The South Beach Diet book became extremely successful as soon as the diet book by similar name was published and picked up with rapid succession among a dedicated inner circle. Each with their own dieting successes to brag about, the South Beach Diet book, authored by Doctor Arthur Agatston, The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss, continues to grow in popularity, but The South Beach Diet phase one continues to confuse readers.

The South Beach Diet phase one is the shortest of all phases of the diet, only lasting for a 2 week period. It was designed to be intense, kick-start your body and your mindset about dieting from that point on. The myth to popular thinking and one of the more difficult to grasp parts to Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet, you don't have to limit yourself only eating low carb foods.

In a nut-shell, Phase 1 force feeds you the thinking to: get rid of bad carbs that are not providing anything nutritionally for yourself, substitute the bad carbs that are abundant in most American diets with large amounts of protein, good fats and low glycemic index (G.I.) carbs that solves your hunger and balances your blood sugar.

Foods that do more harm rather than benefit: fruit, candy, cereal, potatoes, grains, etc. all are eliminated, or the dieter must wean themselves off of during The South Beach Diet phase one. A safe bet, if you should have any difficulty, just consume as much salad, greens, and (most) vegetables you want, as they are on target because of their dietary benefit.

It's during Phase 1 that Doctor Agatston believes that your body's resistance to insulin will go down, thus depending on your current weight and condition, you may lose 6 to 11 pounds initially, initially in the first 2 weeks alone, as your body begins to shed excess body weight.

The major purpose of The South Beach Diet phase one is two fold: to test and discipline you into a routine that you stick with that keeps you feeling full and to lay the groundwork for a mindset that ensures you rid yourself of the bad foods and move towards the food that will shed pounds, guarantee more energy and better your quality of life.

A regular author of the independently owned site dedicated to the reasons for healthy and active living, Dave Whitsom, strives to contribute with his audience the essentials of healthy eating on a budget and its role in your quality of life.