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I was just diagnosed with insulin resistance and reactive hypoglycemia. I need to "steer away from carbs" and sugars, according to my doctor. I just gave some more blood yesterday to check my thyroid. That test is not back yet. I am 33 years old and about 70-80 lbs overweight. I should be about 140 at 5 feet 3 inches tall.
I looked up the Atkins Diet, and for me it was way too restrictive. I know that I won't be able to cut out carbs. I want to cut down the carbs without eliminating them. I would like to try the South Beach diet, but that too has 14 days of very restrictive dieting. I have 3 kids and a husband to cook for. I work 2 part-time jobs and just don't have time to make 2 different meals for lunch, dinner, and supper. It sounds like a lot of excuses, I know, but I have tried other diets where the dieting is restrictive. I know it won't work for me. Would the South Beach diet "work" if I did not do the first Phase? I believe working the second Phase into my life would be a lot easier on myself and my family.
Thanks for any responses.
Posts: 2 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Jun 2004
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Hi. Wow, a lot of your letter I could have written. I am brand new to this board but not to LC. I can totally relate to the thyroid thing and not being able to lose weight. I have been struggling with that for a while, and my blood work comes in with in the normal range so no meds for me! but thats a whole story in itself. Anyway, LC is definately a good choice. My advice is DON'T cook separate meals. I also work 2 part time jobs and dont cook separately for my family. Yes the first two weeks are hard but it goes fast, especially with the rapid weight loss most experience. I make a normal supper but add potatoes for my addicted hubby, I just dont eat them. So lets say you are making chicken for supper, you can have chicken and a salad(im on atkins , dont know what south beach permits) just provide extras for the rest of the family. NOw for me its just old hat. It does get easier to give up the carbs as time goes by. For me, I know I feel better when on a LC meal plan, and the high carb junk just isnt worth it.Also, do you let your family know about your new way of eating? If they understand what you are trying to do they may be more supportive of you. Good luck!!!!
Posts: 2 | From: michigan | Registered: Jun 2004
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Same thing with me.......thyroid in the low/normal range so no meds....at least not yet. I'm 45 and about the same 80 pounds over as you but I'm a bit taller at 5'7". I tried Atkins a couple of years ago and did not like it.
While I don't have two jobs I do have a two hour commute so losing four hours a day can take its toll. I also just add potato or rice for my husband but so far he hasn't really missed them. If he really wants them he asks for me to make them.
I've been on Phase One of South Beach for three weeks because it is so hard for me to lose due to the thyroid. Silly me didn't have a scale when I started so I don't really know how much I've lost but I do feel better. My glucose count was a tad high so this will help also. Get rid of the white bread in the house and see if the family will work with rye, pumpernickel or one of the low carb whole grain breads. Make the rice or potatoes for them, just don't have any yourself. I've had a bag of Hershey's Kisses in my drawer for a month now and have no desire to eat any of them. Make your normal meals for breakfast (canadian bacon and eggs with a little lowfat cheese (if the kids don't see it's low fat they'll never know) get the low fat coldcuts (again - if they don't see it they;ll never know) and just wrap yours in lettuce instead of the bread for a couple of weeks. Make grilled chicken and some veggies for dinner and the family can have the potatoes while you have extra veggies. Get sugar free Popsicles for yourself (unwrap them and just give them to the kids with no label) and pour reduced fat milk into the regular milk container. Once you get past Phase I and start on Phase II you can put back some of the things. But do yourself a favor and get the three books on the South Beach Diet from the library if you don't want to buy them. The recipes are better than you'd think and they give you more ideas on how to fit into your life as you read them. Make sure you drink a lot of water.
I hope I've been able to help you.
Posts: 235 | From: Long Island, NY | Registered: May 2004
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Well, I see some light at the end of the tunnel. I have a new outlook on this whole diet thing. I went to the library and checked out the book for the South Beach Diet. I just started reading it, and I think I can do it. It seems logical and easy. No counting, no measuring, no going hungry. I had looked into the Atkins diet, and that was just way too restrictive. The South Beach Diet seems doable. If I can get through the first 2 weeks I should be fine. I am going shopping tonight! Wish me luck...
Posts: 2 | From: Wisconsin | Registered: Jun 2004
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I've done Atkins, but when I was diagnosed with Endometriosis after surgery last year, my doc said that consuming fat produces more estrogen and estrogen feeds my disease, so I should go low-fat. (and that Atkins had probably worsened my symptoms.) Being used to low-carb, low-fat was like a forbidden word. I said "no way." But after my symptoms weren't going away, I decided to try. I cut back fat, but started eating large amounts of carbs again. Yes, the low-fat helped my endo symtpoms, but I've gained 40 lbs. since the surgery last August and I'm in a larger size than I was way back in 1998 when I started low-carbing. Repulsed, I decided I'd rather have the pain and infertility than be large again. I would go back on Atkins. But when friends started pointing out how much happier I've looked since my pain has gone away, I realized health is worth more than anything. And losing weight would also help me get healthier.
So now I started South Beach. It's sensible. Low-glycemic AND low-fat. And not horribly low-carb - just GOOD carbs. I started this past Monday 6/21 and this morning I weighed in 7 lbs. lighter. Is it possible to have retained that much water????? That's ridiculous!!! I have to honestly say, as a huge Atkins advocate, I never would have tried this diet had I not been told to avoid fat. But now, I think this is the best diet out there! It's healthy. I'm not eating pepperoni and bacon and cheese like I used to. I'm eating TONS of veggies, which is odd for me, but I'm loving them!
I'll keep you updated on my progress. I'm sort of in shock still from this morning's weigh-in.
-------------------- Tiffany CarbHealth Webmaster ========== Original Start: 2/27/98 Originally: 178/130/130 Now: Pregnant and 203 lbs. Posts: 352 | From: upstate, NY, USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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I am so glad to have come across your website Tiffany. A friend at work gave me a copy of the magazine section from one of the local newspapers. The entire thing was devoted to low carbing and your website was listed as one of the better sites for low carb.
I don't think I have to tell you how confused I am becoming with the differences and similarities between Atkins and South Beach. I only started South Beach about a month ago and I've been comparing what each of the diets is comprised of and I must say there is a lot of contradictions......(Atkins stating white flour should be avoided yet it's a main ingredient in the white bread, South Beach does the same thing in its books saying something is on the Avoid list yet is a main ingredient in a recipe 20 pages later). I tried Atkins when it first came out and stayed on it for over a month......followed it to the letter.....didn't lose an ounce......now I'm doing South Beach for about a month (Phase I for three weeks instead of two) have only lost a couple of pounds but admittedly my energy level is better. I've also been reading the labeling a little more and find that contradictions run rampent there too. Whole grain bread for example is supposed to be the better choice, the kind where you can seen pieces of the ingredients so to speak (SB states the heavy and coarser the better it is for you). I just had a loaf of a Whole Grain German Wheat Bread and a loaf of 100% Whole wheat bread. The carb count on the whole wheat was lower than the whole grain and the whole wheat even had more dietary fiber than the whole grain.
It's nice to be able to come to your forums and see what others are doing. Hopefully there will be more South Beachers coming in to compare notes with. I made a good move by deciding to join.
Posts: 235 | From: Long Island, NY | Registered: May 2004
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There are many contradictions in all of the books. In fact, I found it very interesting the other day to learn that the Atkins Center had responded to the recent "low carb is bad for you" press by saying that even on induction they allow fruits and veggies. Maybe my section of the Atkins book was accidentally missing - I could have sowrn it said NO FRUIT on induction. Hmm.
It is strange that the whole grain bread was more carbs than the whole wheat. Did either of them have sugar in them? That would be the most logical culprit.
I'm loving South Beach. I'll share my recent meal plans with you... they've been very successful for me.
Monday - breakfast: small Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla coffee with skim milk and 3/4 packet of Splenda. 4 slices turkey bacon
lunch: Cobb Salad with grilled chicken made with Spinach instead of lettuce. Extra Virgin Olive Oil as dressing, and a few pinches of salt.
lunch: Grilled chicken caesar salad with feta cheese.
dinner: zucchini with parmesan and garlic sauteed in extra virgin olive oil (eaten as a pasta dish... using a julienne peeler to make long strands of zucchini.)
only water with lemon to drink all day.
My mood is up, my energy level up, my intestines are working VERY WELL, and I'm not as hungry. Cravings are all gone already.
I am trying to stick with just chicken, as I don't like any other meats besides beef. Beef is too high in fat for me, so it will be a once-in-a-while treat.
-------------------- Tiffany CarbHealth Webmaster ========== Original Start: 2/27/98 Originally: 178/130/130 Now: Pregnant and 203 lbs. Posts: 352 | From: upstate, NY, USA | Registered: Mar 2002
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A fellow DD french vanilla lover......I always make time to stop (we have a drive-thru Dunkin Donuts).
I got the wrappers from both loaves of bread. Pepperidge Farm Natural Whole Grain German Dark Wheat and Arnold's Carb Counting 100% Whole Wheat. The whole grain has 15 carbs, 3 fiber, 2 sugar and the whole wheat has 10 carbs, 4 fiber and 0 sugar.
By the way, the Arnold's Carb Counting Multi Grain........made with enriched flour.........carb counting - enriched flour.......kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it?
I too drink tons of water all day long but sometimes for a change I'll drink a soda I found. "Waist Watchers" has an orange soda that tastes fantastic. Canfield's also has a Chocolate Cherry soda that is absolutely terrific, especially when I put a no sugar fudgsicle into it for an ice cream soda dessert! Both sodas are made with Splenda.
Speaking of all this food, I'm off to Ruby Tuesday's. Their salad bar is great and they have the largest selection of low carb and "smart eating" items of any restaurant around including a low carb cheesecake which I still haven't tried.
Your meal plan sound wonderful, I think I may borrow a big portion of it......you are about as big on chicken as I am.
Posts: 235 | From: Long Island, NY | Registered: May 2004
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I really do refer to the whole "low-carb" diet as the "Atkins Diet" since his was the first. When people ask me what I've been doing to lose weight I always just say that I'm cutting my carbs. I DO eat carbs but healthy carbs. I have not read the South Beach Diet book but I have a feeling I'm following this diet more than the Atkins diet. I'm confused I guess. I think I'm going to buy the book.
-------------------- Atkins Beginning Date: 2/2/2004 227/145/145 Reached goal on 12/10/2004
Back on track with Carb Addicts on 11/27/2006 198/196/150 Posts: 43 | From: Staten Island, NY | Registered: Jul 2004
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Why don't you check it out of the library first. I read the original Atkins and it isn't that far off, especially since you do the healthy carb route. You may not need to get the SBD book. Posts: 235 | From: Long Island, NY | Registered: May 2004
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