The glycemic index of any food determines how quickly it breaks down during digestion and how it affects blood sugar levels in the body. The lower the glycemic index the slower a food is digested and absorbed. Fiber and polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats in food slow the digestion and absorption rate as well, which has a good effect on insulin levels and the body’s ability to maintain a healthy body weight. Saturated fats and trans fats are classified as “bad fats” and affect weight and triglyceride levels as well as posing a number of other health threats.
How South Beach Diet works:
Created by a respected cardiologist by the name of Dr. Arthur Agatston, the South Beach Diet was originally researched and compiled as a preventive diet for heart patients. An added benefit was discovered when patients following the diet began losing large amounts of weight. The diet offers three normal sized meals per day as well as snacks and desserts, and the results are incredible.
The consumption of bad carbs, found in foods with a high glycemic index, has an adverse effect on insulin levels in the blood causing the improper processing of body fat. Bad carbs also increase the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. That is why on this diet you only consume good carbs and good fats.
The phases of South Beach Diet:
In Phase I of the South Beach Diet guide the portions are of normal size and include meats and vegetables, fish, yogurt, nuts and legumes but no fruits or whole grains. Snacks and desserts are included as well. These foods have a medium to low glycemic index to induce the normalization of blood sugars and insulin levels. Your body will become less insulin resistant and will begin to convert more body fat to energy. The initial result will be about an 8 to 13 pound weight loss.
In Phase II of the South Beach Diet guide the fruits and whole grain foods are added to the diet but in small amounts, with emphasis still on keeping the overall glycemic index low. Weight loss will continue in Phase II until your target weight is reached.
In the final Phase III you have reached your target weight and now all that remains is to maintain your ideal weight by continuing to make good food choices with what you have learned. Whole grains and fruit in the proper amounts should by now be a good eating habit.
The South Beach Diet plan effectively changes your eating habits and teaches you the value of steering clear of highly processed, over-refined and fat-filled foods. You stop eating at the point you no longer feel hungry instead of eating until you are too full. Calorie counting is not necessary if you follow the South Beach Diet guides in the right way. Keeping the good carbs and the right fats in your diet will enable your body to continue to metabolize instead of store body fat.
Are you willing to change your eating habits to just the healthy carbs and proteins, add an exercise regimen and interact with others who have the same weight loss goal? Can you keep track of the foods you eat with
help from a great support group?
Are you disciplined enough to make the switch to eating mostly
high-protein foods like meat, eggs and nuts? Could you bypass your
favorite carbohydrate-rich foods almost completely if it meant losing
megapounds fast?.
Could you switch to eating only "good carbs" if it meant losing
weight rather quickly? Would you be willing to track the Glycemic Index of the food you eat so your food choices leave you slimmer AND healthier?
Could you learn to eat good carbs and good fats to reach your goal in
losing weight? 