hello everyone!
I'm back after a little while. I use to be kat23wg but decided i needed a change. I'm posting this thread for curiousity purposes. I have read both the atkins books and south beach books and i'm curious about why atkins vs south beach. I have done atkins many times. I don't say "DONE atkins" as a sign of a "diet" i know lc is a way of life. By reading the books however i feel like South beach may be more practical "way of Life" i mean less restrictive in a positive way. I feel that i may have not "gone off" LC if maybe it was less restrictive. I have a hard time cooking food items for my way of life with harder to find products, not to mention my husband refuses to eat them regardless of the taste, and i cant make two meals. I just would like some people's insight of why they chose Atkins vs South Beach. I would like pro's and con's of both so i can make a better approach to a new way of life without all the ups and downs.
Thank you for everything

Katie, I sent you a PM.

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Trina

Vice-President of the Intergalactic Order of Brussels Sprouts Haters

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I've not read the SBD book. And really I don't need to. I have never followed Atkins to the T everyday of my life and I still managed to loose 65 pounds since the start of this journey. From time to time I wiil eat things that are off plan it's just that now I don't eat sugars and bread everyday. Just that change alone has made a big differnce in my life. Now maybe if I followed Atkins more strictly I would be at my goal weight by now. I just don't follow directions well and I'm better off for it because I don't think of Atkins as being a restrictve diet at all. When I tired the T-factor and WW fad diets that was when I could not loose weight without feeling restricted. I was always hungery and to me that is when I feel restricted.

a good part of what you're doing on this journey is coming to learn what works for you. so if sb sounds more livable to you than atkins, by all means, i'd try it. the point isn't what plan you pick so much as picking a plan that works well for you and that you can be happy with as a lifestyle.

good luck and let us know how it goes!

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Fat Baggage- Is Yours Packed?

Hi Katie... Goddess is right (of course )!! Everyone should figure out what works best for them. I have always set my heart on moving to the SBD AFTER getting to goal weight because I think it is a flaw of the atkins plan to avoid the legumes (beans, peas, etc.), the yellow veggies (like the yams, squashes), more fruits, and a small amount of whole grains...

What I find with SBD is that while not as 'restrictive' as you say, he allows things like "Dannon's light and fit fruit flavored" (fruit "flavored"?) yogurt - or other low fat or 'light products... I have two problems with that:

1) I'm a purist so what is great for me about Atkins is that (unless you go for the frankenproducts like bars and shakes and stuff) you are only eating real whole foods - not "light" anything or "flavored" anything.

2) Again, the purist in me does not want to be 'able' to have hard candy or dark chocolate - I don't 'want' to know that I "could" eat some of the acceptable foods that SBD allows... becasue I know myself well enough to know that one hard candy or square of dark choclate will never be just one - but the whole bar, etc.. as the saying goes... "lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself!"

Does that make sense? Again, I am waiting for the days when I'm at goal weight and I will allow myself to eat the lentils, the garbanzo beans, the winter squash, and peaches, mangos, and other heavier carb fruits... Who knows?! Maybe if I just can't get to goal doing this WoE Atkins-style, you may see me on the South Beach Thread!! (BTW, have you checked in there to see what other SBDers are into?)

You raise a good question and I wish you much luck in your research and decision.

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Hugs, Rachel







(the horn is in honor of DH!)
Quien canta, sus males espanta... ("She who sings fightens away her ills") Miguel de Cervantes

Rachel, I'm glad you brought that up. I never thought about losing weight on Atkins and then possibly moving onto the south beach diet to maintain. I did read a few of the SBD threads after I read your post and there are a few people who did just that, lost weight with Atkins and maintaining with SBD. It's definately another option for those who would like more variety as far as foods.

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Suzanne
:butterfly

Good luck with whatever you decide and I'm glad you are here with us!

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Hugs, Rachel







(the horn is in honor of DH!)
Quien canta, sus males espanta... ("She who sings fightens away her ills") Miguel de Cervantes

I read a post in the SBD forum in which one person described SBD as what the Atkins cheaters do. I guess that does mean more variety.

Personally, I have decided to stay with Atkins. I like the strictness of it. I'm afraid too much freedom might make me stray... Also, SBD seemed so complicated to me (the book), Atkins (to me) seemed straightforward... A list of foods to avoid and a list of "legal" foods, ...simple...

Good luck Katsback with whatever you decide to do. I am sure you will make the best decision according to what will work best for you and your family.

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Suzanne
:butterfly