The Sirtfood Diet - critical summary review

Are you wanting to lose weight and have already tried countless diets, but none of them seem to work? Or maybe you are feeling low or having health issues, but traditional medical approaches have failed? Sirtfoods could provide the solution. Believe it or not, but a diet of Sirtfoods can help you lose weight, improve your health, and even increase your life expectancy! Best of all, the diet maintains the great taste and enjoyment of food. Get ready to transform the way you eat with the Sirtfood diet!

Revolutionary dieting

If you have ever tried a diet to lose weight, chances are that it had little to no effect and eventually, you gave up on it. You are not alone in that: of the hundreds of millions of people who start a popularized diet each year, only 1% achieve permanent weight loss. 

Authors Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten say that is because most traditional diets are simply not appealing. They demand you to give up on the foods you love and cutting calories from your diet means an increase in hunger, irritability, and muscle loss. Moreover, the psychological effect of giving up your favorite foods means that you crave them even more than you usually would, resulting in breaking your diet and binge eating. 

The reason for cutting calories in diets in the first place is that this creates a shortage of energy, which activates the so-called “skinny gene.” This is a built-in gene we all have, also known as sirtuin. Basically, it puts the body in survival mode and starts burning fat. Cells are rejuvenated and you become more resistant to disease. So is there not another way the skinny gene can be activated? Yes, say Goggins and Matten, there is: by eating Sirtfoods.

The authors demonstrate the life-changing effect the Sirtfood diet can have with the example of Laurenne. In 2014, just when her life was about to become great, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Even though the treatment was successful, Laurenne was put on medication that increased her weight and fatigued her. Out of desperation, she tried the Sirtfood diet: and after only a week, she felt energized, happy, and had even started to lose weight.

What are Sirtfoods?

Sirtfoods are rich in nutrients that can activate our skinny genes, such as resveratrol and polyphenol. Resveratrol was actually first discovered in red wine and has been shown to increase life expectancy and increase fitness. 

You have probably heard the saying “have five a day” in relation to fruits and vegetables. Turns out, say the authors, that while some fruits and vegetables have an incredible effect on your well-being and fitness, others have no effect at all. This can be explained by the amount of polyphenol that a certain vegetable or fruit holds. The more polyphenol a fruit or vegetable has, the more beneficial it is for your weight loss.

The greatest revelation in this new way of thinking about foods is that suddenly, things such as chocolate, coffee or wine are actually good for you! So, to live a healthy life, there is no need to give up on the good things. 

In fact, there are many countries around the world who have naturally incorporated the goodness of Sirtfoods into their diet. A Mediterranean diet, for example, is the best diet you could adopt. People from the Mediterranean rarely suffer from obesity or chronic illnesses related to being overweight, largely thanks to their diet of extra-virgin olive oil, wild leafy greens, nuts, berries, red wine, dates, and herbs.

Given the extraordinary benefits of Sirtfoods, the authors embarked on a pilot study at KX, a health and fitness center in London. For a week, a new Sirtfood diet was introduced, and 39 people of average health were monitored throughout the study. At the end of the seven days, participants had lost an average of seven pounds! Not only that, but the seven pounds they lost were purely fat. Plus, they retained, or even gained, muscle mass.

It is not only your weight that is affected by the diet. People who have tried the Sirtfood diet have reported greater levels of happiness, an increase in their overall well-being and health, and even reversals of chronic diseases such as heart disease or cancer. So how can you harness the goodness of Sirtfoods?

Building a diet that works

The authors examined diets around the world to combine the most potent Sirtfoods into a healthy style of eating. To create your Sirtfood diet, here are the top 20 Sirtfoods: arugula, buckwheat, capers, celery (including leaves), chilies, cocoa, coffee, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, green tea (especially matcha), kale, Medjool dates, parsley, red endive, red onion, red wine, soy, strawberries, turmeric, and walnuts.

The aim of this diet is to increase your intake of sirtuin-activating nutrients by 50 times your normal intake. The way to do this is through a combination of natural whole foods and juices. That also means that to be successful with this diet, you only need one piece of equipment: a juicer. It is important to have that rather than a blender or a smoothie maker, since a juicer will remove the fiber. Even though this might sound counterintuitive, leafy greens are actually consumed best as a juice. Fiber is low in nutrients, so once it is removed, you are left with a super concentrated hit of sirtuin-activating polyphenols.

You should also aim to combine different kinds of Sirtfoods, since they complement one another. If, for example, you combine foods high in resveratrol and others high in quercetin (a kind of polyphenol), you get to combine two kinds of fat busters and enhance your chances of weight loss.

Another thing to keep in mind is that as well as eating Sirtfoods, your meals should always be rich in protein. That is not such a deviation from the standard American diet, which is naturally high in protein - the difference being the standard American diet is often lacking in Sirtfoods. Oily fish is high in protein and omega 3 fatty acids, so salmon is one of the key ingredients in the Sirtfood diet. The diet is not only good for you, but also extremely tasty.

With the Sirtfood diet, you are allowed to eat as much of a delicious meal as you want, and you are finished eating only once you feel satisfied. No need to go hungry! You should aim to be finished eating by 7 p.m., simply because this is the time of day that is most naturally aligned with your internal body clock. 

Our body clocks are timed so that we get energy boosts during daylight hours and become tired in the evening. But even if, for some reason, you cannot keep to that timer, Sirtfoods set off the adverse health effects that late-night eating usually incurs.  

The best thing about the Sirtfood diet? You can simply add it to your favorite diet - whether it is gluten-free or paleo, for example - and enhance the benefits of what you are already doing. So, it really is a win-win.

Losing 7 pounds in 7 days

So how do you go about starting the Sirtfood diet? The first seven days, Phase 1, are also known as the hyper-success phase. In this first phase, you are going to lose seven pounds in fat!

But remember, you will be putting on muscle as well, so rather than being fixated on the numbers on the scale, look into the mirror and notice how your waistline slims and your body becomes more toned. Also, judge your success by your well-being: you will probably experience increased levels of energy and happiness and might notice that your skin is much clearer.

What do you do in Phase 1 of the Sirtfood diet? The first three days will be the most intensive, as you will only be allowed to eat up to 1,000 calories on each of those days. These calories are made up of three Sirtfood green juices, and one main meal. A good rule of thumb to consider in Phase 1 is to space out the juices: consume each at least one hour before, or two hours after a meal, and do not have them all at once.

Then, on days four through seven of Phase 1, you can eat up to 1,500 calories a day, made up of two Sirtfood green juices and two main meals. 

If you are living a busy lifestyle, preparation is key. Cook meals the night before and make juices in bulk. You can keep juices in the fridge for up to three days before the levels of sirtuin-activating nutrients drop. You will also notice that Sirtfoods have an effect on your appetite, so you may feel full before having finished your meal. Simply eat until you are satisfied.

Aside from green juices, you are also allowed to have other non-caloric drinks such as water, black coffee, and green tea. Stay away from soft drinks or juices. If you want something a bit more exciting to drink, you can add sliced strawberries to your water and create a refreshing Sirtfood-infused drink.

Most importantly though: stay mindful of your journey, rather than keeping a fixed eye on the end point. Enjoy it!

Maintaining the Sirtfood diet

After the first week, you should experience a change in your physique and mental well-being. And you will probably want to keep the good effects of your new diet! After all, as the authors say, “Sirtfoods are designed to be eaten for life.” So, to maintain a Sirtfood diet, follow this 14-day plan.

Phase 2 will consolidate your weight loss while you continue to steadily lose weight. What’s more, you are creating the foundation stone for a future of lifelong health.

On each of the next 14 days of Phase 2, you are allowed to have three balanced Sirtfood-rich meals, one Sirtfood green juice, and, if you feel like it, one or two Sirtfood bites as snacks. Try and have your green juice either first thing in the morning (at least 30 minutes before breakfast) or mid-morning.

Phase 2 is not about counting calories, but rather on focusing on the right portion sizes and having well-balanced meals. Again, listen to your body and let your appetite guide you - don’t overindulge. Also in Phase 2, you can add a glass of red wine, two or three days a week, in addition to any of the non-caloric drinks from Phase 1.

Phase 2 also allows for snacks, if you want, and especially if your energy levels are depleted from running around with your kids or exercising. For snacks, the author invented Sirtfood bites that consist of dates, walnuts, cocoa, turmeric, and extra-virgin olive oil which are perfect for guilt-free snacking!

And finally, do not underestimate the importance of breakfast. Studies have shown that people who regularly eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight. And a Sirtfood breakfast of scrambled eggs or buckwheat pancakes gives you an extra boost of energy! If you find that having a green juice first thing in the morning fills you up, wait for a bit before having your breakfast - just don’t skip it.

Final Notes

The Sirtfood diet is the kind of diet you have always dreamed of: you are allowed to eat as much as you want and can enjoy incredibly tasty meals, while losing weight and increasing your health, well-being, and life expectancy. By eating balanced meals with Sirtfoods such as red onions, strawberries, or turmeric, and proteins such as salmon, you can lose as much as seven pounds in the first week of your diet. 

You will continue to benefit from the Sirtfood diet for the rest of your life, if you stick with it. Even for diet skeptics, this book is a must-read. It is eye-opening for the way we see healthy eating and dieting. Plus, it includes an array of amazing Sirtfood recipes, including vegetarian and vegan alternatives!

12min Tip

Why not try Sirtifying your meals by adding some Sirtfoods and proteins?