On Atkins but thinking of switching...have questions...

[Tara5578]

Hi,

I am currently on the Atkins and have been for over 2 months. I have not lost any weight on it though and follow it religously. My current weight is 180, age 30 and 5'8.

I have been considering switching over to the SBD. I have read the book but I have the older version(2004)? I like that is is a heathlier approach but I am confused on how to measure my foods.

I really enjoy measuring all my food intake with my gram/ounce scale on the atkins. I use a website called Fitday where I plug in everything I eat to get my fat/cal/carb ratio's and I still would like to do that.

I have read through some of the stickies and noticed that If I do the diet I would need 4.5 cups of veggies in phase 1. I would like to know the amount of fat per meal I should be eating? I can't seem to find it. I need some kind of ratio's to guide me. Someone metioned to me that I should get 1/2 cup of legumes. Does that mean per day? I do not see this anywhere in my book and really need some guidance. I am a numbers person and am not ready to switch over until I feel confident that this is right for me.

I see it says to eat a 3oz portion of meat then eat more if hungry. For me 3oz would not be enough and I do have to watch my calories bc I am very metabolically resistant. Are we able to keep track of calories? It seems I have read that most don't but I am hoping for some advice on how to structure out the diet. I do not plan on using the recipies, I want to tailor my own. I really just want to know the ratio's for fat/carbs/fiber/calories per meal so I do not fail on this one and finally see some results

Thanks for your time!!!

Tara

[Tiny T]

Welcome friend! wow...atkins sounds very complicated...lol

I have never had to measure/count anything on this diet. I understand how you are confused coming from a diet that makes you measure/weigh/count every thing you eat...I have read just about all the SBD books out there, and no where does it tell you such specific things...that's the best part about the diet (IMO)

I wish I could help you by giving you the exact answers your looking for, but I think your making this more complicated than it needs to be...My only suggestion would be to maybe do a sort of modified SBD...combine the 'allowed foods' list from the SBD with your old atkins guidelines for protion sizes & such...that should work out okay. Just make sure your sticking to the SBD 'allowed foods' list for the phase your on...you should be fine.

Did I help you at all??? By the way...I've lost over 107 lbs on this diet and have never eaten a legume in my life....lol

[Tara5578]

Thanks for your response

Congrats on your weight loss that is amazing!!! I am actually from MI too. I grew up in Ann Arbor and went to college in Kalamazoo. I decided to move to the ocean in NC and get away from the cold and economy though. Hope it is going well for you there. I miss northerners more than anything!

Anyways I do know I am probably making it complicated. When I first started out on the Atkins I read the book and followed it. Once I joined the forum for it though you start getting all this advice on ratio's and then it becomes a science. I like it though bc I feel in control. That is what scares me about the SBD. I haven't lost weight on the Atkins even though I am so precise so I am afraid if I switch over to a diet that is not precise I will gain(sounds silly I know).

I am going to give Atkins a few more weeks(more of less bc of all the groceries I have and do not want to waste money!!!!). When I join up with you guys I will post more. I seem to always have questions on these diets!!!

I will read the stickies over again and try and compile the info to tailor it to a perfect diet for me. I just am afraid of over doing/under doing the fat. On the atikins our fat content in the beginning is 65%. Right now I am so stuck on numbers it is hard for me not to think otherwise, especially since I am so metabollically challenged. I also cannot work out due to a failed back surgery which really sets me back as well.

Thanks so much for your help!!!!

[ginap]

So funny that I just found this. I just posted about veggie amounts. How much is too much or too little?? I am, like you, an Atkins dieter ( I know it's not a diet it's a WOL ). I actually did well on Atkins but thought I would die if I had to eat that way for the rest of my life. It's hard after being on Atkins to re-adjust your views on eating in general. Atkins allow you to eat so many foods an average woman would never allow herself to eat. I am also having problems with the "looseness" of this diet. I will read that one thing is not allowed in phase one and then see it as an ingredient in a phase one recipe. I keep looking for a page with set amounts and limits and haven't found one I'm satisfied with yet.

As far as your question about meat portions I would think that as long as the meat is from the "Allowed foods" portion of the book a larger piece wouldn't hurt. A nice, lean piece of protein can't hurt and will probably (like on Atkins) curb your hunger. Also, I don't think you have to count calories but I guess if you were worried I can't see why you couldn't. Let me know how it goes for you and feel free to pass any tips along to me!!

[supreme_diva]

Ditto here!

Its comforting that there are others out there like me -- I have been an Atkineer in the past, but at this juncture of my life, I think that SB will be better for my health overall and in the long run.

I haven't gotten the book yet... but I have been reading a lot of the info out on the net about it. I think enough to get started at least, especially when you already understand the "science" behind not eating the junk that puffs you up. LOL

Best of luck to you all!

BTW... I'm from Michigan too! Born and raised in Detroit.. but I live in Houston now.

[Tiny T]

I suggest anyone trying to do the SBD, get the book and read it. I've seen time and time again people ask me what I'm doing to lose weight and I tell them SB...they say, oh I tried that and it didn't work...I said, oh, you read the book?...they say, no..I'm like...well how were you doing it...they say by eating that SBD food...WRONG....NOT AT ALL WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT!!!

In fact, the book recommends making your own meals...fresh foods...I think those meals & snacks & such you buy are terrible for you, even the SBD ones...anytime you can eat meals prepared by yourself, your far better off...

I advise everyone to read the book cover to cover...there is so much information in there about food and how your body processes it...after I read the book it was like a light bulb went off in my head...well, duh...no wonder I have not been able to lose....like the simple thing of CARROTS for instance...who knew they were as bad as potatoes?...I always reached for my carrots & celery when I dieted in the past...STUPID!!...might as well have ate a potato...and whole wheat bread?...just as bad as white....the simple things like that, which hinder your loss can be found in the book...

Just my 2 cents...please read the book so you can understand the concepts...make sure you don't give up because your not following it properly...if you read the book & follow the guidelines...it will work...I'M LIVING PROOF!!! Get that book and read it my friends...then you will understand the differences between this and Atkins much better.

[supreme_diva]

Thanks for that info,Tiny T!! I'm going to buy it today.

[Tiny T]

hope I didn't come on too strong there, but I could preach from atop my soap box for hours about this diet...once you understand how it truly works, it will be the best lesson you've ever had in your life...It will all be second nature and less of a chore for you...you won't feel like your dieting...you'll know what you can eat without having to look it up & how much of it you should have...you'll start to create your own dishes...I can pretty much take any meal and make it into a SBD friendly one now...without a recipe...because I've learned how certain foods effect my body...I am a HUGE fan of this diet if you couldn't tell...lol...because I know it works...EVERY TIME I follow it!!! Okay...I'll step off my box now...lol

[supreme_diva]

Awhl Tiny!!

I surely didn't take it that way...

From being on Atkins before, I know the importance of being fully educated and informed on what you are doing. I have learned the hard way in the past it really is the difference in succeeding and failing.

So preach on, sister! LOL