Do and Don'ts of the 30 Day Diet

We probably all wish that there was the miracle diet that had all do's and no don'ts. Do eat as much chocolate as you want; do eat all the fat you like; do eat morning, noon, and night. Unfortunately, most diets are more don'ts than do's, and dieters have to give up many of their favorites without much return. My diet has its do's and a few don'ts. Luckily, the don'ts are not that bad and not that many.

---The Don'ts----

1. Don't drink calories unless you really must. This diet, like any efficient diet, is based on limiting calories and fat intake. Drinking calories is a waste unless your drink really keeps you feeling full.

2. Don't eat fast foods unless it is your cheat day. This is common sense. Fast food is chalked full of calories and fat.

3. Don't eat more than 25 grams of fat per day, and don't consume more than 1200 calories. This is the rule you must follow. It doesn't matter what you eat, sugar, carbs, whatever- just stay within your allotment for fat and calories.

4. Don't forget to keep track of your calories and fat intake.

----The Do's----

1. Drink plenty of water. It's best if you drink a small bottle of water or .5 liters with each meal. The water will help keep you feeling full, and it will help you rid your body of toxins and fat.

2. Plan ahead. Eating on the fly is what puts on the weight. If you plan your meals in advance, you won't overeat or binge at the last minute. See my blog on quick low fat meals.

3. Try to be active during your day. If you can't hit the gym, try doing some jumping jacks, running in place, some squats, or just dance like maniac in your living room for ten minutes.

4. Eat. I know it seems obvious, but some of us think that starving is the best way to go. It's not.

5. Schedule in a cheat day. All work and no play is never fun, and the same goes with dieting. Scheduling in a cheat day allows you something to look forward to, and when things get rough, that cheat day is the like the light at the end of the tunnel.

6. Eat what you want so long as you manage your portions.

7. Keep track of what you eat, even the small things like gum, and write it down in a food journal. This really helps. You will find yourself refusing foods because you don't want to have to add them to your calorie log. It also helps because as the pounds start to fall off, you can go back and see what you were doing right.

Okay, so that is the diet in a nutshell. The trick to this diet, aside from following it, is really the cooking. I have found great ways to eat under 1200 calories and 25 fat grams a day, and I'm going to share them with you as I go. Keep checking back for more updates.