Baby food diet plan menu

What Is It, and Can You Lose Weight?

Baby Food Diet: What Is It, and Can You Lose Weight?

Medically reviewed by Jillian Kubala, MS, RD, Nutrition — By Daniel Yetman — Updated on October 31, 2020

The baby food diet involves replacing breakfast, lunch, and snacks with 14 containers of baby food. You then eat a regular dinner in the evening. The diet is meant to last for 3 days.

The baby food diet gained popularity around 2010. It’s rumored that actress Jennifer Aniston, with the help of her celebrity trainer, used the diet to lose 7 pounds in a week during the filming of the movie “Just Go with It.”

The idea of losing a pound per day may sound tempting, but the baby food diet fits into the category of a fad diet.

Many fad diets might help you lose weight in the short term, but they’re usually difficult to follow for an extended period of time.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what exactly the baby food diet is, as well as the pros and cons of this eating plan.

The premise behind the diet is that the small portion sizes of baby food will reduce your daily calorie intake. The bland taste of pureed baby food is also supposed to discourage you from overeating.

There are several less restrictive versions of the diet, like replacing only one meal a day with baby food.

Compared to many fad diets, the baby food diet has loose guidelines. For instance:

The diet plan doesn’t specify which type of baby food you can eat. The calorie content in baby food can vary from about 20 calories to more than 120 calories per jar.
It doesn’t put a limitation on what you can eat for dinner.

Here’s an example of what an average day might look like on the baby food diet.

Breakfast: 5 jars of baby food
Lunch: 5 jars of baby food
Afternoon snack: 2 jars of baby food
Dinner: your regular dinner
Evening snack: 2 jars of baby food

Most reports of weight loss on the baby food diet are anecdotal. According to people who’ve tried it, it can help you lose weight in the short term.

However, there’s currently no scientific evidence to back up these claims or to prove it’s an effective diet for long-term weight loss.

Replacing your usual meals with baby food will likely lower the number of calories you eat per day, which is probably one of the main reasons why you may lose weight while you’re on this diet.

But research suggests that restricting calories alone is rarely an effective method for reducing body weight. When you lower your calorie intake, your body’s metabolism tends to slow down, too. You may also feel hungrier than usual if you aren’t getting enough calories.

Because this diet typically lowers your intake of fiber and sodium, the weight you lose may be from water retention and not necessarily from fat.

Research also shows that the weight that’s lost on calorie-restrictive diets is usually regained when you return to your usual eating habits.

In theory, it’s possible to get most of your essential nutrients while following the baby food diet. Many baby foods are made from pureed fruits and vegetables. Some baby foods are also made from high-protein foods or whole grains.

Following the baby food diet for the recommended 3 days likely won’t hurt you. But following this diet for a longer period of time could lead to nutrient deficiencies if you’re eating far below your daily calorie need.

With restrictive diets like the baby food diet, it’s also important to keep in mind the risk of developing disordered eating, which could lead to an eating disorder if the diet is followed for a longer period of time.

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the baby food diet.

Pros

High in fruits and vegetables. Most baby foods are made from pureed fruits and vegetables.
Low in sodium. Most baby foods are low in sodium. Babies have a lower sodium requirement than adults.
Low in fat. Most baby foods are low in saturated fat.
No preparation. Besides your evening meal, there’s no meal prep necessary. Just open a jar and eat.

Cons

Restrictive. The baby food diet lacks the calories and nutrients you need to properly fuel your body.
Not filling. Most baby foods are low in protein and fiber. You may find that you feel hungry even when consuming adequate calories.
Low in fiber. You’ll get a lot more fiber from eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, rather than from food that’s been pureed.
Expensive. Most baby foods are fairly expensive per serving.
Large variation in calories between brands. The number of calories in a container of baby food varies from about 20 to 120 calories. Eating 14 containers per day could provide you with anywhere from 280 to 1,680 calories.

Following the baby food diet may help you quickly shed a few pounds, but it’s unlikely to cause sustainable weight loss.

Instead, a healthier strategy for long-term weight loss is to:

Eat a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, lean protein, and healthy fats.
Limit your intake of foods and drinks that are high in added sugars.
Focus on portion control. Resist eating more than you need to satisfy your hunger.
Exercise regularly, at least 150 minutes a week.
Don’t skip meals.

If you’re looking to quickly lose a few pounds, the baby food diet may help you achieve results. But if you’re looking for sustainable, long-term weight loss, it’s far from ideal.

The baby food diet falls into the category of fad diets. These types of diets often promise rapid weight loss and include a strict list of foods you can and can’t eat.

Containers of baby food are relatively low calorie, but research has shown that restricting too many calories can slow down your metabolism. This means that as soon as you go back to eating normal meals, you’ll likely put the weight back on.

A safer and healthier option for long-term weight loss is to follow a balanced eating plan that includes all food groups, while also keeping an eye on your portion sizes, and including regular exercise in your weight loss program.

Last medically reviewed on October 31, 2020

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Benton D, et al. (2017). Reducing calorie intake may not help you lose body weight. DOI:
10.1177/1745691617690878
Fad diets. (2017).
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9476-fad-diets
Fernández-Elías VE, et al. (2015). Relationship between muscle water and glycogen recovery after prolonged exercise in the heat in humans. DOI:
10.1007/s00421-015-3175-z
Obert J, et al. (2017). Popular weight loss strategies: A review of four weight loss techniques. DOI:
10.1007/s11894-017-0603-8
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2015). Chapter 1: Key elements of healthy eating patterns: A closer look inside healthy eating patterns. Dietary guidelines for Americans 2015-2020.
health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/chapter-1/a-closer-look-inside-healthy-eating-patterns/#food-groups

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Oct 31, 2020

Written By

Daniel Yetman

Edited By

Tracey Crate

Medically Reviewed By

Jillian Kubala, MS, RD

Copy Edited By

Copy Editors

Nov 11, 2019

Written By

Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD, MPH

Edited By

Maggie Brown

Medically Reviewed By

Carissa Stephens, RN, CCRN, CPN

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Jillian Kubala, MS, RD, Nutrition — By Daniel Yetman — Updated on October 31, 2020

What Is It, and Can You Lose Weight?

Baby Food Diet: What Is It, and Can You Lose Weight?

Medically reviewed by Jillian Kubala, MS, RD, Nutrition — By Daniel Yetman — Updated on October 31, 2020

The baby food diet involves replacing breakfast, lunch, and snacks with 14 containers of baby food. You then eat a regular dinner in the evening. The diet is meant to last for 3 days.

The idea of losing a pound per day may sound tempting, but the baby food diet fits into the category of a fad diet.

Many fad diets might help you lose weight in the short term, but they’re usually difficult to follow for an extended period of time.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what exactly the baby food diet is, as well as the pros and cons of this eating plan.

The premise behind the diet is that the small portion sizes of baby food will reduce your daily calorie intake. The bland taste of pureed baby food is also supposed to discourage you from overeating.

There are several less restrictive versions of the diet, like replacing only one meal a day with baby food.

Compared to many fad diets, the baby food diet has loose guidelines. For instance:

The diet plan doesn’t specify which type of baby food you can eat. The calorie content in baby food can vary from about 20 calories to more than 120 calories per jar.
It doesn’t put a limitation on what you can eat for dinner.

Here’s an example of what an average day might look like on the baby food diet.

Breakfast: 5 jars of baby food
Lunch: 5 jars of baby food
Afternoon snack: 2 jars of baby food
Dinner: your regular dinner
Evening snack: 2 jars of baby food

Most reports of weight loss on the baby food diet are anecdotal. According to people who’ve tried it, it can help you lose weight in the short term.

However, there’s currently no scientific evidence to back up these claims or to prove it’s an effective diet for long-term weight loss.

Replacing your usual meals with baby food will likely lower the number of calories you eat per day, which is probably one of the main reasons why you may lose weight while you’re on this diet.

Because this diet typically lowers your intake of fiber and sodium, the weight you lose may be from water retention and not necessarily from fat.

Research also shows that the weight that’s lost on calorie-restrictive diets is usually regained when you return to your usual eating habits.

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the baby food diet.

Pros

High in fruits and vegetables. Most baby foods are made from pureed fruits and vegetables.
Low in sodium. Most baby foods are low in sodium. Babies have a lower sodium requirement than adults.
Low in fat. Most baby foods are low in saturated fat.
No preparation. Besides your evening meal, there’s no meal prep necessary. Just open a jar and eat.

Cons

Restrictive. The baby food diet lacks the calories and nutrients you need to properly fuel your body.
Not filling. Most baby foods are low in protein and fiber. You may find that you feel hungry even when consuming adequate calories.
Low in fiber. You’ll get a lot more fiber from eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, rather than from food that’s been pureed.
Expensive. Most baby foods are fairly expensive per serving.
Large variation in calories between brands. The number of calories in a container of baby food varies from about 20 to 120 calories. Eating 14 containers per day could provide you with anywhere from 280 to 1,680 calories.

Following the baby food diet may help you quickly shed a few pounds, but it’s unlikely to cause sustainable weight loss.

Instead, a healthier strategy for long-term weight loss is to:

Eat a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, lean protein, and healthy fats.
Limit your intake of foods and drinks that are high in added sugars.
Focus on portion control. Resist eating more than you need to satisfy your hunger.
Exercise regularly, at least 150 minutes a week.
Don’t skip meals.

If you’re looking to quickly lose a few pounds, the baby food diet may help you achieve results. But if you’re looking for sustainable, long-term weight loss, it’s far from ideal.

The baby food diet falls into the category of fad diets. These types of diets often promise rapid weight loss and include a strict list of foods you can and can’t eat.

Last medically reviewed on October 31, 2020

How we reviewed this article:

Benton D, et al. (2017). Reducing calorie intake may not help you lose body weight. DOI:
10.1177/1745691617690878
Fad diets. (2017).
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9476-fad-diets
Fernández-Elías VE, et al. (2015). Relationship between muscle water and glycogen recovery after prolonged exercise in the heat in humans. DOI:
10.1007/s00421-015-3175-z
Obert J, et al. (2017). Popular weight loss strategies: A review of four weight loss techniques. DOI:
10.1007/s11894-017-0603-8
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2015). Chapter 1: Key elements of healthy eating patterns: A closer look inside healthy eating patterns. Dietary guidelines for Americans 2015-2020.
health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/chapter-1/a-closer-look-inside-healthy-eating-patterns/#food-groups

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Oct 31, 2020

Written By

Daniel Yetman

Edited By

Tracey Crate

Medically Reviewed By

Jillian Kubala, MS, RD

Copy Edited By

Copy Editors

Nov 11, 2019

Written By

Aimee Eyvazzadeh, MD, MPH

Edited By

Maggie Brown

Medically Reviewed By

Carissa Stephens, RN, CCRN, CPN

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Jillian Kubala, MS, RD, Nutrition — By Daniel Yetman — Updated on October 31, 2020

Diet on baby food. Advantages, disadvantages and diet menu for baby food. Women's site www.InMoment.ru

Every year, nutritionists find more and more ways to help the fair sex get rid of extra pounds. One of them is the baby food diet. At first, the diet of such a diet may seem strange. We are not accustomed to eating the same as little children. However, the experience of many people shows that this is a really effective way to lose weight. It turns out that such famous people as Lady Gaga, Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon have already tried this diet. And it was developed by Tracy Anderson, the personal trainer of Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. Over time, many Hollywood stars began to try this diet, and were pleased with the result.

Both young mothers and women without children have an idea of what baby food is. It can be vegetable or meat puree, fruit mousse or banana porridge in a jar. These soft mixtures are eaten by babies who do not yet have a tooth.

Benefits of the baby food diet

An important benefit of this diet is the speed of weight loss . It helps to get rid of extra pounds due to the fact that baby food contains few calories, and eating it in large quantities will not work. Thus, sitting on this diet, willy-nilly, you will have to limit the consumption of products.

Another benefit of a baby food diet is the convenience of . No need to cook anything, just open the jar and the dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner is ready. Such food can be carried with you in your bag and even have a snack on the go.

Of course, this diet not only helps to lose weight, but also benefits the body . It is known that manufacturers of baby food pay great attention to the quality of their product. After all, the baby's body is very fragile. Therefore, the risk of containing some harmful substances (preservatives, GMOs, dyes, etc. ) in baby food is much lower than in the case of conventional products. Therefore, baby food for adults is not only dietary, but also useful.

Those who want to lose weight will also appreciate the fact that the diet will not be boring and monotonous at all. After all, you can choose food for every taste - meat, vegetable, fruit.

Disadvantages of diet based on baby food

Of course, diet based on baby food has its drawbacks. One of them is an insufficient amount of coarse fiber. Everyone knows that solid food is good for both the teeth and the digestive organs. Therefore, if the diet lasts more than 10 days, then it is worth adding green vegetables (lettuce, celery, etc.) to the diet.

Another disadvantage is that despite the variety of tastes, such a diet can quickly get bored. After all, in fact it is still mashed potatoes and cereals. However, those who want to lose weight are usually not ready for such sacrifices.

Another disadvantage of such a diet is its high cost. An adult needs many times more baby food than a baby, and it is often not cheap. Nutritionists do not advise buying the cheapest baby food. It is also worth paying attention to the composition of the mixture. Manufacturers are not always so conscientious. Even in baby food there may be some preservatives or other substances that will not benefit the body.

Diet menu for baby food

When choosing baby food, you should pay attention not only to the composition of the mixture, but also to the calorie content. For example, fruit puree without sugar contains only 50 kcal per 100 grams of the product, but when sugar or cream is added to it, the number of kilocalories can increase to 100. Then this food will not be so dietary.

You can eat up to 14 jars of different baby food during the day. Moreover, if this way of eating is too heavy or causes discomfort, then only some part of the daily diet can be replaced with baby food. For example, it can be eaten instead of dinner. Of course, the effect of such a diet will be much weaker, but still, over time, those extra pounds will go away. During the diet, it is recommended to drink plenty of pure water. From drinks you can only green tea without sugar.

Russian dieticians have developed a sample menu for every day

For example, for breakfast you can eat children's cottage cheese and a jar of fruit puree. Or breakfast can be a bag of instant baby cereal.
For lunch you can eat a couple of jars of meat and vegetable puree, children's instant soup. You can also eat a few lettuce leaves with a little olive oil or lemon juice.

During the afternoon snack you can have fruit puree. The menu for dinner will be the same as for breakfast.

Of course, this is an example menu. During breaks, you can have a snack, without going beyond 14 jars per day.

Nutritionists disagree on the diet of Baby Food. Many claim that it is really effective for a week. But since it is quite difficult to withstand it, after about 7-10 days breakdowns and overeating may begin. However, in order to lose 2-3 kilograms in a week, this diet is great. Also, do not forget that prolonged use of such nutrition can adversely affect health, because in children's nutrition there are not enough substances necessary for the normal functioning of an adult (especially fiber and vitamin D).

Article protected by copyright and related rights. Copying of materials is possible only with an active link to the Women's site inmoment.ru.

The information in this article is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation. Please do not self-medicate, be sure to consult a specialist.

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Diet with baby food - lose weight with pleasure: minus 5 kg per week

To lose weight, you need to eat less. Reducing your daily calorie intake is the most important thing you can and should do if you intend to lose weight. You should accustom yourself to eat small and give up high-calorie foods in favor of less satisfying ones. In other words, we should get fewer calories from food than we burn during the day, supporting life and physical activity.

Baby food diet - very tasty and simple. She has a lot of advantages. First, you don't have to cook anything. It is enough to buy multi-colored jars with fruit, vegetable and meat purees, cereals, jelly and curds.

Secondly, you don't have to count anything. Everything you need is on the label. On the package you can find the net weight, calorie content and the content of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. In addition, it is very easy to measure the right amount from a jar. Large packages usually have divisions on the wrapper. An example in the photo.

Thus, counting calories is the most elementary. The third significant plus is the quality of the food. Baby food (if it is a reputable brand and not a fake) does not contain harmful ingredients, excess sugar. A balanced menu helps to eliminate toxins and toxins from the body. When losing weight on baby puree, a slight detox effect can be noted.

The only negative is, perhaps, the high cost. Losing weight on boiled buckwheat and chicken breast is certainly cheaper, but more boring. Therefore, you can try, especially if there are children in the house, and the food is present in sufficient quantities and often remains undernourished.

Diet rules and 2 options

The baby food diet comes in two versions: pure and combined. In the first case, only baby puree should be eaten. Number of meals - 5. Portions are small. Daily calorie content - no more than 1000 kcal.

Don't forget the simple rules of food pairing. So, do not eat mashed potatoes with meat. Puree of beef, rabbit, chicken and turkey is desirable to combine with vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, a mixture of spring vegetables). Sweet purees should be consumed separately, as a dessert. Preferably in the morning. Look for puree with a good composition, without added sugar and preservatives. Follow 7 days.

The second variant is combined (lightweight) and involves the use of various baby food products. All 7 days are allowed cereals and curds, children's cookies, kissels, compotes, juices. You need to eat 4-5 times a day, portions are also small. Daily calorie content - no more than 1200 kcal. This option is more satisfying and varied, but you can’t eat like that for longer than 7 days.

In both cases, the diet is strictly prohibited: salt and sugar (in any form), confectionery and flour products, fatty, fried foods, alcohol, sauces and semi-finished products, fast food. Mineral water without gas and green tea without cream and sugar are allowed to be consumed without restrictions. Reduce the amount of black coffee.

You can lose up to 5 kg of excess weight in 7 days.

Given that the menu looks varied and healthy, losing weight will be easy and effortless. After 7 days, be sure to take a break. An adult body needs solid food - the absence of it can provoke a failure. It is allowed to repeat the diet after 5-6 months (“sit” on it no more than 2 times a year).

Sample menu for the day (option 2, light)

Breakfast: a jar of fruit puree, a jar of cottage cheese (100 g) or a portion of porridge (100 g), tea
Lunch: jar of meat and vegetable puree
Snack: children's juice or jelly, 2 small children's cookies
Dinner: a jar of pumpkin puree, a serving of cottage cheese (100 g), herbal tea.

Rations are approximate. When planning a menu for the day, accurately calculate the calorie content.

Contraindications and recommendations

A diet based on baby food is not recommended for adolescents, pregnant and lactating women, and the elderly. Contraindicated in the presence of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, high / low blood pressure, diabetes, pathologies of the liver and kidneys, organs of the gastrointestinal tract.