ADF (Alternate Day Fasting) - Thoughts?

NinjaAnnie
NinjaAnnie Posts: 2
in Food and Nutrition
Hi

I have been trying Alternate Day Fasting for a few weeks now, and wondered if anyone else was following a similar system?

Basically I have been eating 500-600 calories one day, then not counting the next day, then back to 500-600 calories again and so on. Personally I am finding it really useful to stabilise my weight, though I'm not losing a lot currently. I am planning to count on my eating days again I think, and work out what I need to restrict to to still get weight loss overall.

Interested to hear if anyone else is using a similar system successfully.

Cheers
Anne

Replies

  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    Personally, I prefer to eat roughly the same every day. But, if this system works for you and you get your proper nutrition, you should be fine.

    I do suggest counting every day though.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    I'm not so sure every other day is a good thing.

    Generally once a week or so I'll skip breakfast and lunch and have a normal dinner. Any more than that and I think you're just aiming for a huge binge eating splurge when you just can't take the hunger any more.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    Sounds like an eating disorder-ish way of going about things honestly.

    I like some of the ideas of Intermittent Fasting, but fasting every other day sounds a bit over the top and hard to sustain.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    If the lady has done it for a few weeks I guess it's not too hard to sustain.

    ICR - intermittent calorie reduction - can deliver an overall reduction in weekly calories but not if you overcompensate on eating days so I think counting is important.

    2 low days and 5 normal days seems to be more widespread.
  • fastforlife1
    fastforlife1 Posts: 459 Member
    There are JUDD and alternate day fasting groups on MFP where people are losing weight regularily.
  • tallmam
    tallmam Posts: 1 Member
    I've been doing it for 3weeks. I lost 9lbs in the first 2 weeks. This week I sts, but lost body fat%. I don't count on up days, but just try to eat healthily, but with a few treats allowed. I really like this program and think it suits me and I will be able to stick with it better than restricting every day. It's not an eating disorder - I'm doing it for the health benefits as well (watched the Horizon programme on it and did some research before starting) Is there any way of setting up MFP to do alternate day cals other than going in every day and changing them?
  • dechainew
    dechainew Posts: 3
    I have been on ADF for 3 weeks, and have lost 8 pounds. But that is just the secondary effect of ADF for me. My primary purpose was to improve my A1C (diabetes test) and cholesterol results. I had blood test on Aug 23, and then again on 14 Nov (two weeks after starting ADF). The results: better than expected.

    Blood test results
    A1C: Aug 23 - 6.2 ; Nov 14 - 5.9
    Glucose:Aug 23 - 109 ; Nov 14 - 111
    Chol:Aug 23 - 166 ; Nov 14 - 102
    Triglycerides: Aug 23 -136 ; Nov 14 - 62
    HDL: Aug 23 - 28 ; Nov 14 - 32
    VLDL: Aug 23 -27.2 ; Nov 14 - 12.4
    LDL: Aug 23 - 112 ; Nov 14 - 62
  • JillyCornwall
    JillyCornwall Posts: 376 Member
    I have been following a 4:3 IF plan since August 9th. ( 3 days 5-600 cals or less- 4 days 1600-2000 cals approx) i have lost 18lbs. For the first time in many years I have found a way of reducing my overall weekly calorie intake in a way I find easy, motivating and healthy.
    Yes healthy. it is being done with the full knowledge of my Dr, my blood pressure is down, my blood sugar more stable & my inflammation (joints) much improved. I do NOT binge on 'UP calorie days' infact if anything my choices are better than they would have been when straight calorie counting. Yes i have 'treats', yes i eat 'unhealthy calories' on some days, however I continue to hit my calorie targets & I think this is a lifestyle that I can continue for life. It is a plan a long way from an eating disorder, believe me I have looked after people with those in the past & this is nothing like an ED.
    So if it suits you & your lifestyle, why not?
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    You're gonna have a bad time
  • Miiimii
    Miiimii Posts: 279 Member
    I'm doing it 5:2. Two days with 500-600kcl and five days normal eating (with counting, just to be sure not to over eat). And one day a week i'm eating saltfree to lose some water. I like it this way.
  • green_nurse
    green_nurse Posts: 25 Member
    on a good day i'll get 1200 calories...on a normal day, eating how i eat, i do what you do too....or did. i get yelled at alot on here for it. i spose it's being a nurse and only getting one good meal a day...and..working nights.....agh! lol....i say just make sure you are drinking your water! i also take multi-vitamin...but as someone or a few someones mentioned, count your calories on your "off" days because you'd be surprised how much you're eating!
  • wrevhn
    wrevhn Posts: 864 Member
    I'm actually on a fast, started by a salt water cleanse.

    I try to do little cleanses every so often anyway, but when hubby is happy, he buys junk food. So since I busted my diet by partaking with him. (He tries to be nice, treats me, wants to make me happy by it. I don't want to squash the enthusiasm or the feelings) I decided a mini pre-turkey day fast might help.

    Plus TOM is coming soon. Any day. Which is why my body is holding water. Another reason.

    I had no real plans, but now that I see all of the info you guys have up, I might look more into it.


    *also, will be VERY careful turkeyday not to go over. but I don't really like thanksgiving food anyway, never have. should be easy to stay in cal goal*
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I've been doing 5:2 since August and it works for me.
    600 (net) calories on the 2 days, 1600 (net) on the 5 days.
    I find it easier to hit my weekly calorie deficit by losing two big chunks of calories rather than even spread through the week.
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    I've read some really interesting articles on intermittent fasting. I'd be tempted to try it but a) I'm a runner and running on an empty stomach makes me very unhappy and b) I tend to eat a lot of smaller, snack sized meals throughout the day, so not eating for a long period of time and then having a large meal is difficult for me.
  • Keiras_Mom
    Keiras_Mom Posts: 844 Member
    It's not disordered eating. There are an amazing number of health benefits associated with alternate day fasting or alternate day calorie restriction. I've been doing it for 11 months, so sustainability is not an issue either. It's the only plan that's worked for me longer than a few months. I feel great, have lost a ton of weight, and have never had any of the supposed "problems" people assume come along with this type of eating.

    For the first time in my adult life, I'm looking forward to the holidays, knowing I won't gain weight and I'll still be able to eat whatever I want at the celebrations.
  • wrevhn
    wrevhn Posts: 864 Member
    What workouts are you doing during this? I'm curious.
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    Sounds like an eating disorder-ish way of going about things honestly.

    I like some of the ideas of Intermittent Fasting, but fasting every other day sounds a bit over the top and hard to sustain.

    It sounds nothing like a disorder. She hasn't mentioned she has any issues with mental health so how could it "sound" like an eating disorder!?
  • GamerGurl729
    GamerGurl729 Posts: 286 Member
    You're gonna have a bad time

    Yup she's french-frying when she should pizza.

    Double points for anyone who gets this! :drinker:
  • xidia
    xidia Posts: 606 Member
    I'm on 5:2 - like many others I find it easier to have two restricted days and the rest "healthy choices and track calories" days rather than feeling mildly deprived every single day, which is how I feel on a "normal" diet. I tend to only eat when I'm hungry (or bored...but I'm wokring on that!) so I don't binge on non-fasting days. Most studies suggest people ate 100-110% of calorie requirements on non-fasting days, which definitely still gives a weekly deficit.

    I'm getting back into cardio, and I'm not sure how that will work, to be honest. If I switch to nett 500 rather than intake 500, I can work out on fasting days - just eat 200-250 cal right before I go to the gym then eat back all those lovely exercise calories after I've showered!

    I tend to eat about 150 cal for breakfast, 200 for dinner and spread the rest in between on fasting days - I can't do one big meal, and grazing stabilises my blood sugar nicely too. Other days I'm somewhat arbitrarily aiming for 1200 nett, but I don't worry if my net is anything up to 1500 nett if I've had a hungry day (like today - dunno why I keep getting so hungry - depending what I've lost this week I may up my target for non-fasting days to see if that helps)
  • outclimb
    outclimb Posts: 10
    I would still count calories on your higher calorie days, just so you know where you are. Also make sure you're still eating healthy choices on those days and getting adequate amounts of protein. I think if I tried something like this I'd be very tempted to binge on the high calorie days or fill those days with junk food.
  • rachelbethany
    rachelbethany Posts: 211 Member
    I've read a lot about it in the past, and I have even seen studies that suggest alternate day fasting can reduce some health risks. If you are meeting a reasonable weekly calorie and nutrition goal, then I say go for it! I don't see any problem with it whatsoever, although it will require more willpower/planning (what happens when a family event or friend's birthday lands on a no food day?)
  • babsb121
    babsb121 Posts: 35 Member
    I'm another one on 5:2 since August & it's the only eating plan I've ever stuck to this long. Major health benefits are reported, such that weight loss is almost a side-effect.
    See www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lxyzc
  • wrevhn
    wrevhn Posts: 864 Member
    You're gonna have a bad time

    Yup she's french-frying when she should pizza.

    Double points for anyone who gets this! :drinker:



    south park i think. sky lodge episode. kids learning to ski "your gonna have a bad time"
  • skatewalker
    skatewalker Posts: 5 Member
    At the moment I have Mondays and Thursdays as fast days but those days are not fixed in stone. If I had a celebration on the Monday, I'd just make my fast day Tuesday. I think as long as the 2 fast days are not consecutive days.
    Like most of you I have found this very easy to stick to and can see me doing it for the forseeable future. It also means that every day I can enjoy at least one meal with the family.
    Along with this I'm also doing LCHF but I'm not sure if doing the 2 together works. I certainly try to keep within my calorie goals as well as my carb limits on my non-fast days. I'll see how the next couple of weeks go then decide if I can do both.
    I think I'll get my BP checked soon as at the moment I'm on medication but I feel so well that I think I could come off it now.

    PS I'm glad Christmas Day is a Tuesday this year!!
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    It works if you dont do it too often!
  • GamerGurl729
    GamerGurl729 Posts: 286 Member
    You're gonna have a bad time

    Yup she's french-frying when she should pizza.

    Double points for anyone who gets this! :drinker:



    south park i think. sky lodge episode. kids learning to ski "your gonna have a bad time"

    That's right. :drinker:
  • doubleduofa
    doubleduofa Posts: 284 Member
    I did it for many months and lost well AND then maintained well. I did JUDDD (Johnson Up Day Down Day). You can find his book at the library and there are calculators on his site to get your UD and DD numbers. I really like it and think I will be going back soon.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    What workouts are you doing during this? I'm curious.

    I can't do a hard (high calorie burn) cardio workout on a fast day but can do an hour of circuit training without feeling I'm running on empty.
  • Keiras_Mom
    Keiras_Mom Posts: 844 Member
    It works if you dont do it too often!

    I don't understand what you mean here. It's meant to do long term.

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