The Simplified Diet

Last updated on February 21st, 2018  

If you want an easy introduction to calorie counting or you are suffering from  digestive trouble the simplified diet may be helpful.

The simplified diet consists of simple foods (which includes meats) that do not have chemical additives or complex names in the ingredient list.

You eat the simplified diet in generally two ounce portions and from a relatively small menu of items.

This diet is not a weight loss diet. This diet is meant to help identify food allergies and/or food toxins that may be adversely affecting your health.

It also helps people using the calorie counting diet to get started.

So what can you eat:

(if you have allergies to any of the items in this diet of course you
should avoid them)

nuts

raw or dry roasted – almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds (the naturally occurring oils in nuts are fine)

meat

any that do not have chemical names in the ingredient lists and do not have additives

eggs

Vegetables

preferably dark leafy greens – raw or cooked in olive oil – kale, spinach (cooked), radishes, cucumbers, squash.

salt

you may not get enough salt on this diet. If this happens just add salt to the foods as you are preparing them or consider beef bullion stirred into a cup of warm water.

daily multi-vitamin

water, coffee, tea

Purified water, black coffee, or black or green tea

Choose foods that do not have any long “chemical” names in the ingredient list.

Eggs should be “eggs”. Meats should be “beef”, “lamb”, etc. No long chemical names and **no** added oils or added sugars. If there are long chemical names, added oils, or added sugars listed do not eat it.  Many foods have sugars and oils naturally, you are just trying to avoid the added sugars and oils.

When it comes time to eat, measure out the quantities in easy to handle and measure units. You can eat whenever you want. You do not have to eat 3 meals per day.

For example, get a gram or ounce scale, and measure out and eat the nuts in 2 ounce (57 gram) servings.

Eat the meats in known sizes (pre-made additive-free burgers are fine)

For a couple of weeks eat from just the simplified menu.

Yes, you will be eating just nuts, meat, eggs, and vegetables. All of a simple additive-free variety.

You may want to avoid immediately switching your entire diet from whatever you are currently eating to this simplified diet.  Sometimes such abrupt changes can bring about unpleasant digestive experiences. Especially if your current diet is low in fiber.  If you really truly hate all vegetables you can substitute a vegetable protein powder for the actual vegetables.

What to drink?

You can drink purified water, coffee (no additives, no sugar, no cream), and any variety of real tea (black or green). No Herbal teas.

The water should be purified via reverse osmosis or steam distilled. No tap water.

It would be best if you drink just water, but moving to a purely water based diet can be hard, so feel free to include coffee and tea.

You may also drink bullion or consomme stirred into a cup of warm water as needed if you are not getting enough salt.

What to expect

If after two weeks your simplified diet is not bringing about the results you hope for eliminate the coffee and tea from the diet and continue for another two weeks.

So what are you hoping to accomplish with this simplified diet?

One, you are trying to make calorie counting easier.

Two, you are eliminating the vast array of strange chemicals that you have been putting into your body to see if they are causing you problems.

Three, you are trying to identify if you have any food allergies.

Spend a week transitioning from your current diet to this diet. Do not move to this diet all at once.

For the second and third weeks eat just this diet. After the third week assess how you feel.

Be aware that it can take your body a couple of weeks to adjust to substantial changes in your diet.

Assess

Have your digestive difficulties changed? How are you feeling?

If you have not gotten what you want, eliminate coffee and tea, and continue for another two weeks. Then reassess.

If after 5 weeks the diet is a failure return to one of the sustaining diets mentioned here or to your old diet.

If the diet is a success, add one new food per week, and each week assess how the new food has made you feel.

If you catch a cold or the flu during the week you are trying a new food stop eating the new food wait for a week after your last cold or flu symptoms have gone and try adding the food again.

You do not need to permanently ban a food that you add and determine to be a problem. Remove the problem food from your diet for a few weeks and try it again. If you get 2 failures you may want to stay away from that food.

How much can I eat?

If you are here for an introduction to counting calories you should count the calories as you normally would for any diet.

If you are working on digestive problems you can eat any amount you wish. If you must have a number try 9 times your weight in pounds in total calories per day.

I cannot do without food X?

No you cannot include food X. Food X is banned. The simplified diet only works with the foods shown on the list.

What about my medications?

Speaking of over-the-counter medications please avoid them during the period of this diet.

As to prescription medications they can cause a great number of complications.

Please continue to take your medications. If you want to change your medications talk to your doctor.

If your medications are causing your problems, this diet will not help as you are still taking your medications.

If you think your medications are the problem talk with your doctor.

Dramatically changing your diet can change how your medications affect you. If you are taking a medication that is affected by diet please talk with your doctor before attempting this diet.