DIY Diets

I wanted to find great DIY diets and there are so many out there – and so I set out on a search! With so many of the fad diets on the market since, well – I was young, it is a miracle we aren’t all super thin. Diets are one of the most researched, and over promised and underachieved results, in my opinion. There are many facets to dieting that we will take a look at this podcast as well as ways to make a DIY diet work for you!

Please share this podcast with a friend, here’s how – use this link, copy it and email, text or share it on FB! Thanks so much for your help in getting out the word about this show!

Alright—DIY diets, the idea of any do it yourself project is obviously to save money. Yes, there are a ton of packaged plans out there and we’ll discuss some of those later on but I wanted to diet on my own.

In these previous episodes, “Why Your Diet Fails,” and “Eating Well and Losing Weight,” and “Healthy Substitutes That Work,” the main focus in all is that if you don’t follow through it will not work.

I feel I was a pioneer of diets in my teens. I’d eat sparingly during the week disliking the cafeteria food in college and lived mostly on salads and proteins. I did love my melba toast and cheese. I absolutely love cheese and sometimes find myself craving it—which I read could be a calcium deficiency but living in Florida I get plenty of Vitamin D from the sun.

On the weekend when I went home –home was only thirty minutes away, I’d enter my Dad’s Italian restaurant and almost gain 5lbs on the spot. It was not hard to do with the wonderful foods he served. When I went back to school the pendulum would swing the other way and soon I was down 5lbs. I’d fluctuate 5-7-10 lbs and it was easy to lose back then! I could skip a meal and lose 5lbs.

Let’s look at the reasons you may want to lose weight:

Health reasons
Clothes are too tight
You’ve gained weight through the years and those 5lbs a year (on average what most adults gain slowly over time) have piled up.

I will admit that the do it yourself (DIY diets) can have some pitfalls, but we can learn from those with storefronts and prepackaged meals. The main thing they do well is pair you up with a coach.

Here is a quick list of what you need in a diet partner or diet coach (who can be a spouse, a good friend or a professional you hire):

No judging – you don’t need to hear, “You look fine, you don’t need to lose weight!”
A cheerleader – someone who is encouraging.
A helper – someone you can call if you feel led to cheat.
No tempting – someone who will help you stay on your diet.
Accountability—set goals with you and let them monitor you.

Five Good Tips About DIY Diets:

Diets work best when you are consistent and follow-through. You, can’t give up if you do, you will slide back into your bad habits!
Diets work best if they fit into your lifestyle. If you can’t make shakes at lunch with fruits and veggies using a blender switch to powder mixes. I like the 4-Life protein shakes here. Meal replacement shakes here. My daughter eats these on her way to school as a meal replacement for breakfast when she is on the run and doesn’t have time to eat. Invest in a good shaker bottle.
Diets that taste good keep you on track.
Diets that fill you up keep you on track – if you are hungry it won’t work!
Diets that have results work! If you are not losing weight it is hard to stick to your diet!

Use these guidelines to help you in healthy food decisions.

Don’t think you can commit to a diet right now? That’s okay! Use these guidelines to inform health food decisions:

When it comes to losing weight and eating healthy, success starts in the kitchen. Throw out highly-processed foods and invest in a protein powder that you like. Be careful when looking at how much protein comes in a bucket and how big the scoop is, which factors into the servings per container.
Top rated protein shake brands include— 4-Life.com and Isagenix.
Detox is a good way to begin. For me, I use a simple detox. I’ll drink the 4-Life Detox tea (if you have issues with detoxing—use a weaker form, 1 teabag to 2 x the water and drink only half).
Don’t eat sugar or carbs. No fruits! No sugars for about 40+ days helped clear up my inflamed gums! No mint in toothpaste (visit HomeopathyForMommiesPodcast.com for more info on homeopathic remedies) and her store here.
Hydration is the body’s strongest defense to ward off hunger. Try increasing how much water you drink and you’ll not only feel better but you’ll find yourself not as hungry in between meals!
The Keto diet is a high fat, moderate protein, and very low carb diet. The low carb part re-programs your metabolism to burn fat for fuel, rather than glycogen stored in your muscles.
Exercise Apps that work – Podcast Link here – Manual link here – a restrictive diet that works, I’ve lost 15-20 lbs in a month and kept it off! Helped to jump start my 5lbs that I recently lost. If you don’t have body fat it does not work

Choose a diet that works for you and your life.

For those interested in packaged foods.

The major selling point of the pre-packaged diets is that it takes the guesswork out of the process, as well as the temptation. But isn’t fighting temptations part of the process to healthy eating?
So many of the packaged diets out there that are not DIY but are great for moms on the go, looking to lose a few inches off their waist. But, it comes at a price. Who has an extra $300/month just sitting around, especially when feeding an entire family, and not just you?! Even though it’s delivered straight to your door, the downside is you eat a lot of frozen foods, not fresh. It also encourages small meals throughout the day, which can be healthy but also dangerous.
Use a grocery checklist to bring with you with approved and unapproved foods as well as possible substitutions if you are following a set diet.

Don’t think you can commit to a diet right now? That’s okay! Use these guidelines to inform health food decisions: