The South Beach Diet

Supercharged

by Arthur Agatston, M.D. with Joseph Signorile, Ph.D.

Rodale Inc., New York, NY

338 pages $25.95 

 

Reviewed by Gwen O’Neill

 

Would you like to get a good workout and only invest 20 minutes a day? Whether you are trying to lose weight or just want to get in better shape, you may want to try a 20-minute-a-day interval workout program.

The South Beach Diet has helped many people lose weight and maintain a healthier lifestyle since 2003 when it first came on the market. What got my attention in this latest book from Dr. Agatston was the interval walking program and the body-shaping and toning exercises.

The program presented in this book was developed with Dr. Joseph Signorile of the University of Miami. It’s designed to improve cardiovascular health, increase flexibility and improve metabolism.

It’s a challenge to fight our sedentary lifestyle, which was created by the technology that makes our lives easier and our workdays more productive. “Machines and gadgets lift, move, and carry things for us. We communicate by e-mail, and many of us don’t even walk down the hall to chat with colleagues as often as we used to! While studies document how much less physical exertion we’re doing, we really don’t need research studies to appreciate the trend. All we have to do is look around,” said Agatston.

Even worse than our sedentary ways is the decline in the nutrients in the food we eat. Fruits and vegetables look better and taste sweeter today, but they do not contain the nutritional content of the food our ancestors grew and gathered. Fortunately, many people are buying more organic foods, creating demand for more sustainable farming methods and bringing food back to a more natural and healthier state.

My acupuncturist first introduced me to the concept of interval training. Judy Pruzinsky encouraged me to begin with 30-second bursts of running or rapid walking on my treadmill followed by another 30 seconds at a normal speed. This 60-second routine was done three times and the whole process repeated three times during the day. She maintained that the intensity of the bursts not only helped burn more calories while exercising, but that repeating it three times increased metabolism for a longer period. In other words, the effect of the exercise continued after the exercise was done. 

Now I have to tell you, it was difficult to try to fit this into my day. But one strategy was to run up to the door of the supermarket and, on days when I was able to shop at quiet times, run as fast as I could for 30 seconds in the store. Every so often I would run past a friend who would call out as I fled by, “Gwen?” When I practiced this routine consistently, I lost weight and I felt better, too.

This experience is what perked my interest when I heard about the new South Beach Diet book on National Public Radio when the book was first released a few months ago. Our intrinsic metabolism has a lot to do with how we lose weight and maintain weight loss, so if you need to shift your metabolism into a higher gear, you may want to consider this approach.

Agatston says, “In interval training, you alternate between short bursts of intensive effort and easier recovery periods, as opposed to working at a steady, continuous, and potentially monotonous pace.” His book focuses on walking, but almost any form of exercise can be done in this manner. If you love to swim, run or ride a bike, you can use the same approach.

The idea is that if you work at a much higher intensity for part of the time, you burn more calories overall than if you keep working at a steady pace. “With interval training, the higher the intensity of the exercise, the longer the after burn; that is, you will continue to burn more fat and calories after you’ve completed your exercise session. As you become more fit and develop more lean muscle mass, you increase your basal metabolic rate even further. This means you’ll burn more fat and calories while you’re going through your daily activities, and even while you’re resting,” said Agatston.

One of his patients trimmed her one-hour treadmill program back to 20 minutes. After her warm-up, she would mix up the workout, with short bursts of fast-paced walking alternating with periods of slower walking. You can begin this kind of routine by walking fast for 15 seconds and then walking slowly for 60 seconds.

This contradicts everything I’ve ever been told by professional trainers. We’ve been told to work at about 60 percent of our maximum heart rate (get out the heart rate monitor) and that we need to work for at least 20 minutes before we start burning fat. But the one thing that almost all trainers agree on is the need to have a balanced, nutritious, low-fat diet much like the South Beach Diet.

If you’ve ever read any of the South Beach Diet books, you know they are full of interesting recipes. The roll-ups are valuable staples for quick snacks or picnics. Some new ideas include Tex-Mex Smoked Turkey Roll-Up, Yucatan Shrimp Roll-Up and the two roll-ups which follow.

Curried Turkey Roll-Up

1 cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt

1⁄2 cup low-fat mayonnaise

3 teaspoons curry powder

1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger

4 cups cubed thickly sliced deli turkey breast

2 diced celery stalks

1 diced small cucumber

3 tablespoons minced red onion

1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 large lettuce leaves 

Combine first four ingredients. Fold in turkey and remaining ingredients, minus the lettuce. Divide mixture among lettuce leaves. Roll up leaves, secure with toothpicks, and serve.

Spicy Hummus ‘n’ Veggie Roll-Up

4 cups arugula

1 thinly sliced and chopped fennel bulb

1 thinly sliced large cucumber

1 chopped large tomato

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 red-leaf lettuce leaves

store-bought hummus

hot pepper sauce

Combine first seven ingredients. Divide and place on 8 large red-leaf lettuce leaves. Dollop 2 tablespoons store-bought hummus on top of veggies on each leaf and spread to cover. Drizzle with hot pepper sauce to taste. Roll up leaves, secure with toothpicks, and serve.

Love shepherd’s pie? Then you’ll love this twist on the classic. Edamame replaces the peas and mashed cauliflower topped with cheddar creates the potato-like crust.

South Beach Diet Shepherd’s Pie

Servings: 4

 

1 16-ounce package frozen cauliflower florets

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound extra-lean ground beef

2 cups fresh or defrosted frozen shelled edamame (10 ounces)

1⁄2  cup reduced-sodium beef broth

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

salt

2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream

1 large egg yolk

1⁄2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

 

Heat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beef and brown for 10 minutes, stirring to break up lumps. Add edamame and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes longer. Stir in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Season with pepper and a pinch of salt. Transfer meat mixture to the casserole.

With an electric mixer at medium speed, whip the cooked cauliflower with sour cream, egg yolk, and another pinch of salt. Spoon cauliflower evenly over meat. Top with cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden on top. Serve warm.

And here’s one more recipe to tempt you. Hearts of palm stand in for potatoes in this summery salad. The vinegary dressing makes it a perfect flavor match for grilled burgers, chicken or fish. Try fresh cilantro, tarragon, basil, or parsley in place of or along with the chives.

 

Hearts of Palm “Potato” Salad

Servings: 4 

 

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Two 14-ounce cans hearts of palm, 

   drained and cut into 1/2-inch slices

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, mustard, and garlic. Continuing to whisk, add oil in a slow and steady stream. Add hearts of palm and chives; toss to combine. Season with pepper to taste and serve.

Agatston challenges us to get rid of our poor eating habits and encourages us to leave behind the habits that have made us fatter and sicker with every decade. In my opinion, these are sensible diet solutions and easy-to-accomplish exercise plans that could change our health for the long term. Of course, as with any change in diet and exercise, check with your healthcare practitioner to adjust it to your own physiology and health history. 

For more information, visit www.southbeachdiet.com.