We got through to week five of journey (it was supposed to be 6) and then had to take a break to focus on some home remodeling. During the five weeks, here is how we did:
We did very well! For me, removing all that toxic food from my diet really helped with the brain fog, memory recall, concentration, and COVID-related anxiety. I also was able to wake up early (which I never do) and slept without having to fall asleep to the television.
I lost 8 pounds, 5 pounds the first week, and one a week after that. Although I didn’t lose any inches from my hips, I did lose a lot from my thighs, while also losing some of the spare tire around my waist. I was doing yoga every day and got a lot more flexible! My flexibility has always been an issue, so this is a milestone for me. After taking the sugar and flour out of our diets, and cleaning out our guts that first week, was when we lost the most weight. Losing one pound a week, though, is the healthiest approach to doing so, which is what happened for me. More than that is not recommended by most dieticians/physicians. The overweight category was getting too close for comfort, which is one of my reasons for doing this diet. I’m down to a BMI of 23 now (from 24.8) and would like to get down to 21. That will be my next goal.
Things I didn’t like: Taking so many supplements is hard for me. I ended up only taking them once a day (you’re supposed to break them up into 2 doses). I do think they help immensely, though. It is the one thing that I have continued since doing the diet back in 2009. I can always tell if I forget to take the B-complex and/or Magnesium. The Omega-3 fats helps me with my Eczema.
My favorite part about the lifestyle changes is the relaxation portion and the hot, calming salt baths!
Tony’s goals were different than mine. He just wanted to lose weight, which he did – 14 pounds! He actually lost more than I thought he should all at once, but he was in the overweight category, so it’s probably a good thing. Men also tend to lose weight quicker than women. He liked that he was never hungry on this diet. We were eating approximately every 3-4 hours, and there was no restriction on the amount of food we could eat, so our tummies never growled. He felt that the supplements were very helpful. He’s not fond of green tea, so he didn’t like that very much. He’s a foodie, so he missed eating things like pastries and anything with butter!
Here is the chart for determining your weight category from BMI:
Less than 18 – underweight
18-24 normal weight
25-29 overweight
Above 30 - obese
Tips:
While doing this diet, keep in mind that some of the recipes are for more than one meal. You will have leftovers. I suggest either eating the leftovers for your next meal and removing the next one on the list, or (if you’d like to try all the recipes), then cut your recipe back to the serving amounts you need.
Make all your snacks in one day for the week or two ahead so they are ready when you need them.
Since we stopped the diet at week 5, we did not get a chance to reintroduce gluten, dairy and other common allergens back into our diets slowly. I did notice changes in my digestion after going to back eating the way I had but am not sure which foods caused it. So, I would recommend seeing this through to the end, not like us slackers!
I’m curious what changes Dr. Hyman might make if he was updating his diet for 2020. A quick email may be in order to ask him that very question. After completing our bedroom renovation, making this a lifestyle change for good would be preferable (although I don’t think my husband will be happy about that). When I do, I’ll share pictures of some of the recommended dishes.
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