Low carb diet (Atkins or South Beach diet)

Doc

Doc

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Have any of you tried a low carb diet like Atkins or the South Beach diet? If you've tried it I would sure like to hear your observations and general thoughts on the whole idea. Are you still keeping carbs to a minimum in your diet? How the heck do you do that? What would an average day be of the meal you eat most often.

Someone made me a challenge and I'm thinking of trying it, but I need all the info I can get before I accept this challenge.
 
Doc,

QBro and I did South Beach maybe 5 years ago. It was a pretty good diet, and we both lost quite a bit of weight on it.

We gained it back, however.

QBro has trouble with desserts after dinner and sandwiches, so yeah, he has trouble limiting carbs.

I don't have a sweet tooth and don't eat many starches anymore. My issue is my beloved Miller Lite and fatty meats like salami, bacon, sausages.

We are both currently following Weight Watchers, another good diet plan, which is now closer to South Beach than it used to be.

Both diets focus on lean proteins, low starch vegetables, fiber, and fruit. Both take a lot of meal planning and are a pain in the butt, as any diet plan is.

Both work very well in getting weight off.

Nothing I have found so far has been successful in KEEPING weight off.

Good luck, Doc!

Lee
 
I did the Atkins diet about eight years ago - lost 40 pounds. I slowly introduced carbs back into my life, and frankly, do not try to limit them in any way right now...I pretty much eat whatever I feel like eating. I have gained some of it back, but less than half. I can comfortably still wear most of the clothes I wore at the time I lost all the weight. I was also going to the gym everyday at the time...another good habit that I no longer keep. Oops.
 
I am gonna come off as harsh here, but Atkins is dead, and so should that diet trend be.

I really don't like the term "diet", we are ALL on a diet, it's what we eat.

Trend diets are just that, a trend, and while the results may be quick and get you where you want to be for the time being, it's just like getting a deal that is too good to be true. . .it is great in the short term, but it isn't sustainable.

It isn't about a "diet" per se, but lifestyle change.

Can you really live the rest of you life with an alloted 12g of carbs a day?

Not to mention, your brain is noting but a polystarch/fatty mass and NEEDS carbs for longevity. Atkins may be good for the short term, but the long term health effects are seriously not worth the long term dedication to that type of diet.

A Balanced diet is just that, balanced. That includes fats, carbs, and all the stuff that in excess can have a negative effect, but it comes down to common sense. Everything in moderation.

Fad diets seem great, and may get you where you want to be, but in the end, maintaining the diet is not a healthy lifestyle that promotes a healthy well being that IS sustainable for the long haul.

/rant
 
Well said UncleRalph, your advice is spot on.

The human body was made to get its primary energy sources from carbohydrates. I'm thinking the preferred ratio is having a diet composed of 65% carbos, 20% from proteins and 15% from fats.

My opinion is that portion sizes are a lot of the obesity problem, as well as a high fat intake. Can't say it enough, everything in moderation.
 
Thanks all for sharing your experiences.
I have to agree portion control is probably the biggest one item that can impact a persons weight.
Uncle Ralph, I do think you nailed it.

What about sugar? Is the truly evil. Should sugar and artificial sweeteners be avoided?
 
LOL, I don't think sugar is evil....in moderation. I use it everyday....mostly in bread recipes....and cookies......and brownies. In baking cookies I use follow the recipe for the amount of sugar called for, but in things like crisps or cobblers, I find I can cut back on the sugar recommended in the recipe and do just fine.
 
QSis said:
My issue is my beloved Miller Lite and fatty meats like salami, bacon, sausages.

Lee
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right there with you Q.

I am with Ralph on eating balanced rather than fad diets. I probably put on 10 or so unwanted pounds over the last year but I think this is mostly the result of not being as active as I should and making poor diet choices like too many convenience/processed foods. I am working making sure as many meals as possible are nutritious and balanced and in particular eating a healthy breakfast rather than grabbing a donut or whatever.
 
Doc, I don't think any one food or ingredient is evil. There is no magic bullet - some diet is only going to make a difference in the short term. The word diet, as people generally use it, means something temporary. To have lasting results, you need to identify the problems with your food intake (too-large portions, not enough vegetables, whatever it is) and adjust that on a long-term basis.

Here are a couple of my favorite sites for learning about nutrition:
- World's Healthiest Foods
- Eat This, Not That

And this is fascinating: Portion Size, Then vs. Now
 
My wife did the Atkins a few years ago and lost about 30 lbs on it. It also lowered her blood pressure but after she stopped it completely she gained back about 20 lbs and is now on high blood pressure medicine. It worked good for her and kept the weight off for a good 2 years after she stopped.

Now in my case I've never been over 205 in my life and I'm 6'2" tall so not a big deal. Due to my current health problems I've lost 35 lbs over the last 3 months without changing much in the way of diet. Weight gain though has never been a problem of mine as it is just the opposite with me it seems as I can't gain weight.
 
I did the South Beach Diet on 1/1/04 - weight was 244.5
....................................on 1/1/05 - weight was 198.0

went off the diet at that point, but still paid attention to my weight, and ate more intelligently.....................0n 1/19/11 - weight was 211.2
 
Good info and great links GG! Thanks!
Joe, best wishes for you and your health issues. You must have a very high metabolism never to have to worry about gaining weight ...or you only eat the good stuff and not the junk that's out there.
LT way to go. Good for you. I'm looking for a life change in my diet. I've been working at it since last year and am down 20 from what I was a year ago. But I need to loose 30 more and I've plateaued. I'd do anything to get off the last 30 and then I need to keep those changes in place or else I'll gain it back as I've done two or three other times. I'm older now and it is much harder loosing, maybe that is a good thing as I won't forget how hard it was so I won't let the weight sneak back on like it did before. 8 years ago it seemed so easy to loose. Put my mind to it for a few months and wala, the weight came off. Over 50 now and all that has changed.
 
Doc said:
Good info and great links GG! Thanks!
Joe, best wishes for you and your health issues. You must have a very high metabolism never to have to worry about gaining weight ...or you only eat the good stuff and not the junk that's out there.
LT way to go. Good for you. I'm looking for a life change in my diet. I've been working at it since last year and am down 20 from what I was a year ago. But I need to loose 30 more and I've plateaued. I'd do anything to get off the last 30 and then I need to keep those changes in place or else I'll gain it back as I've done two or three other times. I'm older now and it is much harder loosing, maybe that is a good thing as I won't forget how hard it was so I won't let the weight sneak back on like it did before. 8 years ago it seemed so easy to loose. Put my mind to it for a few months and wala, the weight came off. Over 50 now and all that has changed.
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I'm not sure why Doc as my younger brother is about 285 and the same height as me. The difference is he was a weight lifter and I was more into martial arts. I started training when I was about 16 years old and gave it up at 48 years old but still exercise regularly and do eat good foods.

When I taught I actually had a problem keeping weight on in that I could lose 20 lbs in a single class and actually drank Nutriment with each meal. Now for the first time in my life exercise it getting difficult but I still try.

Due to less exercise, I've cut way down on portions. Instead of eating a 1lb steak with all the fixings, I now eat about 4 oz with more vegetables and less starch. But then with the limited exercise now I also don't have the appetite I used to have when it was work all day in a physical job and teach 2 karate classes 6 nights a week.
 
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