Ultra Processed Diet

30 Day Ultra Processed VS Ultra Clean Diet Challenge

Eat Like a Pig For 15 Days & Like A God For the Others To See What Kind of Health Effects Prevail

The idea of consciously consuming an ultra-processed diet for 15 days may sound counterintuitive to most health-conscious individuals, but this experiment can offer valuable insights into how these types of foods affect your body, energy levels, mood, and overall health. This challenge is all about tracking the impact of eating foods that are heavily processed, including pre-packaged meals, snacks, fast food, sugary drinks, and processed ingredients in conjunction with those that are ultra clean. For 15 days you’ll eat garbage and then the following 15, you’ll eat like a Queen. The extremity of both diets can provide invaluable information on how your body reacts to certain foods & the psychology behind why.

Here’s How To Do It

Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor or health care professionals before doing a challenge of this nature. We are not medical professionals and are not giving any advice or direction as such. These ideas and measures are purely for personal experimentation purposes only. We advise against doing this challenge should you have any medical issues physically or mentally that may cause further harm.

1. Set Your Hypothesis & Tracking Measures

Before you begin, it’s essential to set specific health goals or areas of focus. What do you want to monitor during this experiment? What do you think the outcome will be? Common health concerns include:

• Energy levels

• Skin appearance

• Digestive health (bloating, constipation, etc.)

• Sleep quality

• Mood swings or irritability

• Cravings

• Physical activity levels

Remember: It's crucial to approach this experiment with a mindful attitude and monitor your body’s reactions with a non-judgmental eye.

2. What to Eat (Day 1-15):

An ultra-processed diet includes foods that are significantly altered from their original form through industrial processes. These foods typically contain additives, preservatives, artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners. Here’s a breakdown of the foods you should include:

Foods to Include:

• Pre-packaged Snacks: Potato chips, cookies, candy, and other packaged treats.

• Sugary Drinks: Soda, energy drinks, sugary juices, and flavored water.

• Fast Food: Burgers, fries, pizza, fried chicken, and other takeout or fast-food meals.

• Ready-to-Eat Meals: Microwave dinners, frozen pizza, or instant noodles.

• Processed Meats: Hot dogs, sausages, deli meats, and processed bacon.

• Cereals & Granola Bars: Breakfast cereals, granola bars, and flavored oatmeal.

• Baked Goods: Packaged pastries, doughnuts, and pre-made cakes or muffins.

• Frozen Foods: Pre-packaged frozen dinners, french fries, and frozen snacks.

• Convenience Foods: Instant ramen, boxed macaroni and cheese, and canned soups.

2. What to Eat (Day 15-30):

An ultra-clean diet consists of

Foods to Include:

• Fresh Fruits & Vegetables: Choose a variety of fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables.

• Whole Grains: Brown rice, quinoa, oats, barley, and whole wheat pasta.

• Lean Proteins: Fresh poultry, fish, grass-fed beef, or plant-based proteins like lentils, beans, and chickpeas.

• Healthy Fats: Avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, and nuts/seeds.

• Unprocessed Dairy: Plain yogurt, kefir, and cheese in their simplest forms.

• Whole Foods Snacks: Fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, and homemade trail mix.

• Herbs & Spices: Fresh or dried herbs and spices for flavor, rather than processed seasonings.

• Home-Cooked Meals: Prepare your meals from scratch, using whole ingredients like vegetables, grains, and proteins.

3. Tracking Your Health:

To get the most out of this experiment, you should track your body’s responses regularly. Here are some suggested areas to focus on each week and how to monitor them:

Days 1-15: Initial Reactions

At the beginning of the challenge, you’ll likely experience a noticeable change, as your body adjusts to the abundance of sugar, salt, fat, and additives in processed foods.

• Daily Tracking: Record your energy levels, mood, hunger, and cravings. Are you feeling sluggish or energized after meals? Do you crave more sugary snacks or salty foods?

• Physical Changes: Note any early signs of bloating, changes in bowel movements (e.g., constipation, diarrhea), or changes in skin appearance (pimples, dryness).

• Sleep Quality: Pay attention to how well you're sleeping. Is it harder to fall asleep? Are you waking up more frequently during the night?

By the second week, you may begin to experience fluctuations in blood sugar and more significant cravings for ultra-processed foods. Your body is becoming accustomed to the rush of quick energy from sugar and refined carbs.

• Cravings: Do you feel more dependent on sugar or salty foods than usual? Are you reaching for snacks between meals? Track your cravings and how strong they feel.

• Energy Levels: Are you feeling more sluggish in the afternoon? This could be due to blood sugar crashes.

• Skin and Digestion: You might notice more digestive discomfort (e.g., bloating, constipation) or skin breakouts. Keep an eye on any changes in your skin’s appearance, and note if your digestion feels off.

By now, you’ll likely be experiencing more noticeable long-term effects of the ultra-processed diet. These can include more frequent cravings, fatigue, and other health changes.

• Mood Swings and Irritability: Track whether you feel more moody or irritable than usual. Excess sugar, refined carbs, and preservatives can cause mood swings and anxiety.

• Physical Changes: You may experience weight gain, changes in skin texture, or more noticeable bloating. Take note of these shifts in your body.

• Energy Levels: Are you feeling a lack of energy or constant hunger? Your body may be struggling with the nutritional imbalance caused by the processed foods.

Days 15-30: The Switch

During the second half of the challenge, you’ll switch to ultra-clean eating. It’s important to note how quickly your body adjusts to this shift in food quality. You may experience some withdrawal symptoms from the ultra-processed foods, like cravings or irritability.

• Energy Levels: Expect some fluctuations as your body detoxifies from the excess sugar, salt, and processed fats. You may initially feel a little low in energy but should eventually experience a steadier level of energy as you nourish your body with whole foods.

• Digestion: With an increase in fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, you may notice improvements in digestion, such as more regular bowel movements and less bloating.

• Cravings: It’s normal to have strong cravings for processed foods during the first few days. Track how long it takes for your cravings to subside as your body gets used to whole, clean foods.

• Mood & Clarity: You might experience improved mood stability and mental clarity as your body gets the nutrients it needs from clean foods.

• Sleep: Pay attention to how your sleep improves as you eliminate high-sugar and high-caffeine processed foods.

As you near the end of the 30-day challenge, you will have experienced the full spectrum of changes, and you should reflect on the impacts this diet has had on your health.

• Energy and Productivity: How is your energy throughout the day? Are you experiencing consistent highs and lows? You may also notice a dip in productivity due to fluctuations in energy.

• Sleep and Mood: Reflect on how your sleep has been and if your mood has shifted. Are you more anxious or stressed?

• Weight & Skin: Are you seeing any changes in your weight, skin appearance (acne, dryness), or physical health (e.g., fewer digestive issues)?

• Physical and Emotional Changes: Assess any weight changes, digestive discomfort, skin breakouts, or overall well-being. How do you feel about the health consequences of eating an ultra-processed diet?

4. Weekly Check-In Questions:

To help monitor your progress, ask yourself the following questions each week:

• How is my energy throughout the day?

• Am I experiencing any digestive issues (e.g., bloating, constipation)?

• What is my mood like?

• Have I noticed changes in my skin (e.g., pimples, dullness, dryness)?

• Do I have stronger cravings for processed foods or sugary snacks?

• How has my sleep quality been?

• Am I noticing any weight changes?

5. Documenting Your Experience:

It’s essential to keep a journal or use an app to document your daily experiences during this 30-day challenge. You can use a food tracking app like MyFitnessPal to log your meals and any symptoms or changes. Record the following details:

• What I Ate: Include everything from snacks to meals. This will help you spot patterns over time.

• How I Felt: Describe how you felt physically, mentally, and emotionally throughout the day. Were there any noticeable highs or lows?

• Symptoms or Changes: Write about any changes you notice in your digestion, skin, or mood.