The south beach diet is very similar to the atkins diet in many ways, it promotes the consumption of red meat and other protien rich products and limits almost all carb and starch based food such as rice, bread, root vegtables etc...
In my opinion this is a great diet if you are a glutton and cannot resist stuffing your face, but for the more level headed of us take some tips from here. Just limit the portion size of the food groups this diet allows and limit the carb and root veg intake to a very small portion per day, for example a small jacket potato for lunch as you carbs for the day.
Most of the weight loss from the south beach diet will be water, then slow fat loss thereafter, but don't be fooled...if you return to a normal diet so will the weight..!!