Arthur Agatston
1 It's not a complete and easy reference as the title states
If you are looking for a diet that is easy to follow, does not leave you hungry, is effective, nutritionally balanced, and improves your overall health, the South Beach Diet may be for you. In this companion book to The South Beach Diet book, Dr. Agatston lists many common foods, as well as whether they can be enjoyed in abundance, limited, or avoided completely. While this could have been done with a simple food list, this information is presented in a table that also lists carbs, sugar, and total fat.
The beginning of the book gives a brief overview of the diet, and a discussion of trans fats and why they should be avoided. It also has a discussion of the glycemic index. Although the recommendations in the book are based on glycemic index, glycemic load, and other factors, this information does NOT appear in the tables, purportedly because it's not available for all foods. Leaving it out for that reason, even when known, defies credibility.
As followers of this diet know, it's not about following the glycemic index, or counting calories or carbs. While the GI may serve as a guideline to let you know where foods fit in, it can also be misleading since some foods with similar GI values may not be of equal value to your diet. All this is explained in the main diet book, which gives a brief list of GI values for common foods. Likewise, we are told that total fat is not the big factor, but how much is saturated or trans fat vs unsaturated fats is important. That distinction is not made in the tables, which list total fat.
If a strict look at those factors is not a necessary part of the diet, then why are they in the table? That's not clear. The portion that describes how to use the guide acknowledges that you need not be a slave to the numbers, but the real advice ultimately boils down to following the main diet book, in which case all but the last column (whether and how much to eat) seems irrelevant.
The other problem is that this supposedly complete book is far from complete. It has too many entries for items that are obviously not allowed on the diet, and few entries for what might be suitable substitutes.
If you look at breakfast foods for instance, you'll find bacon and eggs, cereals, and pancakes. Yet you won't find French toast. You may be able to figure it out based on the rules from the diet book, but then why do you need this book? It's not as if processed foods or foods prepared from recipes that may vary were left out. There seems to be no rationale for what's included.
If you do look at cereal, you will find a couple of pages of cereals that are limited or should be avoided completely. But do I really need this book to tell me to avoid Frosted Flakes and Corn Pops if I know how the diet works? Yet if I look at the myriad "healthy" cereals in my supermarket, not one of them is listed in this book. The same is true for the ones in natural food stores, even if they are available nationwide.
I might be able to figure out on my own that Uncle Sam cereal is a good choice, but then why buy the book? On the other hand, I might find another supposedly healthful cereal, and the label may show me that it's whole grain and high in fiber, but has more sugar than I would want. It's foods like these for which I would like the book to give me an idea if it's acceptable.
There are way too many common foods left off the list, which is surprising considering the exhaustive permutations and combinations listed for others. I don't need five pages to tell me that all baked and broiled fish is good, but breaded fish is not. If it's the recommendation that counts, I don't need a separate entry for tuna, canned, light, in water, and different ones for dark tuna in all its permutations, when ultimately, they fall into the same recommendation as other fish.
The bottom line is that if you stick to the main diet book, and manage to work around the flaws in the way it was written, you won't need this guide. This book might be helpful if you are on Atkins or even Weight Watchers, however.
2 Small & Compact Guide for a Great Diet
The diet is great because it allows more food types than other Atkin's type diets, but still allows for bigger portions of the right foods. There is a beginning strict phase and then a more laxed phase like Atkins. This seems more sensible than Atkins though. There are less hunger pains on this diet than other types of diets and the fat comes off fast. Good small guide for a great diet. I recommend to anyone who is trying to lose weight (or make positive changes of other types) the amazing book "Effortless Wellbeing" by Evan Finer. That book will give you a simple way to feel better no matter what you weigh, will help you win the weight loss battle, and help you stay tuned to what is important-- generally make your more powerful and successful. Wonderful highly recommended books!! Good luck!
3 A Guide to Life!
This is one of those books that guides you through the rocky waters of life to a smooth and happy existence living well.
Some others that I would also recommend along these same lines would be...
"Voice Lessons to Go" a CD by Ariella
and
"New Sex Now" DVD or Video guide to life's Ultimate Pleasure
and
"The Artist's Way."
4 Very Good Book!!
This book helped me with my weight loss. I recommend it highly!
5 sheunlimited.com Reviews "She Unlimited Magazine
There are masses of carbohydrate diets like the Atkins Diet and The Zone. Now Ham tons diet meets South Beach. I think most of us know the reason for it's creative principle of lowering cholesterol for Dr A`s patients and those with diabetes. The diets regimen is based on the consumption of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean fats and proteins. It eliminates simple carbohydrates almost entirely (sweets, pasta, most bread, etc.) and aggressively restricts carbohydrate consumption during the weight loss phase of the diet, similar to Atkins.
This type of diet is simply going to lower caloric intake for those who follow it, consequently weight loss. I still think calories count, although you can eat what you want from the allowed foods list, if you overtake in calories....well, some experience no weight loss. However over time your hungry will subside and you will then naturally take in a less amount of food.
The book does focus on decreased carbohydrate consumption in a healthier manner, but the book falls into the trap of marketing itself in a similar manner as all fad diets: they clearly know what appeals to desperate, overweight people and they use the common buzzwords in this business such as, "lose weight fast", "13 Pounds in 2 weeks", "cravings were gone", "never unsatisfied." Overly optimistic claims are certainly dubious when lasting weight loss is difficult, as we all know.
Which diet does not, how else to get the market moving without such BUZZ words. It is essential. And this diet makes diet sense. It is easy to follow, some find it hard finding the low fat ricotta cheese, but other then that it is a simple lay out plan for regular people and not geared toward the fitness enthusiastic.
Keep in mind once you reach your goal you can have your loved (no so healthy foods) in moderation..
It takes hard and adding some source of exercise into the program just helps to build you metabolism.
sheunlimited.com Reviews "She Unlimited Magazine
6 Resist the bad carbs
Knowing which carbs to go for (or not) has been useful information. I also purchased the Amazon recommended title, "The Emotional Intelligence Quickbook" and I must say that was a big influence in learning how my mood affects my behavior and ultimately my eating.
7 Helpful but there's better out there...
This guide seemed like the answer to my needs. I wanted something I could keep in the car as a guide for when I go shopping or to restaurants. However, it's failing in many respects.
The guide doesn't give you actual net carb counts for items. Instead, it just rates them on good/average/poor, etc. There's no glycemic index indication or rating. The information for restaurants is very general. I would have liked to have seen charts for popular fast food chains, for example. And given that this is a South Beach branded guide, why oh why doesn't it mark each item with what phase it's acceptable for?
There are plenty of better pocket guides out there. I'd recommend getting an up-to-date version of another guide instead. This one just seems to be capitalizing on a trend without actually providing useful information.
8 pretty good diet book.
I like the recipes, the food, the technique. Works without having to starve and get to love what you love. But, it's difficult because I love carb stuff . Man, only if they can make carbless stuff all over, that would be fantastic!
9 Updated and Quick Reference
I'm a proponent of the South Beach Diet, having lost 9 pounds so far and knowing that the decrease in sugar is better for my hypoglycemia. This little book can fit in a purse and is a quick reference for a variety of foods and they're acceptability with the South Beach plan. It's also more updated that Dr. Agatston's original hardback South Beach book.
10 Bait and switch, but works
If you actually READ "South Beach Diet" as a book, from start to finish, the actual diet plan comes as quite a shock. Agatson goes on and on about the magic of carb-cutting as if it's a great trick that will have minimal impact on your eating habits--then lays out a diet that is classic calorie cutting and portion-size restriction. But I give him lots of credit for the recipes, which have become part of my repertoire regardless of dieting. Great salads and dressings, especially. Recommended if you can let go of the hype and accept that to lose weight, you need to better and eat less.
11 Not Enough Numbers
As I understand it, one of the main premises of the South Beach Diet, is that its not just the amount of carbohydrates and fat that you eat that is important, but which fat (good or bad fats) and which carbohydrates (lower glycemic index).
Thus, I was sutprised to find that the book did not break down the fat in each food by type of fat (saturated, trans, mono-unsat...), and simply listed the aggregate amount. Similarly, it lists the carbohydrates (separating out sugars), but not the glycemic index.
I'm a scientific person and was hoping to find more useful numbers in a book that almost entirely consists of numbers.
12 Not a fad
Please ignore the useless review about hitting the gym by a guy who clearly hasn't read the SBD books. I've worked out in the gym regularly for 8 years (45 min. cardio plus weight training 4-6x week) but always carried around extra weight because I was addicted to starchy, sugary foods! Once I turned 30, it became clear that exercise wasn't enough anymore, I had to address my eating habits too. This diet is all about breaking that addiction and learning about which foods create healthy blood chemistry, thus causing you to lose weight. It is not low carb, but good carb. I lost 10 lbs the first two weeks!
13 Good Companinon Guide to South Beach Diet
I rate the original South Beach Diet Book 5+ stars. I lost 10lbs in five weeks and eventually a total of 14lbs. More importantly I have kept it off. At first glance I was disappointed with the Good Fats Good Carbs guide as it seemed to review much of the original book. However, I'm now quite happy with the guide. Before buying the guide I often wondered about certain foods. Now I can eat a wider variety of foods with confidence.
14 Better to hit the gym and not this book
If people would just eat right and hit the gym four times a week, they would lose weight.
Instead, people are bypassing normal common sense and going for these fad diets.
It makes the authors rich, and the readers fatter.
15 It really works!
I purchased this book right before the new year. I had just seen the picture of the bride's maid's dress I was going to have to wear in front of 400 people in a matter of months. It took only a few minutes to read the narrative portion. I then took the thorough listing of foods that were good carbs/good fats and made a grocery list. Between December 27th and May 8th (the wedding day), I lost 30 pounds, dropped 4 pants sizes, and feel healthier than ever! I did not follow a meal plan and rarely used recipes. I just ate the foods that were allowed and didn't eat the ones that weren't. I highly reccommend this book!
16 A good companion
I purchased this guide so that I could carry it in my glove compartment or my wife could put it in her purse. It list the foods to avoid, the foods to eat in moderation, and the foods that are recommended. You don't have to have this guide to succeed but it is a handy tool when you are shopping or dining out.
17 Not a Complete Reference to Favorite Foods
Having purchased "The South Beach Diet", I thought that this would be a fairly comprehensive supplement of foods to avoid and foods which are acceptable. However, the book, which is only slightly over 100 pages to begin with, re-iterates much of what is in "The South Beach Diet" without the very informative sections about how our bodies process foods and without the specific details of the actual diet program. Unfortunately, the food list was far from exhaustive, failing to include even products like V-8 [even though vegetable juice cocktail is included in the suggested breakfast menus]. The jacket states that it has 1200 food listings, but that is not 1200 different foods. Many, many items have multiple listings. For instance, 4 listings for canned peaches, depending on syrup. 12 listings for different cookies, all of which are to be avoided, but none of the listings are for chocolate chip which would be a typical cookie. Bottom line: I was disappointed; this is OK book; not sure it is worth $8.00.
18 I can eat again!!!!!!
Finally I can eat again.I had my daughter two years ago and before her I was on Weight Watchers.I lost about 30 pounds and I was at my thinnest ever, 119pds.With pregnancy I gained 62 pounds and I still have to lose about 20 more pounds.I tried WW again and it just didn't work for me anymore.I was always hungry even when I stayed within my points.My friends and I calculated our caloric intake on WW and it was about 1100-1200 calories.Starvation!!!It wasn't enough.With South Beach I am not hungry and I watch what I eat I'm not panicking about how many points I have left for dinner.It's great and it does incorporate healthy eating like WW (low fat ).I own all 3 books and their great.
19 Good, but not flawless
This book is a good, basic guide to South Beach Diet-friendly foods. It would be perfect if it had fiber counts included, to help the reader have a better idea of net carbs consumed.
20 So far So Good...
I had done the Atkins diet and rebounded, gaining more than I had lost. My doctor and my dentist both recommended the South Beach Diet citing many of their patients who were sucessfully doing it.
I asked my wife if she would go on it with me (easier with two pulling in the same direction!) and we've gotten through the first two weeks induction program (Phase 1) and into Phase 2.
So far, so good. I dropped eleven pounds during the two week "boot camp" period and am down fifteen in week three.
I really appreciate being able to eat fruits and a wider variety of vegetables. Especially grateful for whole grain breads. I believe that this is an eating program I won't get bored with and can stay until I lose my eighty pound goal.
It's a little early to be writing a review but wanted to encourage those who might shy away from another "low carb" diet. I think it is a kinder and gentler program than pure Atkins. It certainly has much more variety and easier to stay on.
21 For anyone wanting guidelines .....
It starts off with a short explanation of Good Fats & Bad Fats/ Good Carbs & Bad Carbs with a Trans-Fat Hot List. It talks a little about the Glycemic Index and Insulin. Then lists "Foods to Enjoy" for phases one & two.
I was used to having butter, meat and cheese without worries about the fat content on Atkins. Not so with this diet which is all about balance. It says I can have beans but only some types while others are limited or to be avoided. It goes on to list beverages, types of breads & cereals, cheese, A LOT of the obviouse no no's, fruits & veggies, fats (butter), and meats & seafood. With 8 types of Beef Roasts listed who knew that some should be limited and even avoided. The same goes for ground meats, brisket, and pork. On Atkins plain hotdogs were unlimited but not so with South Beach.
There are so many types of foods that sometimes it can become overwhelming without a little guidance. It's nice to know I can flip to the meat section or the bread section and know exactly what types are good, limited and to be avoided.
One reviewer commented that it's all about what kind of donut to avoid which it's definitely not. It's about the type of meat, veggie, and fruit along with a portion size. It's a set of guidelines and bounderies for us to live by. It takes a lot of the guessing and mystery out of it. With a family and a full time job I LIKE THAT!
22 Its not a way of dieting, its a way of life
After trying numerous diets and excercise routines nothing has really helped. I have tried the Atkins diet which is a no carbohydrate diet, similar to the South Beach diet, but I gained the weight back in a week after going off.When I tried the South Beach diet I could still enjoy most of the foods I always had before.Most importantly I did not feel deprived or hungry at any time.The South Beach Diet book is an excellent tool to help you choose a meal plan that is healthy, satisfying, and invigorating. Although most low carb diets are known to be unhealthy the South Beach diet does not only restrict you to high protein, low carbohydrate,high fat foods. The South Beach Diet employs the differences between good carbohydrates and bad ones. It explains the significance of sugar, carbohydrates, and fat in ones diet plan. Agatson tells you exactly what to eat, how to cook it, and most importantly what to stay away from. Agatson also gives tips on what excercises to do and how often to do them. He shows how regular excercise can greatly increase your chances of losing weight, and keeping it off. The book also includes true success stories of people who have tried the diet and now live by it. I strongly recommend buying this book because it really helps to have a guideline to follow when trying to lose weight.Plus it really works!
23 Not too bad
There are some good tips on here. I personally don't put too many of them into practice(...)
24 Not Complete or Easy...
This is the most complete waste of money I have seen in quite some time. I am on the South Beach Diet and doing well. Love the diet! This book however, is loaded with foods to AVOID.... Duh! Like I have to have a detailed list of doughnuts to avoid... I think not! The reviews ahead of this book touted that it would be helpful for those of us finding ourselves in a restaurant or fast food situation. The best it does for the pitiful few of these types of foods it bothers to list is AVOID.... Well, my advice is to AVOID this book and save your money.... Common sense is a much better weapon against carbs and it doesn't cost you as much as this book will. I am going to sell my copy and try to recoup my loss. This is obviously a rush to print, costly little piece of fluff that misses the marks all round. How disappointing to actually see the contents of the book.... AFTER I bought it. Dr. you can do better and you should....
25 Handy book
This book is a fabulous handy, purse-sized reference. It gives you all the information you need to be successful on the South Beach plan. Debbie Farmer, author, 'Don't Put Lipstick on the Cat!'
26 Great Supplemental Information
The South Beach diet is a healthy alternative to the Atkins diet and allows enough variety in your diet to maintain a "healthy lifestyle, not just a diet." This is not a cookbook and offers only a few pages of discussion about the diet itself. Use this book as a supplement to the main South Beach Diet book. The book discusses the basic framework of the South Beach diet, including important information about the glycemic index of certain foods, which play a key role in insulin production and fat gain. The basic premise of the book, according to the author, is to help you "consume the right carbs and the right fats and learn to snack strategically."
To teach you how to do this, the book categorizes carb rich foods according to good and poor choices. For example, whole grains, legumes, rice, and starchy vegetables are listed as good carbs, while crackers, pasta, white bread, and processed food products are bad. The bulk of this small paperback is dedicated to lists of foods with their respective carbs, fat, protein, and sugar listed in grams. In short, it is a reference book that supplements the information you get from "The South Beach Diet" book.
Eating of course, is enjoyable, while dieting is a pain. However, having lost approximately 50 pounds over the past 18 months, I can tell you the pleasure of feeling and looking better is worth the inconvenience. Atkins helped me lose weight, but I could only take so much fatty foods, while longing for the crisp, clean taste of fresh fruit. I also read Dr. Phil's book and learned about how my emotions (stress, anger, boredom, etc) effect the way I eat. Trying to diet without understanding why you eat is an uphill battle, so I would recommend you try Dr. Phil and South Beach together.
27 No usable Info
90% of this book list foods that should be avoided. There is no reason to list every type of doughnut or cake you should avoid. If you remove the listings of the foods to avoid the remainder is not worth the price.
28 Missing much information
This book leaves much to be desired. Even though it is advertised as being "complete", it is far from that. It is missing many normal foods. Also, it does not list the amounts of fiber, saturated fats or cholesterol. It recommends many foods to avoid that are recipes in Dr Anatston's own books. Not worth the money.
29 Great pocket size- fits in my purse!
Perfect purse size book that is a quick/easy reference for grocery shopping, dining out. You can buy the main book-- but this one is all you really need. Has a basic text to explain the principles behind the diet. Have lost 18 pounds so far since I started 1 month ago and I do not really exercise... FYI..
30 An Amazing Follow up to the Book about the Diet
For anyone who wants to keep up with a diet idea and plan, this book is a great source of information regarding what to eat and how to replace things in your family or individual meal plan.
There is an interesting introduction to trans-fats that lists the foods that tend to have those in them. There is a list of what to eat and what not to eat, what specifically to avoid, what you can substitute and the amounts.
I like the section telling you what to eat at various restaurants and types of eating establishments in the back of the book.
If you are on the South Beach Diet or planning to be on it, then this book will be a great guide in getting you through it.
Joe Slevin
31 If you are on SBD you need this book.
There is really nothing more to say. It's nicely presented, convenient and fits right in your pocket. No more guessing if a certain food is SBD friendly at the grocery story. This book cut my food shopping time in half and greatly helped in the planning of my own recipes.
32 This is a good buy but a bit pricey
This is a great buy if you can buy it used. I think it is helpful with the diet and also just basic information. I started looking into this diet because of the effect it has on blood sugar. I find this diet a bit easier to do than Atkins. This book is a good resource to have when on this diet.
33 Handy reference for South Beach Dieters.
This is a handy little reference for those following the South Beach Diet; particularly phase 3 of the plan. A slightly-oversized paperback (5 X 7 inches), it is not exactly pocket-sized, but still easily portable to the grocery store. The book dedicates about 20 pages to a summary of the South Beach Diet plan, and the rest of the book is made up of reference tables listing the carb, sugar, and fat contents of various foods. Each food is then categorized as "good," "limited," or "avoid." I do wish the author had included saturated fat content of the foods, which is why I award it 4 stars instead of 5. Only the total fat content is given. Overall, though, the 1200+ food listing is a good one to have at the store or a restaurant. The brief dining-out guide at the end is also handy.
34 Great reference book!!
I contribute this book to my success to changing my diet and a healthier lifestyle. I found the food listings to be comprehensive and especially liked the quick references by phases.
I found a few contradictions to the main South Beach diet book; however, overall it's a great reference guide. Anyone doing this diet should invest in this book.
35 WHY CAN'T I BUY SOUTH BEACH DIET AS AN EBOOK
I LOVE THE SOUTH BEACH DIET, BUT THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING FOR ME THIS YEAR IS I CAN'T FIND IT AS AN EBOOK. I WOULD PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR IT IF I COULD.
36 It's working for me!
This companion book to the original South Beach Diet book serves as an excellent resource for figuring out which foods we can have and which we must avoid. It's a food guide, not a full-blown description of the diet. As such, it suits it's purpose just fine.
I've lost over 30 pounds on this diet in the past 3 months, without suffering and misery. The similiarities between South Beach and Atkins are clear to see. So are the differences. South beach is the product of a cardiologist, which is aimed at preventing heart disease and diabetes. It's not just low carb, it's correct carbs. It also emphasizes avoiding saturated fats and trans-fats. With all due respect to the late Dr. Atkins and his diet, this one presents a healthier alternative that has proven effective. This isn't the only diet book out there but it's a good one with good explanations for those serious about losing weight in a safe manner.
37 Small & Compact Guide for a Great Diet
The diet is great because it allows more food types than other Atkin's type diets, but still allows for bigger portions of the right foods. There is a beginning strict phase and then a more laxed phase like Atkins. This seems more sensible than Atkins though. There are less hunger pains on this diet than other types of diets and the fat comes off fast. Good small guide for a great diet. I recommend to anyone who is trying to lose weight (or make positive changes of other types) the amazing book "Effortless Wellbeing" by Evan Finer. That book will give you a simple way to feel better no matter what you weigh, will help you win the weight loss battle, and help you stay tuned to what is important-- generally make your more powerful and successful. Wonderful highly recommended books!! Good luck!
38 If You've Made it Past the First Two Weeks ...
After hitting 30, I was like many people who gained a significant amount of weight. Probably due to a more inactive lifestyle (sitting at a desk all day), working out at the gym rather than playing sports regularly (allowing for more cheating), just hitting the inevitable slowing metabolism of older age and getting married and eating too much "good?food. During the past 8 years I've gone from 155 pounds to 180 pounds. I got tired of complaining about how fat I was, buying new pants and not liking the way I looked in the mirror compared to how I used to look when I was more athletic. Also, hearing from old friends how "fat?was a real downer.
It takes determination to lose weight and I've always thought the formula to be relatively simple: eat less calories and burn more through exercise. It's just very difficult to do so ?it takes that determination and discipline. Sometimes, you get so fed up it just happens and you make that resolution to do so. But, many times you see some results and fall back on the fat bandwagon.
I've been on the South Beach diet for about 3 weeks. Personally, I've found this to be the most practical diet out there. Also, the science behind the diet especially regarding insulin and the benefits of the diet for the heart was very interesting. Atkins was way too strict and Body for Life was just impractical with their 6 meals a day routine (the exercise program theory is great, though).
After the initial first two weeks (the strictest) I've lost about 6.6 pounds. But, I've done no exercise whatsoever and have eating quite a bit (probably too much) which accounts for the lower than the average weight loss I saw. I was rarely ever hungry. I'm feeling great and have more energy ?can't wait to incorporate exercise into my diet which should get me the last 10 pounds I want to lose.
I'm now in the second phase and just purchased this Guide as a complement to the South Beach Diet book. The only complaint I had about the original book is that it was a bit weak in terms of listings of good foods / bad foods. I had many questions as to whether a particular food was good or bad and just made a personal judgment call ?I wouldn't call it so reassuring. Though it would have been nice to have this included in the original book (and have the book have a bit less testimonials) I would highly recommend it to any one past the first few weeks of the diet. It's small and you can keep it in your bag or briefcase and whip it out whenever (a good case for having it in its own slim volume). Probably, after a few weeks the knowledge in there will have sunk in to let you make those calls on your own. For that reassurance, I think it's worth it. The benefits far out outweigh the fairly minimal cost especially since it's all about your health.
Good luck to you and hoping all a healthier and happier life!
39 Voodoo Science
The idea that maltose in beer is somehow guided to your belly and causes a "beer belly" is nonsense.
Glucose is the simple sugar that is transported into our cells and then converted to energy by a series of oxidation-reduction reactions. Maltose is a disaccharide that consists of two glucose molecules linked in an alpha 1,4 glycosidic bond. Maltose is not absorbed from our intestines. It must be converted to a monosaccharide (glucose) before it can be absorbed---that's why the tips of our villi in our proximal small intestine contain enzymes that break disaccharides into monosaccharides. The enzyme maltase does it for maltose, lactase does it for lactose (glucose and galactose) and sucrase does it for sucrose (glucose and fructose.)
Where then does the popular "beer-belly" scenario fit in? Sugars are converted to fat if there is an excess in the blood compared to current metabolic needs, but the idea that maltose, after it is split and absorbed has some sort of homing rader that leads it directly to the abdomen where it will be converted to fat is silly. As long as you are able to absorb the sugar, it will go wherever it is needed in the body. The real reason for the "beer belly" is that people who develop them are taking in way more carbohydrates than their current metabolic needs.
Dr. Agatston appears to be a wine snob who doesn't know how to enjoy the complexity of a good tasting beer or two.
40 It works!
So far i've lost 15 pounds on this diet, and only 5 more to go. My husband's lost 30 so far, but he has a lot more to go.
The best thing about it is because after awhile you figure out what foods work best for you and what treats you can afford to have without gaining weight. It's also good for rebalancing sugar and cholesterol, and easier than atkins and more cholesterol conscious.
Definately recommended.
D
41 Comprehensive
To keep this short, there are many sources of information on "good fats" and "bad fats" and what foods contain "good carbs" and "bad carbs." Glycemic indexes are now realized to be extremely important for anyone who is monitoring what they eat for better lifestyle and health. If someone is fairly new to nutrition this can be helpful. There are and have been however, a plethora of these books as well as websites on the market covering this in the last few years. If you need the information it will help you, but think before you plunk down funds to buy what can be obtained for free.
42 Easier to follow than Atkins, cholesterol dropped.
Like some other reviewers who have posted here, I have been on a lot of different diets including Atkins but like The Southbeach Diet the best.When I started on the South Beach Diet, I weighed 198 lbs. and my cholesterol level was 350. M doctor told me that was abt double the normal range and I needed to do something quick. In 10 weeks, I lost 25 lbs, 6 inches from my waist and my cholesterol dropped over 100 points.I told my sister about this program and she lost 12 lbs. during the same 10 week period.We love the South Beach Diet. This guidebook helps make the right food choices and makes the diet program even easier.
43 Just Great!
This Guide is a great little companion to "The South Beach Diet," with quick references for selecting foods, it helps you craft a lifestyle approach to the South Beach plan with helpful suggestions for healthy eating styles. It is every bit as powerful and empowering as Tom Leonardi's "Secrets of Sensual Lovemaking," or Alison's "Rawfully Good!" video or the dvd "New Sex Now."
44 Great companion to the South beach Diet Book
I just picked this up at our local Wal Mart. As the title indicates, this offers you a guide to the best foods that are low carb in nature and good fats which are typically so lacking in most diet programs.
I love the South Beach Diet. Having been on and off Atkins too, the benefit of South Beach is more carbs and less fat. Protein is about the same. I have more energy with South Beach than with Atkins although sometimes to break a plateu, I will go back on Atkins.
I highly recommend this books along with the South Beach Diet book to help you reach your weight loss goals.
45 Great Companion Reference
The "Good Fats/Good Carbs Guide" is a great little companion to "The South Beach Diet." It's helpful for quick food references when making food selections. It's geared toward the lifestyle approach of the South Beach plan, listing foods as "allowed, good, limited" etc. It has helpful suggestions when fast food is your only option and other difficult situations to maintain your healthy eating style.
46 Great Companion!!
THE SOUTH BEACH DIET GOOD FATS, GOOD CARBS GUIDE is a well-organized and easy-to-use companion to THE SOUTH BEACH DIET. I've been on Dr. Agatston's plan since August and have lost 32 pounds. The Guide is an ideal quick reference -- especially for shopping and eating out -- for Phase 3 dieters.
Much appreciated!
47 Pick the right foods to get slim!
"The South Beach Diet Good Fats Good Carbs Guide" is a 138 page companion book to the best selling book, "The South Beach Diet".
According to the author, Dr. Arthur Agatston all fats and carbs are not created equal. The good fats and carbs will nourish your body, help you stay healthy and lose weight. Eating the wrong kinds will trigger cravings, decrease your ability to burn off calories and make you hungry.
In this book, Dr. Agatston shows you at a glance which fats and carbs are compatable with "The South Beach Diet". Each entry lists a food item, its carbohyrate, sugar and fat grams. Foods are then ranked as limited, very limited or avoid. There are over 1,200 listings.
The beginning of the book gives a quick overview of "The South Beach Diet". It describes why we need to select certain foods in order to lose weight and get healthy. Though it does not go into the great detail of the original South Beach Diet book, you could purchase this mini book and learn enough to be able to follow the diet successfully.
The book packs in a lot of information. In addition to the overview, and food ratings there are also shopping tips and meal makeovers. A handy dining out section makes it easier to stay on the South Beach track at your favorite restaurants.
A quick guide also lists what foods to enjoy on each phase of the diet.
The only drawback to the book is though its smaller than a normal sized book (7" tall by 5" wide), it's still to large to fit in a pocketbook. It would be nice if it were smaller, making it more portable, thus I deducted one star.
Other than that, the book is a super handy resource, excellent for those following the South Beach diet or concerned about their health.
