It was October 1st, and my husband decided it would be a great idea to book us for an appointment in Prague at 9:00 AM. I spent most of the day before complaining because I really didn’t feel like going to Prague. I was convinced it would mess up my work schedule, and I didn’t feel like I needed to be out anywhere. Still, I knew my somewhat antisocial self needed to get out and be around people from time to time. My stop? A bookstore. I didn’t need any new books, but while wandering through the aisles, I stumbled upon Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken. Somehow, it ended up in my basket, and I can say it was one of the best purchases of my life.
“I Don’t Need This – I Don’t Eat UPF”
I’ve been unsuccessfully trying to lose weight for 4 years, battling with binge eating disorder. Any diet I try lasts about 4 days, and something like a calorie deficit felt as achievable as an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics. My longest streak without binge eating? 20 days. To say I was desperate is an understatement. I paid for the book but was convinced that I don’t eat ultra-processed foods (UPF).
That evening, exhausted from a migraine (my 2nd one that week), I decided to start reading instead of scrolling through social media. I learned about ice cream with bacterial slime, caramel with chemical coatings, and thickening gums used both in food and oil rig cleaning. Suddenly, my migraines, binge eating, and lack of energy started to make sense. Why was I so dependent on food? Why was I constantly drained? The next morning, I woke up determined.
What Did My Month Without UPF Look Like?
I started the experiment by clearing out my kitchen, realizing I actually consumed UPF daily and in almost every meal. I set a few basic rules for myself:
- No foods with long lists of ingredients I couldn’t pronounce.
- No artificial colors, preservatives, or stabilizers.
- Focus on fresh, seasonal foods that I could prepare myself.
My meal plan looked something like this:
- Breakfast: banana smoothie (milk, banana, oats, peanut butter, cocoa, cinnamon)
- Snack: pear
- Lunch: risotto with prosciutto, mushrooms, and parmesan
- Afternoon Snack: kefir milk
- Dinner: bread and vegetable soup
I drank herbal tea and felt great that evening. Each day, I continued similarly, avoiding all synthetic additives. After just 5 days, I began to sleep through the night; after 10 days, I was waking up refreshed. By 15 days, my concentration returned, and I could work without constantly checking social media. I even found time for my personal projects and enjoyed solving Sudoku again.
Conclusion: What Did This Experience Bring Me?
I’ve now gone 40 days without a single binge – a huge victory for me. I feel amazing, my excess weight is finally dropping, and I even fit into jeans that I couldn’t wear at the beginning of last month. The book Ultra-Processed Peopleopened my eyes and gave me a new outlook on food. It wasn’t about the author directly telling me to quit UPF, but rather inspiring me with his own experiment.
Today, I avoid UPF foods whenever I can, and I’m truly satisfied with every meal I prepare from fresh ingredients. Plus, this change has positively impacted my husband – cooking has become a shared ritual that we both enjoy.
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