Celebrity nutritionist Petronella Ravenshear has detailed a four-phase eating plan, the "Human Being Diet" (HBD), designed to help individuals, particularly women experiencing midlife hormonal changes, manage weight gain and improve health.
Ravenshear, who previously maintained a slender frame and size eight clothing, experienced significant weight gain herself in her late 40s and during menopause. She reported gaining approximately 4kg (9lb) during perimenopause and a further 9kg (23lb) by age 55, reaching nearly 10 stone on her small frame. This personal struggle, exacerbated by comments from clients and even her mother, prompted her to re-evaluate her approach to nutrition and weight management.
"I had to keep telling myself: ‘If you stick with this, you will start to feel better and you will lose weight,’" Ravenshear stated. She found that while Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) helped with symptoms like mood swings, insomnia, and hot flashes, it did not address her weight gain. The clarity gained from HRT allowed her to implement her own dietary principles.
The HBD plan is structured in four phases, beginning with a two-day "Prep" phase focused solely on vegetables to calm the gut and reduce inflammation. This phase prohibits oils, fats, grains, dairy, protein, fruit, potatoes, pulses, sugar, and alcohol, allowing only water between meals. Avocados and tomatoes are permitted, along with seasonings like apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and herbs.
Following the initial two days, the "Reset" phase (Days 3-16) introduces three meals daily, spaced five hours apart, with water only consumed between meals. This phase reintroduces fruit, nuts, seeds, and protein foods. A key tenet is eating breakfast within an hour of waking to reset the circadian rhythm and leptin sensitivity. Breakfast typically consists of 100g of protein and 100g of vegetables. Portion sizes for lunch and dinner vary based on weight, with restrictions on combining different protein types in a single meal and a prohibition on oil, sugar, dairy, alcohol, and grains. An optional 100g of fruit can be consumed after each meal.
The third phase, "Burn," which lasts a minimum of ten weeks, builds upon the "Reset" phase by introducing extra virgin olive oil (about a tablespoon per meal) and one weekly "treat meal." Dairy in the form of plain, unsweetened yogurt or kefir with specific fat and protein content is permitted at breakfast. Alcohol can also be introduced during treat meals.
The final phase, "The Forever Phase," is designed for long-term maintenance, allowing for an additional weekly treat meal and increased portion sizes as long as weight remains stable. Breakfast skipping is also an option in this phase.
Ravenshear contrasts her diet with the use of weight-loss jabs like Mounjaro, expressing concern that these medications suppress appetite without addressing an individual's relationship with food. She notes that studies indicate most individuals regain approximately two-thirds of the lost weight within a year of stopping such jabs. While acknowledging their potential to temporarily reduce cravings, she highlights the unknown long-term health effects and high costs associated with these drugs.
The HBD approach is particularly beneficial for women in perimenopause and menopause, periods characterized by declining estrogen, increased inflammation, and insulin resistance. The diet aims to lower insulin, resensitize leptin, reduce cortisol, calm inflammation, and support gut health, leading to benefits beyond weight loss, such as increased energy, improved sleep, clearer skin, and fewer cravings.
Ravenshear emphasizes that the HBD is not a short-term fix but a three-month reset that transitions into a sustainable lifestyle. She suggests that early results can be significant, with many clients reporting losing up to a stone in the first 16 days. The plan advocates for eating three meals a day with no snacking, maintaining a five-hour interval between meals, and avoiding intense exercise until Phase 3, as strenuous activity can increase cortisol and hinder fat burning.