Yoga, Food Creations & Life Talk.: Which Diet Should I Choose?

How the hell are you supposed to figure out which diet will work specifically for you? I'm going to break it down in my own words. Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts.

Paleo - Low Carb + High Protein. This way of eating is essentially for meat eaters, but there are ways around it for non-meat eaters. Nuts should be okay too. If you have an allergy, things can get a bit more complicated in terms of the nut flours and nut meals you use for recipes. A ton of cross-fitters love this diet and I can see why!

AdvoCare - 2 phases. First phase, the 10 day cleanse phase. Herbal cleanse with fish oils, amino acids, 21 vitamins and minerals, probiotics and a meal plan that sets you up to eat every 2-3 hours. Low glycemic carb + protein + veggie X3 per day, Fruit + Healthy Fat x2 per day. Pretty simple. Phase 2, the max phase. Now the body is cleansed and ready to absorb all the good stuff. The toxins are gone and the body is able to receive the nutrients it needs. This is my plan and it is the easiest thing to follow. I love it. I lost 22 pounds more than a year ago and haven't gained anything back. I don't restrict, I drink a lot of water and I eat more than I ever have in my life. YAHOO!

No Sugar Diet - I noticed on the no sugar diet, there is still molasses and honey and coconut sugar. This wouldn't work for me because I'm prone for high levels of candida. They use natural sugars for recipes, but I don't know. You can have granola or oatmeal with blueberries, instead of dried fruit and/ honey because fruit is so naturally sweet and if you are buying store bought granola, it's usually already sweetened. Either way, this diet has some great benefits for serious sugar addicts. I was a sugar addict but quit candy and all that junk two years ago. Depression and anxiety lifted, along with serious mood swings! Quitting sugar is a good idea, but never deprive, that's when the issues arise.

Atkins - I did this my senior year in high school and lost 4 pounds in one week. I was freakin' starving and could think of nothing but carbs. I wasn't even a carb addict...okay, so chips and salsa were a 3 x's a week thing, but bread never sounded so good after I cut all carbs out. For some, this kind of diet causes a restrict and binge issue, but for others it works. I know people lose weight quick, I'd suggest slowly reintroducing gluten free carbs.

Weight Watchers- I tried this during gymnastics season in high school and I learned portion control but I became obsessed with counting points and calories. I've heard things have changed a lot since 2003, but again, this is based on my experience. I lost weight but it became about the number on the scale every week for weigh-ins and not about learning how to eat healthy.

Jenny Craig - Packaged food that you have to eat for every meal? Talk about raking in the sodium. Geez. And as soon as you stop ordering Jenny Craig meals and eat real food, I've heard that weight that has been lost is regained and then some! I've never tried it, but customer reviews speak loudly on the internet.