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South Park Diet

In an effort to lose some weight before the start of the cycling season, I decided to give the South Park Diet -- I mean the South Beach Diet -- a try.

While the South Park Diet would be a whole lot more fun, the South Beach Diet isn't too bad. It doesn't go to quite the extreme as the Atkins Diet does, but it does call on you to watch your carbohydrate intake closely. That means no white bread, no potatoes, no beer. It does, however, allow limited intake of whole-grain bread, sweet potatoes and red wine.

When I told Rachel, one of the fine baristas/sellers at the Fairview Heights Borders, that I was doing the South Beach Diet and would not be getting a cinnamon roll with my coffee, she admitted that she thought the Atkins Diet and other other low-carb diets were a bunch of hooey.

" You got to have some carbohydrates," Rachel said.

I agree. I don't totally buy all the tenets of the South Beach Diet, although more so than I did the Atkins Diet. It makes sense to greatly cut back on French fries, Krispy Kreme doughnuts and candy bars. While I agree it's probably a good idea to avoid excessively processed foods, I also believe in Doug Kaufman's philosophy that "you should do all things in moderation, including moderation."

A friend of mine has lost 100 pounds in a year using the Sugar Busters Diet, which is somewhat similar to the South Beach Diet. But he only allowed himself three beers in 2003. That kind of discipline is a bit much, if you ask me.

I haven't weighed myself since I started the diet, although I noticed my clothes are fitting better in the three weeks I started the diet. I have a doctor's appointment this week, so I will know how much I've lost then.

Roger 0 comments 3:13 PM