Banana Diet – The Review
Banana Diet? Are you kidding me?
Well, you’re not gonna believe this. Turns out in Japan they have this new diet craze going on, and yes, it’s based on bananas, of all possible weight loss foods. To the extend that they had a national banana shortage!
So here’s the story:
Ever since former opera singer Kumiko Mori announced she had lost 15 pounds on the “Morning Banana” diet, there has been a shortage of bananas in Japan, according to The Japan Times online. Billed as the fastest and easiest weight loss diet, the Morning Banana diet has taken Japan by storm.
The Morning Banana diet was developed by Hitoshi Watanabe, who studied preventive medicine in Tokyo, and his pharmacist wife, Sumiko. The diet has since gained popularity by word of mouth, web sites, TV shows, magazine articles, and a book written by the Watanabes.
www.webmd.com
I mean, what? Bananas are rather high G.I. (glycemic Index), usually above 50. That means they will raise insulin to quite some extend = not good for weight loss! Or so it seems…
All the “experts” and “authorities” in the matter jumped on this, called it a fallacy, a fad, a scam, Recipe for Disaster, even:
“It’s a recipe for disaster for most people. However, for some people, if you’re eating, let’s say, lots of sweets throughout the day, and now you’re told you can’t have any sweets except for one small sweet at three (p.m.), you might lose some weight. Also, for some people, if you’re an emotional eater and you over-consume thousands of calories at night, you’re gonna cut calories (with this diet). So, for some people, you may lose a little bit of weight, but for most people, it’s a recipe for disaster.”
Glassman dubs it “a fad diet,” noting it gives people rules to follow, and saying isn’t the stuff of a roadmap for lifetime eating.
www.cbsnews.com
But what if conventional “weight loss wisdom” is not all it’s cracked up to be? Maybe there’s a few things going on we don’t yet know…
Old Folk Wisdom: “There’s a lot going on you ain’t been told!”
Certainly, if this banana thing actually works, it puts pretty much all the conventional “diet wisdom” head over heels.
And I thought: Hey, I LOVE bananas! So what the heck!
Since I review all kinds of weight loss plans for my readers anyways -trying to find the best ones- why not give it a shot. And what I found was surprising…
Here are my results: I have tons and tons of energy throughout the day, even though I’m on a calorie deficit. Meaning I eat less calories than I burn and yet my strength and energy are sky-high. AND there’s no appetite problems. As you can tell I’m not “selling” this diet, so, please: TRUST Mark!
Personally, I love it! Who would have thought: a high carb, high insulin fat loss diet…
OK I nearly forgot! Here is how you do it:
So is the Japanese banana diet THE best weight loss program? Probably not. BUT: for me, at least, it works!The Morning Banana Diet is a super simple plan. For breakfast, you have only bananas and room-temperature water. Then, you can eat whatever you like for lunch, dinner, and snacks, as long as you don’t eat after 8 p.m. The only restrictions: No ice cream, dairy products, alcohol, or dessert after dinner, and the only beverage you may have with meals is room-temperature water. One sweet snack is allowed midafternoon.
One of the most popular aspects of the plan is the lack of emphasis on exercise. Dieters are advised to do it only if they want to, and even then, it should be done in a manner that is the least stressful.
www.webmd.com
My own theories: Nobody can yet explain -properly- why this works. There’s some guesses out there, ranging from resistant starch to simply a cleaner, unprocessed foods diet.
I’m a-thinkin’ that it’s something going on with the bananas and the warm water that just fills you up, and maybe raises leptin through the roof. That means no hunger no more.
Also your “need” for sweet stuff is pretty much satisfied. Then you get lots of energy from the carbs for the day’s activities.
And finally, there’s the theory that the more nutrient dense a food, the sooner our bodies are satisfied, even on little calories. So it’s not so much the calories but more the actual nutrition we get from the foods, like vitamins and minerals, bioflavonoids and other phyto nutritents, proteins, fats, and, yes: carbohydrates.
Looks like if you give your body all it needs in that department then it’s happy! Even on low calories. Contrast that with a high calorie, low nutrient density diet (think donuts and ice cream).
You see where I’m driving at here.
Banana nutrition is quite awesome: they’re chock full with vitamins and minerals, especially potassium and manganese, and of course with carbs. They’re an unprocessed natural food that Mother Nature meant for us to have. It’s like: “Here, I made this for you, please take it, eat it, be healthy and prosper!”
Thank YOU, Momma!
The one nutrient bananas are a little short on is protein, so I make sure I have some omega 3 free range eggs later in the day. Best single source of protein right there, high smart fats, and they’re also known to cut appetite! Win Win.
So if fast weight loss is what you want (and don’t we all), you might check this diet out. I believe if you’re reasonable, it’s quite OK to give a new dietary approach about a week and see what’s what.
I keep a close eye on the scale and body fat levels so things can’t get out of hand. Well so far I’m good, lean, and strong. I for one am gonna stick with this baby for a while!
Mark
Sources: webmd.com, cbsnews.com
Here is the official website of the asa banana diet: http://en.asabanana.net/index.html It’s worth a read!
10 Comments
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Wow!
Banana Diet eh?
Crazy man, never would have thought that would work.
My only concern is that being on it for a prolonged period of time might not be ideal… not sure…
Either way, cheers to you Mark for being open minded enough to try things even when they go against what we normally do.
SO many just vilify every technique that they have not tried…
Sõl
https://www.facebook.com/leanfitandstrong
Yeah exactly! The first knee-jerk reaction is to say nonsense, this can’t work. But hey! I tried it, and since about, say 1.5 weeks or so I’m feeling great and making good progress!
So it definitely looks like it works…
Hey mark, are you keeping your weight steady? Any fluctuations since starting?
Heya Garret, Yeah I do, actually it’s going down a little.
The main benefits of interest for me are that I literally have loads and loads of energy thanks to the carbs, and that I have basically absolutely zip hunger pangs or even appetite. Now that is new. I’m steam rolling through lifting and Judo sessions and do not feel like eating more.
And all that in spite of being on a calorie deficit, both by BMR and activity!
Example: today I have around 1700 calories: that’s just under my BMR. Plus I burned probably at least 500-750 calories with activities like Judo and lifting, intervals, etc.
Yesterday I burned 1000 extra. So I eat less, AND burn more, AND I feel great. Thus far? Lovin’ it.
Mark
Hi mark thanks for sharing. just a few questions?? Do the bananas have to be green (resistant starch)? How many bananas do u eat and how much water? I’m going to give it a try myself, I love bananas
Heya irene, welcome back!
Yeah no, some say that but the creators actually say don’t woerry about it. I got the link to their site right at the bottom of the post, makes for interesting reading (Japanese, little bit different thinking, somewhat outta the box)
Yeah I have 3-4 medium to large sized bananas with about 2 large cups of very warm/hot water (kinda like tea, only it’s just water).
Then I’m not hungry any more.
Later on some eggs, some veggies, etc.
Mark
hi mark,
strangely enough i’ve already been on the banana diet (sort of) for the past month. at work, i eat two bananas for lunch along with a protein shake. my job is pretty labor-intensive but i don’t suffer from fatigue as much as i used to, and i have lost a little weight. not following it exactly but then again i didn’t know it was a special diet until now, haha.
thanks again for a good posting!
logan
p.s. i sent you an email a week or two again, not sure i have the right address for you anymore!
Heya Logan, always good to hear from you man!
Yeah lemme check on that mail…
You might wanna try 3-4 bananas for breakfast (only), and with some warm water and see what it does to your appetite later on in the day…
Hey thanks for the comment Bro, talk soon!
ark
do you have to eat only bananas or can you mix food with the bananas? Protein at all in the first meal?
Heya Garrett, I think you’re supposed to have bananas only, I’m not totally sure why but there’s this theory about the body fat set-point and single source foods…heard this now from like three different sources or so, maybe there’s something to it…
Anyways that’s how the diet recommends it as well. I personally have just bananas, then like 2 hours later I have some boiled eggs, etc…
Mark