My General Philosophy of Low-Carb Dieting

First and foremost, it helps to understand that not all diets work equally well for everyone. A "one-size fits all" approach to dieting simply doesn't take into account the fact that some people respond differently to different diets than others do. I'm not here to evangelize the low-cab lifestyle, but rather to provide tips to those who wish to try it or maybe incorporate some new ideas, information, and approaches.

At the same time, I don't expect lectures in return about the supposed "evils" of low-carb dieting. The fact is -- for me -- it works, and works well. I'm losing weight and feeling healthier in general, and doing an order of magnitude better than any other type of program I've ever tried.

Now, what I have found is that low-carb dieting tends to work well for those who are a) significantly overweight, and/or b) male. On the first point, I think that if you have managed to "balloon" up, odds are that other types of diets just don't work, for one reason or another, and so low-carb may just be the approach that works for you. On the second point, I'm guessing it's genetic, but my own observations indicate that men are more likely to have faster and more consistent (fewer "plateau" problems) results than women. That isn't to say that women won't do well, it's just a warning to not be too worried if your husband or boyfriend is losing weight faster than you are.

It's a Diet, Not A Prison

While any diet requires some form of dedication, there has to be some form of flexibility out there as well. It's not a low-carb world we live in, and there are going to be times when you're going to be in situations where you're going to be in a social setting where low-carb eating will be problematic. It's ok. As long as it's infrequent and you don't go overboard, you'll be just fine.

In fact, my wife and I have a reward/fallback program we call "cheat meals". Once a month, we allow ourselves a single meal where we ignore any low-carb dieting restrictions. We try to be on our best "diet" behavior immediately before and after this "cheat meal". This allows us to plan for parties or other gatherings, or even just a special occasion for the two of us (our next one is actually for my birthday and our anniversary at the end of the month).

The benefits here include not only the ability to mingle with "normal" folks once in a while, they also include an incentive or reward for sticking with the plan. It's a lot easier to pass on a donut in the break room if you know you're going to have pizza next Tuesday. Also, and this is purely subjective and anecdotal experience here, the occasional (and I mean occasional, not frequent!) high-carb meal seems to spur weight loss a couple of days later (of being "good").

The Low-Carb Plan For You

I've got nothing against South Beach and its variants. Personally, I'm an Atkins guy myself. The good doctor had a sound philosophy and the results bear out his theories. To me, South Beach isn't as sound, but it's a lot easier and mainstream in terms of what can be eaten. (On the whole, I think South Beach might be better for those trying to lose 20-30 pounds as opposed to those trying to lose 30+.)

That said, go back to the original statement at the top, and do what's best for you.