Thoughts on the "potato diet"?

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  • esfoster5
    esfoster5 Posts: 23 Member
    edited January 2017
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    I'm glad to see SpudFit mentioned, but it sucks a lot of people are hating on him.

    Dude just today finished a year of eating nothing but potatoes and lost over 100lbs. I was actually chatting with him on Twitter yesterday and ate a plain potato tonight to celebrate his acheivement.

    Yes, it goes against everything anyone ever told you, but potatoes are nutritionally complete, and you can survive on them pretty much indefinitely.

    Boring? Sure. But if you can hack it you'll lose tons of weight and totally redefine your relationship with food.

    I've only done 3 or 4 days myself, but even that short time totally warped my perspective.

    It's really, really worth trying. Just think of it as a fast—if you're not hungry enough to eat a plain microwaved potato, you're not hungry.

    I 100% recommend it, if only as an experiment to learn about your body and your hunger drive.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,261 Member
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    esfoster5 wrote: »
    I'm glad to see SpudFit mentioned, but it sucks a lot of people are hating on him.

    Dude just today finished a year of eating nothing but potatoes and lost over 100lbs. I was actually chatting with him on Twitter yesterday and ate a plain potato tonight to celebrate his acheivement.

    Yes, it goes against everything anyone ever told you, but potatoes are nutritionally complete, and you can survive on them pretty much indefinitely.

    Boring? Sure. But if you can hack it you'll lose tons of weight and totally redefine your relationship with food.

    I've only done 3 or 4 days myself, but even that short time totally warped my perspective.

    It's really, really worth trying. Just think of it as a fast—if you're not hungry enough to eat a plain microwaved potato, you're not hungry.

    I 100% recommend it, if only as an experiment to learn about your body and your hunger drive.

    But can't you do all this eating in moderation all types of food?
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    zyxst wrote: »
    I'll try it.

    Yeah, see, all these people saying they couldn't do it for that long? I totally could. I could salt them, right?

    As long as I had salt, I don't mind them boiled. I love cold boiled potatoes. I love cold baked potatoes. I love hot boiled potatoes. I love hot baked potatoes.

    giphy.gif

    Mom used to yell at me for eating the raw potatoes she peeled for dinner. I'd be down to eat potatoes for a week or two. There would need to be rules set for what could be added to them, such as spices or other non-caloric items.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,261 Member
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    zyxst wrote: »
    zyxst wrote: »
    I'll try it.

    Yeah, see, all these people saying they couldn't do it for that long? I totally could. I could salt them, right?

    As long as I had salt, I don't mind them boiled. I love cold boiled potatoes. I love cold baked potatoes. I love hot boiled potatoes. I love hot baked potatoes.

    giphy.gif

    Mom used to yell at me for eating the raw potatoes she peeled for dinner. I'd be down to eat potatoes for a week or two. There would need to be rules set for what could be added to them, such as spices or other non-caloric items.

    Crisps and chips it is then
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    esfoster5 wrote: »
    But can't you do all this eating in moderation all types of food?

    Maybe. I really don't care what anyone does. I can just vouch that eating only potatos won't kill you and will help you lose weight.

    Everyone hates the word "vegan" because of the crazies and that it seems so limiting, but I've never felt freer since I stopped eating meat, dairy, and vegetable oils.

    When I go out to eat, I feel like I actually get to choose if the cheese dip or the meat is good enough to cheat on my diet, instead of just eating mindlessly. (It's usually not, but occasionally it's worth it.)

    If anyone's curious, I highly recommend Dr. McDougall's book "The Starch Solution" or just google "mcdougall color picture book" if you want a fast free summary.

    The fact is, high-carb, low-fat, plant-based diets have been proven to cure obesity and diabetes and heart disease. Do what you want, but the research is there... and I say this as someone who whole-heartedly believed in the paleo diet until a few months ago.

    But I've dropped almost from 201lbs to 174lbs in less than 3 months, and I've never felt deprived once. I even drink gallons of beer on occasion and still lose weight.

    So, the summary is this... no, you don't have to eat only potatoes, but moderation isn't going to work for most people. We've tried moderation since the 80s and everyone's getting fat and sick. Kids have diabetes and fatty livers. Heart disease and cancer are killing folks.

    It's a life or death choice. Eat real food or die slowly and horribly.

    I'm 29 and have a congenital heart defect. I don't want to die. So I don't need cheese and pepperoni on my pizza.

    What you do is your decision.

    If anyone has questions, feel free to get in touch.

    Um, you can't cure diabetes.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    zyxst wrote: »
    esfoster5 wrote: »
    But can't you do all this eating in moderation all types of food?

    Maybe. I really don't care what anyone does. I can just vouch that eating only potatos won't kill you and will help you lose weight.

    Everyone hates the word "vegan" because of the crazies and that it seems so limiting, but I've never felt freer since I stopped eating meat, dairy, and vegetable oils.

    When I go out to eat, I feel like I actually get to choose if the cheese dip or the meat is good enough to cheat on my diet, instead of just eating mindlessly. (It's usually not, but occasionally it's worth it.)

    If anyone's curious, I highly recommend Dr. McDougall's book "The Starch Solution" or just google "mcdougall color picture book" if you want a fast free summary.

    The fact is, high-carb, low-fat, plant-based diets have been proven to cure obesity and diabetes and heart disease. Do what you want, but the research is there... and I say this as someone who whole-heartedly believed in the paleo diet until a few months ago.

    But I've dropped almost from 201lbs to 174lbs in less than 3 months, and I've never felt deprived once. I even drink gallons of beer on occasion and still lose weight.

    So, the summary is this... no, you don't have to eat only potatoes, but moderation isn't going to work for most people. We've tried moderation since the 80s and everyone's getting fat and sick. Kids have diabetes and fatty livers. Heart disease and cancer are killing folks.

    It's a life or death choice. Eat real food or die slowly and horribly.

    I'm 29 and have a congenital heart defect. I don't want to die. So I don't need cheese and pepperoni on my pizza.

    What you do is your decision.

    If anyone has questions, feel free to get in touch.

    Um, you can't cure diabetes.

    Yes, I'd like to see the studies showing that a HCLF plant based diet cured diabetes.
  • esfoster5
    esfoster5 Posts: 23 Member
    edited January 2017
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    zyxst wrote: »
    Um, you can't cure diabetes.

    Weird, even the paleo people claim they can cure Type 2 diabetes by not eating sugar.

    So alright, you most likely won't cure Type 1 diabetes, but Type 2 is a disease of civilization just like everything else. It doesn't even make sense for it to exist unless the food environment has been destroyed. Which it has.

  • esfoster5
    esfoster5 Posts: 23 Member
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    And I can vouch eating in moderation won't kill you and will help lose weight
    Not everyone can stick to eating one plain item each day

    P.s eating in moderation doesn't equal eating 3 cheese pizza each day

    Well, I said you probably shouldn't stick to one thing.

    But I've seen people do moderation. Moderation is for people who want to spend years and years and years "on a diet."

    But if moderation has worked for you, I'm glad you've found something that helps you get healthier.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,031 Member
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    The Paleo people are wrong too then.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    esfoster5 wrote: »
    zyxst wrote: »
    Um, you can't cure diabetes.

    Weird, even the paleo people claim they can cure Type 2 diabetes by not eating sugar.

    So alright, you most likely won't cure Type 1 diabetes, but Type 2 is a disease of civilization just like everything else. It doesn't even make sense for it to exist unless the food environment has been destroyed. Which it has.

    Can you please show evidence of someone being cured of diabetes? And I mean cured (it's gone for good and never coming back), not remission (under control but still there).
  • esfoster5
    esfoster5 Posts: 23 Member
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    zyxst wrote: »
    Can you please show evidence of someone being cured of diabetes? And I mean cured (it's gone for good and never coming back), not remission (under control but still there).

    I don't have time to look up studies, but here's an article about Walter Kempner's rice diet:

    https://www.drmcdougall.com/2013/12/31/walter-kempner-md-founder-of-the-rice-diet/

    And here's a quote from the article, because I'm an idiot who isn't qualified to discuss any of this: "His numbers also showed how a high-carbohydrate diet improved blood sugars and often cured type-2 diabetes."

    And no, you're right, maybe "cure" is too strong a word. Of course it would come back if you started eating junk again. But that's like saying "Why is there still a hole?" if you shoot yourself in the foot a second time.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,261 Member
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    esfoster5 wrote: »
    And I can vouch eating in moderation won't kill you and will help lose weight
    Not everyone can stick to eating one plain item each day

    P.s eating in moderation doesn't equal eating 3 cheese pizza each day

    Well, I said you probably shouldn't stick to one thing.

    But I've seen people do moderation. Moderation is for people who want to spend years and years and years "on a diet."

    But if moderation has worked for you, I'm glad you've found something that helps you get healthier.

    I believe moderation is for people who want the exact opposite...

    Me too
    It's the fad diets that keep you on and off for ages I thought
  • esfoster5
    esfoster5 Posts: 23 Member
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    I believe moderation is for people who want the exact opposite...

    What do you mean? Honestly. I've never seen anyone do moderation in any way that isn't just low-level deprivation.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,261 Member
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    esfoster5 wrote: »
    I believe moderation is for people who want the exact opposite...

    What do you mean? Honestly. I've never seen anyone do moderation in any way that isn't just low-level deprivation.

    Can I ask you to clarify what you think eating in moderation is please
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited January 2017
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    esfoster5 wrote: »
    And I can vouch eating in moderation won't kill you and will help lose weight
    Not everyone can stick to eating one plain item each day

    P.s eating in moderation doesn't equal eating 3 cheese pizza each day

    Well, I said you probably shouldn't stick to one thing.

    But I've seen people do moderation. Moderation is for people who want to spend years and years and years "on a diet."

    But if moderation has worked for you, I'm glad you've found something that helps you get healthier.

    I've done the potato hack before and have nothing bad to say about it, but I've also been maintaining a 50lb loss going on 4 years now by eating all the foods I like in moderation. I also reversed the progression of pre-diabetes eating whatever I want, just in smaller calorie amounts.

    The potato hack was a fun little experiment but it didn't do anything magical for me -CICO while continuing to eat all the foods I like is what improved all my health markers and got my bmi down to a 21 :)
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,031 Member
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    esfoster5 wrote: »
    I believe moderation is for people who want the exact opposite...

    What do you mean? Honestly. I've never seen anyone do moderation in any way that isn't just low-level deprivation.

    You haven't seen me then.

    I eat a variety of foods and I lost weight and then maintained at current weight for last 3 years, doing nothing other than eating to a right calorie amount.
    I feel far less deprived doing than I would eating only potatoes.
    Far far less.