[smashd]

Potato hacking. I normally follow the "potatoes by day" variant. The process is simple: steam/boil at least a couple pounds of potatoes, then let them cool in the fridge overnight. The next day, you can only eat potatoes (no condiments whatsoever!) until dinnertime, at which point you can eat a normal dinner. Coffee, tea and water are fine during the day as long as they don't have added sugar/cream/etc. Don't forget to cook more potatoes if you're running low! They keep for at least a few days in the fridge.

In my experience the hack is a great way to liberate yourself from false hunger signals and feeling like you "must" eat certain foods. If you're hungry, the potatoes taste good. If you're not, they don't. Resetting all these habits helped me shift the remainder of my diet towards better food choices, to the point where I actively seek out fresh veggies & fruit and dislike packaged or meat-heavy meals.

The hack is not for people that have issues with nightshades or starches of course. potatohack.com has the most comprehensive info on the subject, but it is discussed on other blogs as well.

[tracker1]

Interesting... I tend not to eat just potatoes (I'm diabetic), but wonder if it would work with my typical "mash" (cauliflower, celeriac, parsnip, potato, butter, cream, salt, pepper) it isn't just potato, but may be able to get a similar effect if I cut the butter, cream, salt and pepper down.

Will definitely look into it.

[smashd]

Yes, there are cautions for people that are diabetic or pre-diabetic. I suspect that you can't do the strict "hack" but there could be useful ideas in there, e.g., related discussions on resistant starch.

[sh87]

That does not sound healthy. Good diet needs variety. How about adding other veggies in with the potatoes ?

[smashd]

I have experimented with adding other veggies, but it just ends up adding complexity and allows worse choices to sneak in over time. It's easier for me to deal in absolutes in this matter.

Potatoes have a great balance of nutrients and provide satiety in a way that no other food does. I can (and do) eat 2 pounds of potatoes a day, which is about 800 calories. That leaves me with 1,200 calories of "space" (assuming a 2,000-calorie diet) where I can introduce the variety you speak of at dinnertime--2 or more vegetables, a protein (typically legumes or meat) and fruit or another starch. The restriction to potatoes during the day simply blocks out a lot of "bad variety" in the form of convenient junk foods: in my experience, a potato is a better food choice than most of the foods pushed at me while I'm working, running errands, etc.

The 24-hour version of the diet is usually only done for 3 days at a time. It provides sufficient macros during that time period and also provides a better micronutrient balance than most U.S. citizens get from their current diets.