Alternate day fasting

littlelily613
littlelily613 Posts: 769 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone do this?? I just saw a documentary on TV about it, and I was thinking of giving it a try. At my current weight, one day I would eat 500 calories (just one meal for the day), and the next maybe around 2000 or so. Does anyone do this on a regular basis, and if so (or have tried it) what do you think?

Replies

  • QuHeCTiC24
    QuHeCTiC24 Posts: 32 Member
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzfsaXsV-T4
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    I do this. BUT I don't do it literally every other day. I do it maybe once a week, some weeks I don't. I always feel very good after a 24-36 hour fast. I have had trouble controlling my eating in the past, once I implemented this I found my binging decreased, and my cravings for refined carbs also decreased, I slept more soundly and fell asleep faster. I also have more energy. There are some who are passionately opposed to this, but I say, to each his own. If you feel good doing this, then go for it. Just nourish your body properly in between fasts.
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzfsaXsV-T4

    There is a whole lot of vulgarity and profanity in this video. Please don't allow your small children to hear it. Also, there is a lot of terrible info in this. I would not advise some of what they say, such as the drinking of zero calorie sodas.
  • littlelily613
    littlelily613 Posts: 769 Member
    The video discusses more of a fast within a 24 period, a large part of the day every day. It is related to what I am doing, but it is not exactly the same, as I won't be worried WHEN I eat on my eating day.
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    The video discusses more of a fast within a 24 period, a large part of the day every day. It is related to what I am doing, but it is not exactly the same, as I won't be worried WHEN I eat on my eating day.

    I don't always stick to the same way. I have gone anywhere from 12 hours to 72. I just go with what I feel in my body. It is easy to get in tune with what your body needs once you start listening to what your body tells you. But anyhoo, Give this a shot. I believe you will be pleased no matter how you choose to do it.
  • LaurasClimb
    LaurasClimb Posts: 211 Member
    I am currently doing this. I fast on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, keeping it right around 500 calories. I add the calories I have left plus any exercise calories to the next day and do my best to eat them. I started doing this for the month of March and have decided to continue into April and see how it goes.

    A few years ago I did this following the information on the website: http://www.johnsonupdaydowndaydiet.com/html/diet-landing.html. Honestly, I did very well on it...lost a lot of weight, had tons of energy and felt great. A stupid man got into my head and discouraged me. I gained some, not nearly all, back before I found MFP. I have been doing great on MFP, counting calories, until last November. I hit a brick wall and even gained back a little even though I was doing everything I felt I should be. So, I started this again. I fell right back into it and am doing well.

    This is working for me right now but I can tell you it isn't for everyone! Some of my friends on here are having a hard time with it. I get comments about eating too little no matter how many time I explain I DO eat the recommended amount of weekly calories, I just don't break them up into 7 even increments.

    PM me if you are thinking about doing this and would like some meal ideas or would just like to bounce some thoughts.
  • QuHeCTiC24
    QuHeCTiC24 Posts: 32 Member
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzfsaXsV-T4

    There is a whole lot of vulgarity and profanity in this video. Please don't allow your small children to hear it. Also, there is a lot of terrible info in this. I would not advise some of what they say, such as the drinking of zero calorie sodas.

    sorry about the language in the video. Just read the post and thought of this video. I personally haven't tried fasting but I hear it does work especially if you have hit a plateau
  • littlelily613
    littlelily613 Posts: 769 Member
    Currently in the midst of my first fast day--so far so good! Although I did have a cup of vitamin C-laden juice this morning because I woke up with a sore throat (Vitamin C always helps me feel better when I am starting to feel a bit sick). Had a cup of herbal tea, and am eagerly waiting for supper! lol
  • fatsnacker
    fatsnacker Posts: 209 Member
    Fasted today - 509 calories, Looking forward to weighing myself tomorrow morning and Sunday Roast for Lunch.
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    Does anyone do this?? I just saw a documentary on TV about it, and I was thinking of giving it a try. At my current weight, one day I would eat 500 calories (just one meal for the day), and the next maybe around 2000 or so. Does anyone do this on a regular basis, and if so (or have tried it) what do you think?

    These MFP groups may interest you:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/66-intermittent-fasting
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8005-5-2-fasting (the type of IF discussed in that documentary)
  • Caaja
    Caaja Posts: 45 Member
    I can work, but personally I dont know why I would want to starve :D
  • Willowana
    Willowana Posts: 493 Member
    I've just begun doing two 24-hr fasts a week. I'm testing it out for the next three months. I can see the benefits in it. I thought it would be a brutal, horrible experience. Actually, it's not so bad. The first fast was a rather unpleasant experience. I'm just about to finish my second fast now, and this time around it was a lot easier. No hunger pains and no growling tummy.
  • smulokwa
    smulokwa Posts: 45 Member
    I think I saw the same documentary. I'm losing SOOO slow, its like I'm standing still. I keep track of calories burned and eaten each day and the weight loss is at a stand-still. The documentary I saw was on PBS and the guy that did it tried a few different ways of fasting.

    One was was a full on fast for 4 days with a packet of soup or something (I can't remember what it was exactly, but it was maybe 25 calories) the other type was eating regular (I thought it was bad eating, cheeseburgers, etc) then one day and eating only 500 cals the next day and alternating between the low and high cal days. That one seems more do-able. I mean, I wouldn't be eating cheeseburgers, etc but I would aim for my 1800 calorie day (based on my TDEE). So 1800 one day and 500 the next and so on. Something has got to give. I don't want to go back to doing low-carb but so far that's the only thing that worked consistently for me and I was able to maintain on it. I just felt like I needed a lot more fruits/veggies in my diet, so I stopped low carb a few years ago and the weight has steadily crept up and up. I'm up about 25-30 pounds since I stopped.

    If there is any more information out there PLEASE send it my way. I'm gonna be making this up as I go. I want to try it for one month and see what the results are. Oh, I also read an article in Women's World about it and they had a 2000-1000 calorie plan outlined, but there is too much bread/gluten in their plan.

    Question..are the 500 calories all consumed in one meal or spread out during the day? The Women's World article says to spread it out.

    Thanks for reading!
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
    Had seen the same documentary & looked into it, but there were a lot of articles about how the studies also show that non-obese women actually developed health problems w/their glucose, insulin, insomnia, etc. Many of the articles referred back to this very thorough article at the link below. I still think it looks great for men, but not for women.

    http://www.paleoforwomen.com/shattering-the-myth-of-fasting-for-women-a-review-of-female-specific-responses-to-fasting-in-the-literature/
  • smulokwa
    smulokwa Posts: 45 Member
    Had seen the same documentary & looked into it, but there were a lot of articles about how the studies also show that non-obese women actually developed health problems w/their glucose, insulin, insomnia, etc. Many of the articles referred back to this very thorough article at the link below. I still think it looks great for men, but not for women.

    http://www.paleoforwomen.com/shattering-the-myth-of-fasting-for-women-a-review-of-female-specific-responses-to-fasting-in-the-literature/

    I so NOT non-obese LOL.
  • LaurasClimb
    LaurasClimb Posts: 211 Member

    Question..are the 500 calories all consumed in one meal or spread out during the day? The Women's World article says to spread it out.

    Thanks for reading!

    I'm on a fast day today. I usually eat very little during the day and am able to have a fairly decent dinner. Today, for example, had coffee this morning, a salad at lunch with a tablespoon of low calorie dressing so I have only had about 50 calories so far (plus lots of water). We eat together as a family each night and I don't generally have control of the meal more than twice a week. So, tonight we are having babyback ribs (I will have 2), a little coleslaw, 1/4 cup 3 bean salad and a cheddar bay biscuit. My daily total comes to just over 500.

    This is what works for me. Everyone is different, I hope you will find what works for you.
  • OriginalKatie
    OriginalKatie Posts: 119 Member
    Does anyone do this?? I just saw a documentary on TV about it, and I was thinking of giving it a try. At my current weight, one day I would eat 500 calories (just one meal for the day), and the next maybe around 2000 or so. Does anyone do this on a regular basis, and if so (or have tried it) what do you think?

    My personal trainer suggested fasting (but not every second day - that's a bit too extreme). He gave me the literature on it - by Ori Hofmekler. I have to say, being a nurse who is well educated, I thought the whole thing was a heap of crap, and he didn't know what he was on about. So I never tried it.
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
    While I decided not to do the Intermittent Fasting, after reading the article about how the studies showed non-obese women actually had BAD reactions to it, I have fasted 1 day/week for many years. Mostly for religious reasons. It's a great reminder that life isn't ALL about food & if I can say no to food for a whole day, then I can certainly say no to unhealthy choices and/or overeating on non-fast days. Very rarely, if I get WAY off track w/overeating unhealthy things, then I might fast for 2 days in a row, just to reset my thoughts. Because of hypoglycemia, I do drink slightly sweetened tea on the days I fast, & if I do it for 2 days, then I might add some chicken broth, & I do still take my vitamins.
  • griffithworld
    griffithworld Posts: 2
    I've been doing this for the last 1 1/2 months as a 5 days normal / 2 days fasting (not consecutive! - max 600 kcals).

    It works very well and for once it's something that I feel I can continue as long as I need. At the moment I have lost about 7.5lbs, which is not much compared with some people but is a sustainable loss.
  • T0FatT0B3S1ck
    T0FatT0B3S1ck Posts: 1
    I always believed that fasting meant NOT eating ANY calories during that period. Maybe I'm a bit more extreme but when I fast it's strictly no calories in a 24 hour period.
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
    I always believed that fasting meant NOT eating ANY calories during that period. Maybe I'm a bit more extreme but when I fast it's strictly no calories in a 24 hour period.

    I know. That's what confused me initially when I first started reading about "Intermittent Fasting." I guess they figured for most people a 500 calorie day would be fasting for them, and IF was easier than saying "Regular Diet Alternating w/Very Low Calorie Days." lol.

Categories