I lost 38 lbs in about 9 months by changing my diet and eating habits between May of 2017 and February of 2018.
Chametz is said to represent the animal urge. Passover is about curbing the animal urge to eat leaven bread. The bread of abundance. In Egypt we had abundance. When we had to flee we didn't have time for the bread to rise. The desert lacked the abundance of Egypt. Some of the Jews "K'vetched" (murmured / complained) and wanted to go back. Wanting the old lifestyle of abundance lead to an outbreak.
This metaphor plays into how food effects us very well. The idea of food addiction and how we eat and how it effects. In the Desert they would eat more like the Cave man, more meats and veggies, with some Manna of course but also Quail, Plantation, Succulents a more Paleo / Mediterranean Sea style diet possibly. That is where this concept gets some of its animus.
I noticed every year during Passover that I would loose a little weight but most importantly some of my pain and inflammation went down.
When under the supervision and direction of my Primary Care Physician and Mindfulness Life Coach by simply changing my diet and my mindset, through following a Paleo / Mediterranean style diet avoiding Carbs, Sugar and an including portions of Allergy Elimination diet as well. I have been able to loose close to 40 lbs, I went from 255lbs to 217 lbs. I had to change shopping and eating habits eating protein (meat) and veggies and start cooking and preparing food at home. It's a healthier lifestyle. It also lends itself to a more active lifestyle.
I called the Diet part of it the Passover Plunge because it's kind of like Passover where you go without leaven for a week (8 days), but I went without significant carbs, sugar intake, dairy, bread and allergy inducing foods for the better part of a year.
Now it's a lifestyle choice. I have friends who are into fitness who had doubts but I've been under my Drs supervision and she's been monitoring my progress. My mental focus and health is better than it was actually. Many of my previous health issues have cleared up.
I found that changing my diet help inflammation and pain go down, exercise and physical therapy helped me strengthen what was weak and loosing weight helped reduce pain and stress on my body as well. Foods high in carbohydrates, starch, sugar and dairy process like alcohol they are addictive they produce inflammation and swelling which causes pain. Things like bread, pasta and cheese. If you eliminate or reduce the intake of things like pizza, ice cream, bread, pasta, cereal with milk (replace with slow oven cooked oatmeal), and eat a mixed of fruit and veggies with a protein at each meal like fruits and eggs for breakfast, tunafish and a salad for lunch, fish / meat and fruits or vegetable of some kind for dinner (no potatoes their starch). Avoid fast-food and deep friend. You will find your brain clear, you will be less stressed, thoughts will be cleared, you will have less pain and more mobility.
Remember Bread, Pasta, Milk, Sugar, Starch / Potatoes all lead to inflammation and pain. Reduce your Carb / Sugar / Starch intake. A reduction will help. An elimination / cleanse will feel good. Try shopping the outside of the super market the fresh produce and meats.
It's up to you to make a lifestyle change not just do a diet. Give yourself room, a cheat day or meal once a week. Remember it's about education and it's about a lifestyle change. Change the way you think and change the way you eat. When you realize the food you eat can increase pain and inflammation and avoid things that do and fell the difference you will want to avoid those things. Reduction will help. An elimination / cleanse will feel good.
Try shopping the outside of the super market the fresh produce and meats. Consider doing meal prep to avoid the urge to grab fast food.
Here is the diet I created to loose the weight.
The Passover Plunge Diet
How To Eat Like A Cave Man
A Paleo - Mediterranean - Allergy Elimination Style Diet
How I Lost Over 40 LBS
Break the Fast
The Morning Meal (Is It Necessary)??
Trip to Spain (story)
You can see the difference in lifestyle / activity and how they eat by just watching people in the Airport versus how people in the Airport look here
When They Eat
10 am breakfast (not a Meal tea & biscuits, coffee, light snack, fruits, veggies, cheese)
2pm - 4pm lunch and Siesta (large Meal)
8 pm dinner (10 pm - 12 am best time)
Big Meal versus Small Break-theFast / Intermittent Fasting vs Small Breakfast
Eat Only Fresh Fruits & Vegetables and / or Fruit Shakes before Lunch
Active Outdoor Lifestyles / Walk Places / Walk Often even Daily / Hike Weekly
Long Restful Lunches for good Digestive Health
Take Naps / Take Time to Rest / Be Mindful of the Time
Good Water is Key / Stay Hydrated / Drink Plenty / Drink Often
Many National Holidays / Vacation Weeks and Less Work Hours
Leads to a Less stressed Lifestyles and Better overall Healthy Living
The Passover (8 Day) Diet | Don't Die-At-It In The Wilderness
No Leavened Bread / Cut the Carb intake / no Chametz
Bread
Pasta
Pasties
Oatmeal
You can eat Unleavened Bread / Matzo / Matzo Ball Soap
Avoid Wheat, Barley, Rye, Oats, and Spelt sometimes Bean's and Rice as well
Fresh Fruits / Vegetables & Protein with Every Meal
Eat Clean Fresh / Whole Foods
Don't Eat Fast Food that is Deep Fried in Oil / Grease / Highly Saturated Fats
Avoid Processed Food's
The Keys to a Paleo / Mediterranean Diet
Eat Fruits & Vegetables along with a Protein (Lean Meat) at Every Meal
Eat Nuts, Legumes & Seeds (Chewing / Chomping good for Brain Simulation)
Eat Vegetables (Broccoli, Kale,
Eat Meat (Beef, Lamb, Chicken, Turkey, etc...)
Eat Fish (Fresh Water Fish, Salmon, Trout, Haddock, Tilapia, etc...)
Cut Out / Cut Back / Reduce Complex Carbohydrate Intake
Which process like alcohol and sugars, are addictive and cause bloating and weight gain
Cut out Sugar / Replace butter with Healthy Fats (Olive Oil and Canola Oil, etc)
#1 cause of obesity, process like alcohol, are addictive, create mucus and increase allergies
Fat is Healthy and Necessary (Certain Healthy Fats, Trans Fats, etc…)
Keto diet begins to be bad for liver after 90 days studies show
Eggs are a good Source of Protein (Get Free Range, Pastured, Omega-3)
Shop the Outside of the Supermarket (Fresh Fruits, Vegetables & Meats)
Avoid the inner aisles full of processed foods, sugar, and carbs
Components to an Allergy Elimination Diet (2-3 Weeks)
Eat Clean / Fresh Produce Whole Food / Fruits & Vegetables (no Citrus or Nightshades)
Eat Red Meat (Cold Cuts) / Eat Fish (Fresh water fish preferably)
Drink Dairy Substitutes (Coconut / Rice Milk (non-sweet) / Water / Herb Tea)
Use Olive Oil (Cold Pressed), Flax Seed Oil, Coconut Oil / Fresh Herbs & Spices
Cut out Dairy / Milk / Cheese / Ice Cream / Creates Mucus, Increase Allergies
Same with Sugar / Honey / Syrups / Agave Cut it Out because it increases Mucus
Cut out Starchy Foods (Bread, Gluten, Potatoes, Pasta) / Cut out Pork
Avoid Tomato Paste / Pasta Sauce / Nightshade Vegetables / Sauces / Relish
Avoid Alcohol, Black Tea and Caffeinated Soda / Avoid Desserts and Chocolate
Avoid Breads / Pasta / Wheat / Gluten increase inflammation, pain, fatigue
Avoid Fast-Food / Processed Food / Butter / Hydrogenated Oil / Margarine
Avoid things that are Acidic / Citrus Fruits / Avoid Nuts, Seeds and Corn
Avoid Shellfish / Seafood / Avoid Soy / Cayenne / Paprika
Putting It All Together
Under the advisement of my Dr and Wellness professionals I took on components of a Paleo / Mediterranean Diet along with Allergy Elimination Diet and combined it with components of the “Jewish" tradition of Passover I dubbed the “Passover Diet” with elements of Healthy Eating principles I've learned through years of Martial Arts and Personal Coaching / Sports Medicine. I successfully lost over 40 lbs simply by changing my diet. Due to asthma and other health issues I wasn't able to couple it with exercise like I would have preferred. Any diet is best when coupled with a program of fitness at minimum of 3 days a week at 30 minutes up to 50 days a week at 60 minutes. Changing your shopping, eating out and home meal prep habits can change your metabolic intake.
Make the Passover Diet a Way of Life
Eat Like a Cave Man
Eat Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts
Eat Protein (Lean Meats and Fish)
Eat Fresh
Eat Clean
Shop the Outside of the Supermarket
Avoid Allergy Inducing Foods
Avoid Processed Foods
Avoid Fastfoods
Avoid Caffeine
Avoid Alcohol
Some Fat is Healthy
Cut the Carbs / Breads / Leaven
Cut the Dairy
Cut the Sugars
Cut the Starches
Cut out Salty Foods