Could a 2-Day Diet Work for You?

ronadams52

Could a 2-Day Diet Work for You?
by Jessica Girdwain December 15, 2011, 04:30 am EST

Better body, less time.
Could dieting for only two days a week be more effective than watching calories every day? That’s the findings of a recent study from the Genesis Prevention Center in South Manchester, England. Researchers placed 115 study participants on one of three diets: a 1,500-calorie-a-day Mediterranean diet; a 650-calorie, low-carbohydrate diet for two days a week; and an “ad lib” low-carb diet with unlimited fats and protein for two days a week.

After four months, those on the daily Mediterranean plan lost about 5 pounds. But here’s the big news: people following either 2-day diet dropped 9 pounds.

The study was done in women with a family history of breast cancer. But the results easily apply to men, too, says nutritionist Michael Roussell, Ph.D., author of The Six Pillars of Nutrition: A Simple Diet Solution for Permanent Weight Loss, Better Health, and a Longer Life. (amazon.com; $2.99 Kindle edition.)

If you are looking to lose weight, Roussell calls it an attractive and practical plan. ”Many people find it hard to limit what they eat every day, but if you only have to do it two days a week, it’s easier to stick to,” he says.

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Plus, on the two days you are dieting, keeping calories low improves weight-loss results. “Severely restricting calories stimulates your body’s fight-or -flight response and release hormones like epinephrine that encourage fat cells to release fat.” While your metabolism can slow if you eat too few calories—you may have heard it called “starvation mode”—two days isn’t long enough to do this, Roussell explains.

Interested in trying a two-day diet? Pick any two days of the week and eat 1,000 to 1,100 calories, keeping carbs to a minimum. “Limiting carbs causes your body to release less insulin, so you burn fat for fuel,” Roussell explains. On these two days eat green veggies and berries as your main carb source. For the other five days eat your regular meals—which are still generally healthy, right?

fiberartist219

I would pass out if I only ate 650 calories in a day, regardless of what I ate the day before.

ElizabethRoad

I lost 9 pounds in 2 months by following MFP, versus the 4 months cited here. I don't see the benefit.

ronadams52

Just thought I would provide some new research and methods for others that might not be as successful as you!

Keiras_Mom

I'm doing something similar, the alternate day diet, or JUDDD. I only started a week ago, but have lost 5 lbs already. Basically, you eat very low calories every other day, and then your healthy range of calories on the alternate days. It's NOT for everybody, but I sure like it! In maintenance, I will probably shift over to something like 2 days a week restricted.

tigersword

It's pretty much intermittent fasting, it's the way I eat. I eat 2500 calories a day 5 days a week, and then net about 800 calories the other 2 days. Works out for me to be about a 3500 calorie deficit per week, so it's still a pound a week.

ronadams52

Elizabeth,

Yes you may have lost more weight than what is mentioned but I will bet that you have been exercising which accounts for a great deal of your loss. To my knowledge they were not exercising only changing their diets. Also had you been doing what Tigersword or Keiras_Mom suggested above you may have lost even more then you did.

Ron

natalie412

Seems like a very practical idea - especially for maintenance, if you don't always want to be counting calories. When I was a little thinner, I think I used to do this naturally. If I knew I was going out to eat one day, I would eat really light the rest of that day or the next day. As long as you aren't bingeing the other days!