight loss. It's learning how to eat healthier. The South Beach Diet teaches you how to tell the difference between good and bad carbs, and clues you in on what fats are ok to eat and which ones aren't. These simple facts are what make the South Beach Diet so effective.
There are many foods out there that are not good for us to eat: candy, chips, cake, chili cheese fries. Eating a lot of foods that are high in both sugar and saturated fat is part of an extremely unhealthy diet. In Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet, you eliminate these problematic foods from your diet by reducing your "sweet calories" to 75 per day.
The removal of fruits and grains during Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet is often another bone of contention. This is because we know and understand these foods to be healthy so we question why we should have to give them up at this stage of the diet. South Beach Diets answer to that is, yes, these things are good for us, but only in moderation.
Once the two weeks of Phase 1 is complete, you begin to add fruits and grains back into your diet, but this time in a healthy, informed and sensible way. The important thing about this phase of the South Beach Diet is that you no longer crave those high-sugar, high-fat foods. You have broken the hold they had on you, so now you are free to eat them smartly.
Some have also wondered how the South Beach Diet affects pregnant women. It is not recommended that pregnant women enter into Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. If you are pregnant and still want to follow the South Beach Diet program, skip over Phase 1 and start the diet in Phase 2.
Likewise, due to the fact that growing is still taking place and two weeks without grains and fruit can make them lethargic, teenagers are quite often discouraged from following the South Beach Diet.
If you are in any doubt as to whether the South Beach Diet will be good for you, it only takes a quick consultation with your doctor or nutritionist who will be more than happy to give you advice. Each and every one of us is different and it may be that the original South Beach Diet needs tweaking just a little to be appropriate for you.
By Linda Miller