Active Low-Carber Forums
Atkins diet and low carb discussion provided free for information only, not as medical advice.
Home Plans Tips Recipes Tools Stories Studies Products
Active Low-Carber Forums
A sugar-free zone


Welcome to the Active Low-Carber Forums.
Support for Atkins diet, Protein Power, Neanderthin (Paleo Diet), CAD/CALP, Dr. Bernstein Diabetes Solution and any other healthy low-carb diet or plan, all are welcome in our lowcarb community. Forget starvation and fad diets -- join the healthy eating crowd! You may register by clicking here, it's free!

Go Back   Active Low-Carber Forums > Main Low-Carb Diets Forums & Support > Low Carb Health & Technical Forums > Plan comparison
User Name
Password
FAQ Members Calendar Mark Forums Read Search Gallery My P.L.A.N. Survey


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   ^
Old Tue, Aug-01-06, 20:58
pinkytee's Avatar
pinkytee pinkytee is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 109
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 132/119/110 Female 5'5
BF:I have NO idea!
Progress: 59%
Location: Michigan, USA
Default What's better? SB or Atkins

I never looked into this South Beach diet before. I am currently doing the atkins plan. Is there anyone out there who has tried both and has an opinion as to which one works better and which one works faster.
Also, what do you like about the South Beach plan and what is it that you like about the Atkins plan.
Would love some input from you!
Thanks!
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2   ^
Old Tue, Aug-01-06, 21:26
Judynyc's Avatar
Judynyc Judynyc is offline
Attitude is a Choice
Posts: 30,111
 
Plan: No sugar, flour, wheat
Stats: 228.4/209.0/170 Female 5'6"
BF:stl/too/mch
Progress: 33%
Location: NYC
Default

I do not think that one is better than the other....they serve different needs in different people.

South Beach worked well for me as I do not have metabollic issues. Those with health issues may need a stricter plan to start out with, as Atkins is stricter than South Beach when it comes to carbs in general.

What are your particular needs, likes, dislikes?...thats what would make a choice possible. In the end, they are very similar in maintenance. Its about learning to eat this way for the rest of our lives...so that we do not ever have to go on another diet.

You can take a look at the food lists in the South Beach forum...there are also meal plan guides there so that you can see how we eat at each meal and snack.

Hope this helps!!
Reply With Quote
  #3   ^
Old Thu, Aug-03-06, 10:18
joesfolks's Avatar
joesfolks joesfolks is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,231
 
Plan: general leaning toward Sb
Stats: 336/196/150 Female 5'4"
BF:gettin/down/there
Progress: 75%
Location: Grand Rapids, Mi
Default

For me, it is a matter of how long you can stay with it. I would not be able to stay with Atkins over a long period of time. There are many people who do though so it is really just a matter of preference. I want to have a grilled peach now and then. I want to have some ww crackers occaisionally. And I don't want to have to count carbs to try to stay in ketosis. To those who do want to do it, more power to you. But for me it's SBD all the way.
Reply With Quote
  #4   ^
Old Thu, Aug-03-06, 11:38
Citruskiss Citruskiss is offline
I've decided
Posts: 16,864
 
Plan: LC
Stats: 235/137.6/130 Female 5' 5"
BF:haven't a clue
Progress: 93%
Default

You might want to read this thread:

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...ght=South+Beach
Reply With Quote
  #5   ^
Old Thu, Aug-24-06, 15:24
mermaiden mermaiden is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 774
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 142/125/125 Female 5'7
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default

I prefer Atkins. I did look into SB, but decided it was not for me as I would have to restrict both fat and carbs. I don't believe anymore that fats are bad for your health so I see no reason to avoid them. I find avoiding fat and carbs leaves me feeling hungry.

Atkins is not about staying in ketosis forever, though you can stay on it for a long time if you choose. Like SB, you have the induction/beginning period and then move on to add more carbs in later. I would say the major difference is that SB restricts fat. I still don't fully understand why...

You can certainly have a grilled peach or some whole grains on Atkins, just in the later stages and in small portions. In the earlier stages you would have to have berries, for example instead of the peach.
Reply With Quote
  #6   ^
Old Thu, Aug-24-06, 17:17
bsenka's Avatar
bsenka bsenka is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 127
 
Plan: ANA meets BFL
Stats: 205/153/155 Male 5'7"
BF:36%/10%/10%
Progress: 104%
Default

I haven't read the whole South beach book yet (I bought it for my wife, she read it, and I've just skimmed it so far), but to me it just looks like a poorly edited copy of Atkins. It was immediately obvious to me that Dr. Agatston did not actually write the book himself, but rather it is actually a collection of articles written by different authors with slightly different ideas, and that the editor(s) were pretty careless about synchronizing the concepts.
Reply With Quote
  #7   ^
Old Thu, Aug-24-06, 17:57
Judynyc's Avatar
Judynyc Judynyc is offline
Attitude is a Choice
Posts: 30,111
 
Plan: No sugar, flour, wheat
Stats: 228.4/209.0/170 Female 5'6"
BF:stl/too/mch
Progress: 33%
Location: NYC
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bsenka
I haven't read the whole South beach book yet (I bought it for my wife, she read it, and I've just skimmed it so far), but to me it just looks like a poorly edited copy of Atkins. It was immediately obvious to me that Dr. Agatston did not actually write the book himself, but rather it is actually a collection of articles written by different authors with slightly different ideas, and that the editor(s) were pretty careless about synchronizing the concepts.



I can tell you this...it is not a poorly edited version of Atkins. Although I admit it is poorly written and edited.

The basic premise is the GI of carbs and Atkins does not take this into consideration. SB followers do not eat low carb products ie : low carb tortillas, we are more focused on less processing.

atkins does give a good carb ladder to climb but too bad many never follow the instructions and climb it...finding themselves stuck on induction level of carbs and they are at goal and do not know what or how to eat.

Also, many get stalled out at Induction levels of carbs and are too fearful aka carbphobic, to move onto OWL and climb the carb ladder.

I hope that this does not devolve into a war. Been there...done that!!
Reply With Quote
  #8   ^
Old Thu, Aug-24-06, 18:13
RVcook RVcook is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 154
 
Plan: 40/30/30 - BFFM
Stats: 153/115/116 Female 61"
BF:>36%/15%/<20
Progress: 103%
Location: Home Is Where I PARK It!
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Judynyc
I can tell you this...it is not a poorly edited version of Atkins. Although I admit it is poorly written and edited.

The basic premise is the GI of carbs and Atkins does not take this into consideration. SB followers do not eat low carb products ie : low carb tortillas, we are more focused on less processing.

atkins does give a good carb ladder to climb but too bad many never follow the instructions and climb it...finding themselves stuck on induction level of carbs and they are at goal and do not know what or how to eat.

Also, many get stalled out at Induction levels of carbs and are too fearful aka carbphobic, to move onto OWL and climb the carb ladder.

I hope that this does not devolve into a war. Been there...done that!!

Well said! I was one of the Atkins 'failures' due to my own misconceptions about carbs and because I NEVER reached my goal weight on Atkins, I too found myself stuck on induction wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too long!

I think that it is truly a matter of personal preference as to whether you select SB or Atkins. I can also tell you that once you get closer to your goal weight, the amount of fat you eat will affect your bottom line. If you read further into Atkins, he clearly states that OWL is about adding in more good carbs and decreasing the amount of fat you eat, so I guess at some point, you'll be lowering your intake of saturated fat eventually.
Reply With Quote
  #9   ^
Old Fri, Aug-25-06, 00:01
mermaiden mermaiden is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 774
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 142/125/125 Female 5'7
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default

Oh, I forgot to say that from my observation, Atkins works faster. But as for the long term, you have to decide what plan you're likely to stick with. That's most important IMO.

I don't feel that the carb ladder is hard to follow at all. I consider SB restrictive and hard for me to follow with its portion control and lower fat. I found I really needed to have fat in my diet to lose the weight. As with any plan, you must learn to eat differently and go through different stages. It can certainly be done, many many people on this board are in Atkins maintenance sucessfully. You may have to tweak the way you add things back in, but it's a good method. You may have to eventually reduce your fat intake (I haven't) but in the end, you are eating more fat on Atkins than you would on South Beach. It just depends on what better suits your needs. So I can't really help you decide, other than to share my observations/experience. Good luck, I'm sure you'll find something that works

Last edited by mermaiden : Fri, Aug-25-06 at 00:15.
Reply With Quote
  #10   ^
Old Fri, Aug-25-06, 07:25
pinkytee's Avatar
pinkytee pinkytee is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 109
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 132/119/110 Female 5'5
BF:I have NO idea!
Progress: 59%
Location: Michigan, USA
Default Thanks Everyone!!


Thank you everybody for your very well discussed input!!
You have all been a great help and I want to wish you all success in your journey's!!
Have a wonderful day!
Reply With Quote
  #11   ^
Old Mon, Sep-04-06, 14:46
bsenka's Avatar
bsenka bsenka is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 127
 
Plan: ANA meets BFL
Stats: 205/153/155 Male 5'7"
BF:36%/10%/10%
Progress: 104%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Judynyc
The basic premise is the GI of carbs and Atkins does not take this into consideration.


Why would you say that? If anything, Atkins was taking glycemic impact into account long before anyone even had a name for it. It's the foundation of the diet really.

http://www.atkins.com/articles/atkins-phases/phase-one/atkins-is-a-low-glycemic-approach/?searchterm=glycemic

http://www.atkins.com/research-library/nutrition-articles/the-importance-of-low-glycemic-impact-part-1/?searchterm=glycemic%20index

http://www.atkins.com/research-library/nutrition-articles/the-importance-of-the-low-glycemic-impact-part-2/?searchterm=glycemic%20index

http://www.atkins.com/company/press-release/breakthrough-science-advances-atkins-net-carb-labeling-claims-on-food-products/?searchterm=glycemic
Reply With Quote
  #12   ^
Old Mon, Sep-04-06, 15:42
MyJourney's Avatar
MyJourney MyJourney is offline
Butter Tastes Better
Posts: 5,201
 
Plan: Atkins OWL / IF-23/1 /BFL
Stats: 100/100/100 Female 5'6"
BF:
Progress: 34%
Location: SF Bay Area
Default

I have read through both books. If you look at them backwards, the "maintenance" phase is very similar with both plans.

Atkins has a white-list-style approach. It starts off by wiping the slate clean and relearning how to eat. Its focus is on natural, whole foods. Natural proteins, fats and low glycemic fruits and veggies. Within the first 2 weeks your body shifts its primary source of feul from sugars (carbs) to fats (ketones). When in this ketogenic state you have a good stable level of energy and appetite suppression. After that you slowly introduce new foods one at a time. You learn to customize the plan to fit your lifestyle and needs. You see how your body reacts to certain foods. Whether they trigger cravings, give you headaches, make you feel bloated, slow down your rate of loss etc. You do count carbs, at least initially. 20 grams of "net carbs" during the first 2 weeks. The carbs should come mostly from vegetable sources and fiber is deducted. After that you move up the carb ladder by adding more veggies, from there you progress into foods like nuts and berries and then on to legumes and eventually whole grains. Atkins uses the appetite suppressive effects of ketosis to help teach how to listen to your body and eat when you are hungry. Do not stuff yourself but eat when you are hungry and until you are satisfied. Many who are maintaining do not count their carbs as diligently as those who are starting. They tend to be very familiar with their bodies and the regular foods they eat and have a rough idea of how many carbs they take in. It seems to work particularly well with those who are metabolically resistant. It does not restrict the amount of natural fats one can eat and considers them to be healthy. There is a point of contention when it comes to sugar alcohols. In the more recent Atkins books it seems he approved of sugar alcohols because they do not effect blood sugar. Unfortunately Atkins passed away before the low carb boom where everything had tons of sugar alcohols in it. Most people following Atkins have learned that sugar alcohols do effect them and drastically limit the amount that they eat. They also tend to count the carbs in sugar alcohols as regular carbs to help limit their consumption and many find that these "frankenfoods" tend to trigger cravings and are best avoided.


South beach also begins with a 'carb detox' of sorts. It stresses that it focuses not on reducing all carbs but on eating "good" carbs and "good" fats. Agatston believes (or believed) that natural saturated fats (as opposed to chemically saturated fats)are unhealthy. There is more of a traditional "diet" focus there where you eat reduced fat cheese, drink skim milk and use products like smart balance and fat free cool whip instead of things like real butter and real cream. South beach suggests eating carbs based on their glycemic index. It introduces foods like whole grains, tubers and higher GI fruits much sooner than Atkins does which some people find to be very important. It also emphasizes portion control much more than Atkins does and does not require getting into ketosis. It is a cross between a low fat and low carb diet. It allows the eating of "healthy" fats like olive oil and nuts more liberally than a traditional low fat plan and the eating of "healthy" carbs like fruit and whole grains much sooner than many low carb plans. It seems to be a good choice for those who dislike or "fear" fatty foods, people who may have gallbladder problems, people who do not have much weight to lose and people who feel they cannot live without whole grains early on.

Both of them are strict in their own way and people have lost weight and maintained it on both plans. Also, like I said, in the end phase(s) they are really quite similar.

Also, while it is good to pick a plan and stick to it, there is no law that says if something isnt working for you, you cannot try something else. Different things work for different people and there is no one size fits all. Usually I suggest trying a plan for 8-12 weeks and if by then you really don't feel its right for you, try something else that might be more suitable.

Also, I strongly believe in working a plan to suit your tastes and lifestyle. For example, just because Atkins doesnt restrict fat consumption, it doesnt mean that if you do not like fatty foods you have to eat tons of it or that you cannot eat leaner cuts of meat if your taste buds prefer it. It just gives you the option and variety.

Anyway, I suggest you read through both books. You can probably get them at your local library and I wish you the best of luck with whatever plan you choose.
Reply With Quote
  #13   ^
Old Tue, Sep-05-06, 09:49
Venezia Venezia is offline
New Member
Posts: 6
 
Plan: South Atkins
Stats: 192/187/154 Female 65 inches
BF:31
Progress: 13%
Default

Hello! I have been a low carber on and off for years. The off of course is what put me back in the mess I am in now - LOL. I did fantastic with Atkins, lost about 50 pounds, and over the last few years I have only gained back about 20 pounds. I am working out now, and thought SB would help with the extra carbs you are allowed. I agree with both plans in that they limit carbs, but I can't do the low fat in SB, or the extra meat and cheese in Atkins, so I am sort of doing my own version of both. I finally lost 5 pounds last week after low carbing. I lost nothing for weeks before that, and that was after watching my calorie intake AND sweating like a pig with a personal trainer. I know and believe 100 percent, that it was due to my CUTTING OUT/SEVERLY LIMITING THE CARBS. Why starve on low calorie diets? Both are great plans, and I agree with everyone that it is what you can stick with that counts.

Judy - love your posts. I was a lurker in the SB forum for the last week. Keep pushing the unprocessed information! I love it, even if it hurts sometimes...
Reply With Quote
  #14   ^
Old Tue, Sep-05-06, 10:08
Judynyc's Avatar
Judynyc Judynyc is offline
Attitude is a Choice
Posts: 30,111
 
Plan: No sugar, flour, wheat
Stats: 228.4/209.0/170 Female 5'6"
BF:stl/too/mch
Progress: 33%
Location: NYC
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Venezia
Hello! I have been a low carber on and off for years. The off of course is what put me back in the mess I am in now - LOL. I did fantastic with Atkins, lost about 50 pounds, and over the last few years I have only gained back about 20 pounds. I am working out now, and thought SB would help with the extra carbs you are allowed. I agree with both plans in that they limit carbs, but I can't do the low fat in SB, or the extra meat and cheese in Atkins, so I am sort of doing my own version of both. I finally lost 5 pounds last week after low carbing. I lost nothing for weeks before that, and that was after watching my calorie intake AND sweating like a pig with a personal trainer. I know and believe 100 percent, that it was due to my CUTTING OUT/SEVERLY LIMITING THE CARBS. Why starve on low calorie diets? Both are great plans, and I agree with everyone that it is what you can stick with that counts.

Judy - love your posts. I was a lurker in the SB forum for the last week. Keep pushing the unprocessed information! I love it, even if it hurts sometimes...


Thanks!!

Good job and figuring out what works for your body!!

A few others are also doing a South Batkins type of plan so know that you are not alone!!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:51.


Copyright © 2000-2024 Active Low-Carber Forums @ forum.lowcarber.org
Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.