Has anyone done te Atkins/SouthBeach Diet?
here_to_lose
Posts: 15
A friend of mine told me to cut carbs and I will lose weight. So I was wondering what diet plan should I follow? Any tips and or suggestions?
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Replies
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Cut down, not out. Follow the guide lines on here and you will lose. Exercise, Eat less, Eat healthy and Exercise.0
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In my opinion, a "diet" is just that...a diet. It ends up being temporary, so once you quit your diet and go back to normal habits you gain all the weight right back. For years my dad did Atkins for a month then quit, Atkins for a month, then a week off, Atkins for a week then...I think you get the picture. The point is, he NEVER lost weight permanently. Carbs are good for you if you're eating the right kind and exercising. So, although its more difficult, my suggestion is to stick to your daily alottment of calories and exercise regularly. Diets like South Beach and Weight Watchers can be effective, but only when it becomes a lifestyle rather than a temporary fix.0
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I like the South Beach Diet....It takes planning as does any healthy eating...You only use fresh food not packaged food but my husband and I lost quite a bit of weight and felt much better...Atkins is too restrictive.0
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I tried them all...but I did have weight loss on the South Beach Diet. It was good as a kick start and definitely helped with the carb cravings. The first 2 weeks are hard, but I did lose belly fat.0
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I think South Beach is a good way to go to help get into the practice of cutting carbs. I tried it years ago and lost 12 lbs in 2 weeks so go for it. Good luck!0
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In my opinion, a "diet" is just that...a diet. It ends up being temporary, so once you quit your diet and go back to normal habits you gain all the weight right back. For years my dad did Atkins for a month then quit, Atkins for a month, then a week off, Atkins for a week then...I think you get the picture. The point is, he NEVER lost weight permanently. Carbs are good for you if you're eating the right kind and exercising. So, although its more difficult, my suggestion is to stick to your daily alottment of calories and exercise regularly. Diets like South Beach and Weight Watchers can be effective, but only when it becomes a lifestyle rather than a temporary fix.
I agree with you. If you want to lose the weight and keep it off, then you need to be prepared to make a lifestyle change. Diets in my eyes don't work because they don't last. Once your ready to make the change and the commitment you'll lose. I tried diets for three years and never lost anything. Made the choice to change my life and I've dropped about 23 pounds in a few months. I've learned how eat better and make the choices that will effect my weight loss for the better.0 -
All the books can be useful to help you find the right foods to eat, but honestly you don't need them. Check them out at the library. I liked atkins for life. It explicitly tell you if this is just a diet for you and you're not going to adopt it as a lifestyle change then don't do it. South Beach is a great book also. The key is to find a plan you can stick with.
Choose Low GI Fruits (berries) and vegetables asparagus, broccoli, spinach, cabbage etc
Eat root/tuber vegetables sparingly or in the appropriate portion size.
nuts/seeds 1-2 oz daily
meat 2-4oz @ every meal; choose fish, poultry and lean cuts
I changed my MFP ratios to 25-35% carb @ 1500 calories which turn out to be 80-100g of net carbs max (Subtract out fiber)0 -
ARRGGGGGG!!!! Am I the only one who it drives crazy when people say, " Yeah, I did low carbs, AND i LOST 10 LBS IN TWO WEEKS!" ? This drives me out of my mind.
OF COURSE YOU DID, YOU BASICALLY JUST VOIDED YOUR BODY OF GLYCOGEN, which is water plus glucose, which is HEAVY! But you know what you didn't do? Lose any fat, seriously, all you did was change the way your body burns energy, you didn't increase your health, you didn't drop fat, you didn't increase muscle mass, you just changed how your body burns energy, and in the process dropped some excess fluids.
You know what else happens when you change from a carbohydrate metabolism to a protein/fat metabolism? You made yourself extremely vulnerable to dehydration, calcium deficiency, and iron deficiency.
People LOW CARB IS A LIFESTYLE, not a diet. It's a HUGE change which should only be made after you have done your research and determined that this is a change you want or need to make, there are very specific reasons to have a low carb diet, and make NO mistake, low carb does NOT mean weight loss. Like any food plan, eat too much low carb and you'll still gain weight.
Also know what happens after you go from low carb to regular carbs? Yep, that's right, you gain all that glycogen weight right back!0 -
I like South Beach a lot. My problem was the Phase 1 - no dairy. But the Super Charged changed a few of that. I did very well too - lost 8 pounds and a good amt of inches. South Beach, honestly, taught me a lot of what I should be eating. Obviously, fast food and high sugars are bad for you, but I didn't know cooking with EV Olive Oil and stuff are better for you. I still eat pasta and a few breads, but my veggie intake is much more than it used to. And I even tried new foods that normally I probably wouldn't - like asparagus. Who knew I'd like that?
Atkins is more disciplined and I wasn't much a fan.
I keep the SouthBeach book near me at home so I can reference some things I have questions about, but more than anything, I use portion control and a few guidelines from SB. Lean meats. Lots of green veggies - the greener the better. Good fruits, but watch my pineapple (sugar!). And moderations of carbs - pasta, bread, certain rice.
It helped me develop more of a clear and healthy LIFESTYLE, more than just "dieting".0 -
ARRGGGGGG!!!! Am I the only one who it drives crazy when people say, " Yeah, I did low carbs, AND i LOST 10 LBS IN TWO WEEKS!" ? This drives me out of my mind.
OF COURSE YOU DID, YOU BASICALLY JUST VOIDED YOUR BODY OF GLYCOGEN, which is water plus glucose, which is HEAVY! But you know what you didn't do? Lose any fat, seriously, all you did was change the way your body burns energy, you didn't increase your health, you didn't drop fat, you didn't increase muscle mass, you just changed how your body burns energy, and in the process dropped some excess fluids.
You know what else happens when you change from a carbohydrate metabolism to a protein/fat metabolism? You made yourself extremely vulnerable to dehydration, calcium deficiency, and iron deficiency.
People LOW CARB IS A LIFESTYLE, not a diet. It's a HUGE change which should only be made after you have done your research and determined that this is a change you want or need to make, there are very specific reasons to have a low carb diet, and make NO mistake, low carb does NOT mean weight loss. Like any food plan, eat too much low carb and you'll still gain weight.
Also know what happens after you go from low carb to regular carbs? Yep, that's right, you gain all that glycogen weight right back!
Informative and well worded. Thanks :happy:0 -
ARRGGGGGG!!!! Am I the only one who it drives crazy when people say, " Yeah, I did low carbs, AND i LOST 10 LBS IN TWO WEEKS!" ? This drives me out of my mind.
OF COURSE YOU DID, YOU BASICALLY JUST VOIDED YOUR BODY OF GLYCOGEN, which is water plus glucose, which is HEAVY! But you know what you didn't do? Lose any fat, seriously, all you did was change the way your body burns energy, you didn't increase your health, you didn't drop fat, you didn't increase muscle mass, you just changed how your body burns energy, and in the process dropped some excess fluids.
You know what else happens when you change from a carbohydrate metabolism to a protein/fat metabolism? You made yourself extremely vulnerable to dehydration, calcium deficiency, and iron deficiency.
People LOW CARB IS A LIFESTYLE, not a diet. It's a HUGE change which should only be made after you have done your research and determined that this is a change you want or need to make, there are very specific reasons to have a low carb diet, and make NO mistake, low carb does NOT mean weight loss. Like any food plan, eat too much low carb and you'll still gain weight.
Also know what happens after you go from low carb to regular carbs? Yep, that's right, you gain all that glycogen weight right back!
Informative and well worded. Thanks :happy:
course I missed a comma in there, but ...
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A friend of mine told me to cut carbs and I will lose weight. So I was wondering what diet plan should I follow? Any tips and or suggestions?
Honestly, I still eat the same stuff I ate when I was 60 lbs heavier, I just eat less of it, and the high calorie stuff a lot less often.
Now, since then I have incorporated more veggies, lean meats, and a lot less breads, and red meat. Don't think you're going to wake up one morning and only eat items on a certain diet.
Start out trying to eat within your alotted daily calories. That right there will get you substituting better things for bad things. Once you're used to that and are comfortable with it, THEN start trying to get the proper nutrients at each meal. That takes a good amount of recepie research and trial and error to find things you honestly enjoy eating.0 -
It is not as easy as just cutting carbs and you will lose weight. Basically you are are reprograming your body's metabolism. Unless you are planning for low carb to be your life style and eat this way for the rest of it once you start eating carbs again the weight will come back. Low carb can be very beneficial for some people that can be on it for life. I will admit that if you start doing low carb then yes you will lose weight, mostly water weight and if you chose to start eating carbs again it will come back. If this is a life style you see yourself staying with longterm then that is great however it is not something that should be done to just jump start weight loss.0
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I tried the Atkins diet. I read the entire book and everything. I lost about 20-30 lbs....then I went on vacation and got off track. I have since gained all that weight back and then some. The diet was just too restricted. All I ate was cheese, meat, eggs, and vegetables. I got bored easily with my menu choices.....0
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Don't sweat the small stuff0
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I know this won't come as a surprise to everyone who has been on this site for awhile but ...I just read that any weight loss program (Atkins, South Beach,.....) to be successful it has to reduce your total calorie intake. In other words create a calorie deficit. I did Atkins for a few months lost 20 pounds. I am probably fortunate that once I started adding carbs (whole grain ones) I did not gain the weight back. Each person has to decide what their food choices are going to be in order to create the deficit that will cause weight loss. But it is important to remember that once you've lost the weight if you return to old eating habits the weight will return. Remember diet also means the food we eat not necessarily one program or another so chose a diet you can happily eat the rest of your life.0
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Unless you know there are certain medical reasons you need to go low carb, why not just try low calorie high quality foods with exercise and see if that works for you? I bet it will.
And it'll probably be a lot easier than cutting out entire food groups for periods of time. 0 -
Unless you know there are certain medical reasons you need to go low carb, why not just try low calorie high quality foods with exercise and see if that works for you? I bet it will. And it'll probably be a lot easier than cutting out entire food groups for periods of time.
I absolutely, unequivocally agree with this statement. High quality foods eaten at a modest caloric deficit, with a good mix of exercise and a good daily eating schedule is the perfect plan for not only weight loss but increased overall health! You don't need to cut any food groups out to achieve weight loss (unless allergies or some other medical reason force you to that is).0 -
I dit atkins about five years ago and yeah I lost about 20 lbs but as soon as I started eating bread again I gained it all back and then some, (I was also miserable). So acouple years ago I just decided to switch to whole grains and just try and cut out refined carbs. And honestly I've never been happier or in better shape. Instead of trying an unrealistic diet that you can't stick to for long term I suggest you make a lifestyle change and stick to unprocessed natural and orgainc foods as much as possible. However, I do still have the occasional cookie and don't beat myself up about it.0
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Why cut out something you like to eat to lose a few pounds? Why eat only certain foods to lose a few pounds? Denying yourself the foods you like to eat will never work over any length of time, because you will eventually go back to eating what you like. Who wouldn't? Who wants to go through life without a piece of cake now and then? Who wants to avoid pizza? Who wants to eat steak all the time? I don't know anyone who did either of these two "diet" plans who stayed on them or who has kept any of the weight off they lost.
Everything you need to know about losing weight, you already know. Eat smaller portions and a wide variety of foods, try to eat more fruits and vegetables and less meat and high fat dairy, eat fattening or high caloric foods in moderation, and exercise daily if you can. Follow these simple rules and you will lose weight, but more importantly it will be a more healthy weight loss, and you'll be more inclined to keep it off.0 -
I really liked the South Beach diet - but that's mostly because I really LOVE mediterranean foods and you were encouraged to eat those. I've kind of moved into the mediterranean diet (diet in the cultural sense) and now my goal is to actively restrict my portion sizes.
I'm asked if I'm on a low carb diet because people will see me skip the bread on a sandwich or put sweetener in my iced tea - I joke that I'm on a "Liquid Carb Diet" because I uhm... kinda have a thing for red wine (and good beer - LOVE a good ale!).
While I have a ways to go in the weight loss area, I know that for me it's really about maximising the nutrition I get out of each potential calorie. Maxing it in nutrition OR emotional satisfaction! E.I. Baby spinach is good and good FOR me so I eat that a lot - Red Wine is good and in moderation OK for me so I restrict that. A big bun on a sandwich isn't good for me and isn't doing anything for my taste so why waste the calories???
A few times a week I eat some warm from the oven bread, dipped in a good olive oil with a little rosemary and sea salt. This is amazing and it takes care of my desire for bread. I save calories for my wine at night - and I save calories for a beer or two on the weekend. As soon as I'm able to work up to a run I'll do what my brother-in-law does - go a on 'beer run' every weekend where I run off the calories I'll be drinking later
If you look at your daily calorie allotment and make sure that you really care about every calorie you put into your mouth - you'll lose weight and eat well and in the end you can name it what ever you like!
Good luck!
(now writing down my "North-coast Diet - Great Lakes Christmas Ale and Spinach!")0 -
I tried both.
Atkins made my stomach/gut/gallbladder/sides really hurt. I just couldn't handle it. I think it was the focus on higher fat foods.
South Beach was ok. I did lose 9 pounds during phase 1. I did allow myself a half-serving of good carbs during Phase 1, because I was feeling sick (but not as bad as Atkins). The problem was that I could never from Phase 1 (no carbs) to 2 (limited carbs). I went from #1 to #39. Starving myself from carbs was not the answer for me. I just went plain nuts on my 3rd week, eating carbs. Because the focus was not on counting calories...I gained all the weight back in 6 weeks. You will learn that Phase 1 weight loss is mainly a detox of your liver & gut, which holds alot of water weight.
A banner on this site is for a famous tv weight coach. I checked out her site and answered her questions. Her site said that I was a 'balanced' metabolizer, based on my food cravings. Her site warned me against cutting out any one food group, but to eat all with moderation. So, now I am here...eating 1200 calories a day. And, I've lost 6 pounds in my first week!0 -
I was wondering if anyone tried the no sugar no flour diet? You cut out all the sugar and flour, its alot like south beach except you can have more foods and dairy. If anyone has any information, please let me know0
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ARRGGGGGG!!!! Am I the only one who it drives crazy when people say, " Yeah, I did low carbs, AND i LOST 10 LBS IN TWO WEEKS!" ? This drives me out of my mind.
OF COURSE YOU DID, YOU BASICALLY JUST VOIDED YOUR BODY OF GLYCOGEN, which is water plus glucose, which is HEAVY! But you know what you didn't do? Lose any fat, seriously, all you did was change the way your body burns energy, you didn't increase your health, you didn't drop fat, you didn't increase muscle mass, you just changed how your body burns energy, and in the process dropped some excess fluids.
You know what else happens when you change from a carbohydrate metabolism to a protein/fat metabolism? You made yourself extremely vulnerable to dehydration, calcium deficiency, and iron deficiency.
People LOW CARB IS A LIFESTYLE, not a diet. It's a HUGE change which should only be made after you have done your research and determined that this is a change you want or need to make, there are very specific reasons to have a low carb diet, and make NO mistake, low carb does NOT mean weight loss. Like any food plan, eat too much low carb and you'll still gain weight.
Also know what happens after you go from low carb to regular carbs? Yep, that's right, you gain all that glycogen weight right back!
Agreed....I too ( I admit) jumped on the no Carb bankwagon back in 2007---the fad was in full swing. Yeah, I lost weight, but also was dizzy and had heart palpatations....My brother was on the same kick back then and actually went to the hospital because he thought that he was having a heart attack....scary stuff. Found MFP in Jan 2008....healthy choices is the way to go. Fad "diets" just don't work. Be there done that ( more times than I'm willing to admit)0
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