Health Articles > Health-and-nutrition > The South Beach Diet

This diet was created for people with cardiovascular conditions. Developed by a cardiologist, this diet allows you to eat three meals a day as well as snacks and dessert. How does this diet afford you the opportunity to lose weight? A cardiologist developed The South Beach Diet. His intent was to help heart patients and diabetics. By lowering carbohydrate intake and turning that intake into complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean fats and proteins. By eliminating all simple sugars is a great diet for someone with diabetes. The South Beach diet encompasses a meal plan filled with good carbs. The assumption is that bad carbs, which are associated with a high glycemic index, disables the body to resist insulin, thereby unable to properly dispose of fats and sugars that accumulate in the body. The South Beach Diet has three levels or phases. The first phase encompasses a two-week regimen which allows you to consume regular meals which include: meat, vegetables, fish, eggs, low fat cheeses and yogurt, as well as your favorite snacks and desserts. The second phase consists of fruits and whole grain foods. The third phase is the point at which you have reach your weight loss goal and you continue maintenance by consuming three meals a day in combination with whole grain and fruits. The bottom line is that the South Beach Diet combines good eating habits while decreasing bad carbs. Avoiding high fat content meals and processed foods is the method by which this diet claims success. In addition, the website offers information including: a recipe database, a meal planner, shopping list generator, food guides, list of registered dieticians, a beach buddies program, message boards, a private online journal, a daily newsletter, a calendar tool, and a weight tracker. These weight-loss tools offer you an opportunity to not only stay on track but use the information to help you maintain your diet, ask questions, and seek advice. In addition, there are over a thousand recipes to choose from, the ability to talk with a dietician online as well as live support. There is even an online quiz which determines whether or not the diet is right for you. While the South Beach diet is not considered to be a low-carb diet, its main function is to change your way of eating by decreasing the intake of bad carbs and increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables. This is a great diet for people with heart conditions, and is a wonderful and healthy diet regimen as well.