Not too long ago, we conducted an experiment where we committed to a 100% whole food diet for an entire week.
Yep, 100% whole food, with no processed foods, no fast foods, etc.
In other words, everything we ate was pure food.
The diet included absolutely nothing that needed an ingredient label.
We ate things like meats, fruits, vegetables, whole grain, and dairy. We also included 100% pure maple syrup and honey as sweeteners, and salt as a flavor enhancer.
And we drank only coffee, tea, and water. (We also cut out all alcoholic beverages.)
This experience was very eye-opening, and we learned a lot from it.
It was a great experience. But there were still a few things that we didn’t expect.
In this post, you’re going to learn the three most vital and noticeable things that we discovered while experimenting with a 100% whole food diet.
Let’s dive into it.
1. You End Up Consuming Far Fewer Calories
It’s a lot easier to stick with a lower calorie limit when eating a whole food diet.
The reason for this is because whole foods just tend to be much less calorie-dense than processed foods.
But this makes sense.
Whole foods generally contain more air and water than processed foods.
For example, an apple still contains sugar, but it contains far less sugar than a candy bar.
This makes calorie counting and sticking to a calorie deficit much easier.
You tend to get full on far fewer calories with a whole food diet.
2. Whole Foods Don’t Always Stifle Processed Food Cravings
After a couple days of eating a 100% whole food diet, you may find yourself literally craving a slice of pizza, a taco, a candy bar, or a soda.
But there’s a reason for this.
Among other reasons, the bacteria in our guts grow accustomed to the processed foods we eat.
And when we don’t eat enough of them, they virtually scream out for us to consume them.
These cravings can be powerful.
In fact, if you’re not really committed to the whole food diet, there’s a good chance that you’ll cave in and end up cheating simply due to the power of the cravings.
3. Eating Only Whole Foods For A Week Felt Amazing
You’d be surprised at how just eliminating processed foods for even two or three days can have a rejuvenating impact on how your body feels overall.
We found that we had more energy, felt better, felt less tired and sluggish, and even had an improved state of mood as compared to the usual.
Of course, sticking with the whole food diet for the long term is the challenging part. In a culture where there’s literally processed food to be found everywhere you go, it’s really tough to completely eliminate those delicious junk food options.
It really all comes down to what your goals are.
Sticking with such a diet is totally possible.
You’ll just need to find the willpower to make it happen.
