I am having a lot of trouble losing any weight on Atkins (been on Induction for amost 4 weeks and back to original pre-diet weight after bouncing around 2-3lbs). Can someone give me an honest, unbiased comparison between Atkins and the South Beach Diet? I read a little about SB and it sounds almost exactly like Atkins. How are they different? And if the low carb theory of Atkins is really correct, how would another (different) lowcarb plan help when Atkins fails?!! Getting very frustrated, confused, and discouraged here!!!!!Please Help!!!

You have stayed on Indcution for more than the 2 weeks. Many people find that they lose BETTER as they increase the carb in Ongoing Weight Loss. Then you have the leisure to drop the carb level back down if you go too high or get stalled. The body can adjust to manage on the low carb level and may need the stimulus of the higher carb level to get losing again.

South Beach states that it is NOT a low carb plan (see Chapter 1). Only the first few weeks are sort of low carb. I believe (from what I've read) that South Beach advocates low fat as well.

If you are a person who will lose better at a higher carb level (BUT choose from the low glycemic carbs that are listed in the plans) then you'll just have to try and see.

Hi Katlynweb. Don't give up. You have had the willpower to keep lc'ing for 4 weeks! Effort and willingness are half the battle! I know how frustrating it is when your body takes it's sweet time about showing results. Before I give you my understanding of the difference between Atkin and SB I have a few questions/suggestions. 1. Are you drinking tons of water? It sounds crazy but it makes a huge difference. 2. Are you moving (as in any exercise at all)? Sometimes a body needs a kick start to get the metabolism going. 3. Though the scale isn't moving, how about body shape? Are you losing inches? Are you building muscle (that weighs more than fat)? 4. Are you using products with sugar alcohols in them like the Atkins shakes or Advantage bars? Many people find that those sugar alcohols cause stalls in weight loss. 5. Have you considered moving on from induction, adding some carbs, in order to get your metabolism going? 6. Are you sure you are eating enough calories that you body doesn't go into starvation mode which slows the metabolism?
Ok. All of that said, I agree with you that Atkins and SB are very similar. Both believe that processed carbs as in sugar and refined grains are "evil". Atkins has you cut back further on carbs to start than SB does but adds back the same items eventually, whole grains, nuts, low glycemic index fruits. Every body is different with different tolerances. Its really a matter of experimenting with what works for you. Another major difference between the two is SB's emphasis on lower fat foods and cuts of meat and "heart healthy" fats in cooking . You won't find cream and butter and whole eggs on SB.
IMHO the reason different lc plans work for different people is because of the different body tolerances for carbs ingested as well as needs for carbs ingested. Some people cant lose at a higher carb intake. Others cant lose at an extremely low carb intake.
Please don't dispare! Many people here have been through exactly what you are going through now. I am sure you will get many more messages of encouragement and words of wisdom. Ask some specific questions about your current routine and see if the experts here cant give you some tried and true suggestions. This forum is filled with amazing people who I am sure can help.
Keep on track Katlynweb. You came to the right place!

Hang in there! There is definitely some small thing that needs to be corrected to get things moving.
One thing I can just about guarantee will help is Fitday.com. IMHO Atkins works. Period. It may be faster for some and slower for others. There may be modifications that will help some but I believe that it will work and that if it's not happening then something needs to be tweeked. Use Fitday. Are you guessing at your carb count? What is your caloric intake? I know....calories aren't supposed to matter. I say they do. They aren't the number one issue but they matter. For me between 1500 and 1800 roughly is good...too high or too low slows me right down. I find Atkins allows me to control my appetite and craving so I am more likely to only eat what I need (frankenfoods will defeat this). Fitday will let you know if your guesstimates on amounts you're consuming are off or not. It has gotten me on track several times!

It sounds like you've read the book. Good! Thats a must!

Water is a must. Here's a link to another thread that short & sweet on water....

Water

Are you staying away from processed foods, frankenfoods, etc.

Well, that's my morning rant!
Hope you find something of use in there....stick to it and you will succeed (see signature tag below).