South Beach Diet

Unless you have medical issues........it doesn't matter what diet you choose. Atkins & South Beach are similar anyway (I believe). Instead of asking your doctor for weight loss advice, maybe have your thyroid checked.

If you are eating more than the calories your body burns....you won't lose weight. This is true for South Beach, Weight Watchers, Atkins, whatever.

In the past, how did you keep track of calorie intake? Did you measure portions with a scale? How did you measure calories burned (or choose your activity level)....the activity trackers they have now can be useful tools.

Any diet you choose, should also teach you how to keep the weight off (for good). I've done the yo-yo diet thing. Eat 1 way to lose weight....and figure I'm done / I'm good. It doesn't work that way.

Generally supportive of what Lounmoun and TheBeachGod say.

About 12 years ago I had drastic weight loss using Atkins (80 lbs). I ended up hating the experience. I have put back half that weight now, so I decided on South Beach Diet with some small adaptations that work for me:

1) When you live outside of the US, you learn very quickly that few food companies make a 'diet' or 'light' version of most things. So I go with what I have or use alternatives if possible.

2) I count calories, but not to extremes (CI/CO). I am counting mostly because MFP is so good it makes it easy. By this I mean if I use an extra teaspoon of pepper or olive oil in my meal, I am not going through the effort of modifying a recipe entry. If I eat 1.x servings of something instead of 1, of course I count it.

3) I also use other apps/devices. I track exercise in Fitbit (I have a Charge HR) and strength training in Jefit. For example, I have the Fitbit Aria (wi-fi scale that also does body fat and BMI). For me, what it showed was that Phase 1 weight loss was equal parts body fat and muscle mass (yikes). I find the data like this very useful and generally speaking the "numbers don't lie". So in Phase 2 I am prepared to work in such a way that I add back (and more) the muscle mass, even if I stay at this weight a few weeks longer than planned.

4) When in doubt about a portion whilst 'AFK' (Away From Kitchen), I assume the worst. At the same time, I have been holding raw food in my hand before cooking it at home so that when I eat out (I travel a lot), I know what one portion really is supposed to look like.

5) Create a "Phase 1.5" for yourself. Many people jump right from Phase 1 meals to Phase 2 meals. The book doesn't do enough to clarify the importance of slowly adding back carbs, really over another 2-3 weeks I would say. For example, on days I strength train, it's a Phase 2 kind of day. If I got distracted from working out or can't even get in some cardio, it's a Phase 1 day. Also tend to go back to Phase 1 a few days before I know I am going to go off the wagon (e.g. birthday party, social event, etc).

Above all else, I think of the South Beach Diet more as the first step of cleaner eating, which combined with portion control, should get anyone pretty far.

Good luck with it! I am on the South Beach Diet journey now and I don't regret it at all :-)

lwilson1953 wrote: »

Thanks Rodney...I'm almost through Phase 1 and lost 4 lbs last week but this week 3 have come back. I'm not cheating but my body just doesn't want to let go. It's so hard for me to lose the weight!

Based on that, I think reading through this thread would do you a bit of good:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1