Instant Alert: These stunning before-and-after photos show why this 30-day diet is taking Instagram by storm

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   These stunning before-and-after photos show why this 30-day diet is taking Instagram by storm by Mallory Schlossberg on May 2, 2016, 1:52 PM Advertisement Popular diet Whole 30 has taken Instagram by storm. Like most diets, it requires you to give up sweets and alcohol. But the 30-day diet also bans weigh-ins and calorie-counting, which are the cornerstones of most weight-loss regimens.  Photos that people have been posting on Instagram showing their bodies before the diet and afterwards tell an enticing story.  Find out more.   SEE ALSO: Celebrity trainer reveals the most common mistake people make on a diet Whole 30 requires that you eat only whole, natural foods for 30 straight days. Instagram Embed: http://instagram.com/p/BE55CxOq3rs/embed/ Width: 658px    ...Except for a list of foods that are off limits, like legumes, grains, sweeteners (even stevia!), dairy, and additives like careegenan. You also can't "recreate" baked goods with healthy ingredients, as you can do on the Paleo diet (though there's a burgeoning industry of companies selling "Whole 30" products, like Rx Bars and avocado oil mayonnaise). The diet, which has been around since 2009, swears that by eating "real" permitted foods, you'll "change your life." It's a lofty promise, but judging by the many photos on Instagram, it's clear that many people are inspired by this concept. Another thing you can't do? Step on the scale. Instagram Embed: http://instagram.com/p/BE555DwN5Pf/embed/ Width: 658px   "You are not allowed to step on the scale or take any body measurements for the duration of the program," the website reads. You can, however, weigh yourself before and after. The purpose of this is so you don't get side-tracked; "This is about so much more than just weight loss," the website says. Like the Paleo diet, there's no emphasis on counting calories, either. The weight loss is billed as a byproduct of eating well as opposed to an end goal. Instagram Embed: http://instagram.com/p/BEZwWMIr_Qt/embed/ Width: 658px   See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network: Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011