I have to admit this diet worked quite well for me the first time around, but I suspect I regained even faster after I "fell off the wagon" than I did with any other diet plan, and frankly, it never worked for me again no matter how diligent I was about following the rules. I'm sure this is a good plan for some people, but for me it is too strict and limiting; I need a more balanced diet where I simply watch all of my intake and focus on eating more fruits and veggies and less naughty desserts. But the book itself was well written, comprehensible, and quite easy to follow, which most likely contributed to its extreme popularity. So I'm rating it more based on that than on how effective it was for me long term. I don't think that was an issue of the diet, but my own personal body chemistry. ( )

Popular diet but too restrictive for long term results. ( )

This is the same old fad style diet, see my review of the Atkins book. To the the website of the American Heart Association and structure your diet around the food pyramid they recommend. ( )

I've been doing a bit of research, as part of my plan to take control of my diet, feel healthier and STOP GAINING WEIGHT. Oh, and I'd like to fend off cancer, too.

The South Beach Diet was written by cardiologist, Arthur Agatson, "in order to reverse the myriad of heart and vascular problems that stem from obesity" (p.7). Web MD describes South Beach as "a heart-friendly version of the Atkins Diet."

The premise of the diet is that we feel better and lose weight when our insulin levels are regulated and that the way to do this is by consuming mostly foods with with a lower glycemic index (because I am lazy, I am going to let Wiki fill you in on the details).

The book promises that you will lose eight to thirteen pounds in the first two weeks of the diet (I think the idea is that a quick success will get you motivated), known as Phase 1. And the cover of the edition that I borrowed from the library offered the added bonus, "Lose Belly Fat First!"

Who wouldn't love a diet that offered quick results (although Dr. Agatson is very careful to say that weight loss does slow down in the second phase of the diet, when some previously forbidden foods are reintroduced) and that promised to trim fat from what for many of us (especially those of us who've had babies) is a source of considerable angst? And there is lots in this diet that does make sense.

I know that lean protein makes me feel more full and that, if I get too hungry and let my blood sugar drop, I become a little hysterical (my youngest son is very like me in this. If he gets too hungry, he becomes a little terror. The transformation once he is fed is truly remarkable). I also know that I feel much better when I avoid white sugar.

But I have to say that I am a little leery of a diet that prescribes bacon and eggs for breakfast most mornings and that frowns on whole grain bread (although Agatson does say that whole grains are much better than their refined counterparts).

And I know all to well what a bad idea it can be to try any diet that makes you feel deprived of foods you love.

What I am taking from this diet:

* A good reminder to follow my naturopathic doctor's advice and avoid refined sugar.
* Eat smaller meals and avoid getting too hungry.
* Have snacks with good, healthy proteins.
* Avoid refined carbohydrates (I seldom bother with a bun when I have a burger and I don't have bread with dinner, usually. Avoiding carb-centred snacks, especially when we can't have nuts in the house, is more of a challenge).

I am keen to learn more about the glycemic index and how it affects metabolism. ( )

Like any weight-loss plan, the South Beach Diet has the potential to work -- and to work quite well -- if you follow it precisely and stick with it for the long haul. Unlike other "low-carb" diets such as Atkins, the South Beach Diet places a strong emphasis on promoting "good fats" (the ones that are healthy for your heart) and discouraging "bad fats" (the ones that are likely to contribute to heart disease). Personally, I would feel a lot more comfortable about doing this plan longterm than I would with Atkins... and my doctor concurs. Ultimately, it is up to you whether or not it will help you lose weight. It did work for me when I followed it to the letter... but, like any diet, if you slip up, the weight will come back. ( )