Alternate/Every Other Day Diet

lynnemarie1130

Does anyone here use the alternate day dieting technique? I am not talking about fasting one day and eating the next day. I use this approach occasionally when I get in a slump and it helps to get my metabolism in syn again.
I am a Premium member and can adjust my meals the way I need them to be BUT when I have a low calorie day I get the warning that I haven;t eaten enough food. I wish MFP would set the app to accommodate this diet method.
If you use this method please share your success and any recipes you may have.

trigden1991

I have occasionally used this and it is an effective tool to create a deficit for the week. I ignore every recommendation/comment/warning on MFP by not completing my food diary for the day.

kommodevaran

I like to eat same-ish from day to day. So I'm just curious as to what this technique is supposed to do to your metabolism and how you can tell it's doing that.

You get the warning when you hit "complete". Your food is still saved without hitting "complete".

jemhh

I don't do alternate day dieting but I have been using a 3 day calorie cycle because it fits well with my training. I'd agree with just not completing the diary. The only thing that completing the diary does is provide you with a 5 week weight projection that is almost always inaccurate.

150poundsofme

It sounds like the "Wendy Plan". You can google it. I think maybe you eat less for 3 days, then eat a bit more. Maybe when you start eating less again, you might be losing water?

crzycatlady1

I did alternate day IF for my weight loss phase (also called JUDDD or ADF), if that's what you're referring to OP? I alternated between low calorie days and then higher, maintenance level calorie days.

lynnemarie1130

They also call it The Every Other Day Diet...Some Fast a few days each week, some eat 5 days a week and eat very low calories the other 2 days. The theory is that your metabolism get in a rhythm if you consistently eat a set number of calories daily and stops losing weight....so if you change it up you will break the cycle and you will start loosing weight again.

lorrpb

lynnemarie1130 wrote: »

They also call it The Every Other Day Diet...Some Fast a few days each week, some eat 5 days a week and eat very low calories the other 2 days. The theory is that your metabolism get in a rhythm if you consistently eat a set number of calories daily and stops losing weight....so if you change it up you will break the cycle and you will start loosing weight again.

NO.

Orphia

Sorry, but maths and science fail.

jelleigh

The 5:2 diet works by the same concept of CICO as everything else - you just created a larger Deficit two days a week Instead of a smaller Deficit 7 days a week. I personally find it easier to be really strict some days and just careful other days, instead of moderately strict all days.
I don't know the science behind it but my body does seem to react better to it than the regular calorie goal loss. Maybe I just retain less water on it? Im not sure. I realize that wiehg loss is about burning more than you take in, but our bodies are very good at becoming efficient and accustomed to things don't they? (Thats why if you do the same exercise without increasing the challenge you eventually burn less calories doing it - because your body gets "used to it" and becomes more efficient? Isn't that a thing? )

ActionAnnieJXN

I did it for a short while and had some success, I guess you might say. My friend was doing it and I thought I'd give it a try. I alternated 800 calorie days with 1800 calorie days, so I had a consistent two day average of 1300 calories. I could only stand it for three weeks though - I wouldn't be able to do it on a long term basis. Those 800 calorie days were far too horrific.

However, I must say that for the short period of time that I was able to tolerate it, I did experience a significant and rapid loss. I can't remember exactly how much and surely it was all water, but it did happen. I dropped somewhere between 10- 12 lbs, I think. I have no idea if it was anything to do with changing up my metabolism- I think I was just not trying to do anything at all at the time and was bloated as heck, lol.

Anyway, my friend did it for maybe a week more than me and lost maybe 15 lbs or so. So it can work, I guess, but who's to say we couldn't have done the same thing just eating 1300 every day and skipping the 800 calorie misery days? So sayonara to yet another failed attempt and hello to slow, steady success. By which I've dropped over 100 lbs, I might add - with no 800 calorie misery days.

crzycatlady1

lynnemarie1130 wrote: »

They also call it The Every Other Day Diet...Some Fast a few days each week, some eat 5 days a week and eat very low calories the other 2 days. The theory is that your metabolism get in a rhythm if you consistently eat a set number of calories daily and stops losing weight....so if you change it up you will break the cycle and you will start loosing weight again.

I did the every other day pattern but I never heard of that metabolism theory (even when I hung out on a JUDDD forum). I lost weight because I was at the correct calorie deficit for my weight goals, not because there was anything special about how I calorie cycled.

snickerscharlie

lynnemarie1130 wrote: »

They also call it The Every Other Day Diet...Some Fast a few days each week, some eat 5 days a week and eat very low calories the other 2 days. The theory is that your metabolism get in a rhythm if you consistently eat a set number of calories daily and stops losing weight....so if you change it up you will break the cycle and you will start loosing weight again.

Your metabolism is what it is. You can't reset it like a thermostat. If eating in this manner helps you achieve the weekly caloric deficit needed to reduce your weight, then that's the only benefit you can hope to derive from it. It will do nothing to change your metabolic rate.

But know that you can achieve the identical results by simply eating at a small deficit every day.

ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken

A little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing I always say. I have implemented this in the past and it was good for me. If you want to lose weight but just don't have the motivation or will power or drive to stick to a daily plan that would work but it would work more slowly. It could be a way for you to get on a daily calorie reduction plan. Sometimes when a person starts something intermittently they eventually make it a regular habit. Try it and see how you do.

sperreaux

I've been doing the 5:2-3 diet which is similar but with less low cal days. I did drop 10 lbs in the first 2 months and so far have kept it off even when only dieting one day a week. If I see the scale creep up, I just add in an extra low cal day for the next week or two. I like it because it helps me eat more intuitively on my "feast" days. In fact, I don't even feel hungry on the low cal days because I just snack on raw veggies and tons of water most of the day which keeps my mouth busy and my stomach full. I've also noticed I'm more focused and productive on the diet days. I'll be sticking to this method for the rest of the year, if not indefinitely.