diet switch

starting south beach tomorrow... i was doing atkins since june 28 and went down 22 lb with occassional cheats... switching over because it seems like south beach would be easier to maintain for a life change... does anyone have a simlar experience and how is it working

I can't help you with your answer, but I have been doing Atkins for the past 3 weeks (9 lbs lost!) and am going to switch to South Beach as well...it seems like it will better fit my daily lifestyle (I'm not a big meat eater). Looking forward to hearing from others!

I did SBD for two years and could not lose weight after Phase 1. I tried over and over again to move on to Phase 2 but I would totally stall. I was so frustrated because on SBD you are "supposed to" move on to Phase 2 and add fruit and grains. It wasn't until I read the Atkins book that I understood why I had so much trouble-- I have metabolic resistance and I can't lose weight if I eat fruit or grains or go much above 25 net carbs. I maintain just fine on Atkins Maintenance (which includes whole grains and fruit) but I can't lose weight.

If you CAN lose weight on SBD, go for it! Some people can't and I am one of them. If you find you stall when you attempt to enter phase 2, go back to Atkins. I would love to be able to do SBD but sadly I have to do what works. Also reading "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes explained a lot.

I wish you both the very best!

Hope it works for you! I tried SB and found it difficult to estimate my portions (the measure portions on your plate), so I never really knew if I was overeating or not. I agree with Sararay.....understanding your own body type and understanding the science is key. Some folks can eat the 100 ish carbs; other cannot.

By the way, the Atkins approach is not eating a lot of meat; it is called Optimum Protein, High Fat, Low Carb. This took me awhile to get through my head as it seems counter-intuitive for what we have learned all these years.

Anyway, best of wishes to you on SB!

Honestly I have done a few different commercial diets in the past including Atkins, but I have come to the conclusion that NO comercial diet is a normal/natural life style change. They may help you get on the right track, make healthier choices, and assist you in losing weight. But ultimately I don't think I can ever consider counting (be it points, carbs, calories, etc.)and weighting my food as a normal everyday part of my life forever. Plus everyone has to find their own way, what works for me may not be very effective for you and vice versa. I am not against looking at food labels or being portion conscious. Just saying that such rigid structure in dietary habits is no way to live. When initially trying to lose it is great to have easy step by step instructions, but now that I am nearing my ultimate goal and happy with my current size (I am more in maintance mode), I try to use those priciples from the diet that gave me the greatest success and never gorge myself. These are of coarse just my own opinions.

Anyone else feel this way??

My real advise is stick with what works only if it is something that the general rules of compatible with you. The phase 3 & 4 really aren't very restrictive, just minimal starches/ sugary things, which is advisable for anyone. I assume you are in phase one or two, they are tougher for most people, but they result in greater weight loss so it is a trade off. Also be careful coming off atkins, at least when I did I put on weight like crazy without doing anything 'bad'.

Good luck

For me Atkins has to be a lifestyle and it has taken me years to be at peace with this. It keeps my inflammation down and helps me manage my chronic disease with less medication. I don't wish this upon anyone, but if you are having trouble getting/keeping your weight down while following other "more moderate" diets to the letter, then consider that your lifestyle might have to change if you want to maintain your health.