The Idealist's Diet

Lose weight, feel great, have no life.

By Elizabeth Yun | Special to amNewYork

October 22, 2007

In an ideal world, we would all wear a size two, be able to run a mile in five minutes, and have a personal chef to prepare us three meals a day with snacks in between. Unfortunately, the world we live in is far from ideal. That's why The Good Mood Diet, while wonderful in theory, falls short in its execution.

This diet follows the premise that certain foods will help you lose weight while alleviating depression. As opposed to other diets that leave you feeling hungry, tired, guilty and depressed, on the good mood diet, you'll see results without denying yourself foods that actually make you feel happier.

As a pessimistic New Yorker, I was skeptical. I've grown accustomed to self-flagellating, exercise-15-times-a-week-and-eat-nothing-but-lettuce diets. The menu of eggs with their yolks, meats, chocolate and the occasional glass of wine seemed indulgent. But it was a relief to finally be able to eat eggs over easy again and the exercise goal of 10,000 steps a day didn't seem too daunting.

Before you begin the diet, you have to pick which of three groups you fall into: Group 1 is for women who are moderately active, group 2 is for men who are moderately active, and group 3 consists of men and women who are very active. I picked group 1, which meant my menu allowed for 1,600 calories a day.

The menu itself seemed great. All the foods sounded delicious and there was hardly a gap between meals and snacks, so you were constantly sated. The list of foods to avoid wasn't very long -- alcohol, fatty meats, fried food, etc. -- and I had to agree with the author that these foods, while offering instant gratification, made me feel sick and guilty later.

I made a point of cooking all my own meals. This ensured that no extra fat or oil snuck its way onto my plate, but it had more to do with how difficult it was to find specific meals readily available. This was where the problems arose. Couple a full-time job with an hour and a half commute and the last thing I wanted to do was wake up an hour early to prepare breakfast.

After following the plan strictly for a week, I only lost two pounds. I expect that abiding by the plan would continue to yield steady results albeit not as drastic as most people would like. My mood wasn't exactly brighter but I felt healthier, although my exhaustion definitely cancelled out any positive effects.

Elizabeth's food journal:

Breakfast two-egg omelet, I cup oatmeal with 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed and sliced banana
Morning snack apple, ½ cup tomato juice, 10 roasted almonds
Lunch chicken and vegetable stir-fry with rice noodles
Afternoon snack 1 cup baby carrots with hummus
Dinner broiled lean pork, 1 cup steamed vegetables, ½ cup brown rice