Moving forward, we must assume you've done Step 1, and probably also did Step 2 while you were doing Step 1.
By Step 3, you are no longer a carb/sugar addict. For someone wanting a binge-free life, there is nothing more liberating... difficult as it was to get there. But now you are at a fork in the road and need to make your own personal decision what path you will follow. You need to pick the dietary lifestyle that will take you from here.
"How will I know which to pick??"I suggest picking whatever one includes things you like best. Always play to your strengths if you want to succeed.
"Ok, what are my options?"Lifestyle Menu A: Low Carb LivingYou have come this far using the Atkins philosophy. For most people, this is a temporary fix, but if you're the sort that can't live without BBQ, or Dairy, this is probably the best choice for you. And if you are blood type O, yes, this is the one. Foods you will be able to eat include meats of every size and shape, cheeses, low-carb ranch and blue cheese dressings and dips, raw veggies that grow above ground (root veggies are too high in starch/carb). Fruits are an occasional item, and desserts like cheesecake are ok as long as they are made sweet with Splenda or some Stevia extract. You can grab an Atkins book or use the South Beach diet as a guide. Once you get used to the food lists and carb counts, it becomes pretty effortless. Some people also take the low-fat route with this diet by sticking to lean meats and fish as the primary source of protein.
This diet is an excellent way to continue losing weight, especially if you work out, however, expect to have less energy during an intense workout. Without the extra carbs, you'll need to put a bit more heart into your hard physical efforts.
Lifestyle Menu B: The High Energy, Low-Fat LifestyleThis take on nourishment is for people who naturally grab a piece of fruit on the run. It can be done as a vegetarian, eating beans, nuts, and seeds for protein, and focusing on nutritious whole grains at meal time. If wild rice pilaf, quinoa, tabouli, steamed vegetables, potatoes, carrots, raw salads, olive oil and vinegar dressings, and fresh fruit sound good to you, maybe some fish and seafood, this is probably the diet for you. You have to be careful, sticking to the complex carbs and not slip into the evil simple and processed ones.
This diet can be done with lean meats, but vegetarian is recommended. Some people include fish and seafood because they are high in nutrients and have very little fat. Your calories should end up on the light side without all the fats beefing it up... pun intended.
This is your "average healthy diet" slightly modified from the ones found in P90X, and the other host of Beachbody and gym recommended diets. You can tune it yourself to hit your calorie goals.
Lifestyle Menu C: Raw aka The Supermodel Diet aka The Binge KillerThis is the most uncommon diet of the bunch and by far the healthiest you'll ever come across. You will not find the Raw Food or Supermodel Diet recommended often in the mainstream because no one can make money off of it since there are not products to promote. Raw foods. Nothing could be simpler. If it grew on its own you eat it, if it has so much as a scratch, scrape or slice, much less any sort of modification, you don't eat it. Au naturale at it's finest, this is a real model/hippie diet. If you are attracted to peace, love, avocados, smoothies, raw nuts, raw fish, salads, slaws, fresh fruits and veggies, this is the one for you.
Having done this most recently, I have to say that it might be the hardest one to relate to because we generally grew up cooking and being cooked for. There are some fun raw recipes and can be some preparation, but everything is so different, there is definitely some initial culture shock. You'll get over it quickly though when you realize how lazy you can be. You don't cook. Ever. Its an amazing time saver. The food is cheap, healthy, and couldn't be more low cal. Everything you eat is a "living food" and as a result is so rich in nutrients and enzymes that you will never have another craving again. Oh... and with some of these recipes, you can actually eat a brownie for breakfast (for 106 calories) that will satisfy your every urge and keep you skinny as your heart desires.
A good source to learn up on these are Ani Phyo, former supermodel Carol Alt (Eating in the Raw, and The Raw 50), and I highly recommend the book Living Cuisine by Renee Lous Underkoffler (forward by Woody Harrelson).
There are a couple schools of thought in the raw community, some are strictly vegan, others allow meat or dairy only if it is also raw, while others again will aim for a 100% whole food diet which is about 70%-90% raw. No matter which you choose, you really can't go wrong, and can't help getting very skinny.
Lifestyle Menu D: Keeping It Simple, The Dip DietThis diet can be a combination of any of the above. It's very simple. At each meal, you get fresh fruits, veggies, or grilled meat, and 2.5 ounces of whatever low-carb dip you like... cheese dips, bean dips, onion dips, veggie dips, salsa, cream cheese, yogurt dips, clam dips, spinach dips, hummus, etc. (no caramel, peanut butter, or chocolate dips, sorry). The dip doesn't have to be healthy, just not jammed with sugar. That's it.
You can't eat too much, can't get high cal, can't help losing weight. The dip diet will give you 600 - 800 calorie days. No, you're not allowed to dip chips or anything. Just whole foods chopped into dip-sized pieces.
Lifestyle Menu E: I dunno, you tell me...If you find a diet you like more, roll with it. I don't recommend any others because I think they set you up for failure. Jenny Craig my left ass cheek... The packaged meals are processed and will leave you nutritionally sound and low-cal-ish, but with cravings and dissatisfaction. Plus, have you ever seen one of those people actually skinny? They're usually just a thinner shade of fat.
The Bottom LineMy ultimate suggestion is the Supermodel Diet... Raw as you can possibly be. I've read everything, tried most of it, been skinny, been fat, and worked my ass off. I can tell you, nothing feels as incredible and causes you to be as thin as eating Raw. I've also worked in Hollywood, and celebs, models, and other super skinny stars... this is what they do. They work out, they go to spas to keep looking young, and they eat raw foods. Angelina Jolie, Madonna, Heidi Klum, and basically anyone who lasts because this is the only way to be super thin AND super healthy.The details are really up to you.
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