As low-carb dieting gained in popularity, the South Beach Diet was seen as a reasonable alternative to the more restrictive Atkins Diet. In fact, it is less radical than Atkins in many ways while also being more restrictive in others. For instance, during the first "induction" phase of the Atkins diet, you are allowed to eat all the protein and fat you want. Atkins makes no distinction between saturated and unsaturated fats. You could eat surf and turf with melted butter over the top every day, if you wanted. You will lose weight as long as you avoid carbs completely.

The South Beach Diet takes the middle road by allowing some carbs but severely limiting the amount of saturated fats a dieter is permitted to eat. Though this is most strict during the initial phase of the plan, the idea is that you should seek to limit saturated fats as much as possible thereafter. So, you are allowed some nuts and a small amount of low-fat dairy in the beginning. For protein, the diet encourages the lean proteins, especially those rich in omega-3 like fish. Chicken and eggs are also permissible.

With the South Beach Diet, you must really think about what you put into your mouth as opposed to the Atkins Diet which has simpler rules the first few weeks, consisting of basically meat, eggs and a daily salad. As you get started with the South Beach Diet, you will definitely have to do your grocery shopping and meal planning ahead of time to be sure you hit all the recommended nutritional requirements. The upside of this, however, is that actually eating meals is a far more satisfying experience. Boredom with the Atkins Diet is common and far less likely on the South Beach Diet. The variety can help keep you from becoming bored with your diet which, in turn, increases the chance that you will follow through on your goals.

The initial phase of the South Beach Diet is the most challenging. It lasts for about two weeks during which dieters can expect to go through all the difficult changes that occur when nearly eliminating carbs from the diet. However, the South Beach Diet allows you to eat a lot of vegetables, beans and even cheese. After this period, fruit is permitted as is wine and whole-grains. Unlike Atkins, South Beach allows you to eat whole-grain pasta in moderation after you get through the induction period.

Though all low-carb diets essentially work the same way, the South Beach Diet aims to make the experience less jarring than Atkins. Though it will still be a fairly radical departure from your normal eating habits, you can at least look forward to foods such as cheese and vegetables. The goal of South Beach is to teach you to enjoy the right foods and learn to incorporate them into your daily life. Hopefully, your newfound energy and slim physique will make this even easier!