Diets....from a box?



One thing that has always driven me crazy ever since I can remember, is boxed diets.  Diets that you see on infomercials.  Diets that show women with hard bodies, and men that look like Hercules.  Diets that want to sell for $150 a pop.  The reason they bother me is because they are NOT healthy, and they are a waste of money. 

I always complain about how people are naive and fall for these crash diets (I guess now they call some "cleanses"), then end up gaining the weight back, or go back to eating badly.  Was it really worth the $150 you just tossed?  I was watching TMZ last night, and my suspicions were confirmed by none other than the famous Jillian Michaels!  I felt better knowing that SHE felt the exact same way, considering she is a very famous personal trainer!  She was talking about a 10 day diet (or "cleanse"), and her exact words were, "Do not do it".  She said the EXACT same thing I have been saying for the longest time: "CLEAN eating, and HEALTHY eating". 

The cleanse that you just paid $150 for, can be done for under $2 per-day with raw, whole foods.  You know what is going in to your body.  It is proven that dark leafy greens and certain fruits will detox your liver/kidneys, help you lose weight (if that's your goal), and not only those two main things, but will include a TON of other health benefits and is cheaper!  Jillian Michaels says that diets such as the "Master Cleanse" are terrible for you, and the biggest crash diet there is. 

The other dangerous part about these types of diets is that they do not include enough protein.  There are such diets like the grapefruit diet that really work, but personally I do not recommend them unless you are eating lean proteins with them (beans, chicken, etc.).  You can not drink liquids for 10 days and lose weight in a healthy manner, you just can't.  You may lose weight, but your body is lacking tons of other nutrients.

Clean eating has nothing but amazing benefits.  I think people think that if they use these crash diets, they will lose weight, gain muscle, and be loaded with energy.  Not the case.  The people who do things like protein diets, are also working their butts off to lose the weight.  If you practice clean eating, plus workout, your results are going to be alot better and last alot longer than using a commercial-based diet plan and sitting around watching the clock for results. 

I have followed Kimberly Snyder's blog for a while now.  She is a famous nutritionist for Hollywood.  She does try to sell some things, but she also has a smoothie called "Glowing Green Smoothie".  She explains that the ingredients that are in it will remove toxins from your body, while keeping your skin clear, etc.  Not something you are going to get from a crash diet.  Here is her recipe below:

1 ½- 2 cups very cold, filtered water

6 cups spinach, chopped

5 cups organic romaine lettuce, chopped

2 stalks of organic celery

1 organic apple, cored and chopped

1 organic pear, cored and chopped

1 organic banana

1–2 Tbs. fresh organic lemon juice

I am no nutritionist, and I am not the most healthy person on the planet, and it is all based off my person opinion, experience, and research, but I personally recommend that if you want to lose weight, gain energy, gain muscle mass, not waste money and detoxify your body, you do it with two simple words: "CLEAN-EATING" (and exercise)!  Clean eating is not only benefiting you, but also your children since they aren't included in commercial diets.  You set a good example for them, and you eat/cook meals as a family, instead of just focusing on how you as the adult is eating.