Both plans start with a two week induction period that is more strict than the rest of the diet. The first two weeks of the diet typically yields the most weight lost. This is the time when the dieters wean themselves of the carbohydrates they are used to.
Both Atkins and the South Beach Low Carb Diet have been popular for years. Both diets vary in several ways. It is the nuances between the plans that usually sway dieters to one side or another.
Amazing weight loss of 1 pound every day for the first two weeks in normal. After the initial 2 weeks on the diet, most people lose about 1/2 to 3/4 pounds each day. The amount of weight you have to lose, your metabolism and how well you follow the diet impact this continued weight loss result.
While sharing some similarities, the South Beach Low Carb Diet and Atkinds have different approaches. Atkins low carb diet plan does not have fat intake restrictions, but does eliminate the intake of complex carbohydrates.
The South Beach Low Carb Diet follows the same pattern of eliminating carbohydrates, but also restricts the intake of saturated fats.
For dieters on this plan, they are not to have butter or fatty meats.
Counting grams of Carbs
Followers of Atkins count every single carbohydrate that goes into their mouth after discounting the number of fiber grams.
South Beach dieters, on the other hand, don’t have to count carbs and there are no limitations on non-starchy vegetables. Instead of counting carbs, you would just keep track of portions — how many and how large.
Also, it allows good complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and only disallowing white, refined starches. Starches have no place in the diet while on Atkins.
Which diet is easier to follow?
For most people, I would say that the South Beach diet is going to be the easiest diet to stick too in the long run.
Atkins might seem like a great plan since you can eat all kinds of meat and butter and fatty foods, but most dieters will ultimately find its complex carb restrictions awfully punitive.
Also, this is certainly more heart friendly based upon what we know about saturated fats nowadays.