A 16-day diet that will help you lose half a stone

Petronella Ravenshear remembers being disappointed when clients told her that even if they tried, they couldn’t lose weight.

He admits that he thought they were doing it. That they must be lying on the sofa and munching on chocolate. It was until the time when she stopped menstruating and said: “I thank God that it happened to me. I was eating less, exercising more and getting fatter and fatter.”

The nutritionist had studied at the Optimum Nutrition Institute, but it was studying metabolic balance with the late Dr Wolf Funfack in 2008 that completely changed his views on what the body needs .

He believes that cutting calories and vigorous exercise to raise cortisol actually lowers the metabolic rate, especially as we age and body composition changes.

When his middle-aged weight gain began – his weight increased from 54kg to 63kg – he set himself a program to get back to his original weight.

Now in her 60s, Ravenshear says: “I was very grateful for that lesson from my body.”

It was the same with his customers.

The success of his program – losing weight between five and 14 kilograms in 16 days – is spread by word of mouth. Friends asked very few friends how they did it. Answer: The Human Being Diet, aka HBD.

With his secret practice of waiting lists, even when he raised the prices, people kept coming.

He says: “It seemed unfair.” People don’t have to be rich to understand how to change their lives and how to find more happiness in life. As a result, he wrote his book, first published in 2018, Human Foodgiving people at home the tools to make the change themselves.

What is HBD?

The aim of HBD is to say goodbye to the ‘sugar monster’, stabilize insulin release and reduce inflammation by eating real, nutritious food. There are no refreshment bars or shakes. Everything you eat can be bought at your local grocery store.

“Weight Watchers and Slimming World do not teach people about eating real food. This is about connecting with the food that our DNA considers food,” says Ravenshear.

Although similar to the Mediterranean diet, HBD is not big on pulses and grains. Instead focus on vegetables and high-quality protein such as fish and eggs.

“Fats and proteins are the only two important food groups. Carbs are a choice,” says Ravenshear.

When we think of carbohydrates we tend to think of grains and sugary things, but fruits and vegetables are also carbohydrates. So although he advises to eat them at every meal, portion sizes are still measured. “Vegetables may be very low in calories but if we carry too much we don’t burn fat, because all those vegetables end up being broken down into sugar.”

When we eat something sugary, the body thinks it’s dangerous and releases insulin. Insulin does its job to get glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells where it can be burned for energy. “Usually it does its job very well. So the blood sugar level drops much lower than it was before. At that point it’s almost impossible to stop craving a sugary snack,” says Ravenshear. .

However, vegetables are a good source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. “So even though they’re not considered important, they’re actually important for good health.”

However Ravenshear does not like whole grains. “People think they are doing the right thing by eating them but wheat protein, which is part of the gluten molecule, is small enough to cross the blood brain barrier. There it sticks to the opiate receptors, that’s why wheat is addictive.”

Wheat and grains are not recommended at the beginning of the diet. Wheat is linked to leaky gut, which allows partially digested food to pass into the bloodstream, “which activates the immune system and drains us of energy”. It is also a common allergen.

Meanwhile, quinoa, says Ravenshear, is just a carbohydrate with good PR: “It has five times more carbohydrates than protein.”

It is important to note that pulses are carbs with some protein rather than protein food.

The #HBD community

There is no doubt that support and a sense of belonging increase the success of the diet. Today #HBD has a thriving community on Instagram. The hashtag is a way for other “HBD-ers” to find each other and, more importantly, encourage each other. “It’s a great honor. It’s a very safe place for people,” says Ravenshear.

The social aspect is very important as the first 16 days of HBD are difficult. Meeting others on a journey gives people responsibility and accountability.

“It can be really hard one day and you go on Instagram and find inspiration. It helps you connect with your ‘why’,” says Ravenshear. Why did you start HBD in the first place? What did you want to change? What was your inspiration?”

It is a forum to share achievements, especially unlimited victories. Because it’s not just about losing weight.

One HBD-er Clare overcame chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as ME) fibromyalgia and her doctors condition to live in a wheelchair. “Right now, thanks to HBD, I’m a dedicated runner and exercise bunny,” says Ravenshear.

Followers of HBD have also seen improvements in health issues such as IBS and hormonal issues from PCOS to menopause, as well as skin problems, depression and fatigue.

He has found followers within the medical community as well. Dr. Mike Seddon, a cardiologist, has embraced the HBD philosophy along with his wife and many of his colleagues. “Human nutrition is based on rigorous and widely available science as well as a lifetime of experience in health,” he says.

16 day detox

Getting started with HBD is not for the faint of heart. The first 16 days, known as The Reset, should be done only once, at most twice a year. Not recommended for those under 18 or pregnant or breastfeeding.

A radical detox that aims to strip you and restore a new way of life, while HBD is not a calorie counting diet, the first 16 days are low-calorie; around 700-900 calories a day: “It has a positive effect on our microbes, which is good for us,” says Ravenshear.

Although long-term calorie restriction can cause the metabolic rate to decrease, scientific studies have shown that in the short term there are effects related to aging, as well as blood pressure and health benefits. it is long.

However, the first 16 days are difficult. “Many people have read this book and understood its reasons very clearly,” says Ravenshear. If you want to lose weight, commitment in the first 16 days is important. This is when weight loss occurs with HBD.

Phase One: Two days

Two days of vegetarianism. This is feeding the intestines, where your detox begins, and you begin to separate the possible allergens.

That means no oil (just to keep the calories low), no grains, no dairy, no protein, no pulses, no alcohol. Avocados and tomatoes, while fruit is allowed. Potatoes are not.

If you have chronic pain or an autoimmune condition, then other nightshade vegetables, such as peppers, tomatoes and eggplant are also a no-go.

Organic apple cider vinegar (ACV) along with salt and pepper, fresh and roasted herbs are your flavor friends here.

“People usually cook soup for this step,” says Ravenshear.

Giving up cold sugar can cause a headache: “It’s common for people to have flu-like symptoms. You remove all the trash, and you give someone fresh vegetables. Is it very difficult.

Second Stage: 14 days

Then the weight loss begins. Also, no oil, alcohol, sugar, wheat or grains. But pulses, fruits, nuts or seeds and other protein foods are brought back.

Breakfast is 100g of protein-rich food and 100g of vegetables. You can choose either chicken, turkey breast (no skin), fresh salmon, or two eggs. Or 35g of sunflower and pumpkin seeds in one grated apple.