day 8: diet resume

How many things have I tried to do, to lose the extra pounds?

Shall I count the ways?

1. White Rice, Water, Subway "Diet"
This isn't actually a real plan of any kind; it is, however, something I've tried. I'll admit, when you have water in the morning, white rice for lunch and a 6 inch sub with no mayo and no cheese for dinner, you will probably lose a few pounds. Unfortunately, this "diet" is completely unrealistic and has absolutely no nutritional value.

3. sparkpeople.com
This is a free website dedicated to healthy living. This is something I would suggest to you if you need a bit more direction. You take a basic quiz when you sign up and the site gives you suggestions based on your answers. The amount of calories, carbs, protein, etc. you should be eating. How many calories you should be burning daily. How many glasses of water you should be drinking. They have easy tracking systems set up and they even have an iPhone app! You can create your own personal 'space' where you can blog and keep track of your progress. Overall, this is a thumbs up from me.

2. Living on Lean Cuisine
Never have I lost a significant amount of weight living on Lean Cuisines. I would say these may be good in a pinch, but the reality is most of these meals are filled with sodium and carbohydrates; two things I would recommend you cut way back on if you are serious about losing weight.

4. Atkins/Low Carbin It
Since April, I've lost about 35 pounds following this plan. If you stick to it and get creative, soon you will be following this plan without even realizing it. You don't have to follow it SO exactly, just try and stay away from bread, pasta, rice and anything with sugar. I know it sounds harsh but you can use other things to substitute when you really need a carbohydrate fix. I would suggest high fiber wraps; they are great with tuna fish or bacon, lettuce, tomato or just veggies galore. If you need something sweet, stick to berries...try them with mint, lime juice, coconut flakes, maybe a little whip cream and a tiny bit of dark chocolate shavings. And remember, any restaurant will sub your starch for extra veggies, or maybe even a side salad. If you're thinking about it, I would check out the website; if anything, the success stories are totally worth it. Oh and keep in mind that with this plan, you really have to accept the fact that this is a life change...Once you go back, you always go fat.

5. Auditioned for 'The Biggest Loser'
I, sadly, cannot tell you the positives/negatives or the outcome of this particular plan. Other than the very obvious outcome, “I didn't make it on the show”, BUT it was a very memorable day in my life. I was in line in front of the NBC studio with thousands of other 'thinly challenged' people for hours and hours. If I had it to do again, I would totally send in a video audition!

Sometimes it feels like there are SO many different “diets” that things start to get a little convoluted. You don't know if you should go this way or that way; it hurts my brain just thinking about it. Just try and find something REALISTIC! I cannot stress that enough!

And so I say this, to the hundreds of millions of "diet" plans shoving yourselves down our throats, "Back off! Geez!"