Anyone else doing Atkins, South Beach, Low-Carb?

[lavenderdiva]

Maybe we could give one another new ideas about recipes or menus. Also we could share any new products we have tried, and what is working for us, and what is not...

After having tried Atkins full-out a few months back, I am now trying to incorporate more of it into my diet. I have an Atkins breakfast, all low-carb snacks, and an Atkins dinner. However, for lunch, I have a Lean Cuisine and an apple. While I know these are not Atkins choices, they help me with portion control, easy accessibility, and variation. When I was on Atkins completely, I found myself eating the same thing, day-after-day, and I got sooo bored.

About 15 years ago, I lost 75lbs (of course, I've gained it all back plus some by now) by eating no breakfast, Lean Cuisine + apple for lunch, Lean Cuisine + salad for dinner. That was one tough program. I had the jitters like crazy and wanted to eat anything that wasn't nailed down. I did lose the weight, but it was the hard way.

The thing I liked about Atkins, was that I never felt hunger pangs, and my mood was very even (no jitters). That made it much easier to stay on program. So I am kinda now incorporating the 2 diets into one program, that I think will work for me.

My other issue is portion size. I have REAL trouble with that. I know about using your fist-size for meat portions, etc. but putting it into practice just escapes me. When I go to fill my plate for dinner, I get frightened that I will be hungry later, and sure enough, there is a big ole plate of food in front of me! And we wouldn't want anyone to starve because Lavenderdiva didn't clean her plate, would we? I really do feel guilty if I don't clean my plate. My Mother would be proud, but I am having to deal with all this extra weight from those lessons that were way overtaught!! So, I need help with the portion sizes and guilt...

[Lex]

1. Right now, I'm rotating

2 weeks of Scarsdale Medical Diet (low carb, low fat, low cal)

with

2 weeks of Atkins/South Beach.

It keep my metabolism shaken up some to rotate this way and I'm having success with it.

Good website on Scarsdale:

http://lowcarblisa.tripod.com/id18.html

[lavenderdiva]

2. thanks for sharing that website, Lex!

I briefly read thru it, and can see why you are experiencing such success! Do you make your own protein bread? I am SUCH a picky eater (it does make one wonder just HOW I ever got this big, since I eat so few varied foods), that I would not be able to eat hardly anything on the Scarsdale, but I do like the fact that it lets you eat a wider variety of veggies and fruits, and includes breads, for the 2 weeks you choose to be on it. I imagine that helps you when you are on Atkins? ie. knowing you will be back to Scarsdale in a brief time?

Have you tried this rotation before, or is this new? How long have you been doing it, and what measure of success have you had while you have been on it? Please share with us...

[Lex]

3. Actually, I don't make my own protein bread--it's ok to just get the

low carb bread from the store (such a thing wasn't heard of back when the Scarsdale Diet was written).

Yes, having the fruit during the Scarsdale 2 weeks is a bonus (after being on Atkins), but being able to eat more protein during the Atkins 2 weeks is good too.

To me, what it really does is put you on a 2 week weight loss phase (the Scarsdale part) then a 2 week "lock in" phase with the Atkins part. I don't really lose that much during the Atkins 2 weeks, but I try to think of it as an adjustment (and not gaining) during that time. Some people do lose during the Atkins phase.

So far, I've lost about 17 pounds doing this over a couple of months time. I've got more to go, but I've decided this rotating plan can really work for me if I'm peristent.