We’re quite a few months past the annual New Year Resolution and I’m wondering, are you still resoluting?

Personally the one resolution I made this year for myself was promptly broken within 48 hours. I vowed to read just one book at a time. To no longer have my bedside table stacked with half read books, homemade bookmarks sticking out taunting me nightly “Pick Me! Pick Me!”

Instead though on January 2nd the notice came in from my local library, the book I had forgotten I had reserved had come in. I had 7 days to pick it up. And only 21 days to read it.

Crap! Sorry Diarrhea Dietitian, You Are a Badass, Omnivore’s Dilemma- Young Readers edition, you’ve all been placed back on hold….again. (Yes, I’m reading a book about diarrhea.) And unfortunately more reserved books have come in.

There’s just so much I want to read!! I’m sure you understand!!

Which gets me back to diets. Is there a perfect diet? After all there’s so much good food to eat? But so much health to be obtained. Or weight to be lost.

So I’ve come up with 3 Misfit rules or perhaps red flags when deciding what to consider when looking for “The BEST diet”.

Rule #1: If you’ve already decided to pick a new way of eating say “Whole 30”, “Paleo”, “Keto” and the first thing on Pinterest you are searching for is desserts that fit into this category, I hate to tell you but that’s not the right diet for you.

Although from a blogger/ dietitian gal these are the type of posts that get the most hits, they still crack me up.

Bluntly said, if you’re concerned how to fit in treats in your world on the regular enough to search out recipes, buy the random ingredients most likely not to be in your pantry then gamble that it’s going to be tasty enough to fill that dessert void and replace your grandmother’s recipe for grasshopper pie well I hate to be a downer but it probably won’t happen. And I’d hate to for you to waste your time and money.

Rule #2: Your new way of eating is causing a continental divide in the home. In other words, you feel you’ve banished yourself to be a personal chef or worse, you’re now eating alone.

There’s alone eating that brings peace, alone eating that brings shame, and alone eating that leaves you lingering in the middle.

Sometimes it’s that last one that’s worse because you long for the fellowship at the table but also don’t want to succumb to your efforts being sabotaged once again by the ones you love. And being called out for you not sticking to your “diet” once again, even though you think it’d work this time.

Sabotagers are hard to ignore, I’ll save that talk for another post. Just know there’s usually a happy medium there that doesn’t take hours in the kitchen. Or money. But if you pick an “all or nothing” type diet plan WITHOUT a plan, it’s not the right plan for you, at least not at this time.

Rule #3: Just like searching out the perfect No sugar, No oil, No flour dessert, if you’re spending hours in the grocery store looking for convenience, pre-packaged or frozen foods fitting into your new plan this should also be a red flag.

Chances are, those items are just filled with other garbage or more salt or more sugar or added fibers that are going to have you stinking up your office. Sure it’s fun to find a prepackaged item that’s seemingly healthier or at least has less whacky ingredients than your daily stand-by but overall it might not lead to weight loss.

Many of my clients have dabbled in trying many current common styles of weight loss, particularly low or ultra low carb. And I’ve noticed that ones that come straight to me without dipping their toes in Paleo, Atkins, etc have a harder time committing to my system.

What I’ve realized is that these clients in particular WANT to try these diets. It’s like it’s calling to them. They yearn to get on the no bread bandwagon. And as a professional, I’ve realized that they need to do this.

It’s like dating the bad boy.

Some diets can be fun, flashy, serve you well in the short term. But after the honeymoon phase has worn off, the hangover sets in and you feel like you’re stuck, then what?

It didn’t matter how many times my sister warned me about the bad boy, seeing me gravitate toward not so great choices in my former years, knowing it wouldn’t work out and perhaps lead me down wrong paths of repeated bad boys, I didn’t listen to her.

I had watched her date the bad boy (several times) and I wanted to as well. Even though I watched her make mistake after mistake (after mistake..sorry JJ), I had to learn on my own too.

So ultimately if you see the Misfit red flags popping up all over on your next weight loss journey, it’s ok to try them out. Just know I’ll be here for you when you’ve hung up your bad boy ways and want real truth, support and love.  

Misfit Hugs, Kim

Ps. The Misfit Method is getting another makeover! I love learning things from my clients, how they react to certain weeks, what’s harder or cumbersome and how much time it really takes from conception of an idea to incorporating it into the daily routine.

With that being said, the 6 week Misfit Method is leaving and will be replaced with a 12 week program. Since the program will be twice as long though, there will be a jump in price. However, feel free to sign up for it NOW at the 6 week price. Here’s the link.

I’ll be taking new clients sometime in May, just before strawberry picking starts! And as a reminder I only take 5 clients at a time so there’s a potential to not become a Misfit until school and crazy schedules and lunch packing start back up. (scratch that. Until you get your house back!)