I'll try to give you some answers from my experiences with both the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet. Some people, maybe you, maybe not, but definitely me, have a low tolerance for high carb foods, such as pasta, white rice, potatoes, breads, sweets, and even things like fruit juice. If I eat some of those, my blood sugar spikes and I want to eat more and more of these foods - therefore, weight gain. If I eat a small portion of whole wheat bread and a small portion of the whole fruit (with fiber - not just the juice) the body has to work longer and harder to digest the "good" carbs and my blood sugar doesn't spike high. Atkins has you eat enough meat, eggs, salads, and lower carb vegetables to fill you up and make you feel satiated while keeping the carb count to 20-30 grams per day, which is very low. On this plan I felt great and had plenty of energy and lost 22 lbs. in 2 months, but couldn't maintain that strict way of eating. South Beach emphasizes the "good" carb foods like, whole wheat products, brown rice, beans, and less saturated fat in meats, butter, and cheese. I've lost 11 lbs. in 6 weeks doing the SB diet and feel that it is a healthier way of eating that I can stay on forever. SB does get a little confusing at times; they have updates where they add foods that previously were not on their list of foods to enjoy; some foods they promote are hard to find in all areas or are expensive. For myself, I'm sort of combining the elements of Atkins and SB. I make my own Whole wheat bread, stay away from lots of processed foods, and those chemically toxic bottles of Diet Coke/Pepsi/Mt.Dew/etc. - sorry, but I had to say it! I do put real butter on my morning toast but don't have any butter the rest of the day. I use olive or safflower oil in cooking. I start each day with 1 or 2 eggs with turkey bacon or my homemade lean sausage and I have a cup or two of coffee each day. I usually have a small portion of fruit during the day, but not eaten all at once. I take nuts and cheese for my snacks and keep dinner to a protein and salad or vegetable. I try to drink a lot of water each day and have just discovered that I like Crystal Lite diet drink mix - but I add more water than is called for as I like them weaker. And I don't drink it exclusively all day. My job provides me way more walking and physical activity than I want. I'm also dealing with menopause - which I thought I was completely through - arrrggghhhh! But I'm not on hormones and don't plan to be. When I used to eat too much of a high carb food like potatoes, I would feel like a big couch potato - no energy at all. When I stick to protein and vegetables, I feel better and have more energy. It just takes a while to get completely away from our old eating habits. I've said I'm going to post a big sign at home and at my office that says "REMEMBER HOW GOOD LOW CARB FEELS!" Hah! You might want to do some internet searching and read up on low carb diets in general and Atkins and South Beach in particular. This seems to be more than just a fad now - companies are investing in making low carb products, fast food restaurants are adding low carb menus and....Krispy Kreme doughnut stock has recently gone down!! LOL! If you have other questions, I'll be glad to answer if I can. Teresa

We don't do any grilling in the winter but in summer, if someone's coming to dinner who I know is watching calories, I often make grilled fruit desserts: GRILLED STRAWBERRY SUNDAES 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 cup strawberry spreadable fruit 1 tsp. cornstarch 2 pint strawberries, hulled 2 cups low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt Preheat the grill to a medium heat. In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice, spreadable fruit, and cornstarch. Set aside. Thread the strawberries onto 4 skewers. Grill the kebabs, turning once, for 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the medium saucepan directly on the grill or on the stovetop over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove the strawberries from the skewers and stir gently into the sauce mixture in the saucepan. Divide the yogurt among 4 bowls, spoon the strawberry sauce over, and serve. Notes: Can substitute ice cream for the frozen yogurt if desired. Sauce is best when serve hot. Can also be served over sliced angel food or pound cake. GRILLED PEARS WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE serves 4 4 large firm-ripe Anjou or Bartlett pears 3 Tbs. fresh lime juice 2 Tbs. sugar 1/3 cup evaporated milk (can be evaporated skim milk) 2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar 2 tsp. butter (not margarine or spreads) 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract Peel the pears, halve lengthwise, and core. With a sharp knife, cut a very thin slice from the rounded side of each pear half so they will lie flat. In a bowl, toss the pear halves with the lime juice and sugar. Grill the pears over medium heat for 4 minutes. Turn them over, drizzle with any remaining lime mixture, and grill for 5 minutes, or until tender. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine remaining ingredients. Cook directly on the grill or stovetop over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Cook until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Divide the pears among 4 plates, drizzle with butterscotch sauce, and serve hot or warm. GRILLED STUFFED PEACHES (serves 4) 4 large peaches 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup quick-cooking oats 2 Tbs. firmly packed brown sugar (light brown, preferably) 1 Tbs. finely chopped almonds 1 Tbs. butter, melted 1/2 tsp. cinnamon In a large pot of boiling water, cook the peaches for 30 seconds to make them easier to peel. Immediately remove and rinse them under cold water and carefully remove their skins. Halve and pit the peaches and cut a very thin slice from the back of each peach half so it will lie flat on the grill. In a medium bowl, toss the peach halves with the lemon juice and set aside. Preheat grill to medium heat. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Dividing evenly, fill the centers of the peach halves with the topping. Place filled peach halves on grill and cook, covered, for 5 or 6 minutes or until the peaches are tender. Serve hot or warm. Great with vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream.

We are living low carb and I have to disagree with Salena. We stay away from any starches even the whole wheat. Many fruits are high in carbs as well. The best things to be eating is eggs, cheese, meats and green veges. If you are doing it for a diet, train your mind to a new way of life. My dh has lost over 50 lbs since the beginning of the year, I have only lost 16 but am pregnant so I don't count:) Good luck. Go to your local library and check out a low carb book. Though we don't aren't a supporter of Dr. Atkins, he does have a good recipe book out. You can also buy them off ebay. I have a few if you want to email me sometime. Good Luck. Christie

Well, I made the recipe tonight for dinner and it's a keeper, Ilene! I followed the recipe and for toppings, I used chopped yellow pepper, sliced mushrooms and sauted some spicy Italian sausage. I made it in a 8x11 pan, so I've got some for my lunch tomorrow as well. Thanks again for posting the recipe! Sue