I have been counting calories and managed to lose ten pounds. I found that alot of my snacks and meals were pretty much the same as what you girls eat on the south beach diet. I guess lean protien and veggies make me feel fuller for longer. So I am considering starting with the sbd but would anybody say the weight will come off easier then just counting calories alone? I guess I'm just looking for some encouragment! Thanks!!!
personally counting calories never worked for me cause i still craved other stuff and would just fit it in my day until i was adding more and more. since starting on phase 1 i haven't had any cravings to deal with so i didn't add anything i shouldn't.
The amount of weight I've lost on SBD is way more than I've ever been able to lose before. So, yes, I find I lose more on SBD. But that's because I can stick to SBD and was never able to stick to anouther plan for long. However, it has not been as fast as it might be with other plans - strict calorie restriction or points, etc. I'm okay with that. Slow and permanent is preferable to quick and temporary.
For me it has been much quicker & more long lasting. Greater satisfaction + decreased cravings = more success for me. I also happen to think it is healthier. Some of my choices on WW or calorie counting were not the healthiest foods. My labs are all in better shape than pre-SBD.
For me, it hasn't been about how much I lost but how long I could sustain eating in a particular way. SB has given me a way to eat that really works for me for the very long term.
It took me a long time to lose my 114 lbs ( 15 months)so it was vital that I was enjoying my food...and I was...and I still do!! My total loss is now 124 lbs.
I lost most of my weight just following SBD and not counting calories. I count now because I'm into gaining muscle mass, but if I wasn't I still wouldn't count. I hate counting calories and points and it's what got me on the South Beach Diet.
I tried counting calories and it just let me to a vicious "craving" cycle. I'd eat stuff with white flour and sugar, but if I kept below that "number" I thought I was ok, but I wasn't....eating unhealthy stuff was just not ok.
After almost 2 years of SB, it's just "normal" now and I feel great because I am no longer eating "poison". My energy is through the roof, I work out because I have the energy to do it and the foods I fuel myself with just give me more energy to work out....so now instead of a "yucky" cyle, I'm on a winning cycle!
One of my favorite things about SBD is that you don't have to count calories. It gets rid of the guilt associated with eating when you diet. I just listen to my body the best that I can and eat SBD friendly foods and the weight just comes off. I don't think counting everything you put in your mouth and trying to guess how many calories were in that steak you ate at a restaurant is practical long term for most people. I eat ALL THE TIME on this diet and still lose weight. The weight will still come off if you stop counting calories (as long as you keep your portion sizes moderate and don't snack ALL day long). This kind of food makes it very difficult to overeat so you shouldn't have too much trouble.
I don't know about faster but I am definitely more satisfied and when I last did WW I was completely preoccupied with food. I was always trying to figure out what foods had the lowest points that I could substitute for the sweets I really wanted. I wound up practically starving myself throughout the day so I could have the treats I wanted at the end of the day. Basically, it was completely unhealthy for me. --- I know not everyone does that but I know that is what I do and so it will not work for me.
Now, I eat all the time but the foods are (for the most part) very nutritious. I have learned how to make healthy food that I enjoy and I feel like I could do this forever and be just fine. The things I thought I would miss most (white rice and potatoes) I really don't. I just make smashed cauliflower instead and it works for me. So, no, it isn't always quick but I don't really mind. I'm not in a hurry. If anything I'm wondering what the heck I'm going to do for maintenance because I like the way I eat now. Luckily i have a little while to think it over!
The best part of sb is that you loose the cravings for junk early on and for me these have not returned!!!!!...glory!!!...Of all the diets I have tried, sb is the best for loosing cravings and keeping the weight off...I will celebrate two years of sb on May 6...Thirty pounds gone and hopefully not returning...I was not able to say this with ww or other eating plans...Giving up the whites...sugar and flour have contributed to my success...Its not the amount, its the loss of cravings that I celebrate...Really loosing the thirty pounds have made me feel tons better but the best part of this is that I can walk by junk and not want it...
There is only one way to possibly lose weight and that is to eat less calories than you burn. The south beach diet is a very healthy lifestyle, but losing weight on it still comes down to calorie control. Even healthy foods, when eaten in excess, can cause weight gain.
If you follow the general guidelines of south beach, you will consume about 1400-1600 calories a day and this is the recommended caloric intake for any weight loss plan.
You wont lose more or lose quicker on south beach, like any other plan, the average is .5 to 2 pounds a week. The benefit of south beach over simply counting calories is that the calories you are consuming are nutritious and not empty calories leaving you hungry a short while later.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JennyK22
I have been counting calories and managed to lose ten pounds. I found that alot of my snacks and meals were pretty much the same as what you girls eat on the south beach diet. I guess lean protien and veggies make me feel fuller for longer. So I am considering starting with the sbd but would anybody say the weight will come off easier then just counting calories alone? I guess I'm just looking for some encouragment! Thanks!!!
I'm pretty new to SBD myself, and I've managed to lose about 13 pounds, and am playing around with Phase 2, trying to find the best balance of fruit/grains added back in. Personally, part of my problem has always been portion size so I have been writing everything down on fitday.com and tracking how many calories I'm eating. I'm also doing that to try and make sure I'm not getting too much sodium and enough fiber etc. I'm averaging 1400 calories or so a day and that's without cravings or hunger. But its not strict counting, and I don't plan on doing it forever. Just until I really get the hang of what works for me.
Do you find you lose more on the sbd?
My total loss is now 124 lbs.
