SBD vs Atkins??

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-04-2003
SBD vs Atkins??
5
Tue, 11-04-2003 - 2:24pm
I am new here.. I have been very interested in the South Beach Diet and Atkins. Now I am confused, what is the major difference between the two? I just bought the latest book on the Atkin's diet " New Diet Revolution" and yet to buy the SBD book. Which diet is the best one???
Avatar for imthebigsister
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 11-04-2003 - 2:37pm
"Which is the better diet" is a loaded question. The better questions are 1) "what are the differences", as you've asked, and 2) "which program can I live with for the rest of my life". I've never been on Atkins so I can't speak well or ill about it. But using a program like either SBD or Atkins to lose weight, then going back to your old eating habits after you've reached you goal, practically guarantees that you'll be looking at starting another weight-loss program within a year to reach a new goal.

Don't mean to come across harsh or like a wise^**. But you have to consider this a new way of eating for life, not a temporary quick fix.

Former Atkins/now SBDers and vice versa, please weigh in....on this, not your scales....

Donna

177/164/143


iVillage Member
Registered: 11-02-2003
Tue, 11-04-2003 - 2:47pm
I tried the atkins a couple of years ago and dropped weight quickly, but as soon as I went off it it was back unbelievably fast. The SBD seems like a healthier version of atkins as you still eat fruits and veggies and even bread (my weakness) as long as it's whole grain. I've just started it and the 1st two weeks are quite restricted, fruit and bread start after that. I also feel better eating lean meats rather than high fat, and using olive oil which is actually good fat. Good luck with whatever you do!

Val
Avatar for drummers_chick
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Tue, 11-04-2003 - 5:36pm
I think there is a big misconception among people about what is allowed and not allowed on ATkins. I believe, from what I can tell about SBD, that the major difference is that Atkins is more strict in the beginning. On your initial 2 weeks, you eat no more than 20 grams of carbs per day and those should ideally come from veggies, not fruit, breads, or other high glycemic carbs. Then you eat 25 grams of carbs per day the third week, 30 grams of carbs per day the 4th week and so on. If you stop losing weight, and still need to lose some more, you back off 5 grams and stay there until you have lost all the weight you need to lose. Once at your goal/ideal weight, you increase carbs again until you find you are gaining weight. That's when you know where your personal carb level for the day is w/o gaining weight. This last phase is the maintenance phase and it does have fruit, bread, and other carbs on it. However, bread is not exactly a healthy thing to eat anyhow. The more processed something is (i.e. flour in bread which is ground and processed to near death), the less nutrients it has and the less effort your body has to expend to digest it (therefore the sudden rise in insulin).

Hope this helps.

K

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-08-2003
Tue, 11-04-2003 - 5:36pm

Q:

Maggie  

"Success is a journey, not a destination"

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-30-2003
Wed, 11-05-2003 - 4:13pm
From my point of view I like the SBD much better than the Atkins. I have started and stopped Atkins twice. It was a bit confusing and and way to restrictive for me. It was like I busted my butt for two weeks and then after that I could add some berries or more nuts into my diet. Blech. For me I needed a life change. I did not have a lot of weight to lose but I wanted to get slimmer and eat better. I read the SBD and agreed with 99% of what it talked about. Not to mention the meal plan was a lot easier for me to follow and I knew in the long run I could follow it forever. Not to mention I feel a lot better on the SBD than I did on the Atkins. So as far as my opinion goes I like the SBD bettter.