I have tried the south beach diet several times in the past with no success. I'm not sure what went wrong. I'm giving it a go once more, but this time, I want to be clear about certain things, namely, are protein servings really unlimited? Today, for instance, I made some delicious meatballs -with no oil at all- and even though I felt guilty about eating them all, I did so.
I'm an (emotional) overeater and the 'unlimited' portions were one of the best things about this diet - at least this is what I thought before-.
You see, I have being limited.
If I'm remembering correctly (it's been a bit since I read the book), but central to the SBD plan is to eat only as much as satisfies your hunger (that is, mindful eating is key to the program).
The problem for me, is that I cannot tell real from false hunger (assuming that it's not all just plain hunger for me).
I stall or gain on SBD and have even stalled on Atkins induction. I need a counting component, so I use exchange plans, and translate whichever diet I want to follow into an exchange plan (I know that means I'm "not really" following SBD, or whichever.... but I need that counting component, and the exchange plans make it easier to compare one plan to another).
SBD and paleo are perhaps my biggest influences in choosing foods, but the exchange plan creates the portion control element.
If you don't NEED the portion-control element, Awesome, but if you do then counting calories, points, or exchanges or controling portions some other way may help.
Thanks for your answer.
Truth to sell, I do need the portion- control element. Well, after all, there's no perfect diet, right?
btw, what's 'paleo' diet?
Paleo diets, are diets that try to duplicate the diets of pre-agricultural (paleolithic) peoples. The rationale being that during more than 98% of human history, people are believed to have eaten a virtually grain-free, low-sugar, no-dairy diet.
The claim is that many modern diseases (tooth decay, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, hypertension, arthritis, autoimmune disease....) were rare or non-existent in humans until we switched from hunting/gathering to agriculture.
Paleo, Paleolithic, Primal, Primarian, caveman, ancestor.... are other words used to describe diets that share the basic premise. The first book I remember reading on the topic was called Neanderthin. The newest book (too the best of my knowledge) in the genre is Wheat Belly (which argues most strongly against wheat specifically, but grains in general).
Each paleo diet is a little bit different, but the general over-riding premise is that grains should not be a large part of our diet (and some argue that grains should be avoided entirely).
Some allow limited amounts or types of dairy, but most do not. I choose to incorporate dairy, because the first paleo diet (I think Neanderthin) that I followed allowed dairy. The author arguing that unless a person wants to eat the paleo sources of minerals (insects, bones, skin, dirt, internal organs) dairy was an acceptable compromise. I actually do eat some bones (mostly sardine bones), skin, and internal organs, far more than the average, but I also eat greek yogurt, cheese and other cultured milk products.
The primal books are good reads, but they don't all agree on which foods need to be eliminated and avoided (some but not all, forbid eggs, dairy, legumes, sweet potatoes and other starchy tubers, all grains, all grass, sweet fruits, dairy, non-grass-fed meat...). Some paleo diets stress mostly a plant-based diet, some stress a mostly meat-based diet. Some stress a high-fiber diet, some stress a moderate fiber diet... They all stress avoid processed foods.
I've read a lot of the books, because I find the topic fascinating, but instead of following any of them specifically, I walked away with a general principle of trying to eat primarily the "oldest" foods I can choose (trying to eat the foods that would have been recognized as human foods even 20,000 years ago).
There is a certain "limit" even if one isn't set I would certainly think.
For example: If "egg whites" are unlimited, that means have a few if you need them or want them, but don't eat the whole container lol. Do you get what I'm saying?
A lot of the issue seems to be that you're having a hard time deciphering real hunger from head hunger lol. Which is a problem with most people on this board I would assume [at least with me it is]. So, what I do is this.. I eat breakfast pretty soon after I get up, then if I get "hungry" I chug some water and if that helps fine, if not; then I eat 1 egg white. That should fill me up for a while because of the plan I'm on. Sometimes I eat lunch early if I'm just having a "hungry" day, but like right now, I'm eating lunch LOL. Some days I can just last longer than other's. A lot of water is key, for me. Try it
Or some nice herbal tea if your plan allows it! I've heard it helps with hunger a LOT.
the old book suggested eating 3oz of meat as a serving. you should evaluate and if after while you are still hungry, having a bit more. It is not unlimited portions (except maybe for the veggies!).
I always start with one portion of meat, have lots of veggies, have a 2nd serving of veggies and if i still feel hungry, will have a bit more meat. hope that helps
Is serving size really unlimited?
