Atkins Diet Review

There are so many diets out there is it hard to find one that is the right fit for your lifestyle. The Atkins diet has been popular for a number of year. The Atkins diet work by eliminating carbohydrates from the diet in the beginning stages and eating mainly proteins. Carbs are slowly added back into the diet in the later stages but are still restricted. The diet is very effective and weight will come off quickly but it is hard to follow.

The fist phase of the diet lasts two weeks. The are no carb allowed at all. This includes breads, refined sugar, and certain starchy vegetables such as potatoes. The person is allowed to consume meat, seafood, and salads with only green vegetables. This is the hardest part of the diet to follow. While a person can loose around five pounds a week they need the willpower to follow the guidelines. With so many restrictions many people do not last the full two week period. This part of the diet is extremely difficult for those who eat on the run or dine out. There are many hidden carbs in food the person is left with very limited choices. Alcohol is off limits as well. If a person can follow the diet for this time period they will see a significant change in their body.

Phase two and three of the diet allow the addition of some foods. Carbs are still very restricted and so is sugar. A person should not consume more then thirty grams of carbs a day. The food additions in this part of the diet include whole wheat and whole grain breads and pastas, and the addition of more vegetables. This allows a little more food variety but not much. A person will still continue to loose weight during these stages but it slowly evens out and is not as rapid. Overall the Atkins diet shows significant weight loose results it is not a permeate weight loss solution. Due to the high restriction for foods it is hard to follow for an extended period of time. Once carbs are consumed again the weight will come back on. The Atkins diet is good for people who need to loose weight quickly and those with a high amount of self discipline.

South Beach Diet Review

The South Beach Diet has been successful in gaining wide popularity with the people including many Hollywood stars. It is one of the smartest diets on the market and is not actually a crash diet as all the vital nutrients required by the body have been included in the diet. While taking South Beach Diet it is expressly recommended that you should also maintain active physical routine as it ensures a weight loss that is sustained on long term basis.

South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet is neither low on fat or carb, but actually focuses on various types of foods that are eaten in routine by us. This diet program has been divided into three separate phases and first phase is the strictest one and with each additional phase, more and more food is added back in the diet.

In the first phase of South Beach diet, the main emphasis is on vegetables, lean proteins, olive oil and various types of seeds, and in the second phase fruits can also be added which rank low on glycemic index scale. Aside from fruits, moderate amount of pasta, cereals and some low fat dairy products are also included. Once the intended weight is reached, the third phase begins and you can add back most of the foods that you can enjoy in moderation while maintaining your South Beach Diet.

Advantages:

1. It is a good diet plan to achieve a weight loss that is sustainable over a long period of time.
2. Any major food group is not eliminated.
3. Advocates increased consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits.
4. This diet provides sufficient protein for supporting lean muscle mass.
5. There is no metabolic slow down.
6. Is good for every person as there are numerous ways to customize South Beach Diet for meeting individual dietary requirements.

The Verdict

The South Beach Diet is quite realistic and can help you in reaching your targeted weight, and can help in sustaining it over a period of time. Aside from the first phase that lasts about two weeks, its other phases are quite tolerable and are not too restrictive, so you can include numerous healthy foods in your diet.

As South Beach Diet plan includes whole grains in the second and third phase, so it is ideal for the athletes or all those who want to build muscles as body requires large amounts of carbohydrates as muscle fuel.