The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss

This is a great book to help anyone to lose weight. It's been very helpful to get us back on track after some bad habits crept into our lifestyle. We love the recipes and day-to-day menus so that we can preplan our food purchases and leave out the temptations. There is even a Party Recipe Book for entertaining that we've already successfully used and no one realized it was South Beach and ate everything! We've both lost weight and already have more energy and our lab work has improved. Keep it in your library as a reference for whenever you stray.

Like the book. Years ago, I didnt bother with it 'cause I wanted my fruit. Now that I'm pre-diabetic and starting to do research, I understand his plan a whole lot better.

The seller was prompt and the Book was delivered in great shape.

The science behind successful dieting (which is never discussed in this book) is very simple: You must burn more calories than you eat each day. If you do so, you will lose weight. (And that's why you will lose more weight if you exercise more). The difficulty comes from finding a diet that is feasible for your lifestyle, i.e. one that you can follow without cheating.With that in mind, and after conducting some research, I decided to try South Beach. I have never gone on a diet before but I felt it was time to shed a few pounds. If you want to save the cost of the book, the diet can be boiled down succinctly as follows: For 1 month, don't eat bread, rice, pasta, desserts, most fruits and juices, ice cream or anything with a lot of sugar (including most desserts). That's really it. After the 1st month you can gradually add back fruits and a limited amount of fiber-rich products like wild rice and 9-grain bread.The good news: if you follow this diet you will lose weight! I lost 7 lbs in 3 weeks even with an occasional deviation. The bad news: sticking to the diet will not be easy.The South Beach diet is not rocket science. Almost every diet encourages people to eat lots of low-calorie rabbit food, i.e. salads, vegetables and fruit, and to avoid high-calorie sugary products like candy, desserts, etc. The difference with South Beach is that it also encourages people to eat chicken, fish and even beef and pork with the hope that you will feel sufficiently full that you won't be tempted to cheat by eating high calorie low nutrition carbs like bread, rice and potatoes. And it works if you stick with the plan.However, this diet- like all I've seen - is going to be tough for those who don't have access to these foods during the day. For example - how is a construction worker supposed to do a salad for lunch? Cottage cheese? etc. And this diet- like all others - fails to provide a good variety of snack options for those of us who don't eat nuts or again have access to refrigeration. In addition the emphasis on avoiding carbs rather than on counting calories could lead you to some bad decisions. For example, you will not lose weight by buying a 400 calorie "low carb" protein bar rather than a 160 calorie jamba juice drink (both of which are equally filling in my opinion). Similarly, a 40 calorie popsicle is a lot better for you than some fatty creme dessert (and more tasty too IMO).As for the book itself, it is mostly fluff and could be condensed into about two dozen pages if you eliminate the recipes and daily diets (most of which aren't followed). However, I still give it 3 stars because I know it has worked for myself and many friends and relatives. Just remember that most diets fail after about 3 months because people get tired of depriving themselves of prohibited items. Dr. Agatson believes that you will have less desire for sweets and carbs if you give them up for a month or two, but that remains to be seen as evidenced by the number of people who regain their weight within a year. However, if you permanently alter your habits by giving up those 500 calorie Starbucks scones and eating more salads, you will be successful.

Bought for my husband who doesn't like to read, but was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. He was started on oral medication & told to diet & exercise. I was disappointed in the dr office, they did not really educate him on the facts of diabetes & what diet he should follow. Luckily, I work in healthcare & was able to guide him. The South Beach Diet book really is a great place for newly diagnosed diabetics, those with heart dz, etc to start their education. My husband as lost over 22lbs so far (even with the holidays!). When he went in for his follow up appt, they were so impressed with his progress & numbers that they took him off the meds & told him to just continue what he is doing.His main complaint about this audio version is that the orator/reader is very boring. But the diet & life style choice changes have worked great. This is also the only diet that has ever worked for me & I have tried many. I go back to the South Beach diet whenever I feel my wt is getting out of control. I've used it since the original book was released.

I have been successfully using the South Beach diet for several years now. I initially lost my law school weight using it. Now, I seem to be in a cycle where I need to start with Phase 1 every summer, I move on to Two and Three and but then a year later, I find myself off the wagon and starting to gain weight, so I go back to Phase 1. But, my weight stays within a 10 lb range, and I haven't ever come close to where I was. And if I stuck with it, it would work consistently.However, there is some critical information he does not really address that I think is important, particuarily Phase 1. You need to know that your body may initially go into shock when you cut off those carbs in Phase 1. I have experienced severe mood swings, depression, fatigue, headaches, dehydration, constipation, and intense hunger (even when eating a ton of food) within the first few days when my body tries to switch modes. If this happens to you, know that its temporary and will only last a couple of days. Once you get through it, you'll feel better than ever. Also, I recommend a few strategies to make it tolerable - first, drink LOTS of water - you're supposed to this generally anyway, but it will make an immediate difference in how you feel. Second, take Citracel with at least one, if not two meals a day. This will help with constipation and cut down on the hunger. Also, although Agatston would probably not like this, I say cheat on the fat if you are feeling really hungry. You may get to the hunger point where you are wondering how your beloved children and/or pets would taste with a little cheese sauce...if so, let yourself have fat until your body makes the switch to running off fat stores instead of incoming carbs. You won't kill the positive effects of the diet and eventually it won't be necessary.

This is a really good way of life book. It’s about eating a combination of certain foods but it does work and improved my well being as well as reduced weight and blood sugars. The recipes are lovely and I must have made 90 pc of them. Be brave and go for it. You must stick to the programme.

Lost ~10kg within 6 months and 1 year later, I'm still able to maintain my weight without constantly counting calories or excessively watching what I eat. According to my GP, my vitals have also improved considerably.Agatston's way of teaching you how to deal with your habits is amazing. You'll learn how to get used to a healthy, well balanced, "normal" diet that doesn't impose ridiculous restrictions on you. All you need to learn is to get into the rhythm. Also, he teaches you how to get your body to re-learn how to digest food properly and how to actively prevent random cravings that would normally send you on a first-class binge. The way it is structured allows for virtually anyone to design their own South Beach diet based on a few, comprehensible rules. Since the author's main goal is to improve your cardiovascular system through proper diet, you get two for one: losing weight is just a (very nice) side-effect.

Excellent diet plan, listing allowed foods and recipes. Works well with the authors revised and updated food list book by the same name.

I have done this I am getting an understanding of its details .Simple approach and my first ever diet over 60 and it's easy approach is a fantastic start to extending one's life and a way forward. Great

'The South Beach Diet' is a really good book - it's not overly long, has some really decent recipes (that can be easily modified after you're done with dieting) and it does work if you stick to the plan and follow the directions. Can't comment much on the delivery - it took literally a few second. Who can honestly say that he/she does dot love the Kindle App?