[AdiaFaith]

After posting on here for nearly a month I've found myself wondering what other diets you ladies have done. Those of you gals who are nearing the home stretch, I'm so happy for you! I am just curious as to what other diets you've tried....what worked, what didn't, and why? More importantly, what did you learn from them?

[nelie]

I've tried....
Jenny Craig - learned that it works for a short period of time, but after a while the monotony of food gets to you.
Weight Watchers - learned that I am not very good at counting points/calories
Low fat on my own - learned that doesn't work that well for me
Low carb on my own - learned that I was relying too heavily on processed low carb items
Not eating - learned can lose a lot of weight quickly but hard to maintain

Well i've dieted off and on for at least 20 years (and i'm 29 and basically I've either had a hard time sticking to a diet plan or else that the diet plan wasn't the best for me. I like south beach diet a lot because I feel I am eating healthy and it is something I can stick to.

[AdiaFaith]

I guess I ought to put my own in here too.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin Diet - High Fiber, High Protein, Good Carbohydrates. Whole Grains, fruits, and veggies. It may sound similiar to SB, but it's very drastic. 3 meals a day, all with main ingredients being vegetables and whole grains (Barley, Brown Rice, etc). No meat allowed, but I added chicken. I lost 60 pounds and was very active, was actually in high school at the time. Gained back 20 since......2 years out now....

What I learned from Mirkin - Whole grains fill you up, make you feel better, and keep you fuller longer. Sugars are the enemy. Partially Hydrogenated Soybean oil is poison. High fructose corn syrup makes me fat.

Why Mirkin didn't work - It did essentially. I ate healthy everyday and was very active. Then I hopped into the real world slap in the face of entreprenuership. OUCH. Mirkin doesn't fit this lifestyle. Period.

Also tried Atkins. Only learned that high fat foods make me ill.

[sweet tooth]

The only other diet (they prefer to call program) that I have given a serious try to is Weight Watchers. When I decided to lose the weight, I was committed to the program and followed it fairly rigidly - there were some slips occassionally, but that is OK, too.

What I liked about it - I did lose weight at a regular pace and became more healthy.

What I didn't like about it - Here's the list: it was a lot of work to track all the points consistently (but I did keep a food journal), I am not crazy about the 0 point foods that were part of the program (I am not particularly fond of veggies, so to have them as a free snack didn't satisfy me mentally), when I was within 5 pounds of goal, I realized that I was hungry all the time. As a lifetime eating program, I knew that I would not be disciplined to follow it.

SBD is better suited to my preferences, but I also know that I am not a carboholic and that probably makes a difference for me. When I reflect back on WW when I was at the same weight that I am now, there is not comparison with the way that I was feeling. It was at this point that I felt hungry all the time and also felt deprived - both issues that are the basis for abandoning the program. Right now, on SBD, I feel full all the time, and if I am hungry, I know that I can go to the fridge, have something that I like and not worry about whether it puts me 'over' for the day.

[Ruthxxx]

Wonderful thread! Thanks for starting it.

[beachgal]

Adia, I've done Weight Watchers, a diet from a nutritionist, low fat on my own, and several other diets with my parents over the years. Nothing really worked too well unless I was committed.

I agree with Suzanne on this...any diet works as long as you are really willing to follow it.

That said, this is the longest I have ever been willing to follow a diet, and I think that has a lot to do with the diet I am on...SBD's dedication to healthy eating makes me feel so good. The lack of sugar and processed carbs keeps me from the cravings that were a constant battle on other plans. I know this is something I can do for life. That's a good thing.

It'll be neat to read what others have to post!

[chick_on_the_beach]

I have done weight watchers and lost a lot of weight then put it on again.

[eurobin]

The only other diet I've ever done is Weight Watchers. I did lose some weight (maybe 20 lbs?) but I really didn't like it. I didn't get anything out of the meetings. I felt it was extremely commercial. I didn't like being weighed in public. And most of all, I was not making healthy food choices. I'd save up my points, starve myself during the day, and pig out on pizza or fast food at night. It was not something I could sustain for life, and I didn't feel good on it at all.

[fuzzy324]

I can't say I've ever really tried another "official" diet, though at times I tried just cutting back on portion sizes, which helped me to stop gaining. I just didn't lose that way. I did try appetite suppressant, over the counter stuff at one point, but all I found was that they gave me a constant headache and NO weight loss.

I thought a lot about other diets, though, and I chose South Beach for 2 reasons. One, it sounded healthy and not too fad-ish. Two, I didn't have to pay someone else to lose my own weight. I always hated the idea of the programs where you can only eat their food and you have go to meetings and pay someone so much money a month for the "privilege" of it. I like that you only have to buy one book for South Beach, and the rest is up to me.

[weezle]

I tried Weight Watchers....would lose 5 lbs of water weight and then stall for long periods of time and decide it wasn't worth it. It was too hard for me to lose, especially since they give you "flex points" now, where you have 35 free points to eat every week. I was always starving. Only thing I miss are the desserts.....was looking and they have Mississippi Mud Pie now, only 3 points. I miss the Key Lime Pie and the Cookie Dough Sundaes, too. Really enjoyed their frozen meals, but that's all I could eat. Ravioli and Three Cheese Ziti with marinara sauce were my favorites. I just couldn't do it. I'd starve all day, thinking I wouldn't use my flex points, and then I'd get home from work and eat like crazy! Also, beer is only 2 points per bottle. 35 flex points = 17 beers a week, if you choose, with 1 point left over.

Before weight watchers, I tried counting calories and limiting myself to 1000 a day. Was successful for awhile, but again, was always hungry and eventually quit.

[LaurieX]

OMG, Weezle, you are TOO funny!

I tried Atkins once for a week. It was AWFUL. I was hungry all the time. When I did eat, it was either the same stuff I ate for every other meal or it was so fatty I couldn't eat enough to be satisfied. It took me a year to even LOOK at an egg again. Thinking about the experience hurts my stomach. And I don't even know if I lost any weight b/c I didn't have any concrete goals and didn't weigh myself.

One of the things that has helped me with SBD is that I know exactly what I want to achieve and how I'm gonna get there. It's all clear to me now. I treat myself to a cheat once a week, but otherwise, staying OP is much easier than the restrictions I've heard about in other plans (or "programs"). I could never track carbs, or count points, or eat pre-packaged food at every meal. The Beach is not really complicated and allows a lot of flexibility.

[a broad abroad]

In the past I've just cut out certain things and/or added walking and lost 10-20lbs about 4 different times. But old habits die hard and over time I always gained it back, with interest. Now that I'm 40 weight loss requires much more effort so this approach won't work anymore.

Last year I did Atkins for a month and lost 8 pounds (DH lost 20) but got sick/bored/tired of the limitations/choices and fatty foods. Also last year I did WW for a month and didn't care for it. I agree with the other statements made here about it being too much to think about, too commercial, too expensive, and the meetings did nothing for me. When I quit going I expected to get a postcard asking "where ya' been?' or 'we miss you, come back" but that never happened.

This year in May I started counting calories and walking again. While that was working for me (3 1/2 months) I decided to try something more structured. After a friend told me how she lost 65 pounds on the South Beach Diet I ended up trying it and really do like this WOL. I've only been at it for two weeks, but can definitely see this as a permanent change.

[HistoryChick]

Let's see.....I've done weight watchers with my mom....but didn't like it because why should I pay someone to weigh me?? Then my mom thought she had the greatest idea with herbal life....tried that...it was soooooooo GROSS!!! Slimfast...wasn't so bad I did alright on that....but didn't stick....Then I did my own thing one summer where I basically had salad everyday for lunch and dinner....and did aerobics....lost quite a bit there....and now I'm on south beach and loving it!

[Under a Palm Tree]

Let's see. My Mom put me on diets as a kid, her own low cal thing, Diet Riot (anyone remember them?) As an adult, I've tried weight watchers 4 or 5 times, Jenny Craig for a year (oh my gosh I'm embarrassed to admit that), Atkins. I would lose 5 lbs on each and then struggle gaining an losing. I wish I could say I've lost alot on SBD, but I haven't. In fact yesterday I was up 1lb. The only thing I can figure is that I've built a ton of muscle. I've been weight training and taking karate. Also, I realized I need to make some refinements (must be more careful with nuts and cheese). I can't/won't give up on SBD, I feel better than I have in years. I also added working with a psychologist to assist with accomplishing my goals. I'm confident I'm on the right track. Eventually, it will fall into place.

[tigerlily29]

I also tried Atkins. I hated every minute of it. I felt so tired and I had a constant bad taste in my mouth. I felt so unhealthy. I ended up doing my own variation of it by adding vegetables and come to find out it was almost the same as the south beach diet. I lost 40lbs in just two months but I wasn't eating very much at all. This was before ephedra was taken off the market.