The South Beach Diet - Does it Really Work?

By Denise Bergeron

The South Beach Diet is another popular lower-carbohydrate diet. It was created by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist from Miami Beach, Florida.
He felt like his patients needed a heart-healthy way to lose weight, and so he wrote his diet in the popular book, The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss.

At first glance, the South Beach Diet looks surprisingly like the Atkins Diet. South Beach Dieters are not allowed to eat any carbohydrates for the two-week induction phase. They must only eat proteins for this period. Gradually, after induction is complete, they can reintroduce healthy carbohydrates into their diet, until they have reached a long-term diet that they maintain for a lifetime.

How is this different from the Atkins Diet? In the Atkins Diet, all fats are considered fine. The South Beach Diet bans unhealthy fats from its program. Also, instead of focusing on the number of grams of carbs consumed, the South Beach Diet focuses on the amount of sugar in the carbs that are consumed. This means that, after induction, more carbs are allowed than are allowed on the Atkins Diet.

On the South Beach Diet, you are allowed to eat when you are hungry. You are actually encouraged to eat small snacks throughout the day. You are supposed to eat until you are satisfied, and then stop. However, you will not able to eat foods that are rich in sugars, including corn and potatoes, which are not normally considered "banned" diet foods.

The first two weeks are the most difficult on this diet. Most people, especially Americans, are addicted to carbs. The induction phase removes all carbs from the diet, sending the body into a form of detox as it gets used to life without carbs. After surviving induction, the carb cravings are curbed, and most dieters are able to follow a healthy diet plan for the long term.

So does the diet work? Yes, it does, and because it focuses on healthy foods, it is a great diet to keep for the long term. You are allowed to eat all of the food groups on the South Beach Diet. You are simply taught how to do it in a healthy manner. Make sure you are willing to stay with the diet for the long term, however, as you will lose the benefits if you resume your normal eating habits.

Want more information on the South Beach Diet? Then head on over to http://www.freedietprograms.org/ for all the info you need on natural weight loss.

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LOSE WEIGHT BY JUST DRINKING WATER

It is true, weight loss can be achieved just be adding more water to your diet. Be clear, I am not advocating ONLY drinking water, or dehydrating the body to lose weight, okay? Not at all! First of all, when I say water, I mean WATER. Not diet soda or diet energy drinks, ok?

Water is the miracle weight loss drug that we've all been looking for. It's been right under our nose all this time. How is water a miracle for losing weight? Believe it or not, your body is made up of about 70% water. Keeping it replenished improves your health drastically. By drinking more water each day, you're flushing out your body, getting rid of toxins that can buildup.

Water keeps your kidneys running smooth, and cleans out debris and waste from your cells. Fat cells included! All of this allows your body to function more efficiently.
Water also stimulates and improves your digestive system as well. It speeds up your digestion and removes a lot of the waste, or undigested food, before it has a chance to be converted into fat for storage on your body.

Water curbs your hunger. Yes, it's true. If you drink enough water, you don't get those hunger pangs nearly as often especially cold water. Fill your stomach up with cold water, and it gets so busy warming up the water and feeling full that you won't be hungry.

Water also speeds up your metabolism. The faster your metabolism, the faster you lose weight, pure and simple.

You see, water is to your body what oil is to your car. Your car can't run without oil and your body can't run without water. And, the more water you drink, the better and more efficiently your body functions. You'll notice the effects quickly, too. As you become hydrated, you'll notice yourself eating less. You'll be feeling better, losing weight, and you'll have more energy. As you find yourself with more energy, you will find yourself wanting to be more active - adding to your overall health and weight loss.

On average, a person should drink about one-half of their body weight in ounces of water each day. So, if you weigh 200-pounds you'd drink 100-ounces of water. That's about 3-liters. That might sound like a lot of water, but you can get used to it. And you can disguise the water too, if you like. I, myself, am addicted to the single serving "Crystal Light" water flavor packets. They come in a bunch of assorted flavors. Each packet is perfect for a 16.9 oz. bottle of water, the standard size. They're sugar free and contain no fat and they taste great. I used to be a Mountain Dew drinker. Easily, I'd drink at least 64 oz. a day. But now, I drink all my water with Crystal Light. It's cheaper and I've lost weight.

Besides, if you're thinking that you can't drink that much water, remember, you'll be replacing water with food a lot of the time. It's a fact that the body needs much more water than food. BUT, most people eat much more food and take little water.

Here's a fun fact for you: Did you know that if you ever feel "thirst" that you are, to a point, dehydrated. When a person is adequately hydrated, they will never feel "thirst."Another fact you may not have known, refined sugar (like that in soda) slows your metabolism down.

To lose weight, you simply MUST increase your metabolism. Again, water is one of the best ways to do that. So drink your water. With zero side-effects, it's the best weight loss drug in existence.

Free Report: "10 Tips To Speed Up Your Metabolism" Click here to get your copy. Kim Skinner

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