The South Beach Diet

99 Ways Newsletter

Want a low carb diet that's less strict than Atkins? Try the South Beach Diet. Doctor Arthur Agatston started the diet as a way of lowering cholesterol and triglycerides in his patients, and soon noticed that it lowered weight as well.

What's The Difference?

The South Beach Diet is different from Atkins in a couple important ways. It emphasizes good fats rather than the saturated fats, for example. Saturated fats can cause "sticky " blood, vessel constriction, and negative effects on insulin and sugar metabolism. Good fats help prevent heart attack and stroke and improve insulin and sugar metabolism long term. Good fats include olive oil, canola oil, omega-3 fish oils and the oils found in most nuts.

Unlike Atkins, the South Beach Diet doesn't count grams of carbohydrates. It's not so strict in the first phase that it puts patients into ketosis (burning fat as your primary energy source). Ketosis often causes excessive water loss early. We found it is unnecessary for significant early weight loss. Doctor Agatston found that if you consume low glycemic index carbohydrates, you can do very well on a high carbohydrate diet.

You can eat plenty of vegetables, whole-grain breads and whole fruits. You can use strategic snacking, to control hunger and prevent cravings. The South Beach Diet is very flexible, and doesn't rely on counting calories, counting grams of fat or grams of carbohydrates. It may soon pass the Atkins approach in popularity.

Next Issue: "Fit For Life" review. Also, the benefits of procrastination.

Quick Weight Loss Tips

You'll find this section in each newsletter. The idea here is that there are many small changes you can make to help you lose weight. Make changes that are right for you, and maybe, with enough of them, you'll lose weight even without a "plan" or "program." In any case, they can help no matter what plan you use. Today's weight loss tips:

1. Get rid of your TV. Television probably causes as much weight gain as any other single thing. You eat more and exercise less when you watch television for hours.

2. Okay, keep the TV, but put your exer-cycle in front of it, and make pedaling for the first twenty minutes the price of watching it.

3. Make a commitment to walk your dog every day. You'll both benefit.

Bye now,

Steve