About 4 years ago I started the South Beach diet. I lost 15 pounds. After about a year I started slacking off and gained most of the weight back. About two years ago I started it again with my boyfriend and lost the weight again. Although I liked a lot about the South Beach, after further research I realized I did not agree with some aspects of the diet. Fat is good for you.. if you're eating the good fats but this diet told you to stay away from all fats. Fats are essential for your body! This is when I started to lean more towards the LCHF (low carb high fat) diet that started in Sweden. Also, because I now incorporated fat into my diet things tasted better! I've also done a lot of research into the Paleo diet. This diet focuses on eating how the cavemen would have eaten. Protein, nuts, berries. I decided about 6 months ago to make my own diet that consists of the aspects of each of the diets I thought worked best. I've compiled a TON of recipes that follow my new lifestyle (I no longer call it a diet because people have a negative connotation with that word). I highly prefer my new way of eating. Yes it is not always the most convenient thing especially when going out to restaurants or to friends/family. When I go out I always ask if they have a wheat/gluten free alternative and if they do not then I choose items that most likely will not contain a lot of sugar/carbs. (Tip, avoid marinades/sauces and dressings that are not vinaigrettes) When visiting people I either eat a snack ahead of time or bring something I can eat with me to share.