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The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss (平装)
by Authur Agastston, M.D.
| Category:
Diet, Health, Fitness |
| Market price: ¥ 168.00
MSL price:
¥ 158.00
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
One of the sanest and healthiest diets in the low-carb field, which many people find working. |
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AllReviews |
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Randolph P. Martin, M.D. (Director of noninvasive cardiology at Emory University Hospital, Atlanta), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
Dr. Agatston is a noted cardiologist who's made many contributions, but The South Beach Diet may be his best. Importantly, this is not 'another diet book.' This is a book about health and well-being. Dr. Agatston does an outstanding job of explaining the importance of the types of food we eat and its impact on preventing illnesses, such as coronary heart disease and diabetes. Not only will you feel better if you follow his diet, but you will look and live better. |
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Newsweek (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
The real value of the book is its sound nutritional advice. |
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Linda Richman (Author of I'd Rather Laugh) (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
I have tried every diet-including Weight Watchers, The Zone, Atkins, Jenny Craig-and have had a difficult time staying on those programs. The South Beach Diet is easy, simple, and delicious. |
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Jill Lightner (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
The verdict is in: those simple carbs we've been living on are killing us. For good health, we've got to get our blood sugar under control and stop the incessant cravings. Or so says Dr. Arthur Agatston, author of The South Beach Diet. The first half of the book details the science behind the diet. Most of the explanations revolve around why things you thought were healthy - orange juice, wheat toast, carrots - are actually evil. To avoid blood sugar surges, Agatston created a modified carbohydrate plan, recommending plenty of high-fiber foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while cutting bread, rice, pastas, and fruits. Major differences from other diets include a lack of concern over portion size and a serious indifference to exercise. Feeling full while on a diet is a beautiful thing, but it seems odd that a cardiologist buries his exercise recommendations in a solitary sentence.
The last half of the book covers his three-stage plan; daily diets are mixed with recipes, some of which are from South Beach restaurant chefs. The most restrictive period lasts just two weeks, enough time to stabilize your urges and lose a few pounds; stage two adds fruits and a handful of other carbs, while stage three is meant to last the remainder of your life, with occasional lapses for white bread or birthday cake. While the diet is sound, the book could be better organized. The first half mixes scientific study with anecdote in a seemingly random way, while the mix of meal plans and recipes can be confusing. Still, the recipes are varied and tasty, and you'll never feel deprived, unless you currently happen to live by bread alone.
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
The South Beach Diet is one of the sanest, healthiest diets in the low-carb field. Low-carb diets tend to fall victim to two major health blunders: encouraging excessive consumption of unhealthy saturated fats and being overly restrictive with healthy fruits and whole grains. Agatston avoids both of these pitfalls. Level 1 is the most restrictive: most starchy foods, even healthy ones, are off limits. However, this phase is only two weeks long. It is not intended to be a long term eating plan. At the end of the two weeks, you will probably have lost at least a few pounds, and your junk food cravings will be substantially reduced. Craving-free, you are much better able to incorporate healthy carbs and even the occasional treat back into your diet without going overboard.
HOWEVER... the writing style of this book is absolutely painful. It is joyless, needlessly confusing and poorly organized. I would recommend getting this book from the library and just copying the lists of which foods are allowed on each phase of the diet. If you want to force your way through the book once, you will find some useful information, but (with the possible exception of the food lists) you probably won't feel a need to refer to the book very often. |
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
This is a diet book whose plan is to get you to lose weight by limiting your carbohydrates- essentially another low-carbohydrate diet. It has 3 phases where your carbohydrates are severely restricted at first, and then re-introduced. I have personally read three controlled trials comparing low carb diets to your regular calorie restricted diets that were published in scientific journals. The results? Low carb diets produce more weight loss during the first 6 months, but at one year follow-up, both groups had lost THE SAME amount of weight. Therefore, it really doesn't matter which diet plan you choose, the South Beach diet or your standard low calorie diet, because if you can stay on either of them for a year, you'll lose the same amount of weight. To that end, then, the South Beach diet is a fairly healthy diet plan and a good one to choose from, but the bottom line if you want to lose weight is to cut your calories with ANY diet plan and absolutely stick with it and make it a part of your lifestyle.
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Carolyn Hill (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
The first thing one needs when one decides to lose a few pounds is to get one's head in the right place. If that doesn't happen, no "diet" will work. A diet is merely what one eats. Anything extreme, like the popular low-carb diets of recent years, can be quite harmful over time. The South Beach, however, is different. It allows a person to eat regular food and includes almost 200 pages of recipes and some day-by-day meal planning. Dr. Agatston also reminds us once again how important exercise is to maintaining a healthy body.
My husband and I read this book last fall and took steps to change some of our "comfort" habits. Four months later we were (and still are) each twenty pounds slimmer, have more energy, and look great in all those clothes we'd put away a few years back (although I've added some new ones...but that's a woman thing!).
Part I of the book is about understanding the South Beach Diet and is about 100 pages long. It presents the philosophy behind the diet and information about how our bodies work, valuable information about foods and food groups, and testimonials from those who've been on the diet. There are some who've slipped backwards and are struggling to get back where they were. Others have been very successful in their efforts to become healthier individuals. The book is easy to read, is informative, and a quick and easy reference going forward.
I was pleased to see that eggs are now okay as I am very fond of them. About three times a week in the evening, when I want a snack, I eat a hardboiled egg. I have found it satisfies my hunger and there's no sugar. "It turns out that eggs contain minimal saturated fat and raise the good cholesterol along with the bad." (p. 26-27) Regular exercise is a must in lowering bad cholesterol. Thirty minutes a day of exercise goes a long way there.
You can throw away all those other diet books you own and keep this one handy. It has it all. |
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Jason (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
This book was a Godsend. For years I had been trying to loose weight, only to see it come back. Like many people, I was unaware that my diet was loaded w/ empty carbohydrates, and that to loose weight I had to introduce more protein and healthy fats that would keep me full.
The diet is broken into three phases: phase one eliminates practically all carbs for up to two weeks. During this time you will loose weight very quickly, up to 1lb a day. This was an excellent motivational factor for me, as I was hesitant about starting such a strict plan. Combined with exercise the fat literally began to melt off, and I had much incentive to continue.
Phase 2 starts to reintroduce some of those carbs, mainly dairy and some fruit. This more liberal system allows the individual to begin eating in a more regular manner, and to prepare for the final phase, one that you should follow indefinitely.
In Phase 3, the good carbs are introduced, meaning whole wheat. What I never knew is that whole wheat bread, pasta, etc. are not only healthier in terms of nutrients, but they will indeed fill you up quicker than their other less nutritious counterparts, eliminating the tendency to overeat.
The recipies themselves in all three phases are delicious and diverse - I never felt bored doing anything. While exercise is not required I found that simply walking for 20-30 minutes a day was an effective compliment to this plan.
As I said in my headline, I lost 20lbs and have not gained any of it back. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to loose any weight at all, because it truly helped me! |
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
I don't like to refer to the South Beach program as a "diet" because I think it is more of a lifestyle change. People may criticize that this is just another scheme to try and lose weight. I would say it depends on why you are choosing to diet and what you hope to gain by it. My husband and I have felt lousy for the last few years. Just sluggish, tired and yes, a bit overweight. My husband also has issues with his blood sugar rising high and dropping low. I like South Beach because it is based on the Glycemic Index. I find it humorous that other critics are criticizing Dr. Agatston that his diet is not "original". He never claims it is. He will tell you outright that it is a diet based on the GI. The benefit of the first 2 weeks is to "reset" your blood sugar levels so you can start on a level playing field. And the side effect is that you lose weight. How much? I guess it depends on who you are and how overweight you are. In the first 2 weeks, I lost 8 pounds and my husband lost 10. But the biggest difference? We feel great. I feel lighter, food digests easily and I don't have afternoon sugar crashes. Even my mood is more level. My husband feels the same. We really noticed a difference on the first day after our initial 2 week period. We had a special event to go to and decided to throw the "diet" to the wind and splurge. Boy did we feel awful the next day. Makes you realize how much we abuse our systems on a regular basis. I think the eating program is easy to follow. The only "hard" part is the planning and preparing of all the fresh food. But anyone who thinks they can eat healthy and lose weight by not eating fresh foods is really kidding themselves. I laughed with my husband and said " the reason you lose weight on this 'diet' is because you spend so many hours at the store and in the kitchen". We love it and it is working for us. |
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Beggs (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-08 00:00>
I've tried countless diets, as I sure you have too, but this one REALLY worked for me! In the first two weeks I lost 10 lbs! This diet is so unique because its not just about losing weight but changing your lifestyle and focusing on a healthier you. I love this diet because it stresses not having to feel hungry and isn't complicated!
This is the perfect diet for everyone, mainly because you do not have to deprive yourself! You'll enjoy normal size helpings of meat, poultry, and fish. You'll also eat eggs, cheese, nuts, and vegetables AND (my favorite part) - snacks are required! You'll learn to avoid the bad carbs, like white flour, white sugar, and baked potatoes. Best of all, as you loose weight, you'll loose that stubborn belly fat first!
The initial two week period is the most restrictive part of the diet. This phase was hard for me because I am always craving bread, pasta and fruit but there are still choices and snacks. The second phase offers somewhat more choices, including whole wheat bread and other selected carbohydrates. Also, roughly half the book is comprised of complete meal plans along with simple recipes!
I also love how the book is written - in a conversational tone and inviting manner that makes the book more appealing than many other diet tomes. From someone who was sick of counting calories and fad diets - the South Beach Diet was my answer and can be your too! Give it a try - what've you got to lose (besides a few pounds)? |
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1 2 | Total 2 pages 12 items |
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