The Diet Game

Guys, I did pretty good. Starting Weight: 100% Ending Weight: 97% Loss: 3% Ending Weight from Jan 1: 97% Loss from Jan 1: 3% Challenges:  There were 2 or 3 days with events that I went ahead and ate as many carbs as I wanted. I definitely noticed a setback after those days. I felt bitter when other people would eat carbs and I couldn't. Successes: Atkins has always felt relatively simple to me. I used the Atkins app which made carb counting easy. Costco made things easy, too. Verdict: My results were ok. I can't complain. I could probably do this longer (and I guess I pretty much will be with Ketogenic in March).

Round 2: Atkins The Rules: 1) Fewer than 20 carbs per day I'll be doing the induction phase for the whole month.

Guys. No so great. I didn't do well sticking to the rules. Starting Weight: 100% Ending Weight: 98% Loss: 2% Ending Weight from Jan 1: 98% Loss from Jan 1: 2% Challenges:  The biggest challenge was that I wanted to eat every day and I wanted to eat well over the 500 calorie goal. I would fast all day, then eat after work and I would overeat because I was starving. I was more successful on days when I spread the calories out during the day. I didn't track calories on the fasting days as I was supposed to. Successes: 2% is something, right? I did find that, at least, it made me think about what and how I was eating. Verdict: Not worth the effort even though the effort is pretty minimal. 

Round 1: Alternate Day Fasting The Rules:  1) Fast every other day 2) on fasting days, still eat, but shoot for 500-750 calories 3) on fasting days, track your food 4) on non-fasting days, do whatever you want

The game is simple: each month of 2018 try a new diet. Stick with each diet for 4 weeks and then move on. If a diet works, you can come back to it later. If a diet stinks, you're free after 30 days. At the end of the year, you'll know how twelve diets work - or don't work - for you. Here's my schedule for the year. Feel free to follow along, or create your own. January: Alternate Day Fasting February: Atkins March: Ketogenic April: Paleo May: Whole 30 June: Vegetarian July: Vegan August: DASH diet September: South Beach October: Zone Diet November: Volumetrics December: unscheduled