Brie Cadman over at Divine Caroline gives a humorous and right-on run-down of the 10 worst fad diets. Sure these diets, like Slim Fast, The Cereal Diet, The Subway Diet, and Dr. Siegal's® Cookie Diet™ might work -- try them and chances are, you will lose weight -- but if you're looking for weight loss that sticks around or if you want to just plain enjoy your food, these diets are, as Cadman calls them -- just plain ridiculous.

Cadman says of Slim Fast that yes, you will lose weight, "until you grow so bored and tired of eating the exact same thing for two meals a day you quit, and realize that -- wow -- there are a lot of other foods out there that cost a lot less. Say, fruits and vegetables."

About The Writing Diet, Cadman can't figure out why all writers are not size twos because according to Julia Cameron, author of the new book The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Sized, they should be. Cameron says that people overeat not out of hunger, but because of emotion. Says Cadman: "By writing daily, we tap into our emotions, and put them on the page instead of in our mouths. While I can concede that having your hands on a keyboard will prevent them from grabbing a bag of Doritos, I can't figure out how sitting on your butt is supposed to make it smaller." One of Cadman's readers disagrees, stating that the book does a pretty good job of promoting exercise too.

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FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

A few years ago, I was in a grief support group for people who'd lost their parents. The discussion naturally weaved in and out of the topics of spirituality and religion. My father's religion was running, said one girl. His church was the outdoors: a wooded path on a cool morning, a open field bathed in warm sunlight. I've never forgotten it.

I'm a spiritual person, but organized religion hasn't taken a big role in my life. This is a religion I can see myself being a part of. Running is the cure for what ails me: A heavy heart, a nagging conscience, a gut feeling that doesn't sit well. When I have a problem I can't figure out, I run. When something's stressing me out, I run. When I feel tired or lethargic, I run. And it's never let me down: I always feel better afterwards. No exceptions. It's not that I've found God in pounding my feet on the treadmill, but it helps me find balance, and it helps me find peace.

What activity helps you find your spiritual side?

Rebecca Brown over at Divine Caroline says she's worthless at her workouts without a good playlist to motor her along. I'm with Rebecca. My MP3 player is strapped to my arm whenever I exercise. I don't do well with silence and running, silence and weight training, silence and treadmilling. Silence and writing: I love the combination. But anything that causes me to sweat and huff and puff simply must be set to music.

Rebecca's got a bunch of readers sharing their playlists here. Check out this one.

• Paula Abdul - Dance Like There's No Tomorrow
  
• Matchbox 20 - How Far We've Come
  
• Limp Bizcuit - Nookie
• Britney Spears - Stronger
• Jars of Clay - Faith Like A Child
  
  

Check out some more if you're in the market for some new tunes. Borrow a song or two. Heck, use an entire playlist if you wish. And let us know what you've got playing in your ears.

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Divine Caroline's Natalie Josef has a task for you. It's not your usual diet or fitness task, though. No brisk walking, marathon running, or BOSU balancing required. No calorie counting, fat busting, or carb cutting either. Nope. This challenge involves nothing more than your imagination and your wildest dreams.

Here's your assignment, in the form of one simple question: What bad-for-you foods would you turn into good-for-you foods? Pick five. Make them good. And join this chit chat about what you'd choose. Here are my picks:

1. Gooey chocolate brownies
2. Cold Stone Creamery chocolate ice cream with brownies mixed in
3. Outback Steakhouse cheese fries
4. Milk Duds
5. Any chips, any dips

Now, in all seriousness: Check out this AOL Body nutrition site for tips on eating actual good-for-you food.

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