South Beach Diet Thoughts and Reflections

I try to balance my weekly reading by visiting several different types of forums, and sections within forums. One of the topics I've been particularly interested in lately is the South Beach Diet. I really like the way in which it is structured. And regardless of the glycemic index controversy within the low carb community, you can't deny that for a lot of folks The South Beach Diet works rather well.

What I find a bit disheartening is the tunnel vision that seems to be quite prevalent among low carb dieters. That their way is the only way. For example, over at Low Carb Friends the other day, someone raised the question as to whether low carb diets ever stop working. Since they were someone who suffers from lots of water retention, a yo-yo low carb dieter who was attempting this way of life for the upteenth time, she sincerely wanted to know the truth.

But the truth is not what she got. Sadly, the greater majority of comments and advice were myth, false perceptions about low carb itself, lots of fantasy (what people wish was true), and possibly a little bit of projection.

The most disturbing thing about that thread was why low carbers continue to believe in, and preach to others, all of the inaccuracies about low carb that keep people fat and unhealthy. How many years does one have to keep doing whatever isn't working, before they are allowed to look for success elsewhere? How many times do we have to continue listening to the often parroted consensus that if low carb has stopped working for us, it's our fault. Or its our thyroid.

Honestly, I'm sick and tired of all of this outdated garbage advice. Especially since no one has anything other than private opinion to back any of it up.

Which is why I've been focusing on, and investigating, The South Beach Diet lately. It's why I've been looking at individuals who are doing a more moderate carb diet, and wondering...

Can our bodies actually reach a point where they don't want to take the starvation pathway any more?

Could it be, that for those who don't make a straight path to the finish line the first time around, that the body becomes too efficient at creating and using ketones for our own good? Could it be that for some, our bodies grow tired of having to neutralize all of the excess cortisol created from the stress placed upon it when we try to follow a low carb diet for too long?

Granted, these types of issues aren't applicable to everyone. Lots of folks enter into a low carb lifestyle, struggle to their goal weight, then happily maintain it healthily for the rest of their lives. But the fact that they are applicable for some, means low carb itself isn't the overall, magical, one-size-fits-all answer that so many within the low carb community claim.

And yet -- those who tend to stop living the definition of insanity, those who look in a different direction are looked down upon and ridiculed, and even shamed. Warned that they are are going to be hungry if they eat carbs. Warned that they're going to destroy their health if they don't tow the party line.

Why can't we, as a community, be more supportive of those who seek to find health another way than ourselves?

It really disturbs me that those who follow, and are having lots of success on The South Beach Diet are met with opposition from those who should be the most supportive of their attempt to find something that works for them. And it really disturbs me that so many within the low carb community who could be helped to reach their goals by following a plan a little less strict than what most define low carb to be, are not receiving that help due to the errors of belief that keep getting thrown at those for whom low carb has stopped working.

In an attempt to reach out to some of those people, I recently wrote an article for Suite 101 about how to modify a South Beach meal plan to make it gluten free. I also plan on starting a new blog this coming week about a more moderate carb lifestyle. I've been meaning to do that, as well as start one on gluten free living, for awhile now; but just hadn't gotten around to doing that.

But something Jimmy Moore said to me in the comment section of my journal blog the other day when I was really in a depressive funk, and upset about all of the low carb gurus who haven't been able to make low carb work for them, really struck home.

Life is about growing. And growing is about gaining strength to stand up and be who and what we are. It isn't about becoming a follower and doing whatever everyone else we are hanging out with is doing. It's about choosing to do for ourselves what needs to be done to succeed, regardless of what anyone else thinks about it, or does.

So if high-fat, low carb is working for you -- GREAT. Keep on doing what you're doing. But if low carb isn't working for you, then it's OKAY to find a different path that will.

"This is YOUR life and you do what's best for YOU."