14 DAY TRIAL // Everybody loves eating pizza, but this guy from Maryland has taken his appetite for pizza a step further.
Dan Janssen from Ellicott City has lived on nothing but cheese pizza for the last 25 years. The man started his pizza-only diet when he was a teenager after turning vegetarian for ethical reasons. However, he confesses he doesn't like eating actual vegetables.
According to LA Times, Janssen also passed through a traumatic experience in which he was force-fed stew, then thrown in a closet. This terrific episode also contributed to his decision to start the pizza diet.
The 38-year-old man, who is the founder of artisanal woodshop Imperium Woodcraft in Ellicott City, says he usually eats two 14-inch pizzas every day, one for lunch and one for dinner. In the morning, he prefers to only drink coffee.
Aside from the fact that he was diagnosed with diabetes, which runs in his family, Janssen says his health has not suffered. He hasn't had any complications since he started the dough-based diet. In addition, he doesn't drink or smoke, and exercises regularly.
“I understand that this is a disgusting diet. You expect me to be overweight and have no energy, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.[...] With three different doctors, they have done bloodwork and my cholesterol levels and blood pressure are great, and I am fit and energetic,” Janssen says.
“Once a week to be healthy, I'll eat a bowl of Raisin Bran, but other than that it's just pizza,” he adds.
He consumes different types of the Italian specialty dish, from plain pizza, to frozen pizza from a mix of brands and home-made pizza. But he always buys pizza with cheese and tomato topping, although occasionally he adds a sprinkling of oregano for extra favor.
Currently, the man is seeing a nutritionist and is trying to vary his diet, mainly because of his fiancé.
“My fiancee is vegetarian, so it would be nice to be able to go out to nicer restaurants with her. We're sort of limited as to where we go because of my pizza addiction,” he said.
Nutritionists obviously advise against this type of diet. While pizza may taste great and be an economical meal, it contains plenty of protein, a large amount of fat, little fiber and zero vitamin C. That's why subsisting only on pizza would deprive your body of essential nutrients and vitamins and could result in an unhealthy lifestyle.