This conversation (in one form or another) happened THREE times last week:

Friend: What is the best diet for me? I need to lose (X) pounds.

Jon: Do you drink sodas or juices or tea?

Friend: Yes. But I only drink (Y).

Jon: Do you eat fast food or packaged meals? 

Friend: Yes. But I only eat (Z).

Jon: Okay, you don’t need a diet. 

Friend: WHAT?!?!?

Look, if you are in the same situation as my three friends above, I’m going to save you a lot of time and effort and frustration here. There is no safe, effective “diet” that is going to enable you to eat Z, drink Y, and still lose X. Sorry. Not going to happen. Ever. Anyone telling you otherwise is lying, trying to sell you something, or putting you at risk because their solution includes an unhealthy component that will likely do more harm than good. 

To be clear, I am absolutely suggesting that you stop drinking diet soda, sweet tea, and ANY juice that doesn’t get squeezed directly from the fruit in front of you. Drink water. And stop eating fast food combo meals or frozen/boxed meals that were prepared by an industrialized commercial facility. Eat real food with ingredients you can pronounce. 

Like I did with my three friends last week: I promise you that you will lose (X) if you stop drinking (Y) and stop eating (Z.) Within a week, you’ll feel better and the scale will reflect a change. Within a month, your clothes will start fitting differently. Within 3 months, your health will improve. And then you are set. 

So you don’t need a diet.

You need to make two simple changes to your life.  They might not be enough to make dramatic changes. But any solution that ultimately works will start with these changes. May as well get started, now.

Get serious. Stick to it. I think you’ll do well. 

I invite you to let me know your results.