crash diet 101

I just started a 2-week high protein, low carbs, low calorie diet, and from previous personal and professional experience, I know that it will not be an easy journey.

Today I will share with you my tips to cruise thru a though diet:

Tip#1: it has to have a deadline

If you are following a very strict diet, acknowledge that you cannot stick to it for long. Set a deadline, and when you reach it change your diet to something that is milder and more long term. Knowing that it will be over in 2 weeks will help you go thru the hunger and cravings. Also, staying on a very hard diet for too long will decrease your metabolism, so there are absolutely no benefits to it.

Tip#2: you need a way out

I will not lie to you, keep me off my cheat meal for 2 weeks and I will crack. Cheat meals don’t mean blowing out all the diet, it means hope. For some of you, you will not be allowed to get out of line for some time, but usually you will need to cheat. Why do I think that a cheat meal is important? It will help you avoid daily “small cheats”, and will give you hope when you are really having a bad diet day.

Tip#3: if it didn’t work, try something else

Sometimes it is just not the right time for a crash diet. Sometimes, it is just not adapted to your life. If you fail to maintain a strict diet, don’t give up, you can and will lose weight, but just not this way. You can turn to a more balanced plan with as much exercising as you can. In all cases, don’t give up, this one was just not for you.

Tip#4: find a diet buddy

In my case, my husband is my crash diet buddy. And I must say, it feels good to have someone who is following the same rules as me. This way, at dinner time, we motivate each other, and it brings some comfort to know that you are not alone on this one. We don’t have the same objectives out of it, but at least we motivate each other, instead of tempting one another.