The mono-diet regimen before the season

After a month of devouring foie gras, salmon, salted butter log cake, chocolates, and more slices of galette des rois until you found the fève, do you feel tired and full of toxins? And beyond the pounds gained on the scale, are you worried that the holiday season has taken a toll on your ability to perform effectively on the bike? Here, we suggest you discover a simple method that might allow you to get back on track faster than expected. It’s called the monodieta. This concept – which at first glance couldn’t be simpler, as it involves eating only one food – would, it is said, help you purify your body. But how does it work, and which single food should you choose? And why? Here we reveal all the details, advantages, disadvantages, risks, and implementation of this protocol…

By Jean-François TATARD – Photos: Depositphotos.com

The monodieta diet is a trendy method that is not new. This eating practice consists of eating only one food for a certain period. Not for weeks, though. Just long enough to detoxify the body’s organs. But ultimately, the practice is still very controversial.

Monodieta, how to use it

With only one ingredient in the recipe, the advantage is that we won’t spend hours explaining how to use it. Basically:

• Only one food consumed
• Generally 3 consecutive days,
• Also possible: 1 day per week or 1 meal per day
• The most consumed foods during a monodieta are: apple, black radish or grape
• Oh yes, – important – we too often forget it or many still wonder, you must drink and therefore water, you consume it at will.

Monodieta, how does it work?

Generally, the food consumed is a plant rich in micronutrients and antioxidants. You consume this exclusive food for three consecutive days. Thus, the chosen food can then be consumed at will during these three days. It is recommended to choose “organic” versions preferably.

The goal is simple! It is to save the work of digestion and to give the organs that perform these functions a little rest. Water, tea, and herbal teas are also consumed at will during this period. And finally, if we consider the energetic weakening and calorie supply, it is better to limit physical efforts.

And your weight?

Nothing to do with it, or almost. It’s not about losing weight. In fact, if that’s the effect you’re looking for, losing weight by practicing a monodieta, you’re likely to be disappointed… I like to compare the monodieta to grandpa’s old Renault Caravelle. The engine gets clogged over time. The engine accumulates waste and toxins. This generates fatigue. A bad complexion. A decrease in immunity. Digestion problems, etc. Toxins come from the body itself but also from outside through pollution, medication, smoking, alcohol, etc. At some point, a stage is reached where the body becomes unable to eliminate all this waste, and that’s when a detoxification cure would be necessary.

If you want to lose weight by practicing a monodieta, you’re likely to be disappointed…

How the monodieta works

The liver, kidneys, and intestines are the most targeted organs during a “detox” cure or a monodieta. Technically, most of the foods assimilated in this cure contain very interesting nutrients for health, including: fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It is important to mention that in the human body, the liver and kidneys are the key organs in processing the body’s waste.

As beautiful as you are, your body produces waste, but rest assured, it is handled by our organs and eliminated naturally. Thus, the liver participates in the formation of urea before its elimination by the body. And the liver also has its friend. In fact, they are twins: the kidneys! The kidneys are responsible for filtering an individual’s blood to eliminate waste daily. In fact, I might teach you something. Did you know that the kidneys filter your total blood volume more than sixty times a day? So there is no need to worry about the quality of our blood if the kidneys are functioning well.

The quality of the chosen food

Ultimately, we realize that the chosen food systematically contains a significant amount of antioxidants. I remind you that antioxidants play a role in neutralizing free radicals that damage the body. These free radicals are considered waste products of the body but also come from outside through combustion smoke, chemicals, dust, etc. These compounds with antioxidant properties are: vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids.

The “Top list”

Systematically, I personally choose from: grapes, black radish, or apples. But the other most popular foods in monodieta are:

• Cherries
• Peach
• Melon
• Carrot
• Asparagus
• Celery

But also:

• Rice
• Quinoa

Foods to eliminate

Keep it simple!

1. During these 3 days, all foods other than the one initially chosen are forbidden.
2. Certain foods such as sugary products, industrial dishes, or alcohol are definitively prohibited.
3. For smokers, if there are still any among cyclists, cigarettes are to be banned during this period. Perhaps an opportunity to try to quit for good…

Advantages of the monodieta

The positive points of the monodieta are numerous:

• Easy to implement
• Economical diet
• Good fiber intake
• Foods generally of good nutritional quality
• Punctual and short-term method

Disadvantages of the monodieta

However, there are also negative points:

• Extremely low protein intake
• Difficult to maintain because very monotonous
• Frequent feeling of hunger
• Mainly water loss
• Incompatible with a social life
• Frequent weight regain

Risks of the monodieta

Although monodiets offer healthy foods, it is important to note that during the days when such a diet is practiced, calorie intake is far too low to meet recommended vitamin and mineral intakes. So don’t linger with this eating pattern. Three days max! On the other hand, the weight you lose at best is mostly water because the body empties its glycogen stores. And since you don’t assimilate protein during this period, you also lose muscle. And unfortunately, the foods most often named in monodiets, including apples, celery, grapes, or peaches, are among the list of foods containing the most pesticides. Finally, to conclude, to function well, our body needs (good) fats, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. However, no single food in nature contains all these nutrients, which is why it is recommended to eat a variety of foods.

The universal monodieta?

Let me stop you right there… A three-day consecutive monodieta is not frankly recommendable. In fact, whatever your situation. If you talk to your general practitioner about it, I’d be surprised if they agreed with this diet. Perhaps prioritize just one day. The day after a feast, for example. Avoid riding during this period. However, if it’s the “1-day option,” go for it, gently perhaps, but go for 30 to 50 minutes very gently. This will help the body function optimally and eliminate toxins.

To maintain all the benefits of this monodieta, upon returning to normal, you must eat a balanced diet, prioritizing foods rich in vegetables and fruits and low in processed foods. Furthermore, the consumption of animal proteins and legumes is not recommended for about three days after the end of the monodieta, as the harder they are to digest, the more they promote urea production.

In fact, after much reading and jointly experimenting with the monodieta in various versions and for varied durations, I realize that the practice is still very drastic. And on the other hand, I might disappoint you, but in truth: no single food can, on its own, act on the liver and help it in its functions. The important thing is above all to have a relatively healthy and varied diet daily. And at most, perhaps exceptionally, when you have enjoyed a good feast and overindulged, you can rest your digestive system the next day by selecting a single food to consume during that post-holiday day. And finally, if you wish to venture into the monodieta diet, continue to educate yourself or seek help from a specialist, but do not forget that if you consume only one food, you limit the sources of toxins, certainly, but you also eliminate excellent nutrients and antioxidants!

=> SEE ALSO: All our Coaching articles