Presidential diet - losing kilos without harm to health

The Presidential Diet, also called the South Beach Diet, was developed by American cardiologist Arthur Agatson and received its famous name due to the fact that spouses Bill and Hillary Clinton were among its admirers. This diet has proven itself not only because it is highly effective, completely non-starving and tasty, but also because it helps protect the heart and blood vessels from atherosclerosis, regulates the level of cholesterol and insulin in the blood!

The presidential diet, in its essence, is more related to the nutrition system and its rules must be followed for life. However, you should not assume that because of this you will lose some joy in your life!!! The list of allowed foods is quite large and your menu will be very varied; you only need to stop eating sugar and limit your fat intake. And no matter how terrible it may sound at this stage, you really won’t want to eat harmful foods soon. Arthur Agatson tried to create a competent and effective way to get rid of excess weight with health benefits!

General information about the Presidential Diet

American cardiologist Arthur Agatson in the 90s developed a nutrition program that became known as the South Beach diet.
This diet has become very popular. Many were happy to choose a diet of foods rich in substances beneficial to the body. After a while, when the Clinton family became seriously interested in it, the diet became known as the presidential diet. Many adherents of this diet claim that with minimal effort you can lose up to 6 kilograms in a couple of weeks. The essence of the presidential diet is to limit carbohydrate foods and consume protein. Having felt a lack of carbohydrates, the body begins to obtain them from fat deposits. The nutrition system helps keep your weight in the desired range. At the same time, all systems of the human body function normally. The Presidential Diet is a complete diet that helps prevent atherosclerotic vascular lesions. The menu is designed to reduce the stress on the cardiovascular system of an overweight person.

Dr. Agatston recommends not reducing the amount of food consumed, but only paying attention to the quality of food. The dietary system leads to gradual weight loss. In the first two weeks, it takes from 3 to 6 kg. This may be due to the maximum consumption of foods that are healthy for humans and the minimization of easily digestible carbohydrates. The basis is seafood, it is recommended to include shrimp, squid, seaweed, fish: pike perch, salmon, flounder. If the result obtained is not satisfactory, you can continue the established diet.

Reviews

Marina, 29 years old.

This presidential diet is not so effective. At least I don’t understand why it’s called a beach one. If you are planning to get yourself in order before the start of the swimming season, you need to start acting as early as possible. This is not a quick method. Basically, the weight comes off well in the first phase. Well, how good - in two weeks I lost almost 7 kg. After this, the process slows down sharply. The kilos leave, but not so willingly. Since I was losing weight with a friend, I carefully recorded all the results achieved on the South Beach diet. Then they made some kind of statistics - on average, we lost 120 g per day on PD, which in terms of weeks is less than 1 kg. So it’s all beautiful in appearance, but in reality it’s a very long wait.

Oksana, 36 years old.

Dr. Agatston developed an excellent weight loss method. Ideal for those who not only stupidly want to lose weight, but also maintain health. And this is also an excellent solution for me personally, because my willpower has never been friendly with “starvation” diets. The food is varied. Despite the fact that the system was initially designed for Americans, the products are all familiar and accessible to Russia. I was able to lose 9 kg in 1.5 months, which did not return. The secret of success is simple - over the entire period of the method, I relearned how to eat properly.

Anastasia, 31 years old.

My weight is fine, but I sat down with my husband (he is the main “source of excess weight” in our family) to support my loved one. I can say that this is the best that can be created for adult male whims. A detailed menu for every day did not create even the slightest headache about what to cook for the presidential diet - all the recipes were extremely simple, satisfying and tasty. As a result, “we” have already lost 8 kg. But there is still phase 3 ahead, so this is not the limit yet!

Phases of the Presidential Diet

The Agatston diet is based on a three-phase nutrition system. Breakdowns are strictly forbidden. In order for such nutrition to become part of your usual lifestyle, it is important to find good motivation. It is necessary to completely exclude pasta and cereals from the diet, and limit the consumption of potatoes and flour as much as possible. All soups must be low-fat. To remove unnecessary fat from a dish, place the pan with the prepared food in the refrigerator or wait until the dish has cooled. After this, all fats frozen on the surface can be removed with a spoon.

First phase

The preparatory or first phase lasts two weeks. Meals are regular, split six times a day. This is the main stage of weight loss, the result of which is weight loss up to 6 kilograms. Be sure to exclude the following products from the menu:

• fatty cheeses, milk, yogurt;
• confectionery, flour products, semi-finished products;
• fat meat;
• carrots, corn, potatoes;
• berries, fruits, cereals.

The menu for the first and second weeks is the same. The diet for the first week according to the presidential method of losing weight is as follows. Monday:

• breakfast – tomato juice, 1 egg, a piece of boiled steamed veal;
• lunch – a portion of low-fat cottage cheese with tomato and parsley;
• lunch – boiled chicken with ground walnuts, garlic, watercress;
• afternoon snack – a portion of low-fat cottage cheese with tomato, cucumber, dill, olive oil;
• dinner – steamed broccoli with flounder, vegetable salad;
• 2nd dinner – cottage cheese with lemon zest.

For the next three days, you need to eat the same foods for dinner as on the first day. The menu is:

Dinner the following days is the same. Low-fat cottage cheese is also used. Sample menu:

Third stage

The last phase of Dr. Agatston's presidential diet can hardly be called a diet. This is a new and healthy diet that will help you maintain your new acquired figure. In addition, the menu of this diet is the path to a healthy lifestyle. During the first two stages, which last more than 21 days necessary to form a habit, you were able to get used to eating without harmful foods. Minimum restrictions and maximum health benefits.

If you decide to stick to this diet for the rest of your life, then don’t forget to treat yourself sometimes, but in moderation. This will not affect your figure, but will greatly improve your mood.

Sample menu for phase 3

Breakfast: toast with two slices of bacon and green tea.

Lunch: low-fat cottage cheese.

Lunch: boiled chicken, vegetable salad dressed with olive oil.

Afternoon snack: slice of cheese, 1 tomato.

Dinner: baked fish, vegetable salad or stewed vegetables.

Second dinner: lemon mousse.

Second phase

The task of the second phase is to consolidate the obtained result. The duration of this stage is a couple of weeks. Semolina and starch-containing products are still prohibited; dry wine is allowed for alcohol, but beer is not allowed. Gradually you need to introduce:

• rolled oats, brown rice, buckwheat;
• low-fat dairy products;
• berries and fruits (except bananas, watermelon);
• some potatoes;
• whole grain bread no more than 150 g;
• durum wheat pasta.

In the second phase of nutrition, it is recommended to limit salt, maintain a water regime (plain water, green tea), and avoid hunger. An approximate daily diet is as follows:

• breakfast - porridge from permitted cereals with fruits, dried fruits, toast, egg, tea;
• lunch – 100 g of berries, 1 fruit, a glass of kefir or 100 g of cottage cheese;
• lunch – soup with meat, 1 glass of natural juice, vegetables in any form;
• afternoon snack – yogurt with cereals;
• dinner - boiled salmon or any seafood, garnish - vegetables, pasta;
• 2nd dinner – any citrus fruits.

Third phase

The main goal of the third phase is to comply with the healthy eating rules of the first two stages. The important thing is that by this time sugar has lost its importance, due to which the dependence on sweets is minimal. Meals go into four meals a day, there are practically no prohibited foods. Bread products are selected from wholemeal flour; you should not overuse semi-finished products; dishes are still prepared with a minimum amount of fat. It is recommended to exclude sweet products and baked goods.

Fully or partially limited products

All sweets (sweets, ice cream, cakes, etc.) and all sugar-containing products are prohibited.

It is worth paying attention to the composition of industrial products, focusing on hidden sugars (fructose, dextrose, sucrose, glucose syrup). For two weeks you should not eat berries, fruits and juices from them due to their high fructose content.

It is necessary to exclude all alcohol-containing drinks and products made from potatoes, flour, and cereals (including pasta and bakery products). Fatty foods are prohibited.

Table of prohibited products

Benefits of the Presidential Diet

Like any diet, the presidential diet has its pros and cons. The advantages of this method of losing weight include:

• weight loss and consolidation of the results;
• increasing immunity, improving health;
• varied menu;
• lack of hunger, regular meals;
• reduction of blood sugar and cholesterol;
• prevention of atherosclerosis;
• developing self-discipline.

What is the secret of popularity?

Many doctors around the world rightfully consider the Presidential Diet to be a real breakthrough in the field of nutrition. On the one hand, the technique helps to reliably get rid of excess weight, on the other hand, it has a real therapeutic effect on the body, providing protection to the heart and blood vessels from atherosclerosis. It’s worth noting right away that the nutrition system was developed as a “lifelong” one, that is, it should be constantly adhered to by those who have the above-mentioned health problems and want to rid themselves of extra pounds once and for all.

But along with a whole list of advantages, the duration of the beach diet no longer looks like such an obvious disadvantage. Let us note only the most important advantages that have already been appreciated by a huge number of Americans and people from other countries of the world, in particular from Russia:

• a varied diet, with which life will not seem fresh and tasteless;
• smooth weight loss that does not harm health;
• a fairly flexible meal schedule as a guarantee that you will not feel hungry;
• a real reduction in insulin and cholesterol levels, which is a “stumbling block” for many people who are overweight;
• the South Beach diet has virtually no contraindications - the method cannot be used only in the presence of serious illnesses;
• the achieved result lasts for many years.

Attention!

But remember that in the first days, weight loss occurs due to the body losing water, not fat. This phenomenon is temporary; fat comes to life later. If you have problems with time and are unable to prepare the recommended dishes, then this diet may not be suitable for you. As the author says, beauty does not require such sacrifices!

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Sincerely, Stolbunets Lydia.

Dish recipes

Below are several recipes that are allowed to be consumed while on the presidential diet.

Avocado salad

The carrots must be peeled, grated on a coarse grater, and the avocado cut into small pieces. Then add chopped spinach and season the salad with lemon juice - mix thoroughly.

Omelette

To prepare an omelet, take two chicken or 4 quail eggs and beat with a whisk until foamy. Separately chop the onion and bell pepper and mix with the eggs. Fry under a closed lid over low heat until cooked, a minute before cooking, sprinkle with grated hard cheese. The finished dish can be decorated with herbs and tomatoes.

Chicken soup

First you need to boil the chicken meat. While it is cooking, you need to chop the sweet pepper and zucchini, add chopped garlic and salt - pour into the pan where the meat is cooked. Add chopped herbs if desired and cook until tender.

What to remember

The presidential diet is a standard high-protein diet. Thus, it is possible to get rid of extra pounds, albeit at some cost to your health. Whether you need it or not - decide for yourself. My task is only to give you objective information.

If you, dear reader, have already used a similar method for losing weight in your life, then share your experience in the comments. Trust your health only to trusted sources, stay with us.

See you in the next article!