Experiment: Atkins combined w/South Beach -- total FAILURE !

[Momto6ix]

Hi all,
This has been so interesting, it's a bit long and maybe confusing, but so worth the read !!

Monday I wrote in and asked about this "good" carb debate. A few wrote back with their opinions.
I have been following Atkins for a year, and have lost 65 pounds. I still would like to lose another 25-30 lbs.
I happened to get ahold of the South Beach Diet book and read it. It started me worrying about the supposedly "ill" effects of the high fat, high protien diet I am on. Even though I understand that the book is written to SELL, in a style that will make me believe that THEIR diet is the ONLY healthy diet, ...... I still thought, ok let me try this a bit.
I went shopping Monday, and spent what seemed like hours reading labels, choosing wheat over enriched, high fiber, etc.
I have always weighed myself, each morning and night, then recorded it on a monthly calendar that I print out. I like doing this, it shows me exactly how I'm doing each day. Here are my results of the 5 days of my own version of this "combination" diet:

Monday I started out with an a.m. wieght of 1 lb higher then the previous week, and a p.m. weight of 1/2 lb higher. i continued comparing to the previous week's weight as follows:

tuesday: a.m. weight 1 lb lower
p.m. weight 2.5 lb higher

wednesday: a.m. weight 1/5 lb higher
p.m. wieght 2.5 lb higher

thursday: a.m. weight 1/5 lb higher
p.m. weight 3 lb higher

TODAY Friday: a.m. weight 3.5 pounds higher.
(1-19-07)

Does anyone besides me see a pattern? my a.m. weights remained somewhat close at first, while my p.m. weights were higher each time. to finalize with me wieghing in this a.m. 3.5 pounds more than last week. And that took only 4 days.
I also found that in order to keep my fiber content high, and when including this "good" carb stuff, that my total carbs were well over a hundred, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. My total calories vs carbs was also interesting to follow, in my opinion. ( thank You FITDAY website, helps me keep an itemized track of things )
Monday my total calories was 1206 with 130 carbs.
Tuesday my calories was 1545 with 127 carbs.
Wednesday while my calories were much lower at 1159 my total carbs was a whopping 159 !!!
seeing myself weigh 2.5 and 3 lbs higher then the week before by this point of only 2 days, was enough for me to make my Thursday's total calories 1248 and my carbs a much better 17.
But I see the damage was already done. in 4 days, doing this 'experiment' I ended up gaining 3.5 pounds over the previous week.

Well ! needless to say, I'LL NOT BE STAYING WITH THIS EXPERIMENT !!

But, it was interesting I'm sure you'll all agree. I'm not worried, I'm sure the weight will drop right back off. Perhaps a modified version of this diet will help me "maintain" my desired wieght once I acheive that, but for sure, South Beach is NOT the diet for me:

ATKINS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Theresa

[Brook]

I'd be interested to know what your typical carb intake was before you started this.

[ValidRouge]

You know, my advice to you is to pick a plan...either one, but STICK TO THAT PLAN. Quit trying to do this YOUR way. Pick one and do it according to the plan that you pick. One week on either plan (and doing it YOUR way in that one week) is not giving that plan a fair chance, and all you are doing is screwing with your metabolism.

That's just my two cents.

[Momto6ix]

hi Joy & Brook,

To answer your questions, Brook, I usually keep my daily intake of carbs below the suggested 20. Before I started Atkins last year, who knows? I'm sure they were high though. smile. Isn't that what most of us find?
Joy, I've been following Atkins for ONE year, without 'trying' to do things "MY" way. You misread my post. I clearly said that. I'm not trying various diets, bouncing from one to another 'each week', not giving any particular one a chance, and screwing up my metabolism. what I said was, I was a little concerned after reading the book South Beach; and wondered about combining "healthier" carbs into my diet.

My opinion ended up being, until I reach my desired, HEALTHY weight -- of which I am anywhere from 10 - 25 pounds of, (depending on where I wish to be on the chart on FITDAY) I will STICK with following ONLY the ATkins Diet.

that was what I wrote. I thought it was interesting, what I had tried. It doesn't bother me that I tried this for one week, I think the entire reason I've been successful on ATkins is indeed because I have NOT beaten myself up if I failed to lose any "certain" amount of week each and every week, or month. In fact, if I lost only 2 pounds one month, I considered myself successful. I see that some people post on here that in Induction, they've lost over 10 pounds, in only 6 months, they're reached their 'goal' weight; that they've hit the rung on the ladder, the fitness challenge, etc etc etc. I'm not in any sort of race here. NO ONE should be. I'm trying to lose weight, and keep it off; that's all.

Theresa

[Qjakal]

Modifications need to be a bit more gradual, but they can work. Over the last 2 years I've segued into a 40-20-40 diet that is perfect for my lifestyle and activities.

I think you were just a bit too drastic....

Good luck and keep low carbing!

Q

[pgmr_64804]

I did not do good on south beach either. I did last summer before I even considered atkins. The first 2 weeks of induction I did ok, but as soon as I started adding back in fruits and grains all the weight came back on.

I think for me Atkins is better becasue I am sensitive to lots of foods that are allowed on southbeach.

[ValidRouge]

Sorry for the misunderstanding then, Theresa. I'm curious as to whether or not you've done the Ongoing Weight Loss phase and added foods back in the order that Dr. Atkins recommends? We call it climbing the rungs of OWL around here.

[Momto6ix]

Joy,

I have added some foods back in. Mainly in the vegetable catagory. I haven't added fruit, I was never a fruit person. I haven't added potatoes back in, because I was never a potatoe person either. Break, haven't missed it.
both Pasta and Milk I do miss, however, I haven't added them back in because I would like to get to my desired weight first. Back in November, when I had the opportunity to turn 50, (Holy wow!) I went out for dinner and had whatever I wished, including dessert, without any " ill effects ". My daughters tossed me a surprise party, I ate 'safe' foods, which they made sure were available, and had a slice of cake because you have to for good luck, again, without any Ill effects. I continued to lose. So, I've learned that I can indeed 'indulge' albeit in controlled circumstances.
Whether or not I'll ever add things like bread, pasta and potatoes for example, back into my diet? I can't say, but since it's not food I miss, and there are so many better alternatives, why do it? Quite obviously, and I can say this based on the body types of my six daughters who basically have been raised on the same diets; my metabolism is such that certain "white" flour foods like me soooooooooo much, that they take up permanent residence upon my hips. Smile. There are naturally thin people in the world, and then there are those who choose to be thin by carefully following and monitoring their diets. I'm in the latter catagory. Atkins works for me. I see no reason to not make it my WOL.

Theresa

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