Celebrity doctor Arthur Agatston developed the very popular South Beach Diet as a fad diet. The diet includes choosing healthy and low fat food items such as fish, lean meats, vegetables and whole grains in order to cut back on processed carbs and sugar from your body and give you a balanced diet.
This raw food diet also encourages people to eat smaller portion of food items, avoid saturated fats and exercise for at least 30 minutes per day.
Unlike some other fad diets like a Paleo Diet, or a Ketogenic Diet, the south beach diet does not require you to stop eating your favourite meal or limiting your calories intake.
A Short History of Fad Diets
Fad diets are becoming quite popular over the years, as they offer many amazing weight loss results and improved health benefits. The first and the most popular fad diet was the Atkins diet, which first gained popularity in the 1970s.
This diet was initially developed to reduce or remove the carbs which is why it was sometimes also called as a low carb diet.
Since then many other types of fad diets have been introduced to the world which includes South Beach, Paleo diet, cabbage soup diet, macrobiotic diet, mediterranean diet, liquid diet, grapefruit diet, etc. Most fad diets has their own health benefits and make people lose weight.
What Is A Fad Diet?
A fad diet is a popular health plan following which people can lose weight fast and that too with a few restrictions only. These diets often involve limiting the amount and type of food consumed, as well as gives alist of some extreme exercise schedules.
Many fad diets have seen to be dangerous as although they may give some quick weight lose results, but the long-term results of such diets can be extremely harmful for your health.
In addition, many people who have followed any of the fad diets in past have experienced that fad diets usually lack in essential nutrients which are needed by the body and can ultimately cause more health problems instead of leading to better health.
Is The South Beach Diet A Fad Diet?
Yes, the South Beach Diet is considered as a fad diet. Developed by the celebrity dr Arthur Agatston, the south beach diet is for people who are looking to lose weight quickly without cutting back on their carbs or sugar intake.
People following the south beach diet get to include low-fat foods such as fish, lean meats, vegetables and whole grains in their daily diet. The diet allows people to eat only small portions of food at a time and avoid saturated fats while asking them to exercise for at least 30 minutes per day.
Unlike other fad diets, the South Beach Diet does not require you to remove any particular food item from your diet or put a limitation on your calorie intake.
When Did South Beach Diet Start?
The South Beach Diet was created and started by Dr. Arthur Agatston in the year 2003. The diet quickly gained popularity as an alternative to other popular fad diets. This diet gave a path to dieters to lose weight quickly without cutting on their food and calories intake.
Controversies And Criticisms Of South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet has faced many controversies and criticisms from people who have tried it. This includes claims that the diet is highly dangerous and does not provide enough nutrients which is needed by a human body to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Some of the main criticisms include:
1. Lack of Evidence and Proofs:
One of the main criticisms against the south beach diet is that this diet has failed to provide any sufficient evidence or proofs regarding its benefits and proposed health outcomes. People who have tried this diet gave mixed reviews about the diet in which many said that the diet’s claims about weight loss and improved health are totally baseless.
2. Unsustainable:
South beach diet has received a great share of criticism in regard to its sustainability. This diet was particularly designed for a short period of time only and was highly unsustainable when implemented for a longer period to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Many nutritionists and dieticians felt that this diet and approach may put an individual at a high risk of developing an unhealthy lifestyle.
3. Can Lead to Nutrient Deficiencies:
If followed incorrectly, the south beach dietary plan can lead to many nutrient deficiencies, can create deficiencies in vitamin intake, as well as an imbalance in essential fatty acids and minerals like calcium, zinc, or iron. This diet can also cause many serious health problems due to its low nutritional value.
This is why, it is highly important for an individual to know what a south beach diet actually is instead of just blindly following it.
4. Expensive:
While many diet plans will make you spend your hard earned money in buying grocery and food items from organic stores, the south beach diet have a pre decided food plan which you can purchase easily to make your life easier but, these food items are highly expensive than buying the ingredients and making it fresh by yourself.
5. Too Much Emphasis on Weight Loss:
The main reason why this diet became so popular was because of its claims of rapid weight loss. But unlike other low carb diets, the south beach focused highly on just weight loss and not on the overall health and nutrition.
By buying only the processed foods which are recommended in the diet may restrict individuals to a fixed diet which can make them miss out on essential nutrients from other food items.
Therefore, before giving a try to this diet, it is important to know the pros and cons and also talk to your dietician, if you should follow it or some other diet like a keto diet, etc.
Benefits Of The South Beach Diet
As mentioned by many, the south beach diet is a balanced way of eating food with many health benefits.
- The diet replaces bad carbohydrates such as white bread and starches with healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. This helps in regulating the blood sugars and promotes a feeling of fullness for longer period of time.
- Additionally, the diet restricts unhealthy fats which are usually found in processed and fried foods. This reduces the risk of getting heart disease and diabetes.
- Finally, the diet encourages people to go for lean protein from sources like fish, beans, and nuts. This helps in building the muscle mass in human body while maintaining a lower calorie intake which results in a good weight management.
The 3 Stages of South Beach Diet
This fad diet consists of 3 different stages and each stage has its own specific benefits and goals.
Stage 1
Stage 1 of this diet focuses majorly on introducing healthy fats in your diet and moving away from carbs. It starts with a 14-day cycle which helps you to reset your metabolism, making it easier for you to get into a weight management mode.
By replacing bad fats and carbs with meats, vegetables, cheese, nuts, and grains, you will be able to consume less calories without feeling overly deprived.
Stage 2
In Stage 2 food items which are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats are chosen in order to help you in promoting your weight loss journey. This stage focuses majorly on making your lifestyle healthy but at the same time puts a control on your eating habits which helps you with your weight loss.
Stage 3
Stage 3 is all about maintaining your body weight which you have lost during the above 2 stages and not gaining it back. During this stage only a new way of mindful eating is introduced in your diet by including small portions of food items which were restricted in above stages.
By learning how to control your diet and eat healthy, you can easily maintain your weight.
You can even buy a south beach diet book to see how to start with the diet if you are facing any confusion as losing weight is not an easy task.
Final Words
So, if you are looking to know which fad diet was developed by celebrity doctor Arthur Agatston then you know the answr now. It was the South Beach Diet. This diet may be a good way to reduce your weight, but you should always consult with a professional before getting onboard.
It is also important to understand that this diet have many side-effects and have faced criticisms from people who have tried it. The diet works best only when it is combined with rigorous physical activity and exercise.
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