diet plans fattening my mailbox

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-05-2003
diet plans fattening my mailbox
21
Tue, 12-30-2003 - 7:54pm
My mailbox has been gaining weight this week.

Yesterday, Weight Watchers was in my mailbox offering me a chance to join without paying initial fee. Today, South Beach was sitting in there with a pamphlet offering me the book free for 21 days. It even included a mail back label for free shipping if I return the book. Adkins apparently doesn't know where I live ... yet. There are a few days left before the first of the year after all. :-)

So, I have a tricky question which I hope doesn't errupt into flames ...

For those of you doing Adkins, WW, or South Beach, what are the positives and negatives you have experienced on your journey?

I DO NOT want reactions from people who are not actually doing the various plans to argue for one diet over another.

I DO want to read what REAL dieters on these plans have experienced. Are you able to stick to it? Are you hungry? Are you healthy? Is your hair falling out or your period confused? Is it possible to do your plan on a very tight budget? Can you do your plan without restocking the kitchen entirely with food you wouldn't normally eat if you weren't doing this plan? These are the kind of questions I'm seeking answers to.

OK -- let's see if we can do this calmly. :-)

TIA and Blessings,

S_C

P.S. I may send off for the South Beach book. I know I can get it read in 21 days. BTW, from the mailout, it looks as though Prevention Magazine is approving of this plan. Any thoughts?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-2003
Wed, 12-31-2003 - 9:02am
Good questions! I'm really interested in reading the responses...

I'm doing WW at Home (no meetings, Winning Points mode), and it's been good for me. The flexibility lets me stay on plan through pretty much anything (except maybe Christmas!), and even at the very beginning, I wasn't hungry or feeling deprived-- thanks to all the "free" veggies. As my weight goes down, and the number of points allowed goes down, it'll become more of a challenge. The flexibility also works well for low-budget meals, and dinners at home with a non-dieting SO. Meals out require a bit more thought.

The downside is that I'm not losing weight as quickly as I would like, and the flexibility can sometimes sabotage the scale. (Pepsi has a point value, low enough to lull me into a false sense that it's okay... but I see the bloat and scale-hike every time I succumb.) And with a fairly high points allowance at my current weight, I'm not as faithful about exercising as I need to be... don't NEED those extra points, but do NEED to tone up. But on the whole, it seems to be an excellent program.

I know lots of people who've lost significant weight on the Atkins diet, but since I want to lose a grown person's worth of weight, I didn't think I'd be able to stay on it long enough to reach goal. (To say the least- three days would probably be my max, LOL!) I have been thinking of defecting to another plan for a week or two to jump-start 2004, maybe something Atkins-ish. Does South Beach lend itself to that sort of thing? I'm not familiar with the plan...

Mickie

262.5/230/135

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-05-2003
Wed, 12-31-2003 - 2:34pm
Thanks for sharing your experience with WW. I've been on that plan before twice, pre- and post- points program. I'm just not much of a group participant. All the talk about food at the meetings always made me hungry. I also cannot afford that plan at this time.

I'm not familiar with South Beach either, other than to say that it is a low carb-type diet. It advertises itself as not being as restrictive on carbs as Adkins, and the pamphlet I got talked a bit about food combinations for increased metabolism.

I probably am a carb addict. (Hell, if there's ever been anything to get addicted to in life, it seems to find me at one time or another.) But, I have already changed from white rice to brown for everything, including gumbo, and from white bread to a wonderful 9-grain type. I'm also trying to change to whole wheat pasta, even though it tastes like poop. At any rate I KNOW I could never do Adkins because of my love for these things.

I think I'll get the book just for a free read. If you are interested, the same deal may be available at the Prevention Magazine website. Don't know for sure. Haven't checked it out.

Blessings,

S_C

P.S. We have had a lot of flaming here -- I think before you joined -- regarding different diet plans. People may be wary of posting on this topic. You may not get to read much.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-2003
Wed, 12-31-2003 - 3:59pm
Thanks for the warning... and I'll check out the Prevention website. Happy New Year!

Mickie

262.5/230/135

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-02-2003
Thu, 01-01-2004 - 10:13am
what brand is the 9 grain and the brown rice/pasta's that you buy?
 
 
 
 

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-05-2003
Thu, 01-01-2004 - 1:52pm
"Cobblestone Mills Nine Grain Hearty Recipe" -- it ain't cheap!!! Unfortunately, my day-old bread store went out of business and I am having to buy the full price bread at the regular grocery. Look for a bread store outlet where you live for this, corn tortillas and flour ones if they don't contain lard.

Wheat pasta -- I don't remember which brand. It all tastes awful until you get used to it. :-)

Brown rice -- Look at a health food or Indian store for Brown "Basmati" rice -- MAJOR YUM!!!! Has a sweeter flavor to it than regular brown rice. It won't be cheap either b/c it's imported, unless you can find it in an Ethnic store. It's also good to buy regular brown rice at an Ethnic store -- Man! I hate saying that living here in rice country. But the American brands have too much "trash" in them. The imported ones are cleaner and cheaper, the latter b/c of import/export trade agreements. (I'm hearing my local farmers from my days in the news business scream in my ears.)

Back to corn tortillas, I LOVE Mexican food. Here is my latest experiment, inspired by divinetrash (I think):

1 pkg. Boca burger crumbles

1 can of black beans drained and rinsed

spices as you please -- mine are garlic, red pepper, could use chili powder

salsa as you please

cover and zap in microwave to warm

toast corn toritllas in toaster oven or regular oven until crisp. Top with boca burger mix, fat free or reduced fat cheese, more salsa, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, etc. and enjoy very low fat and healthy tostados.

This has kept me from making my Taco Bell late night run MANY a time. Of course it's better with real hamburger, but the Boca is better for me. Aside1: Sometimes I mix the Boca with real hamburger just to get that meat tecture and taste. I keep already cooked, seasoned, drained hamburger in ziplocks in my freezer. Just break off a chunk and throw it in the bowl. It's always handy for those days you haven't planned a meal. Aside2: toasting corn tortillas like this is much more healthy than buying tostidos or doritos and cheaper. If you want salt, spray the tortillas with cooking spray so the salt will stick. Toasted lard-free flour tortillas can substitute for pizza crust for veggie pizzas.

Also, I've found Sargentos brand of reduced fat cheeses to be the best, especially the Mexican mix. Haven't found a fat free cheese I can stomach unless I disguise it in a casserole.

Blessings, happy new year, and healthy eating,

S_C


Edited 1/1/2004 1:58:04 PM ET by sphere_collector


Edited 1/1/2004 2:05:06 PM ET by sphere_collector

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-04-2003
Thu, 01-01-2004 - 3:04pm

Hi S_C and Happy New Year!

 
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 01-01-2004 - 4:04pm
South Beach....I did it this summer, and my DH is still doing it, so I think I can answer your questions. It works. You won't be hungry. My DH really loves it because he's big into meats and salads - he doesn't have much trouble sticking to it at all, and says he wouldn't try anything else! I, on the other hand, found that I wasn't entirely happy and I found it very difficult to stick to. The first few weeks were okay, but I REALLY started to want some carbs. In particular, I found it difficult to find low-carb breakfasts and lunches, since I usually have to pack those meals or grab them on the run. Some of the allowable food, like cheese, I really can't stand. DH likes a lot more low carb foods than I do. I did okay with things like nuts or eggs, and a salad with a chicken breast, but it DOES require planning ahead. I also find that our grocery bill has definitely increased. That said, I did stick with it longer than I stuck with either Atkins or Weight Watchers, and DH has had marvelous results :-)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 01-01-2004 - 4:07pm
oops, forgot one vital question...you asked about health. We both found that it increased our energy, and we didn't have any problems with dry skin, or hair falling out, or anything like that. One small problem was that the first few weeks can lead to constipation if you aren't watching fibre intake, but that should be all right if you are eating lots of veggies. Not so good if you are getting by on meat and cheese :-) Also, I have to tell you that I didn't care much for most of the actual recipes in the book, so we mostly ate very simply or adapted our own.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 01-01-2004 - 4:21pm

Hi there ladies =)

  Shawna-- Proud Cl for 100 Pounds or More to Go 

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-2003
Sat, 01-03-2004 - 2:49pm

AHHHHH--Catch yourself now! I hope you can get yourself back on tack! I too, am having a HELL of a time! Weird how once you slip up for a few days it is so hard

Deb 270/228/145ish  (updated 4/19/04. Next weigh-in: 6/1/04)

 

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