South Beach Diet
and the Atkins Low Carb Plan.
Our
Review:
The Atkins Low Carb Diet is based on
eating very few carbs, and this is especially true
during "Phase 1". We believe that it's one of the
strictest low carb diets on the market, especially
during "Phase 1".
There is no mistaking
this program for anything other than a very strict low
carb plan, since it only allows 80 carb calories per day
during the first phase (20 grams of net carbs is
approximately 80 carb calories per day)........and
that's less carbs than you'll find in a large apple,
since even a large apple has slightly more carbs than
that.
Phase 1 of the Atkins Diet is now
listed as 'optional' -- but even if Phase 1 is skipped
we still believe that the overall carb limitations make
it a very strict low carb diet.
This
program is probably not for the faint of heart, since
only truly committed dieters will probably be able to
withstand Phase 1 of this program.
What about
the South Beach Diet?
The South Beach diet is
also a fairly strict low carb program (especially during
the first phase).....though perhaps not as strict as the
Atkins program.
...But it's our opinion that the
South Beach plan is too strict (limits carbs too much)
to be practical for everyday dieters -- especially
during phase 1 with the severely reduced carbs and other
rules forbidding many foods.
For example, we've
observed that the higher carb foods (on the South Beach
menu) are severely limited in portions during the first
phase of the diet -- and this prevents a normal amount
of carbs from being eaten during the first
phase.
In fact, most of the foods
which dieters are allowed to eat in "unlimited portions"
(during phase 1) are protein foods and super-low-calorie
vegetables.
For example, the South Beach menu
allows unlimited lettuce during phase 1 --- but yet it
limits the portions of "tomatoes" and "onions" and
"peanuts".
Additionally, the "sweet
snacks" which are allowed on the South Beach menu are
limited to a mere 75 calories per day during phase
1.
So even though the South Beach
plan allows "sweet snacks" -- they are severely limited
to just 75 calories per day........and that's less
calories than a single large cookie contains.
So although the South Beach program is not as
strict as the Atkins diet, it's our opinion that both
diets are fairly strict low carb programs -- and we
believe that both plans will be fairly difficult to
follow for average dieters who are not truly committed,
especially during Phase 1.
Also.......both of
these diets seem to have no "end" in sight -- since both
the Atkins plan and the South Beach diet never allow
dieters to return to a normal carb lifestyle (where
carbs don't have to be closely watched).
Both of these diets do gradually allow more and
more carbs to be eaten as time goes by of course (as
time goes by the rules are relaxed a bit), but even
after 6 months dieters are still told to watch their
carb intake to some degree each day, and both diets seem
to require a lifetime commitment of some sort.
So
it's a permanent lifestyle change which is required by
these diets, and many dieters may find it difficult to
never be able to enjoy their favorite carb-filled
restaurant meals (which can be eaten completely "as
served", and without any restrictions).
So
overall we think that both diets are not very practical
for average dieters who are not 100% committed to making
huge sacrifices for the long term, since we believe that
many people will find it difficult to modify their
entire lifestyle permanently. We therefore
recommend against using the South Beach and Atkins
programs for most people, for the reasons outlined
above.
End of Review.
We've
created a new Fat Burning Diet which is called the
Idiot Proof Diet, and it has no specific limits on
portions (it also allows 3 cheat days every 11 days
where anything can be eaten, making the diet more
practical for everyday dieters).
Thousands
of people are losing weight each week using this new
diet.
You can begin using
this new diet right
here. |
