You’ve tried everything and nothing works. Right?
Did you really try everything?
Have you tried: Paleo? Flexible Dieting? Low Carb? Carb Cycling? Intermittent fasting? South Beach? Vegan? Metabolic type diet?
Should I keep going?
The point is that the perfect diet is out there. It may take a little diligence on your part to really give these a shot and find what works best psychologically for you. But have faith that the right diet exists, regardless of your goals.
Anyone who claims their diet is best is stating a personal preference… or misleading you (intentionally or through ignorance). We may all be similar biologically but our mental capacity and capabilities are very different. What I respond to is very different than what you respond to. That said here are 6 steps to discover the perfect diet for YOU!
1. On Your Mark…
The basic principal of any successful diet is to burn more calories than you consume. In order to unsure you can control this you need to know where you are at currently.
There are plenty of calculators that can tell you what your current maintenance intake is but the best way is to find it yourself. To do this you will need a basic calorie counting app or website (there are MANY free options, just search for calorie tracker). Track your normal intake for the next 3 days. Now take the average of those 3 days and you have your starting point. To lose weight simply set your intake going forward to 85% of that number, keep tracking your intake… and you’re on your way!
2. Search And Find
Start looking at the many options available to you (I listed a couple at the beginning of this article). Look for something that sounds the most appealing to you, one that allows you the highest level of psychological comfort. But understand that all diets come with a level of discomfort. There’s obviously a give and take. After all, if it were easy then you probably wouldn’t be reading this.
3. Take It To The Lab
You know your starting point, you found something that sounds good in principal… now give it a shot. Remember the number one rule for any diet is adherence. Stick with it and remember that as long as you create a calorie deficit you will lose weight.
4. Measure Your Success
People sometimes forget to measure more than just their weight while diet. You should be paying attention to how you feel both physically and mentally. Do you constantly feel uncomfortable or bloated or irritable. Are you feeling light, motivated or in control. Take note of more than just your weight because a diet that empowers you is what you’re after!
5. Make Adjustments
You can lose weight (or gain weight) on any diet if you make the proper adjustments, so the goal should be to find one that you like, then adjust to accommodate your goals. If you find you are not losing weight after a week or so then subtract 100 calories from your intake and reevaluate again. Don’t be too aggressive or you’ll back yourself up against a wall in the future and will have very little room to adjust should you stall again.
6. Results…
Did the diet you chose make the grade? If it did then congrats, you may have found the perfect diet for you! Make sure you give it a couple weeks to really give it a fair chance. If it’s not the diet for you, don’t stress it’s out there just try another one.
The real beauty here is that you have the tools now you just need stay diligent and stay committed to finding your perfect diet!
Featured photo credit: Start diet today/Alan Cleaver via flickr.com
