Up Day Down Day Calorie intake

Options
So found this when i was searching zigzag calories.. Its called The Alternate- Day diet people do it as a life style instead of the same calorie intake everyday and they have had great results ..Only the down day is very very low like 400/500 cals and the up day is like over 1900/2400 depending on the persons weigh/height.. Just wondering if anyone has done it or heard of it???

Replies

  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
    Options
    I have heard of it, and was told to stay away from it. You constantly NEED at least 1200 calories a day to keep your body going or else it will go into starvation mode and whatever weight you are trying to lose you won't as your body will hang onto the fat. That's just my opinion.
  • kbryanmc
    kbryanmc Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    Jillian Michael's suggests that if someone reaches a plateau in weight to vary calories consumed, but NEVER to go under 1200 calories. She said this keeps your body guessing and keeps the metabolism having to constantly "guess" what you are going to do one day to the next. Only do this is you are at a plateau, and cardio cardio cardio! And lots of water!!!!! :)
  • aeckels616
    aeckels616 Posts: 210 Member
    Options
    I've never heard of it as a program, but that's what I do. Not normally that extreme, though some days my net has been 400 cals (only on cleanse days though). I think it works well, because my body never gets used to a set calorie intake. I just make sure that my weekly average is my "daily goal."
  • cerysrhi
    cerysrhi Posts: 262
    Options
    I have heard of it they based it upon the olden days where your diet depended upon the seasons during certain seasons high cal foods were readily available but during the winter your calorie intake was so low that it balanced out which is probably why obesity was rare then. there are so many fad diets I tried fasting for 24hrs once a week but instead of not eating for a whole day I would eat all my cals before midday on one day and then all my cals after midday the next I saw some positive results from it but was told by the doc that it was a very unhealthy way to lose weight as with most diets really I now believe that dieting is not the way forward but a healthy lifestyle change which can be maintained x
  • zenfocus
    zenfocus Posts: 106 Member
    Options
    There's something better... it's called calorie staggering. Similar, but it doesn't go as low as what you suggested. Look into this instead. Never go below 1200 calories a day even on the low calorie days... If you do you will really mess up your metabolism.
  • chazspk
    chazspk Posts: 159 Member
    Options
    mmmmmm its very interesting thou....:ohwell:
  • madelynrosee
    madelynrosee Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    I've tried this diet before. I lost 6 pounds in the first week alone. I though that would happen every week so I kept doing it. I was losing NOTHING later on. I would stay away from this diet overall, though. It messes up your metabolism.
  • kklindsey
    kklindsey Posts: 382 Member
    Options
    i havent seen this particular method but have read a few articles where people routinely fast one day, eat normal the next day and they say that it is actually quite healthy and can extend your lifespan. I would research it a lot more than just one website before you try it though. You could just zig zag too at more reasonable levels. Unless you are someone who can go that low in calories without trying very hard I would be afraid that you would be very hungry on down days and overeat on up days. I tend to have a hard time getting enough calories in when I am dieting, my appetite just goes away. It is interesting though.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    Options
    I think that low is too low. This is what I've read -- slightly different:

    First, you must set your calories for 1 lb. loss (for me that is 1310). DO NOT SET YOUR LOSS TO MORE THAN 1 LB. !!! (In reality you will probably lose more than 1 lb., but you do not want to go too low on the low days).

    Day 1: Eat maintenance (1310 + 500 + ALL EXERCISE CALORIES) Woot! Love this day :bigsmile:
    Days 2 & 3: 300 deficit (1310 -300 + ALL EXERCISE CALORIES)

    Repeat.

    I like it. Really incents me to work out even more bc I want those calories!

    Blessings.