Hi Pudgyman: (oh, I feel mean
)
I've read Sugar Busters. It was one of the first low carb books I read. It's also the least restrictive low carb books.
For what it's worth, here are my thoughts:
Sugar Busters cuts out the sugar. Whole grains are OK. The authors are a 40-30-30 plan (carbs, protein,fat). They certainly don't advocate as high a fat intake as Atkins because they feel saturated fats cause coronary disease. That's a whole other issue.
Therefore, low-fat or nonfat products are recommended. Mostly their carb choices are based on the glycemic index.
I mostly found when I first started doing low carb, that I started substituting one sweet addiction for another. Fruits became my vice. That did me no good in controlling my unstable blood sugars.
My only advise is that you have to figure for yourself what works best for you. There is no "correct answer". I'm sure lots of people will lose weight on this kind of plan. After all, sugar and refined flours are the worst offenders. What you may need to watch for, however, is behavior difficulties. Are you hungry all the time? Are you substituting one addiction for another? Are you bingeing? Those kinds of observations will tell you how well the plan works for you.
Is it better or worse than Atkins? That's a loaded question. How do you define "better". Lose weight quicker? Feel better? Feel less deprived? I'd venture to say that you'll lose weight quicker on Atkins. But you probably will definately feel more deprived on Atkins if you are addicted to grains. That's why you need to decide what is best for you.
Giving up sugar was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I still struggle with the cravings. I used to carry big bags of candy with me everywhere I went, I was so afraid of being hungry (not knowing I was hypoglycemic). If I could do it, you can do it. It will never be easy, especially if you cheat. The best advise for you is not to tempt yourself into thinking that you can have just a little sugar. Five days of bingeing on sugar later, you'll be very angry with yourself. Been there, done that.
Also, to help things along, make sure to take chromium picolinate to help stabilize your blood sugars (200-600 mcg) and l-glutamine supplements to help with cravings. Atkins recommends that when sugar urges emerge, take 1-2 grams of L-glutamine, preferably with some heavy cream and a touch of nonsugar sweetener.
You can do this
Hope this helps,
Wanda