The South Beach Diet consists of three phases. The first phase is very restricted and is a period where addictions to starches and other unhealthy foods are kicked. Phase two a long period of dieting where the dieter loses weight slowly. Phase three of the diet is the lifetime maintenance phase. This is when a lifetime of healthy eating and healthy choices begins.
Dieters that do not have excess belly fat or have 10 or less pounds to lose can generally skip phase one and go straight to phase two. Once weight is lost, there are no notable restrictions on food types, but it is more about the amount you eat, the types you eat, and when you eat.
More info about the South Beach Diet.
Celebrities that endorse this diet: Bill and Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Kim Cattrall, Bette Midler, the Lorna Luft, Nicole Kidman, and Troy Aikman to name a few.