South Beach Diet Fanatics

South Beach Diet Fanatics

Experts say many people are dieting because of the government's recent warnings about the U.S. obesity epidemic. About 64 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. Yet helping people control their weight is a tricky issue. "It's a balancing act, because on the one hand, clearly we have concerns that more and more teenagers are becoming obese," said David Sarwer, associate professor of psychology and director of education at the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania. "On the other hand, we don't want teenagers to be so restrictive with their food that they may develop an eating disorder." Kaelyn Eckenrode, a senior at Newtown High School in Sandy Hook, Conn., says the country's obesity problem spurs dieting. "So many Americans are obese, and people are saying, 'I don't want that to be me, so I'm going to go on the "blank" diet (Carb-Crazed).'" The South Beach Diet is the latest in a series of diet fads. However, the principals applied in the South Beach Diet are not new, they are tried and tested. The South Beach Diet is not low-carbohydrate. Nor is it low-fat. Instead, this diet teaches participants to rely on the right carbohydrates and the right fats - the good ones. As a result, participants lose weight, lower their cholesterol, reduce their risk of heart disease and diabetes, and eliminate cravings without feeling hungry. Some call it the "updated version of the Atkins diet (healthyweithtforum.com)."

The South Beach Diet teaches a way of life where a person relies on the right carbohydrates and fats in their diet. This diet allows a person--according to southbeach-diet-plan.com-- "to live contently without eating the bad carbohydrates and fats." In contrast, when a person eats bad carbohydrates and fats they feel hungrier, causing them to eat more, which causes weight gain. In exchange for eating right, one become healthier and one can enjoy an eight to thirteen pound weight loss in two weeks. The Diet was created by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a highly respected cardiologist, to work with individuals body safely and effectively. This diet works in phases, the first two for a specific timeframe and the third phase for life. With the South Beach diet approach, one can stop counting calories, stop weighing food portions, and stop feeling as though you are deprived from eating good-tasting and satisfying food. Trying to lose weight and become healthy by depriving the body of food makes no sense. In addition to the three meals each day, the dieter will also eat a snack between breakfast and lunch, and then again between lunch and dinner. Even if the dieter does not feel like eating these snacks, for the South Beach Diet to work, he/she needs to, and after dinner, the dieter will even have dessert. Additionally, during this phase, the dieter can drink all the coffee and tea you want and be sure to drink lots of water. (southbeach-diet-plan.com). There are three basic phases present in the SB Diet. In phase one, you eat normal portion sizes but all carbohydrates are restricted. Phase one last two weeks and is the strictest phase and the hardest to endure in the diet. It emphasizes lean meats, such as chicken, turkey, fish, and shellfish. Low-Glycemic-index vegetables are allowed as well as low-fat cheese, nuts, and eggs. Dieters should expect to lose somewhere between eight to thirteen pounds in the two week frame. In phase two, some of the banned food are slowly introduced while weight loss continue to around one to two pounds per week. The SB diet participant should remain in phase two until you have lost your desired amount of weight. Phase three is for maintenance and should be followed for life. This phase is all about maintaining your desired weight with a healthy balanced diet. Should the dieters weight begin to climb, simply return to Phase one (southbeach-diet-plan.com). South Beach diet labels are on numerous them.

The September issue of USA Today revealed that the maker of Oreos, Kool-Aid and Cheez Whiz will announce plans for the South Beach diet seal of approval to appear on 200 Kraft foods lower in carbohydrates and fats. The target goal is to lure shoppers back to 100-plus-year-old Kraft's fold. Many of its brands have suffered serious defections by increasingly nutrition-conscious consumers. With sales flagging for the past year, there has even been speculation that some of Kraft's biggest units are on the block, from Oscar Mayer meats to Post cereals. For Kraft, the South Beach deal seems an admission that the diet -- linked with celebrity dieters such as Bill Clinton, Bette Midler and Nicole Kidman -- may be a bigger consumer draw currently than the Kraft name. The South Beach Diet book, by cardiologist Arthur Agatston, has sold more than 8 million copies (USA Today). Low-carbohydrate mania, fueled by the popularity of the Atkins and South Beach diets, is taking the country by storm. About 15 million Americans are estimated to be on a low-carbohydrate diet. South Beach stresses low carbohydrates and high protein, but it is more flexible than Atkins. About 24 million Americans are cutting out carbohydrates, and 44 million more say they may try a low-carbohydrate diet in the next two years. Dieters may be limiting their carbohydrates, but they have plenty of new products to munch on. Manufacturers have introduced more than 1,500 low-carbohydrate products in the past two years. Even pet foods come in low-carbohydrate variations (Carb-Crazed). Some of the Kraft products that will carry the "South Beach diet recommended" label on their packages: Louis Rich turkey, chicken cuts; Light n' Lively cottage cheese; Kraft 2% reduced fat and fat-free cheese; Philadelphia Light fat-free cream cheese; Jello-O sugar-free gelatin; Cool Whip light, fat-free whipped topping; Grey Poupon mustard; Planters cocktail peanuts; Triscuits reduced-fat snacks; Crystal Light beverages (USA Today).

Aug. 12--Steve Murphy and his Rodale team are among the few getting fat on the "The South Beach Diet." The president of the Emmaus publisher of books and magazines said Wednesday that the company's first-half revenues for 2004 were 28 percent ahead of the period a year ago. The "South Beach Diet" franchise, with 13 million copies currently in print, was one of the main contributors to the revenue growth, Murphy said. The private company, which focuses on health and fitness publications, as usual did not disclose revenues or release other dollar figures. Last year, Rodale's revenues reached $500 million, according to Publisher's Weekly.

Rodale has about 1,000 employees worldwide and 690 in the Lehigh Valley, making it one of the 35 biggest employers in the region. This