Our society is obsessed with all things trendy. Whether it be the latest rainbow-colored food or diet trend, we always like to be in the know. Among crazy food trends that have circulated our media is the baby food diet. This diet suggests several versions such as replacing some, or all of, your meals with a variety of baby foods.
Why, you may ask, are people doing this? Well, logically, it makes sense to lose weight. Baby food is full of nutrients, I mean, we trust it with our newborns, and it’s also low in calories. However, it is not meant for adults, which is why the diet has caused some controversy.
Having just undergone a dreaded Tonsillectomy and being the curious mind that I am, I decided to eat nothing but baby food for three days and this is how it went.
Day 1
Let me remind you all, I would MUCH rather be chowing down a nice bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel right now, but due to my recent tonsillectomy, even this pureed baby food goodness (?) is hard to get down. Despite the inherent oatmeal addition to this otherwise applesauce-worthy puree, this wasn’t too bad, but still barely satisfying.
For the rest of the day, I ate about two more jars of baby food—both of the same peach, banana, and apple variety. Because my days consisted of Netflix, sleeping, and cuddling with my cat, I didn’t feel too hungry or low on energy; however, I can surely see how one might under normal, active circumstances.
Day 2
For the sake of my taste buds, I decided to stay to the more fruit-varietied baby foods. However, for those of you interested, I had choices of whipped peas, sweet potato and other veggie options available. Banana Peach Raspberry was a solid 10/10 would snack on regular basis (that is if I could somehow avoid the weird looks I’d get in the dining hall).
Day two was steady despite the throbbing absence of my tonsils; however, energy was certainly low. There’s no way I could survive my daily activities on these three little jars.
Day 3
Day three came and I woke up DREADING that jar of Mango Apple baby food. I reluctantly spooned the pureed food into my mouth and imagined how good a nice juicy burger from Five Guys sounded — ugh. Even if I wanted to devour a big juicy burger, I wouldn’t be able to for the next week thanks to the holes I have instead of tonsils.
I ate my last three jars of baby food and was feeling fine, but I know that this would not be the case under normal circumstances. All I did was lie in bed, watch Netflix, and sleep, so a low-calorie diet was suitable to sustain me.
The Damage
In just three days, I had lost several pounds. Now, this weight loss was inevitable for me due to my tonsillectomy. But it’s important to note that this mode of weight loss is in no way healthy for a normal and active human to undergo.
Baby food is fine for tiny, sleepy babies who can’t eat solid food options. But for us active types, it is essential we take in the proper nutrients and calories daily — which baby food simply cannot provide.
So, unless you’re undergoing a tonsillectomy, I would advise against the baby food diet. It forces you to practice unhealthy eating habits and deprives your body of essential nutrients and fats needed to thrive.
For those of you trying to shed a few pounds, check out these simple daily diet changes that can help you live a healthier life, and shy away from the mushy baby food — trust me on this one.