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The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss
Great food that's good for you--that's the foundation of the South Beach Diet and the reason millions of people around the world have adopted it as their lifelong eating plan, shedding unwanted pounds in the process. Created by leading Miami cardiologist Arthur Agatston, M.D., the diet emphasizes good fats and good carbohydrates, the kind that stave off cravings for unheal...more
Hardcover, Large Print, 528 pages
Published
April 1st 2003
by Random House Large Print
(first published January 1st 2003)
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can I give a book NO stars?
several of my old-lady coworkers jumped on the South Beach Sheep-Wagon and so since this mama has another several (hundred) (thousand) pounds to go until perfection I borrowed a copy for a day. Two things: I would rather be 7800 pounds than lose a little weight by eating an entire farm's worth of animals. Plus, by being 7800 pounds I would appear on the Dr Phil Show for intervention therefore achieving my lifelong dream of meeting Dr Phil. The other t...more
several of my old-lady coworkers jumped on the South Beach Sheep-Wagon and so since this mama has another several (hundred) (thousand) pounds to go until perfection I borrowed a copy for a day. Two things: I would rather be 7800 pounds than lose a little weight by eating an entire farm's worth of animals. Plus, by being 7800 pounds I would appear on the Dr Phil Show for intervention therefore achieving my lifelong dream of meeting Dr Phil. The other t...more
Kendra
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
carb addicts or dieters who dont want to count calories
Recommended to Kendra by:
a friend
I picked this up because it was the one fad diet that seems to actually make sense, and it sounded easy to follow. The basic idea is eating low-glycemic foods so that your blood sugar doesn't spike and so you don't get cravings to eat more food that your body need. I think if you want to lose weight and are tired of counting calories and you know you eat too many bad carbs, then this is worth trying. It is not good if you exercise a lot though. I followed the diet pretty closely for a week but i...more
I hate to admit that I read a diet book, but I actually find this type of thing fascinating, whether I agree with everything in it, follow it, or not. Over the holidays I decided enough was enough with the pasta I used as comfort food during my recent months of horrid back pain, excessive holiday cookies, and rich holiday foods, and decided to try to combat the fatigue, digestive sluggishness, bloating, and general malaise I was experiencing with a cleanse of my own making. I know carbohydrates,...more
I come from a family with a high risk of practically every chronic/potentially deadly disease known to man. Diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease...you name it. Watching my parents deal with these illnesses has really made me want to take my own health another direction. I picked up this book because I want to lose some weight and I have a friend who uses it successfully. But the things I learned about the way our bodies react to sugars, etc is invaluable to me. Dr Agatston d...more
Recommended by my personal trainer. My goal is to finish by Friday so I can prepare a grocery shopping list for next weekend. Ironically, I have added this book to my list while eating a grilled cheese and turkey sandwich for lunch. I'm betting that's not allowed on this diet (because of the bread). Ah, well. It's what I've got in the house until Friday.
Okay. I sat down with this book for all of 30 seconds and find that I really don't want to read it. I will, but I'm frankly sick of ...more
Okay. I sat down with this book for all of 30 seconds and find that I really don't want to read it. I will, but I'm frankly sick of ...more
My husband lost 90 pounds using this book. I bought it for him for Christmas (he wasn't happy about that one!) and started the diet on January 2nd. That was almost six years ago and he's kept the weight off. Any time his clothes start to get a little tight, we go back to Phase 2.
It was especially difficult for him as he's not fond of eggs and many vegetables. Plus, he travels a lot. Airports aren't diet friendly so living on the go was tough those first weeks. So, we pre-cooked chic...more
It was especially difficult for him as he's not fond of eggs and many vegetables. Plus, he travels a lot. Airports aren't diet friendly so living on the go was tough those first weeks. So, we pre-cooked chic...more
Come on chubby folks, you know what to do. Cut out all that white garbage-- the white sugar, white flour, white potatoes. Dr. Agatston's relatively gentle method, the South Beach diet, helps you wean yourself off of those blood-sugar spiking, diabetes-causing, heart disease making carbohydrates and train yourself to rely on lean proteins, plants, and whole grains.
Agatston is a cardiologist first, diet-creator second, so this diet, according to the authors, promotes heart health, wit...more
Agatston is a cardiologist first, diet-creator second, so this diet, according to the authors, promotes heart health, wit...more
This book read much more like a educational nutrition book than a "diet" book, perhaps because it was written by a doctor and not some fitness guru. I really appreciated that about the book as I'm not looking for a "diet" per say but rather a healthy way of eating for life, and that's exactly what I found detailed in these pages.
It was an easy read because the entire second half of the book is just meal plans and recipes, which is really helpful if you were going...more
It was an easy read because the entire second half of the book is just meal plans and recipes, which is really helpful if you were going...more
I am a 45-year-old chubby girl and I need to lose weight. My friend Kim introduced me to South Beach, and this is a diet I am excited about. After the initial 2-week "Phase One" where carbs and sugars are off-limits (kinda torturous), the "Phase Two" weight-loss portion of the diet is an eating plan that I think I can stick to. In my opinion it mirrors the Word of Wisdom fairly well: meat in moderation, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, etc. I am about five days into Phase On...more
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John
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Those wishing to ocntrol their weight, carbs, sugar, cholesterol etc.
Shelves:
self-help
A friend reccomended this book (and diet ) to me.
She was diagnosed with diabetes and after a time on this diet, her body straighted itself up and the doctor said she was no longer diabetic.
My wife and I tried the diet - struggling terribly through Phase 1.. but delighted by the time we got to phase three.
I lost over 25 lbs, and then subsequently went off the diet and gained it back (notthe diet's fault).
I am presently trying to use a modified version of the die...more
She was diagnosed with diabetes and after a time on this diet, her body straighted itself up and the doctor said she was no longer diabetic.
My wife and I tried the diet - struggling terribly through Phase 1.. but delighted by the time we got to phase three.
I lost over 25 lbs, and then subsequently went off the diet and gained it back (notthe diet's fault).
I am presently trying to use a modified version of the die...more
I enjoyed reading about this diet and think I should research it further. I did find the meal plans somewhat confusing; it was unclear to me what I could eat specifically during each phase. For example, in the Lindora weight loss book, it is very clear that at breakfast one can have a protein of your choice along with either a fruit or a grain of your choice. This book just gave some recipes and meals already laid out for you. It was unclear if the meals could be switched around and if certain c...more
I did the South Beach diet several years ago and was quite successful, but I didn't read the book. I just flipped through the pages to the lists of "good" and "bad" foods.
This time, I decided to actually read the book. I think it was helpful to know the theory behind the foods and food combinations that help you lose weight and be heart-healthy. Knowing which carbs are good and why "enriched" foods are bad has definitely changed the way I view food. I espe...more
This time, I decided to actually read the book. I think it was helpful to know the theory behind the foods and food combinations that help you lose weight and be heart-healthy. Knowing which carbs are good and why "enriched" foods are bad has definitely changed the way I view food. I espe...more
So, this book literally changed my life. I feel 100% better after following the general guidelines. There is no way I would want to go back. I know it's not for everyone and not everyone can benefit but I did and will never be the same after the knowledge I've gained about the glycemic index and carbs and the affect on blood sugar. All told I've lost almost 50lbs. Yeah, I know. I was out of control. I haven't weighed this little since Jr. High. And I've got about 10lbs to go! Now just t...more
Still fat.
This book makes so much sense. It's not a "diet" that you go on and then gain all the weight back when you go off. It's a way of changing your eating habits for the rest of your life. My incentive to go on this diet was spurred by the promise that I would lose 15 pounds (belly fat) in the first 3 weeks. Reading and studying this book makes me want to make healthier choices for a healthier life. The first 2 weeks it limits you to certain foods to get rid of your sugar addiction. ...more
Had some good points, but overall I don't feel this plan is appropriate for most people. To me it felt like the Atkins diet watered down.
I tried a few of the recipes and was NOT impressed. One was pretty disgusting tasting and was not edible, i ended up throwing it in the trash, NO ONE in my family ate it and liked it. It got a thumbs down.
Overall the recipes were not anything i would even buy the book for, sometimes the book sucks but the recipes are keepers, Not th...more
I tried a few of the recipes and was NOT impressed. One was pretty disgusting tasting and was not edible, i ended up throwing it in the trash, NO ONE in my family ate it and liked it. It got a thumbs down.
Overall the recipes were not anything i would even buy the book for, sometimes the book sucks but the recipes are keepers, Not th...more
I read this book since it was a fad in the company I joined (Ariba) in 2002. Also, since my picture posted on the company website after winning the annual remote control boat regatta showed me I had put on some serious weight. This book teaches you about blood sugar and how the food you eat effects it and why. The diet is easy, your never hungry, and I lost 15 pounds in 15 days. Exercising too, of course, but not any big deal. Bottom line: Eat all the meat, fish, veggies, nuts, eggs, chees...more
I borrowed this book from a community bookshelf. I'm kind of skimming through it, because honestly, I'm not too fond of reading books about what not to eat. LOL.
So far, this is what I've gotten out of this book:
If you want to lose weight quickly, here's the plan: for two weeks, no sugar, no fruit, no dairy, no alcohol, no grains. Consume TONS of green veggies, eggs, nuts, lean meats, fish, and beans. After that, add back in whole grains, some fruits, and dairy. That's it. That's the w...more
So far, this is what I've gotten out of this book:
If you want to lose weight quickly, here's the plan: for two weeks, no sugar, no fruit, no dairy, no alcohol, no grains. Consume TONS of green veggies, eggs, nuts, lean meats, fish, and beans. After that, add back in whole grains, some fruits, and dairy. That's it. That's the w...more
New years resolutions & stuff, you know.... Actually, I bought & read this book a few years ago, and I have to say it worked, and I felt great. It makes sense to me (his eating plan), and the book was not bogged down with technical or medical lingo. It was informative, understandable, and fun to read. As far as results go, I will just say that even though the first two or three weeks are hard, you have to stick to it perfectly or you won't see results. I know that from my own trial and erro...more
I feel like this book literally changed my life. I picked it up because I wanted to be happier with myself and a blogger mentioned that it had worked for her. I read it in one night, had to wait until payday to start the diet (a week after I read the book) and have now lost 20 pounds- it's been a month! I'm on my way to a happier, healthier me and I'm really enjoying it. Although- mashed cauliflower (while delicious) does not in any way remind me of mashed potatoes. That is a lie.
Just finished up reading this book for a second time as I needed to relearn how to eat healthy! This book is actually very interesting and really explains why Americans are so unhealthy, overweight, and why so many are experiencing heart problems and type 2 diabetes. This book does a very good job of explaining how food effects our bodies and how to eat right so as to escape type 2 diabetes and certain heart related illness. It also offers a healthy, effective and do-able weight loss plan.
I'm finding this doctor makes a lot of sense, and his recommendations are not difficult for me to follow. I've felt so hopeless about losing weight and have tried dieticians and Weight Watchers repeatedly. This diet has got me enthused. It is a life change, but all for the good, I really think he's right about refined and processed sugars--the bane of American food.
I started this instead of Matzoh two weeks ago--and I'm down seven pounds. I'm starting Phase !! tomorrow. Can a piece of...more
I started this instead of Matzoh two weeks ago--and I'm down seven pounds. I'm starting Phase !! tomorrow. Can a piece of...more
I've been reading some books in my quest to find a better way of eating. This one works for me. There is enough science to make me feel this is well thought out, plus it was developed by a cardiologist, which gives me a little more comfort that it isn't just some made-up stuff. I'm going to start this weekend (to give myself time to get to the store and make some better choices). I'll come back in a couple weeks and update on how it's working for me.
I read this in an afternoon - the majority of it is meal plans, but it's preceded by some explanation about the science behind the diet. It's less of a diet and more of a life change. My fiance and I are both on the second week of it as a pre-wedding slim down/health kick. It's been surprisingly easy to follow, and I can tell a difference in the way I feel. It's clear this isn't a fad, but really about a way to get healthier for a lifetime.
Read this book to get ideas & recipes on how to eat healthier. Learned a lot from this book on how certain foods affect blood chemistry. For those looking for a specific diet to start for the new year this one is fairly reasonable. However if i were to follow this plan I would skip phase one and begin with phase two. I don't really believe you should completely cut out specific food groups even if it's only for two weeks
I loved reading this book and learning more about bad fats/ good fats. I think it has great nutrition information in it. However, I don't agree with some of the diet ideas (like no carbs and hardly any fruits for two weeks-you need carbs to deliver the protein to your muscles if you are exercising and trying to build muscle.), I love that I know the different glycemic indexes of foods and the card ratio. Very interesting.
My 2nd cousin was after me to read this. 'You don't have to actually do the diet, just read the beginning about glycemic indexes and even just that little bit helps when you are trying to get healthy!' Actually that might have been a paraphrase of a 30min conversation... BUT He has some good ideas, excellent points, and lots of people swear by the diet's efficacy. I am debating trying it. Will have to see.
I found the science behind the South Beach Diet intriguing and helpful. Because of my food allergies and digestive issues, I can't follow a strict South Beach Diet, but following the principles behind the diet helped me lower my cholesterol (to my great disappointment though, I haven't lost any weight. I wonder if it could be that stash of dark chocolate kisses in my desk drawer... ;-).
I'm actually rereading this book because I needed a "shot" of common sense. I've forgotten alot of the good info I read in this book 3 years ago when I lost 30 lbs. It really works and is a very healthy way to do it. The weight has stayed off except for 5 to 7 lbs that I think I can lose and still cheat but finally accepted that I needed to read it again and behave for a couple weeks.
I liked the idea that food is more flexible than we give it credit for. I also liked that the book introduced the concept of jump starting yourself when you've plateaued or your body has gotten used to digesting a certain way. I'm not explaining this well. It worked, but I couldn't stick with the plan. It was hard to translate eating out - though it's not supposed to be.
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