The Adkins Diet vs. the South Beach Diet
Tonya Richardson
COM 155
May 5, 2012
Michele Armentrout

The Adkins Diet vs. the South Beach Diet

The Adkins diet is famous for claims of weight loss, but the South Beach diet is said to be a more heart healthy choice for dieters. Most diets are hard to follow, and have so many restrictions on food that people often get fed up and revert to their old eating habits, instead of continuing with a new diet plan. A diet that restricts certain foods may be setting a dieter up for failure, when they give into temptation, and indulge in their favorite foods not included in their diet. The Adkins and South Beach diet offer a variety of foods that include healthy and tasty choices, even for the pickiest eaters. Both diets are similar, and start out with an induction phase that restricts the foods you eat, and lasts about two weeks. The Adkins diet relies solely on counting the total number of carbohydrates you eat in a day, and the South Beach diet relies on the size and portion of carbohydrates eaten each day. Both diets result in about the same number of carbohydrates per day, but are calculated using different methods. So, let`s explore the reason we want to lose weight in the first place.
First, we all want to improve our current health and prolong our lives. Unfortunately, because we tend to eat unhealthy foods, we experience weight gain and are acceptable to health related problems, such as high cholesterol. Changing your eating habits to include healthy food choices can lower bad cholesterol (LDH) and increase good cholesterol levels (HDL). Healthy food choices can also promote an increased metabolism, which will help you burn more calories and lose those unwanted pounds. One of the biggest benefits to losing weight, besides getting back into those old skinny jeans, is the boost in self esteem. Having a healthy