Summary of low-carb diets

There are a lot of low-carb diets out there. Although they all work off basically the same premise, here's a quick wrap up of the two most popular (Atkins and South Beach):

Atkins

The most famous of all low-carb diets, and probably the most popular diet of all time. Dr. Atkins' program started the trend with his bestseller New Diet Revolution. The program focuses on cutting down carbs for life, which leads to an overall more healthy life style.

1. Why Atkins works - Humans aren't well adapted at consuming foods high in refined carbs. By watching carbs, we can burn stored fat.
2. How to do Atkins--Today and for Life - One of the keys to Atkins is that is a life long journey. It's important to know how to keep it up, and enjoy it.
3. Understanding Health and Well Being - Starts off with a description of metabolic resistance to weight loss. For a lot of people, this is a refreshing chapter to read. Your extra weight might not be because of your diet or exercise habits. Even better, Dr. Atkins shows how to overcome metabolic resistance to weight loss. The next chapters focus on other important "must haves" for weight loss, including the importance of exercise.
4. Disease prevention - Low-carb diets are shown to help various diseases, including diabetes.
5. Food and recipes - A ton of recipes are given, which is a real help. Most people are used to cooking with lots of carbs, so it takes a little getting used to. No matter your taste, Dr. Atkins provides recipes to your liking in this chapter.

South Beach Diet

Written by Dr. Arthur Agatston, The South Beach Diet is one of the hottest books in the country. It takes the philosophy popularized by Dr. Atkins and adds a more healthful spin on things. Dr. Agatson is a cardiologist by trade, which gives him authority while talking about the subjects of saturated fats and cholesterol.

Dr. Agaston takes issue with the higher amounts of saturated fat found in the diet of most Atkins followers. He provides a more healthy alternative that is quickly winning a lot of fans.

Like The New Diet Revolution, many recipes are included in The South Beach Diet.