I’m not that gal that goes for fads. There are some things in life that I might be tempted to try, just because the allure is too great to resist, but there’s not much out there that fascinates me to that point.
I don’t dress according to trends. That’s why you’ll never be able to go into my closet and find something that’s current. An example are capes. I fell in love with capes about five years ago, when no one was wearing them. My friends thought I had lost my mind as my cape collection expanded beyond even their grasp. Now it seems everyone is spinning a cape in the air and letting it fall gracefully around their shoulders, and I am kind of feeling “meh” about them.
Fad diets and fad diet products are another mystery to me. The famous Cabbage Soup Diet, or Eat Only Mangoes, or eliminating foods from your diet that are actually good for you to be eating. These kinds of diets play havoc with your internal clocks and gears and send your metabolism into shock.
I know some folks that try everything out there that comes up, but I tend to stick with just one thing and either stay with it as a life change, or beat it into the ground until I decide it doesn’t work and probably never did. There are some diets that are life changers and those I can get on board with. Ideas like the Ketogenic Diet or the Paleo Diet are great, if you commit 100%. The problem is that many folks just won’t make that kind of a commitment, even when their life depends on it.
Currently I do not take or use any diet products. ย
I have a good friend that found out her health would not allow her to lose weight the regular way, so she had surgery. That’s a life change and it’s also someone that did the work before diving into the pool. Every move she made was under a doctor’s care. These folks out there with their shakes and their supplements can’t make that claim. In fact, they say the opposite; “This product may not have approval from the FDA”. I don’t think the FDA is the goddess of all things edible, but it’s a nice place to start.
I am happy to watch my friends that are at least making the attempts to try new stuff and change their lot in life for the better. They do all the work and I can see if what they’re doing is producing results, or not. Then I can base my decision on their success or failure. Like I stated above; currently I do not take or use any diet products.
I have watched this one friend go from trying a new diet product, to falling in love with it and joining the pyramid selling scams that seem to be attached to most of these items. Then every friend becomes a customer with a weight issue and her Facebook profile becomes one long boring sales pitch; “Let me send you some samples!” When the latest fad diet product companyย went bankrupt, because most of them eventually do go belly up, or she ran out of friends that weren’t listening to her spiel anymore, she moved to the next new thing. There was never an explanation about why the product that was changing her life, had also just changed names.
I’m no expert, but one thing I do know for a fact is that diet pills and shakes are not loaded with magical fairy dust. You’re going to need to do some jumping jacks. In the end, the jumping jacks are going to be the reason you lose any weight.
My sister in law and I decided one year to try one of those places that mail you meals for the week. We heard this one meal plan was having terrific results and it sounded perfect! Every week I would get this huge cooler stuffed with dry ice and plastic packaged meals from breakfast to dinner. I could add salads and suggested snacks on my own, and I most certainly did that. The food was pretty good and I followed the rules for what to eat on which day, to the letter, but I never lost any weight.
Not wanting to be the one that was the spoilsport by quitting first, I asked her how she was doing with the meal plans. She told me she had quit a long time ago because when her meals would arrive she would spend the first two days eating everything in there that she liked and just trash the rest. I had never thought of doing that.
I truly hate to be the one to burst your bubbles out there, people, but these kinds of diet plans, supplements and shakes and pills are never going to work. There is no magic pill you can take. They either won’t work, or they rot your liver. If there was one, everyone would be taking it and everyone would be skinny.
If you must spend your money on something, then consider these options. These suggestions allow you to be in control of your destiny and they are plans that treat you like an adult that can make adult decisions and be held accountable. You pick and prepare your own food, you take recommended, FDA approved, vitamins and you mingle with other adults doing the same thing.
- Join Weight Watchers. It truly is a great life changing plan.
- Join a gym, the YMCA, a dance class, a boxing class or an exercise bootcamp.
- Buy a yoga mat and learn yoga.
- Buy some cute compression workout gear.
- Leg and ankle weights make a huge difference in the validity of that walk around the block you’re taking.
- Buy healthy fruits and vegetables. Spend those extra dollars on the good oils and quality kitchen equipment, like a blender or a juicer.
- Subscribe to a healthy cooking magazine. I subscribe toย Cooking Light and find that I can plan a few week’s worth of good meals from one issue.
You don’t need a magic pill or a mystery shake with an unknown sea creature’s adrenal glands to make you skinny. All you need is a good attitude and the will to do the work, but most important, you need to love yourself enough to know you deserve to be whatever you dream of being.
Its awesome how a lot of people are moving towards Yoga ๐ Meditation and yoga are food for my soul. Have you been to Rishikesh in India? It is the YOGA capital of the World and has number of ashrams for meditation and yoga.
Read my blog on it here โ https://himadri7.wordpress.com/2017/01/26/rishikesh-is-not-just-about-rafting/
Do visit when you have the chance, youโd love it! Much love from India. Namaste ๐
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I think this new trend is one of the healthiest out there too, mainly because it includes a spiritual side and can be so incredibly centering and calming. I haven’t been to India yet. Thank you for sharing your post with me. I will have a look. ๐ Namaste to you as well.
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I hope it encourages you to visit soon ๐
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Himadri, the link to your blog on your Gravatar is incorrect. I’m not sure of you’re aware of that, but it takes you to a link that says your blog doesn’t exist; himadrieee.wordpress.com
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Thanks, I shall look into it.
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Changed it ๐ Let me know if it still takes you to the incorrect site.
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Now it’s perfect!
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๐
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Madeline,
I have always had a weight issue. I have tried a few diets too and most have worked for me especially if I kept at them diligently. I could not afford the home delivered food diets so never tried that. A colleague of mine lost tons of kilos by exactly following the home delivered diets. She doesn’t indulge.
So to each his own, I guess.
Susie
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Maybe I should have been more descriptive and not blanketed just diets, but fad diets. I’m going to go back now and edit. BRB.
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I especially shun those pre-packaged diet plans out there. After my experience and knowing I would never be able to wean myself from the food because they would never share the recipes, I just decided it wasn’t worth it. AND I never lost a single pound! I applaud your friend for her willpower though and hope she continues with her own weight loss success.
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I have even seen her eat chocolates and brownies on the diet- there was no deprivation there.
Nuts – about 5 at a time- they are pre packaged. Food is sent to her every morning. It is quite expensive but as she does not cook at all- it is a Godsend.
Susie
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Perhaps if she’s a good friend, she would allow you to record her weekly foods and portions as she receives them and then you could imitate that on your own. I would love to find out how that worked. What do you think? You could write a weekly post with the listing of meals and portions for all of us. ๐
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I will try. Except for the one time she was food poisoned when she ate a fish dish they sent, she has been a very satisfied customer.
Susie
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Good deal! I’m looking forward to reading your posts!! Yay!
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I have to admit I have never been on a weight loosing diet. My weight has been pretty much the same for most of my life other than when I was pregnant. I think that diets can really upset our systems but as I say I’ve never done it. I agree with your point of view however and I think your suggestions are very sensible. Thanks!
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Thank you, Anne! ๐ I have been skinny, painfully skinny, my whole life and started gaining weight when I damaged my spine. It’s been a struggle for me because working out is painful, but I do it. It’s always so tempting to look for that magic pill under my circumstances, but I’ve learned they do nothing except make my pocketbook lighter.
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I have tried Weight Watchers and had some success. My mom and sister have both lost over 60 lbs on it. I recommend it to anyone. However, I did decided it was for me and am in the process of designing my own plan. This should be interesting. ๐ Thanks for the post!
blissfullyfitmom.wordpress.com/
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I’d love to hear more about your plan and how it goes! ๐
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Once I really get into it and see how it goes I will post an update on my blog
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