Every Other Day Diet--anyone else on this diet?

Just got my copy of her new book, Krista Varady,PhD "The Every Other Day Diet". She conducted scientific research and developed this plan: on the Modified Fast day, you eat (total) 500 calories for either lunch or dinner, and then the next day, the Feast day, you eat whatever you want and keep alternating days--Fast day, Feast day, etc. The book is very convincing because she backs up her statements with research that was published in various medical journals.
I've tried it on and off since I heard of it about a month ago, but I haven't been consistent. Even what I've done, though, I see benefits.
Now that I have the book, I want to practice the diet in earnest. Information about the diet is here: http://www.eoddiet.com.
Is there anyone else who has tried or is going to try EOD?
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Replies

  • niknokd
    niknokd Posts: 127 Member
    Ehh only 500 calories in a day doesn't sound healthy to me =\ And eating that little food one day just makes it seem too likely you'll just go way over on your "feast day." And I don't think that's really sustainable in the long-run. I think a moderate daily deficit with healthy food choices is the best way to go. No need for these fancy diets and programs - pick a healthy lifestyle change you can make to stay healthy the rest of your life.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    Just got my copy of her new book, Krista Varady,PhD "The Every Other Day Diet". She conducted scientific research and developed this plan: on the Modified Fast day, you eat (total) 500 calories for either lunch or dinner, and then the next day, the Feast day, you eat whatever you want and keep alternating days--Fast day, Feast day, etc. The book is very convincing because she backs up her statements with research that was published in various medical journals.
    I've tried it on and off since I heard of it about a month ago, but I haven't been consistent. Even what I've done, though, I see benefits.
    Now that I have the book, I want to practice the diet in earnest. Information about the diet is here: http://www.eoddiet.com.
    Is there anyone else who has tried or is going to try EOD?

    Nothing new-Dr. James Johnson's book, The Alternate Day Diet, has been out for years and does an alternate day high/low calorie format (also known as JUDDD and what I used to lose most of my weight). Also, Dr. Michael Mosley's book, The Fast Diet, follows along the same lines (known as the 5:2 plan). These types of plans are under the intermittent fasting (IF) umbrella. If I'm remembering correctly, there's some bad blood between Varady and Mosley, because he used some of her research to write his book (I think he even interviewed her for his BBC documentary).

    All said and done, it's still about restricting calories. If a plan like this makes it easier for you to do that, then go for it :smile:
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    It could work if you make sure that you are in a deficit overall (weekly). Say you use on average 2000 calories per day, or 14000 per week. Three fast days count for 1500, so your "feast days" need to average out to 2250 a day in order to lose a pound a week. (Using 3500 calories/pound of fat … it's an estimate but it works for this). So, if that works for you, it's good. But if you're the kind of person who would easily eat 3000-4000 on a feast day, you could be in trouble. Of course, your maintenance calorie needs could very well be higher, but I hope you see my point - you still need to track your feast days.

    IMO, it's probably no easier than just eating 1500 calories a day (going by the same maintenance needs and 1 pound per week goal as above).
  • I guess you have to read her book to understand what I'm talking about.

    I appreciate all your feedback and thank you for your input.

    I have been researching this subject for a couple of months now, and I was kind of looking for someone who was familiar with Dr. V's EOD so we could do it together.

    I won't go into all my reasons for preferring this diet over eating 1500 calories a day--except for this one: with the EOD, I am not hungry all the time, whereas if I try to eat a restricted calorie diet every day, I feel like I'm starving and I usually go off the diet.

    Thanks again everyone, and hope the best for you all!
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    I guess you have to read her book to understand what I'm talking about.

    I appreciate all your feedback and thank you for your input.

    I have been researching this subject for a couple of months now, and I was kind of looking for someone who was familiar with Dr. V's EOD so we could do it together.

    I won't go into all my reasons for preferring this diet over eating 1500 calories a day--except for this one: with the EOD, I am not hungry all the time, whereas if I try to eat a restricted calorie diet every day, I feel like I'm starving and I usually go off the diet.

    Thanks again everyone, and hope the best for you all!

    That's why I loved JUDDD-it felt like I was only dieting every other day. This made it doable for me :) Nothing wrong with thinking outside the box a bit!
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Just got my copy of her new book, Krista Varady,PhD "The Every Other Day Diet". She conducted scientific research and developed this plan: on the Modified Fast day, you eat (total) 500 calories for either lunch or dinner, and then the next day, the Feast day, you eat whatever you want and keep alternating days--Fast day, Feast day, etc. The book is very convincing because she backs up her statements with research that was published in various medical journals.
    I've tried it on and off since I heard of it about a month ago, but I haven't been consistent. Even what I've done, though, I see benefits.
    Now that I have the book, I want to practice the diet in earnest. Information about the diet is here: http://www.eoddiet.com.
    Is there anyone else who has tried or is going to try EOD?

    Oh for goodness sake. It is things like this which irritate the hell out of me.

    Some "genius" making a load of money from publishing books on stupid diets.

    By the way, when I lost weight, I used the 'Eat Less Sh1t Than Normal' diet. I invented this myself. It involved eating less food than what got me overweight in the first place. So yes, you can eat whatever you want, just that, when you eat a bit too much, you do some exercise to balance things out.

    And yes!!! It worked. I lost weight on a diet that allowed me to eat burgers, chocolate, pizza and all my other treats, just in smaller portions. And in taking on running as an exercise, I got fitter, stronger, and now that I dont need to lose weight, running allows me to eat whatever I want, pretty much.

    Wowww!!!!!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It sounds pretty much like 5:2 which, when done properly is perfectly safe (the problem is that a lot of people do not do these diets properly which is when they can be dangerous). For many, these types of eating plans, IF, etc are beneficial in that they adhere to them better than just a standard daily calorie intake. I am not one of those people, but there are many who have had plenty of success and lost weight safely doing 5:2 (or variations), IF, etc.
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
    Just got my copy of her new book, Krista Varady,PhD "The Every Other Day Diet". She conducted scientific research and developed this plan: on the Modified Fast day, you eat (total) 500 calories for either lunch or dinner, and then the next day, the Feast day, you eat whatever you want and keep alternating days--Fast day, Feast day, etc. The book is very convincing because she backs up her statements with research that was published in various medical journals.
    I've tried it on and off since I heard of it about a month ago, but I haven't been consistent. Even what I've done, though, I see benefits.
    Now that I have the book, I want to practice the diet in earnest. Information about the diet is here: http://www.eoddiet.com.
    Is there anyone else who has tried or is going to try EOD?

    How do you work out on days when you've only consumed 500 calories?
  • Hi Phaedra,
    I have no trouble exercising on the fast day, I exercise first thing in the morning. My current schedule is to do 45 minutes on the elliptical four times a week. In her book, Dr.V says that she at first thought that EOD dieters would feel tired on Diet Day and avoid physical activity, but in she did a study which she published in Nutrition Journal in 2010, she found that the people she studied did not slow down on diet day.
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
    Hi Phaedra,
    I have no trouble exercising on the fast day, I exercise first thing in the morning. My current schedule is to do 45 minutes on the elliptical four times a week. In her book, Dr.V says that she at first thought that EOD dieters would feel tired on Diet Day and avoid physical activity, but in she did a study which she published in Nutrition Journal in 2010, she found that the people she studied did not slow down on diet day.

    Oh OK. The days I work out at 5am I don't eat anything either since it's just too early so it's basically the same condition. Good luck. I've read that IF works for a lot of people.
  • angie007az
    angie007az Posts: 406 Member
    Yes, I converted to this plan after the 5:2 plan just wasn't cutting it for me. Michael Mosley, author of (The Fast Diet) actually used her research to devise his plan, the 5:2 plan. He only used the 5:2 because he couldn't take the every other day plan. I read somewhere that she is asking him to remove any reference to her research in his future printings of The Fast Diet book.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Oh for goodness sake. It is things like this which irritate the hell out of me.

    Some "genius" making a load of money from publishing books on stupid diets.

    By the way, when I lost weight, I used the 'Eat Less Sh1t Than Normal' diet. I invented this myself. It involved eating less food than what got me overweight in the first place. So yes, you can eat whatever you want, just that, when you eat a bit too much, you do some exercise to balance things out.

    And yes!!! It worked. I lost weight on a diet that allowed me to eat burgers, chocolate, pizza and all my other treats, just in smaller portions. And in taking on running as an exercise, I got fitter, stronger, and now that I dont need to lose weight, running allows me to eat whatever I want, pretty much.

    Wowww!!!!!

    you jelly?

    I agee tho I made the eat the food I want and stay in a deficet diet up too....the food in this diet varies and can be found anywhere there is a grocery store. You just need to buy a food scale and weigh portions...it's an amazing diet too we should get together and write a book.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Just got my copy of her new book, Krista Varady,PhD "The Every Other Day Diet". She conducted scientific research and developed this plan: on the Modified Fast day, you eat (total) 500 calories for either lunch or dinner, and then the next day, the Feast day, you eat whatever you want and keep alternating days--Fast day, Feast day, etc. The book is very convincing because she backs up her statements with research that was published in various medical journals.
    I've tried it on and off since I heard of it about a month ago, but I haven't been consistent. Even what I've done, though, I see benefits.
    Now that I have the book, I want to practice the diet in earnest. Information about the diet is here: http://www.eoddiet.com.
    Is there anyone else who has tried or is going to try EOD?

    Oh for goodness sake. It is things like this which irritate the hell out of me.

    Some "genius" making a load of money from publishing books on stupid diets.

    By the way, when I lost weight, I used the 'Eat Less Sh1t Than Normal' diet. I invented this myself. It involved eating less food than what got me overweight in the first place. So yes, you can eat whatever you want, just that, when you eat a bit too much, you do some exercise to balance things out.

    And yes!!! It worked. I lost weight on a diet that allowed me to eat burgers, chocolate, pizza and all my other treats, just in smaller portions. And in taking on running as an exercise, I got fitter, stronger, and now that I dont need to lose weight, running allows me to eat whatever I want, pretty much.

    Wowww!!!!!

    Oh goodie! Another "my way is the only way" post.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I have thought of trying something like that from time to time, but I honestly don't know that I'd stick to the 500 calorie days. I really hate being hungry. But one of my MFP friends is doing something similar (5:2) and has made good progress with it.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Just got my copy of her new book, Krista Varady,PhD "The Every Other Day Diet". She conducted scientific research and developed this plan: on the Modified Fast day, you eat (total) 500 calories for either lunch or dinner, and then the next day, the Feast day, you eat whatever you want and keep alternating days--Fast day, Feast day, etc. The book is very convincing because she backs up her statements with research that was published in various medical journals.
    I've tried it on and off since I heard of it about a month ago, but I haven't been consistent. Even what I've done, though, I see benefits.
    Now that I have the book, I want to practice the diet in earnest. Information about the diet is here: http://www.eoddiet.com.
    Is there anyone else who has tried or is going to try EOD?

    Oh for goodness sake. It is things like this which irritate the hell out of me.

    Some "genius" making a load of money from publishing books on stupid diets.

    By the way, when I lost weight, I used the 'Eat Less Sh1t Than Normal' diet. I invented this myself. It involved eating less food than what got me overweight in the first place. So yes, you can eat whatever you want, just that, when you eat a bit too much, you do some exercise to balance things out.

    And yes!!! It worked. I lost weight on a diet that allowed me to eat burgers, chocolate, pizza and all my other treats, just in smaller portions. And in taking on running as an exercise, I got fitter, stronger, and now that I dont need to lose weight, running allows me to eat whatever I want, pretty much.

    Wowww!!!!!

    Oh goodie! Another "my way is the only way" post.

    Oh goodie! another post bashing the calorie deficet diet from you...

    There is only one way to los weight a calorie deficet...but there are 1000's of ways to get that deficet....no where did the poster say their way was the only way...
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Just got my copy of her new book, Krista Varady,PhD "The Every Other Day Diet". She conducted scientific research and developed this plan: on the Modified Fast day, you eat (total) 500 calories for either lunch or dinner, and then the next day, the Feast day, you eat whatever you want and keep alternating days--Fast day, Feast day, etc. The book is very convincing because she backs up her statements with research that was published in various medical journals.
    I've tried it on and off since I heard of it about a month ago, but I haven't been consistent. Even what I've done, though, I see benefits.
    Now that I have the book, I want to practice the diet in earnest. Information about the diet is here: http://www.eoddiet.com.
    Is there anyone else who has tried or is going to try EOD?

    I'd think if the overall calorie count keeps you in a deficit when you add in the "feast" days, why not? Different things work for different people. I have days when I just don't feel hungry or somewhat nauseated and I don't eat nearly enough. It balances out when I more on days when I feel good.
  • SKME2013
    SKME2013 Posts: 704 Member
    I have read Dr. Varady's book and Dr. Mosley's.

    I have done a combination of both, losing 6kg in 7 weeks. I am now on maintanance, feeling great.

    I strongly believe in giving your body a rest from having to digest food all the time, so I try to stick to 16:8 most of the days, where I consume all my calories within 8 hours of the day, eating nothing for the remaining 16.

    Stef.
  • FindingMyPerfection
    FindingMyPerfection Posts: 702 Member
    Just got my copy of her new book, Krista Varady,PhD "The Every Other Day Diet". She conducted scientific research and developed this plan: on the Modified Fast day, you eat (total) 500 calories for either lunch or dinner, and then the next day, the Feast day, you eat whatever you want and keep alternating days--Fast day, Feast day, etc. The book is very convincing because she backs up her statements with research that was published in various medical journals.
    I've tried it on and off since I heard of it about a month ago, but I haven't been consistent. Even what I've done, though, I see benefits.
    Now that I have the book, I want to practice the diet in earnest. Information about the diet is here: http://www.eoddiet.com.
    Is there anyone else who has tried or is going to try EOD?

    Oh for goodness sake. It is things like this which irritate the hell out of me.

    Some "genius" making a load of money from publishing books on stupid diets.

    By the way, when I lost weight, I used the 'Eat Less Sh1t Than Normal' diet. I invented this myself. It involved eating less food than what got me overweight in the first place. So yes, you can eat whatever you want, just that, when you eat a bit too much, you do some exercise to balance things out.

    And yes!!! It worked. I lost weight on a diet that allowed me to eat burgers, chocolate, pizza and all my other treats, just in smaller portions. And in taking on running as an exercise, I got fitter, stronger, and now that I dont need to lose weight, running allows me to eat whatever I want, pretty much.

    Wowww!!!!!
    This is just another way to restrict weekly cals. There are many people who have been successful doing it both ways. My only caution with the EOD diet is you must make sure that you keep your feed days under control by still tracking and hitting your macro and micro needs.

    The fast day can be difficult, one thing I have found helpful is to do HFLC(high fat low carb) the fat keeps you satisfied and keeping the carbs low reduces insulin spikes which can trigger hunger pains.

    As far as working out, there are people who train fasted and those who train fed. You need to figure which way you find works best for you and plan accordingly.

    All that being said, the type of diet that is best for you is one you can stick with, and the only diet that works is one that keeps you in a weekly cal deficit.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Just got my copy of her new book, Krista Varady,PhD "The Every Other Day Diet". She conducted scientific research and developed this plan: on the Modified Fast day, you eat (total) 500 calories for either lunch or dinner, and then the next day, the Feast day, you eat whatever you want and keep alternating days--Fast day, Feast day, etc. The book is very convincing because she backs up her statements with research that was published in various medical journals.
    I've tried it on and off since I heard of it about a month ago, but I haven't been consistent. Even what I've done, though, I see benefits.
    Now that I have the book, I want to practice the diet in earnest. Information about the diet is here: http://www.eoddiet.com.
    Is there anyone else who has tried or is going to try EOD?

    Oh for goodness sake. It is things like this which irritate the hell out of me.

    Some "genius" making a load of money from publishing books on stupid diets.

    By the way, when I lost weight, I used the 'Eat Less Sh1t Than Normal' diet. I invented this myself. It involved eating less food than what got me overweight in the first place. So yes, you can eat whatever you want, just that, when you eat a bit too much, you do some exercise to balance things out.

    And yes!!! It worked. I lost weight on a diet that allowed me to eat burgers, chocolate, pizza and all my other treats, just in smaller portions. And in taking on running as an exercise, I got fitter, stronger, and now that I dont need to lose weight, running allows me to eat whatever I want, pretty much.

    Wowww!!!!!

    Oh goodie! Another "my way is the only way" post.

    Oh goodie! another post bashing the calorie deficet diet from you...

    There is only one way to los weight a calorie deficet...but there are 1000's of ways to get that deficet....no where did the poster say their way was the only way...

    If not implying their way was the only way or best way, then what exactly was the point of the rant?
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    If not implying their way was the only way or best way, then what exactly was the point of the rant?

    Well when you read the words on the 2nd line of their "ran't" it's pretty self explanatory
    Some "genius" making a load of money from publishing books on stupid diets.

    Perhaps instead of "assuming" people mean something other than they typed assume the words typed are exactly what they meant....I don't think they were talking code...

    sometimes based on what I see from your posts you just like the "fight"...see what I did there..."assumed"
  • angie007az
    angie007az Posts: 406 Member
    I have read Dr. Varady's book and Dr. Mosley's.

    I have done a combination of both, losing 6kg in 7 weeks. I am now on maintanance, feeling great.

    I strongly believe in giving your body a rest from having to digest food all the time, so I try to stick to 16:8 most of the days, where I consume all my calories within 8 hours of the day, eating nothing for the remaining 16.

    Stef.

    Excellent. I love it when people take in the information and then do what works best for them.
  • Hididolee
    Hididolee Posts: 3 Member
    I'm on day 4. I started on Saturday as feast day, then Sunday as fast day and it was a very long day but stuck to it. Feast day yesterday was fantastic and fast day today (you get the drift!). I'm at work and it's lunch time and I've had my first eat (100 Kcal snack). To be honest I'm doing OK. Was wondering about my sleep but that has been fine. Fingers crossed
  • angie007az
    angie007az Posts: 406 Member
    I'm on day 4. I started on Saturday as feast day, then Sunday as fast day and it was a very long day but stuck to it. Feast day yesterday was fantastic and fast day today (you get the drift!). I'm at work and it's lunch time and I've had my first eat (100 Kcal snack). To be honest I'm doing OK. Was wondering about my sleep but that has been fine. Fingers crossed

    Good for you. Keep us posted. Best of luck to you!!
  • Heather29angel
    Heather29angel Posts: 5 Member
    You explained this perfectly I couldn't have said it better myself lol a 3,500 calorie deficit per week is what you need to lose 1 pound and that is pretty much the bottom line to losing weight!! Everybody needs to know this before they choose a diet! There is no way around that, we do not have a choice. The only thing we can choose is how we get that 3,500 per week deficit :happy:
  • Hididolee
    Hididolee Posts: 3 Member
    An update! This diet is really working for me.:smile: Compared to all the other diets I've been on over my life - I'm now 46 and probably done most of them with little sticking power. But this? Yes it's working. I have modified my lifestyle too to fit.
    I started end of Jan. I've lost 12 pounds (8 weeks) - I now have 26 pounds to go!
    I am quite irritated by some of the responses on here. :ohwell:
    There are many diets and diets suit different people. Restricting my calorie intake every day does not fit in with my lifestyle.
    This works because I can manage the 500 fast day. The feast day is my day of freedom.
    Lifestyle changes - the most significant one is that I have had to give up alcohol. No great surprise that I wasn't losing the weight whilst still drinking but I think that has more to do with my age and hormonal levels. But I'm losing weight so not missing the booze.
    I am also exercising and wanting to exercise! - That's quite a new feeling.
    As for 'money makers' out there - it's cost me the price of the book, Kindle and printed. However, I am spending far less on food every week and obviously no more on alcohol. So already have the payback. Several times over
  • ReneeStephen
    ReneeStephen Posts: 5 Member
    This is so great to hear, I found this thread through googling the diet (been on it a week and wanted to find out if the 500 days are net calories, so if I exercise can I eat more? Maybe you've had some experience there? :) and I've actually found it to be way better than what was slowly working for me before, 1500 a day. It's just easier, I don't really feel hungry but on feast days I get full *way* faster than I did before, so I'm just eating less overall... but I can go out with friends and eat restaurant food (carefully) without feeling like I'm deprived. It's awesome.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    There is no way that would work for me if I believed I really could 'eat what I want'.

    Me, I'd want to keep consistent protein intake to help retain muscle mass.
    However, I do go for an 18 hour eating window (same protein every day) and on rest days I eat 1400+cardio while 2400+cardio on weights days.
    I don't know how much being well below (unless you purely eat protein and nothing else), would work.
  • sassyjae21
    sassyjae21 Posts: 1,217 Member
    I'm not trying to be a smartass, but how are you supposed to eat when it's over?
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    I'm not trying to be a smartass, but how are you supposed to eat when it's over?

    You could eat your maintenance calories, having lost the excess fat ?
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I'm not trying to be a smartass, but how are you supposed to eat when it's over?

    You could move to 5:2 or even 6:1 depending on how much your free days go over. This diet isn't for me but I could see it working for people I know.