Hey , hope you’re well.

This week I wanted to touch on something a bit provocative: fad diets.

Over the years I’ve tried plenty – ketogenic, carnivore, vegan, fasting, primal… you name it. And the most useful lessons had very little to do with the diets themselves.

What they taught me, again and again, is the value of trying something new and the power of radically limiting yourself.

Take the ketogenic diet. (fan fave)

To get into ketosis (running off your fats rather than your sugars), you have to keep your carbs and sugars ultra low for weeks straight.

One beer, biscuit, even an apple knocks you out of the state entirely.

It was tough, and required lots of willpower, planning and prep time, but the learnings didn’t really come from understanding my metabolism:

I learnt that I could completely give up food groups and long-standing habits – and survive just fine.

And that’s the deeper point.

In any good story, the hero has to shed their old identity.

Forests burn so stronger ones can grow.

Hard times lead to stronger people.

What you burn off allows you to build something better. (And we’re not talking about fat here!)

So instead of asking,

‘Should I try this fad diet?’,

the more interesting question is:

‘What identity will this diet help me practise becoming?’

Or even:

‘What behaviours/habits will I be forced to let go of?’

🥩Eating just meat and eggs for a month (and feeling above average) makes you really question why you used to fret so much about getting your 5 a day.

❌Doing a five-day fast makes you aware that you’ve never really been that hungry,

They sound faddy, but they are reminders of how adaptable the body is, and how dependent we become on things we don’t actually need.

I think this is partly why people love camping/caravanning. It strips away the luxuries and reminds you how hard simple domestic tasks were/are without modern convenience.

Anyone who’s done Dry Jan will end it saying “I learnt I can drink a little less now, or enjoy the occasional 0%”

Fasting and fad diets do the same for your relationship with food.

So whether it’s a

• Fad diet to lose weight or a
• Glad diet that makes you appreciate what you normally get to eat,

I genuinely think they’re worth trying,

To quote Socrates:

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Because the real goal isn’t sticking to the diet. And this is where people go wrong every January.

The real goal is who you become along the way.

After years of experiments, my biggest learning is simple:

The body adapts to anything. Best for you to choose what that is!

Fun fact: the longest medically supervised fast lasted over a year.

So when you’re thinking about the New Year, or the run up to it, consider a fad diet – but not just for the need to complete a goal.

For identity.

For discipline.

For perspective.

And for remembering what you’re actually capable of.

James - humans BEING

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Disclaimer: The information I share is for education and general interest only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or a substitute for professional care. Please do not start or stop any medication or supplement without guidance from a qualified health professional who knows your personal history.

The views expressed are my own, based on sources available at the time of writing. Logos, images, and short excerpts may appear for identification, critique, or educational purposes; all trademarks and copyrights remain with their owners. I aim to be accurate, and if you believe something here is incorrect, please let me know so I can review and, if needed, correct it.