Ok, I am looking to lose the insightly 30 pounds I have gained over the last 5 years…I know I can do it. I have read very good things about Atkins and very good things about the South Beach diet. What I am looking for are possible anecdotes as to which one is “better” and why? I know lifestyle changes are needed and I am not afraid of that. But what about ease? Are either one of these slightly easier than the other, I have never really had to diet in the past, but I think it is time now, and I look best at 200 pounds. 230 just isn’t cutt’in it anymore 
Any help from the teeming zillions?
South Beach is harder, because you will have to do a lot more planning. You will need to buy more fish and lean poultry, and pack more lunches. Too many pitfalls out there with South Beach. While I think it’s alot better for health of heart and immune system, it’s also harder to follow. Atkins could work in Burger Queen, but South Beach would work if you had some grilled Salmon.
Either diet will work if you stick to it, so it’s really a question of what’s easier for you.
South Beach isn’t really a low fat diet. You are allowed pretty generous amounts of the right sort of fats. For example, you’re encouraged to use salad dressings made with olive, canola or nut oils. Avocados and moderate amounts of nuts are also on the allowed list of foods, even during the strictest phase. You are supposed to eat low/nonfat dairy products and lean meats, though.
It is true that is would be difficult to find South Beach friendly fare at the typical fast food place. You would pretty much be limited to salad and grilled chicken, if they had any. I have also heard people complain that it is expensive, which is true if you shop according to the sample menus. However, unlike Atkins, beans and other legumes are on the approved list, as are most vegetables, in unlimited quantities.
Both Atkins and SBD have a 2-week period of great strictness during which your blood sugar levels out, and you can break some of your habits and do some introspection about your way of eating.
My impression is that women are more attracted to SBD because it allows chocolate after the 2-week period is up. Men are more attracted to Atkins because of it’s simplicity. Both stress the need to eliminate prepared foods, transfats, processed flour and processed sugar.
Summary of SBD:
http://www.prevention.com/cda/feature2002/0,4780,5345,00.html
Summary of Atkins:
http://atkins.com/howto/index.html
Well, as a general rule I do not eat at fast food restaurants…unless you consider a grinder now and again from Mickeys. So fast food issues are not of concern to me. What is of concern is cholesterol. I have had issues with it in the past and quite frankly, the atkins double bacon cheese burger with no bun scares me. But I hear over time, the diet actually, lowers your LDL considerabley.
I’ve been doing South Beach more or less faithfully since July (less faithfully till yesterday when I went back on phase 1.) Once I got past the first 2 weeks, it was easy. I never had problems eating out (although I rarely, if ever, go to fast food places.) I’ve never done Atkins, but a good friend has and the strict approach to carbs really turned me off. I enjoy having whole grain breads, and I’ve found that fruits satisfy my sweet tooth more than I’d expected.
For myself, I did find that sugar-free candies just don’t thrill me. But when I stick true to the plan, I do very well. I feel better. My cholesterol and triglycerides dropped, as did my blood pressure. That really made me happy.
There’s no requirement to eat bacon double cheeseburgers on Atkins. Whatever you decide to do, read the book so you know you’re doing it as designed. There’s more misinformation about Atkins, but only cause it’s older–give the SBD time, and there’ll be a lot of junk associated with it.
Atkins
I sound like a broken record here, but I’ve gone on the Atkins diet twice over the last two years covering about six months and have lost a total of 62 pounds.
There’s no feeling like being able to lose weight and be able to sleep at night without your stomach growling.
Well, I’m sort of anti-Atkins…but the more I read up on it, it seems more moderate.
I guess I formed my opinions from other bacon slurping, fat chewing cow-orkers and friends who would indulge in pork rinds, bacon and ribs while they declare they are on “Atkins”.
They’d eat bacon and eggs for breakfast, I’d eat a banana. They would eat pepperoni and cheese for lunch, I’d eat tuna on wheat.
I’d eat a soy burger on a wheat roll, some asparagus and a salad with tuna or chicken in it for dinner, and they’d eat two steaks.
After a little reading, I might be more Atkins friendly than they are! Way back in the 80’s (yeah remember those), I learned from a body builder named Richie Baretta (Mr USA 1986-ish), that there were good carbs and bad carbs. We learned about carb depletion, carb loading and all sorts of diet advice.
Well, I have been eating brown breads, rices and potatos for 20 years…and I never drink my calories - ever. (Ok, a beer or some wine socially, which is actually good for you). When I turn up the diet mode to cut 10 lbs of winter fat, I add protein (lean protein from fish, chicken), and I really watch the carbs. But the carbs always get tossed with the fat. I don’t lean on the fat and never did.
I also learned to control the mental barrier. I can eat plain tuna, out of a can, eat grilled chicken or fish plain, and do this for weeks. We’re talking less than 10 grams of fat and near zero carbs for up to two weeks.
I can’t say I’m an expert on Atkins or South Beach, but I do know that since 1986 I have always been able to look at any food and know whether I can consider it part of a healthy diet. Long term, no matter what you do or how you induce yourslef, whole wheats, brown rices, nuts, beans, veggies and fruits should be part of your diet at some point. Only in bursts should you go protein crazy. The food I listed are powerful anti-oxidents, and more and more research shows a correlation between eating those foods and staving off illness and disease.