Together, The South Beach Diet and South Beach Diet Supercharged boast of helping millions lose weight and live happier, healthier lives. The South Beach Diet swept the nation in 2003 when the book of the same name was first published by the diet’s creator, Dr. Arthur Agatston. In 2024, the South Beach Diet Supercharged came on the scene. The titles do not work independently; rather, Supercharged is the revised version of the original.
They both have as their core a high-protein, low-carb diet that also restricts saturated fats. The diet works in phases, with each phase geared toward a different goal.
- Phase 1 is fairly restrictive, but its aim is to eliminate cravings and promote rapid weight loss. Sugars and starches (like bread, pasta, and fruit) are eliminated.
- Phase 2 reintroduces certain foods while still aiming for patients to lose weight.
- Phase 3 is the maintenance phase, in which patients are encouraged to keep practicing healthy eating principles for life but may eat most foods in moderation.
The creator of both titles, Dr. Agatston, listened to criticisms after releasing the original South Beach Diet and modified it to create the Supercharged diet. It includes an exercise plan featuring interval exercising, new recipes and an enhanced, less restrictive eating plan. With Supercharged, Dr. Agatston sought to make the diet into more of a lifestyle and clear up any nutritional problems in the original diet.
The South Beach Diet is not a magic cure, and its rules must be followed to see results and, more importantly, maintain them. Its many supplementary products, including its own brand of packaged foods, workout DVDs, and an online support program, give dieters even more of a reason to succeed.
Dr. Agatston, a cardiologist, practices at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, hence the name of the diet. He first developed the South Beach Diet as a practical approach for his cardiac and diabetes patients to improve their heart health. Since then, both men and women have found weight loss success with his more practical of the low-carb weight loss plans.