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The South Beach Diet Inside Skinny

The South Beach Diet as you know, has become outrageously successful after the weight loss and recipe book by almost the same name was put to print, released and picked up momentum in inner circles as dieting success results were whispered about and raved about. The book, specifically, The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss. I would however recommend buying the South Beach Diet book used since, because of how popular the diet book became (second best selling diet book in the U.S. in the last ten years – as of the year 2006) there have been over zealous printings, which has resulted in new and used copies for literally, less than one dollar, hardcover included.

The doctor now famous and behind the book is a cardiologist from as you might suspect, Florida, (as in ‘South Beach’) named Arthur Agatston. He created the diet plan after creating a dietary routine and meal plan for his patients out of necessity, not being able to find something that lived up to his demanding expectations and emphasized “good carbs” and “good fats”. Often confused with the Atkins Diet, a completely different monster that includes the philosophy of a low carbohydrate (low carb) diet, The South Beach Diet instead encourages getting rid of the bad carbs and bad fats, while replacing each with good carbs and good fats.

Good carbs are defined as (according to Doctor Arthur Agatston) being high in fiber or good fat, and have a low G.I. – also known as the glycemic index, which basically means such foods are digested and absorbed slowly into the body. Also recommended is adding more fiber or good fat whenever good carbs are consumed in order to slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates. Good fats are defined as polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, while the bad fats being saturated fats or trans fat.

The South Beach Diet is not meant to be a short term dieting solution. It is not a one week or one month solution to shed enough pounds to fit comfortably into a new summer swimsuit. It was created for the long haul.

Tapping into tell it to you straight and healthy insight about the healthy life you want to have in your life, is not ‘brain surgery’. No matter your interest: from how to lead a healthy life to alternative health dieting tips you can’t find in a book, you name it. Adopting a healthy lifestyle isn’t difficult, or at all life altering if you don’t want it to be, nor is it mandatory that you have to sacrifice all the flavors, joy and adventure you have grown to love as much of the time, is the misconception.

- Jackie Black