You have heard of the South Beach Diet, but what is it? Is it like other diets you have come across, such as the Atkins Diet or diets you have tried but which failed to satisfy? Will a person yo-yo on the South Beach Diet plan or find a way to eat that works for life?

South Beach Diet for Life

The website for this program claims you have found your lifelong plan for healthy eating and body weight maintenance.

A doctor designed this eating plan, so that should give you confidence that the diet is healthy and will help you find success.

His aim is to provide the tools for sensible weight loss without depriving participants of the joy of eating.

Phases of Weight Loss

During the first phase you will reduce your cravings for sugar and processed starchy foods like donuts, cookies, and bread. These and low-fat, high-sugar foods are tempting but terrible for weight loss even if they are calorie-reduced. Your weight loss during this fourteen day period will be rapid if you want to lose more than 10 pounds but is also highly restrictive: protein and leafy greens are essential here.

Phase 2 is a little easier as you start to add more foods: whole grains and a few more vegetables for slower weight loss. Fat will still melt from your body, but at a comfortable pace. You will stay here until you achieve your ideal weight.

In Phase 3, you are maintaining your weight; eating sensibly and continuing with an active lifestyle. You can always go back to the second phase if you need to lose some weight again or even cycle back to Phase 1 in order to get your cravings under control. Just eat everything you want but sensibly.

A Diet Community

The South Beach Diet Community online gives participants access to other people you can share your experiences with. Learn what others are doing, share in their highs and lows, and encourage one another.

There are interactive tools and recipes to enjoy plus some suggestions about the best foods, such as lean proteins. Enjoy ginger beef, edameme beans, lean fish, and roasted pork.

Eventually, you will be eating whole grains like quinoa which is also high in protein. Whole grain bread will be a part of your diet once more too, topped with avocado and roasted vegetables instead of jam, or sugar-rich ketchup and high-sodium processed meats. Dairy is also fine, even if you want the occasional latte or cup of custard.

South Beach Diet Products

A whole line of branded products includes meals, snacks, and books available online and from participating retailers. They use no artificial flavors or sweeteners in their foods, which is a bonus since many sweetened diet products contain aspartame or sucralose, neither of which is a healthy alternative to sugar.

Their Good to Go Bars are baked full of protein and fiber. Gluten-free dieters can also go for their specialist snack bars containing chocolate, nuts, and more. These are GMO-free and filling options if you need a snack on the go.

More branded products from the South Beach Diet include ready meals for all times of day such as apple sauce and cheese wedges. Choose white cheddar cheese, honey whole wheat crackers, and dark chocolate covered soy nuts as a snack package. South Beach packages contain a number of variety packs which supply nutritional needs without excessive calories or carbs.

South Beach Diet vs. Atkins Diet

Both of these diet programs were founded by cardiologists. Each doctor saw a connection between refined carbohydrates and weight gain, one that is more important than the number of calories on a person’s plate.

Each program encourages community: becoming a member (which costs money) and being part of a wider challenge to lose weight and keep it off without starvation or frustration. Products in the South Beach Diet range, however, are more diverse, there are more of them, and they don’t contain artificial sweeteners which are found in Atkins Diet snacks.