The Human Being Diet… have you done it?

[Heybarbie1028]

I’ve just discovered the HBD diet. I’ve posted recently about how I am extremely overweight (17 stone, 5”6) and extremely unhealthy.

The HBD seems like it could be a good option for me, to completely reset my nutrition and diet and learn how to eat well again.

Has anyone done it? What were your experiences?

I’ve been on HBD since January last year, so now in phase 4 - apart from a few breaks (holidays, Christmas) I’ve stuck to it and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. And I’ve tried many, many diets. This is more of a lifestyle change. After phase 1-3 you stick with what works for you best, there are no hard and fast rules.

I haven’t been sick since starting - no colds, no Covid - and I’ve lost a stone, which has stayed off. Without the constant sugar spikes I can concentrate properly too. I do have cups of tea/coffee mid-morning and mid-afternoon, but I’m not getting crashes like I used to, and it’s not affecting the weight loss.

Pretty easy to get into the mindset quickly. You’re still eating natural carbs, but just not the refined carbohydrates and sugars. My endo has cleared up and I no longer have bloating from the grains I don’t need. Yes, it's hard to start with, but it's always hard to break habits. That's why there are phases to ease you into it.

Loving the ill-informed posts that it’s a load of tosh though!

You are the only person mentioning toxins though!

That’s not part of the HBD rationale. The phase 1 way of eating is aimed at getting bowels moving as they should because a lot of people who have an ultra processed diet also suffer from chronic constipation and Phase 2 is to give a motivational quick weight loss and encourage portion control. If you haven’t read the book or done the diet, why would you express an opinion on how bollocks it is 😂

Done it, lost well over a stone and kept it off easily. Back on it for a kick start, now in phase 3. Its not hard at all and I didn't find it restrictive. However if you eat what you want when you want, you aren't going to lose weight.
It takes a little planning in the first couple of weeks but after that plain sailing. There are some fab Insta accounts with recipes and also a great support network with some fabulous success stories.
Likewise I haven't had any illness since being on it, and people comment on how refreshed I look, plus feeling comfier in my clothes.
Once a week you actually can have what you want and you work out by doing that what foods work best for you and what don't . I find it easy having no alcohol midweek, but having some really nice wine etc on a Fri or Sat, with a takeaway or roast etc. I can't think of anyone I know who has tried it and failed, its all set up for you to win.

I think you won't stick to it then feel like a failure and feel depressed so compensate by over eating, your self esteem will sink even lower. At least that's how it is for me and I'm also overweight. Whatever you do OP please don't do it alone. You need support. Overweight people become that way for a reason, it is not the same as losing 4lbs after overindulgence on holidays. There are many years of behaviour patterns that need working on. I think you need psychological support first and foremost, I attend a clinic where that's part of the program, mostly reading material but I did CBT for a while too. I do lots of mindfulness audio stuff and have had to make other changes in my life. I am only a few lbs down but am really feeling hopeful now whereas before I felt I couldn't do it. The weight loss board here is good for support and realistic advice from other overweight or previously overweight people.

It's great that you have decided to make the change. Good luck!

or the time is right for her, something has clicked and she will enjoy this way of eating and launch her weight loss journey. Predicting that someone will fail to lose weight before they even start their attempt is unkind and demoralising. Every journey starts with the first step and even if weight loss isn’t linear and there are set backs along the way, it’s better to make the attempt rather than accept fatalistically that nothing can be done.

I have more than “a few pounds” to lose. My starting weight wasn’t as high as OP’s but I did need to lose 3 stone so not an insignificant amount either.

CBT and support from other dieters could certainly be helpful too but there isn’t any need to stifle OP before she even starts.

Urgh. That website. "The wisdom of the body" . That's just one step down from healing power crystal woo bollocks really isn't it?

Nobody needs a detox. Your liver and kidneys are detoxing you just fine, thanks.

Faddy diets like this are impossible to maintain in the long term.

Move more - find an exercise you enjoy doing and do it regularly.

Then, if you're so inclined, eat less. Get a free calorie counting app like MyFitnessPal to help you track what you're eating. Make sure you have kitchen scales so you can weigh out your food and make sure your portion sizes are the actual size that you think (they're generally not).

"Diets" don't work except in the very short term. Only lifestyle change does.

@MustardGreenAndPlum I need something like this. I am grossly overweight and need to have a detox.

Nobody needs a detox. It's what you eat every day, long term, that's important, not what you eat on an extreme 10 days. This kind of OTT plan just makes you ravenous and far more likely to fall off the wagon. This is the path to yo-yo dieting, which just ends up making you put on more weight.

You say you don't know what a balanced diet is, OP? I find that hard to believe tbh. Eat 3 meals a day, lots of veg, lean protein, some natural fats, some carbs (wholegrain/pulses/unprocessed ones). Drink water, tea, coffee, no sweet drinks. Cook from scratch. If you must snack, eat nuts, fruit etc. Knowing and doing are different things though.

"Diets" don't work except in the very short term. Only lifestyle change does.

True in theory, but 'lifestyle change' is mostly just a re-branding of 'diet' imo. Calling it a lifestyle change doesn't magically make you stick to it. No doubt the world is full of people who fell off their 'lifestyle change' wagon,just like they fell off all the ones they called diets. It's hard.

I’m am currently following the HBD. I am in week 2 and feeling great. My heartburn has resolved and I have not been hungry since following this.

You just need to be very organised and prepare all your foods in advance. E.g. I have made a Tupperware of salad and keep it in the fridge so I just need to weigh out my portion.

I would recommend buying the recipe book. Saves you having to work out what to make. Good luck.

Came across this thread and surprised at all the negativity. How are you getting on, did you start? I'm on my 6th week and I've lost 19lb, I am absolutely amazed at how the weight is coming off. It took some time to wrap my head around the whole thing, and it's quite difficult to find a break in the schedule to fit in the first 16 days to be super strict. I also didn't do the salt thing, I just couldn't stomach it, but it worked just fine anyway. As long as I get to have my coffee in the morning (be it black with breakfast) I avoid the headaches.

I am in my early 50's and have found it more or less impossible to loose weight in the last few years, it's steadily been creeping on, and I was in the upper end of overweight BMI with various health problems looming. I was drawn to this as it seems to work well for the middle age 'spread', and it focuses on balancing hormones, blood sugar and cutting out preservatives and processed food, the 4th stage to make it permanent habits, exactly what I need! I like the strict rules, as when I'm left to my own devices I struggle to stick to it.

I feel relieved not to have the constant sugar craving that I've struggled with my whole life, I don't want it back! Sure, I often feel a bit peckish in the afternoon, but I just have a glass of water and tell myself to stop moaning about it, then soon forget about it! 😝The biggest thing for me is that actually I don't feel particularly hungry in between meals, which makes it very manageable.

Good luck, don't listen to the haters! 😘

Seems to be a lot of harsh responses to you. I think they come from a place of helping and not wanting you to be disappointed? From the US here and started this HBD on 5/28 at 159.8. I am on day 15 and have lost 5.2 lbs which approx 2.6 lbs per week. I had to run a conversion on this at I think that is .208 stone? That is a good steady pace. I am not going to say the first few days were easy but day 3 and on are much easier. I believe it teaches us portion control and not to mindlessly snack. I am doing this because menopause (full time work, church duties and taking care of 2 elderly parents = no workout time for me as well) was rough on the scale. Good luck and you do what is best for you!!

I'm a bit suss on the way people keep dropping into this thread to make sure it won't die! It seems quite calculated.

Also really concerning to read about the number of 50+/menopausal women using this and other fad diets to dump weight. Weight loss at this stage of life has to be really carefully managed or you risk losing what's left of your lean muscle mass, which is incredibly difficult to get back at this stage in life.

You can conspiracy theorize all you like, or you could perhaps bother to find out what the Human Being diet is all about? If you did, you'd find that it's not some big money making machine, it involves buying one or two books (AND reading them!) 😉It is a long term / life long plan to change your habits and make healthy choices, and it works! Why are you following diet threads if you're not interested?

Sorry, but you still sound like a paid shill.

If you're real, and your story is real, I'm happy for you. But cutting down on sugar and avoiding UPF is just common sense, the rest is diet industry hype.

Unless you do yoga and/or go to the gym/swimming pool?

Well yes, obviously... that's what I meant by being careful. Continuing with resistance exercise, keeping up the protein intake, not rushing the weight loss.

This is the most sensible post I have EVER seen on a diet thread!

Good luck, don't listen to the haters! 😘

Questioning or disagreeing with things isn't 'hating'.

That diet would make for interesting open sandwiches, I bet.