there are many flaws in the original Atkins diet. in the beginning, everyone was eating salami and cheese thinking they were good to go. Atkins advocated avoiding carbs, but failed to emphasize embracing quality protein and fats. After two months on the atkins, (phase 3) you are supposed to reintroduce "good" carbs back into the diet slowly, until your weight reaches an equilibrium, and then that is how much carbs you eat each day. if you gain some weight, thenback off a bit. if you lose a bit, then add a few more carbs.
The South Beach really just skips to phase 3 of the atkins, but really emphasizes eating quality foods (salads, low GV carbs, etc) and very minimal carbs. Because of the flaws in the Atkins, the SB is a more healthy diet in the long term. But the atkins really loses the weight in the first two months.
Mate, if you are eating a subway for lunch, then good news! You have much room for improvement. Just because Jarrad says Subway is OK to eat, does not mean it is really that good. And the granola bar at night is a no~no too! At this point, you should NOT be eating ANY simple carbs. Period! Simple Carbs = Sugar.
Take the cracker test.
Pop a saltine in your mouth. Chew slowly but do not swallow. As you do so, keep an eye on the second hand of the clock, and note how long before your cracker begins to taste sweet. Within 15 seconds, you should taste sweet. This is how long it takes to convert the saltine into sugar. Sugar is the enemy, and sugar is what makes you gain weight / prevents you from losing weight.
Here is a link to a GV chart:
http://www.glycemicindex.com/
the carbs i eat are typically rolled oats, sweet potatos and yams, brown rice, that sort of thing. you should learn to get in the habit of NOT eating a carb unless you know for sure it has a low GV and is a complex carb.
does this help?