Three Pros and Cons of the South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet is similar to the Atkins diet that in the first few weeks it restricts carbohydrates. But in other aspects, it’s a lot different in that it swaps saturated fats for unsaturated fats. It was created by a cardiologist doctor who needed a way for his patients to lose weight or strengthen their hearts before surgery.

Just as with all diet programs out there, there are pros and cons to the South Beach diet. Let’s take a look at three of the pros and three of the cons, starting with the pros.

Pros of South Beach Diet

1. Lose weight quickly. Most will call this a pro, but it can actually be detrimental as well. During the first phase of the diet, you will lose weight very quickly – and it’s these amazing results that often keep people going, even when following such a restrictive diet begins to get boring.

2. Complex carbs. The South Beach diet is great for regulating the insulin levels in your body because you don’t eat simple carbs but complex carbs.   

3. Simple to follow. Unlike a diet program that requires you to count calories, count food points, etc the South Beach diet doesn’t require any of that making it simple to follow. The basis of the diet is you’re given a list of foods you can eat and you pick and choose from that.

Cons of South Beach diet

1. You may feel weak.  During the first few weeks of the diet when you restrict carbohydrates, one of the known side effects people have mentioned is that they feel weak. It’s nothing to be worried about, just rest as much as you can during the first few weeks of following the diet.

2. Expensive. While it’s not nearly as expensive as some diet programs out there where you have to buy their food, it can be a bit on the expensive side. Why? Because protein is more expensive than buying carbohydrates that you are probably used to eating all the time.

3. Loss of vitamins and minerals. Because the diet requires you to restrict carbohydrates and you can’t eat fruits (mainly in the first phase/introduction) you will lose vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Be sure to take a multivitamin while following the South Beach diet.

You should now have a better understanding of some of the pros and cons of the South Beach diet and be able to make a knowledgeable decision about whether this diet is for you or not. Remember, before starting any diet program you should seek medical advice first.