one on....one off......sorta

RATSMITH69

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to get some feedback on a “diet” trick my Dr and I have agreed on. I said something about it on a personal space recently and had a certain person really jump on me about it (told me I was stupid and would never loose any weight – that even a ten year old was smart enough to know better – needless to say he has been removed from my friends list!).

So, here is what I am working towards. Loosing 30 lbs by May 21st.

How?

Diet: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I am aiming for less than 400 calories per day. Tuesday, Thursday, and either Saturday or Sunday (depends on what is going on in my world) 1100 calories. Then either Saturday or Sunday anything I want all day!!

Exercise: I had a hip replacement years ago so I have always done about 20 min of stretching first thing every morning. I’ve tried yoga but I am not flexible enough on the left side to do many of the poses. I try to walk 30 min everyday during lunch and will probably be able to maintain that thru May but after that it’s not gonna happen in 100+ degree Texas weather. I also walk on a treadmill for an hour most every night at home. I’ve added 5lbs weights to my wrist and ankles (total of 20 extra lbs) while walking and I make sure to work my arms while I am walking.

This is my Dr approved plan. I would like to note that most people that do this do it for 60 days at a time and do less than 100 calories on their off days. I have some health issues that will not allow be to go all day without eating anything so my Dr tweaked it a bit for me. I have not been good at eating “whole” foods as he instructed but I’ll work on that.

Any constructive feedback? Anyone tried this and have it work? Tried it to have it fail horribly?

Thank you in advance.

tricksee

I'm just going to sit here and wait to see how you get on. Will you post results come May 21st please?

Genuinely interested.

sheyennelilly

I'm sure it will work as long as your weekend days don't wipe out your caloric deficit completely. The question I have is, why would you want to do it this way? It seems like this plan is built to fail because staying under 400 cals multiple times a week is going to be extremely difficult, and I know that personally, I would get burned out with that really quickly and just start eating everything.
Is this something you want to do forever? If not, why not just try to work on changing your habits, eating less overall and continuing to exercise? Changing your habits into healthier behaviors over time seems like the most likely to bring lasting results.

AmyRhubarb

Haven't tried it, honestly wouldn't try it - there's no way I could eat only 400 calories any day of the week, or even stay at 1100. The day of eating whatever I wanted would be out of control, probably eating all kinds of good food as well as garbage after depriving myself all week.

As for this being approved by your doctor? :huh: I think I'd be skeptical of my doc if he said this. Well, I've come to be skeptical of doctors anyway, or at least know that they aren't always right and they certainly don't know everything. Yes, they are doctors and have been through all the education and training, but in my own experiences with my infant daughter and my husband being hospitalized over periods of time, I have learned that doctors aren't always right and need to be challenged.

Why deprive your body of food every other day - heck every day in my book (1100 cals is well below my BMR - why eat less than coma calories when you're not in a coma???) - even if you are successful in losing weight (and I figure you will lose not only some fat, but lean muscle as well by eating this way), are you going to eat this way for the rest of your life? What happens when you hit goal weight and want to go back to eating normally?

RATSMITH69

no, no, not forever. Just 57 days. And the reason is that I was up to 240 and totally inactive and I have chronic hypoglycemia. So, according to my doc, I need to "reset" my metabolism. Hence the day on, day off thing. Studies have been done that show if you don't go more than a day and then eat "regularly" the next day your system will not go into starvation mode. It is much easier to do a day off when you know it is only until the next day and on my "anything" day - I haven't been able to eat much because I just physically can't eat as much as I used to.

So_Much_Fab

Oh no, no, no. :grumble:

I don't care *what* degree someone has, if they tell me to eat at levels WAY WAY WAY below what my body needs just to survive in a comatose state, I'm not doing it. Period. End of story.

IF you lose the weight you've stated in the time frame you've given yourself, during the process you're going to be horribly weak (not enough nutrients), terribly cranky (because you'll be deprived and starving) and once you go off this "plan" you will most likely gain everything back anyway.

"Diet tricks" =/= a healthy, sustainable moderate calorie deficit/exercise lifestyle.

RATSMITH69

LOL - I'll have to show poor Ralph some of these post. He's a great friend and a good doc.

We really did a lot of research on this before I started (and I only started yesterday) and haven't been able to find anything BAD!

As far as what happens after, well, I'll just go back to 1200 per day and continue (hopefully up) my physical activity. Since I was eating everything I could get in my face and not moving more than a few stretches each morning for years I should still be able to maintain a steady weight loss.

Since this is only for 57 days and it has been clinically proven to work I'm giving it a try. I was just hoping there was someone else out there that had tried it.

AmyRhubarb

There are heaps of people here at MFP who have done a metabolism reset - and most have done so because their metabolism was screwed up from eating too low - like 400-1100 calories a day. To reset, they eat at TDEE, not super low cals.

Lots of info here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/612353-metabolism-reset-eating-at-tdee-support-thread

concordancia

no, no, not forever. Just 57 days. And the reason is that I was up to 240 and totally inactive and I have chronic hypoglycemia. So, according to my doc, I need to "reset" my metabolism. Hence the day on, day off thing. Studies have been done that show if you don't go more than a day and then eat "regularly" the next day your system will not go into starvation mode. It is much easier to do a day off when you know it is only until the next day and on my "anything" day - I haven't been able to eat much because I just physically can't eat as much as I used to.

1100 isn't eating normally.

RATSMITH69

okay but........if I was eating a LOT for years haven't I already done that part?

quirkytizzy

Check out Intermittent Fasting if a similar concept sounds alright. I don't promote it, but it's a healthier way of doing things than a barely sustained starvation tactic.

RATSMITH69

Thanks to everyone for the info/comments. I obviously have some homework to do tonight before tomorrows "off" day.

CATindeeHAT

Hello everyone!

Just wanted to get some feedback on a “diet” trick my Dr and I have agreed on. I said something about it on a personal space recently and had a certain person really jump on me about it (told me I was stupid and would never loose any weight – that even a ten year old was smart enough to know better – needless to say he has been removed from my friends list!).

So, here is what I am working towards. Loosing 30 lbs by May 21st.

How?

Diet: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I am aiming for less than 400 calories per day. Tuesday, Thursday, and either Saturday or Sunday (depends on what is going on in my world) 1100 calories. Then either Saturday or Sunday anything I want all day!!

Exercise: I had a hip replacement years ago so I have always done about 20 min of stretching first thing every morning. I’ve tried yoga but I am not flexible enough on the left side to do many of the poses. I try to walk 30 min everyday during lunch and will probably be able to maintain that thru May but after that it’s not gonna happen in 100+ degree Texas weather. I also walk on a treadmill for an hour most every night at home. I’ve added 5lbs weights to my wrist and ankles (total of 20 extra lbs) while walking and I make sure to work my arms while I am walking.

This is my Dr approved plan. I would like to note that most people that do this do it for 60 days at a time and do less than 100 calories on their off days. I have some health issues that will not allow be to go all day without eating anything so my Dr tweaked it a bit for me. I have not been good at eating “whole” foods as he instructed but I’ll work on that.

Any constructive feedback? Anyone tried this and have it work? Tried it to have it fail horribly?

Thank you in advance.

Have you ever looked into JUDDD? It's practically the same eating style.

MaraDiaz

I just started a 600-ish/2000-ish intermittent fast plan this week. Also going to try increasing exercise. Not sure how it will work out yet but it's worth a try because I'm sick of these cravings and lately low carb isn't helping.

Note to anyone thinking of doing this: Possibly a pint of ice cream for breakfast isn't the brightest move even if it does fit with your calories. I think it will be awhile before I want to look Ben and Jerry in the face again.

Also, no absolutely free days for me, I can overdo free days in a major way, so I will still be tracking everything and keeping it within bounds. I also worry about my blood sugar levels getting all screwy from coming off low carb. If I start seeing signs of that happening I will definitely not continue with IF. Or I could modify it to get more protein in I suppose, but...but...pasta!

doubleduofa

This is kind of like the "JUDDD" diet. Intermittent fasting "Johnson Up Day Down Day" diet. You can google it - there is a calculator online and you can get the book from the library, but all the necessary info is online. I've done it, and it works, however, in JUDDD, your higher cal day is higher than 1100. For example, I did 500 cal DDs and 2000-2200 UDs. The average cal intake is around 1350. If you had to switch around your rotation (like a bday dinner falls on a DD), you'd do a "mid day," or a day eating your average calories. JUDDD is supposed to have all the benefits that you need.

Anyway, just from experience, I think that doing your "UD" so low will lead to hunger issues. After awhile I was too hungry and my UDs became too high. I maintained but didn't lose. Maybe try the online calculator? I think an avg or 700 cals/ day might be too low, even for 2 months. Your one "anything day" might be a recipe for disaster...

I suggest lots of protein on DDs as it helps you stay satiated. I've also heard that it helps to put off your first meal as long as possible and to break the fast with fat (like bulletproof coffee).

Good luck!

AmyRhubarb

This is kind of like the "JUDDD" diet. Intermittent fasting "Johnson Up Day Down Day" diet. You can google it - there is a calculator online and you can get the book from the library, but all the necessary info is online. I've done it, and it works, however, in JUDDD, your higher cal day is higher than 1100. For example, I did 500 cal DDs and 2000-2200 UDs. The average cal intake is around 1350. If you had to switch around your rotation (like a bday dinner falls on a DD), you'd do a "mid day," or a day eating your average calories. JUDDD is supposed to have all the benefits that you need.

Anyway, just from experience, I think that doing your "UD" so low will lead to hunger issues. After awhile I was too hungry and my UDs became too high. I maintained but didn't lose. Maybe try the online calculator? I think an avg or 700 cals/ day might be too low, even for 2 months. Your one "anything day" might be a recipe for disaster...

I suggest lots of protein on DDs as it helps you stay satiated. I've also heard that it helps to put off your first meal as long as possible and to break the fast with fat (like bulletproof coffee).

Good luck!

^^ This I have heard of, and have a pal on my friends list here who follows this plan and has done very well with it.

RATSMITH69

So, other than the calorie restrictions this is pretty much what I am doing.

Per the calculator on that website I should be doing 1537 on UD and 692 on DD. Seems like a lot but obviously I have no idea what I'm doing so I'll try and see what happens.

And a note about the "free" day. I've been a junk food/fast food junkie so six days a week I'm eating whole foods - nothing white, little to no processed foods, as much as possible in it's whole form - that one day a week is my hamburger, fried food, pasta, etc day. I may go over 1500 calories but not by much. It is just one day when I can cheat and eat things that are not really good for me. Somehow that one day a week allows me to make it thru the other six because I know I can cheat later in the week....................

dkmuzzy

Wow, this seems so extreme to me; but then again, I've never even heard of intermittent fasting Well, I guess I'm wondering if your doctor gave you some guidelines as to how to make the most of your 400 calories? And, what foods to eat on your up days that might help "get you through" those drastic down days. You are aware that the body needs certain minimums just to function, yes? What's the plan if you're sluggish on your down days? Or if you find your brain feels about a step behind? Also, are you going to be monitored by your doctor during the 60 days, or are you just on your own?

Raynne413

I'd find a new doctor. That's just an eating disorder waiting to happen. So basically you undereat all week, way below what your body needs, so you can essentially binge on the weekend. How is that healthy?

doubleduofa

If you decide on JUDDD, if what you calculated is correct, I might start off with 1600 for your UD goal and 5-700 for DD goal ( dr. Johnson recommends 500 cal DDs for the first 2 weeks). That would mean for two days, your average cals are 1600+600= 2200/2=1100 per day. It's low, but ok for a "jump start" to a diet.

You could do M,W,F at 1600, T,Th,Sat at 600 cals, and Sundays at 11-1200 (mid-day cal level). What is nice about JUDDD, is that you are supposed to feel like you are only dieting half the time. So, you know that if you are hungry on your DDs, or want a treat, you can have it he next day when you cals are higher. I think it's a great diet short term...

RATSMITH69

Wow, this seems so extreme to me; but then again, I've never even heard of intermittent fasting Well, I guess I'm wondering if your doctor gave you some guidelines as to how to make the most of your 400 calories? And, what foods to eat on your up days that might help "get you through" those drastic down days. You are aware that the body needs certain minimums just to function, yes? What's the plan if you're sluggish on your down days? Or if you find your brain feels about a step behind? Also, are you going to be monitored by your doctor during the 60 days, or are you just on your own?

Example - yesterday I did a scrambled egg with asparagus for breakfast - brocolli slaw with grilled chicken for lunch - and a full shake for dinner - it was a total of 397 calories for the day. I was not hungry, drank tons of water, and my blood sugar stayed above 80 all day (which is pretty major for me). I am also taking a multivitamin daily.

With all of the feed back I've decided to stick to about 500 on my DD and about 1500 on my UD for two weeks. Then I will bump it up to 800 on my DD and 1600 on my UD. This averages out to 1200/day. Ralph and I did a lot of research on this and I believe in the "science" behind the up and down days.

Vicki8524

I have a co worker that tried something similar and did not do so well on it and quit (maybe it was the JUDDD diet) I wish you the best of luck and hope you get the results you want.