The Alternate Day Diet.

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jayladeyman
jayladeyman Posts: 24
in Health and Weight Loss
I really want to try the alternative day diet, where you eat normally for one day and then fast and eat around 400 cals. I think this will be good for me, as I"m someone who's basically constantly eating or snacking. I'm 130 and I want to be 120 by December 19. Does everyone think this is a good plan?
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Replies

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    jayladeyman wrote: »
    I really want to try the alternative day diet, where you eat normally for one day and then fast and eat around 400 cals. I think this will be good for me, as I"m someone who's basically constantly eating or snacking. I'm 130 and I want to be 120 by December 19. Does everyone think this is a good plan?

    I couldn't say: today I'm eating 400 calories. Tomorrow I'm eating "normally".
    And, (YMMV) that seems like the opposite of the path to a sustainable lifestyle.
    Good luck though!
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    No I think its a bad plan sorry...you might end up gaining in the long run to compensate for starving on your free days
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
    edited November 2014
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    What would "normal" be? I think normal eating would last the first day, you eat 400 the next, and on the third you binge like crazy because you're gonna be super hungry. I don't think choosing this type of eating would be the smart choice. You might actually gain weight like this.
  • apparations
    apparations Posts: 264 Member
    edited November 2014
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    This sounds absolutely awful and very difficult. If you are someone who is constantly eating, I'm not sure how eating only 400 cals would be sustainable. Also, a loss of 10lbs in less than a month at your weight is not advisable, and probably not even possible.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Brad Pilon (Eat Stop Eat), Dr Krista Varady (Every Other Day Diet) and Dr Johnson (UpDayDownDay) all think ADF is a good idea but prepare yourself for a s--- storm of comments from people who freak out at the thought of alternate day fasting or any fasting at all!

    Personally I did the 5:2 version of intermittent fasting (Dr Michael Mosley - The Fast Diet) when I lost weight and am successfully maintaining on a 6:1 eating pattern, one day a week at 600 cals, 6 days at a slight surplus.

    Suggest you do plenty of research and rather than try to design your own plan follow one that has been properly designed and trialled.

    My concern would be you wanting to lose 10lbs so rapidly, unlikely to be a good idea. Much better IMHO to lose the last 10lbs slowly.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    Brad Pilon (Eat Stop Eat), Dr Krista Varady (Every Other Day Diet) and Dr Johnson (UpDayDownDay) all think ADF is a good idea but prepare yourself for a s--- storm of comments from people who freak out at the thought of alternate day fasting or any fasting at all!

    Personally I did the 5:2 version of intermittent fasting (Dr Michael Mosley - The Fast Diet) when I lost weight and am successfully maintaining on a 6:1 eating pattern, one day a week at 600 cals, 6 days at a slight surplus.

    Suggest you do plenty of research and rather than try to design your own plan follow one that has been properly designed and trialled.

    My concern would be you wanting to lose 10lbs so rapidly, unlikely to be a good idea. Much better IMHO to lose the last 10lbs slowly.

    ^^this^^ OP this poster has had success with this method; grab one or all 3 books and yes do the research. And since I'm a turtle, remember, slow and steady wins the race ;)

  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    give it a try.....regardless of the xoming storm of "just eat in a deficit" crowd. You might like it....you might hate it....it won't hurt you so give it a try.
  • aniqa109
    aniqa109 Posts: 364 Member
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    I would say give it a try
    it worked for me in the past and i would like to try it again but im struggling lol
    try it for 2 weeks see how you feel and see what the results are!
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    I think your goal is unrealistic no matter approach to weight loss you choose. 0.5 lb per week is a better goal for the amount of weight you have to lose.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Lasmartchika wrote: »
    What would "normal" be? I think normal eating would last the first day, you eat 400 the next, and on the third you binge like crazy because you're gonna be super hungry. I don't think choosing this type of eating would be the smart choice. You might actually gain weight like this.

    With alternate day, 5:2, or other forms of intermittent fasting they should theoretically be tracking and eating their maintenance calories on their non-fast days. But I've seen a ton of people on MFP misapply it and either eat too much or try and stick to a deficit on non-fast days.

    It's an eating style that works well for some people and terribly for others. I think it's something the OP will have to figure out for themselves.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I've been doing alternate day fasting since the beginning of October. I eat up to my tdee on normal days, which is 1700 calories and UP TO 500 calories on fasting days.
    I've lost 17lbs with 11lbs left to go.
    This is the only thing I've tried in the past few years that has worked for weight loss. And it's easy. And no, I don't overeat on up days, if anything I'm much more satisfied with less food than before I started on IF
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    Brad Pilon (Eat Stop Eat), Dr Krista Varady (Every Other Day Diet) and Dr Johnson (UpDayDownDay) all think ADF is a good idea but prepare yourself for a s--- storm of comments from people who freak out at the thought of alternate day fasting or any fasting at all!

    Personally I did the 5:2 version of intermittent fasting (Dr Michael Mosley - The Fast Diet) when I lost weight and am successfully maintaining on a 6:1 eating pattern, one day a week at 600 cals, 6 days at a slight surplus.

    Suggest you do plenty of research and rather than try to design your own plan follow one that has been properly designed and trialled.

    My concern would be you wanting to lose 10lbs so rapidly, unlikely to be a good idea. Much better IMHO to lose the last 10lbs slowly.

    ^^this^^ OP this poster has had success with this method; grab one or all 3 books and yes do the research. And since I'm a turtle, remember, slow and steady wins the race ;)

    I've always loved your moniker!
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
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    If you think that works for you and you won't binge, try it. That said, I don't know how someone that small can lose 10 pounds in that time unless you drink a lot of soda/sodium and are going cold turkey in addition to this diet.

    Good luck!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    obscuremusicreference wrote: »
    If you think that works for you and you won't binge, try it. That said, I don't know how someone that small can lose 10 pounds in that time unless you drink a lot of soda/sodium and are going cold turkey in addition to this diet.

    Good luck!

    wait, what???
    I agree that losing 10LBS in a SHORT amount of time is absurdly hard, but... what about soda/sodium? what?
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
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    Why do you "need" to lose 10 pounds by Dec. 19?

    And to answer your question - no.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    If by "normal" you mean eating at your maintenance, I don't think losing 10 lbs is realistic. You are basically eating at a 1000 calorie deficit, but only half the time, so you can expect to lose 1 lb each week. More realistically, you will see your goal weight in February.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    jayladeyman wrote: »
    I really want to try the alternative day diet, where you eat normally for one day and then fast and eat around 400 cals. I think this will be good for me, as I"m someone who's basically constantly eating or snacking. I'm 130 and I want to be 120 by December 19. Does everyone think this is a good plan?

    Nope. You want to lose10 lbs in about 4 weeks. That's not healthy.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    I've been doing ADF for 3 months and like it. I'm on my last 10 lbs. and lose .5lb/week on it, or 1lb./week if I restrict my up days to maintenance level calories. So I think 10lbs. in a month at your weight is too optimistic.

    There is a very helpful forum at
    http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/juddd/
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    OP - if you want to do it then, do it. Just keep in mind that IF or alternate day IF is not going to make the weight come off any faster than regular calorie deficit. But if it works for you and helps you stay in said deficit then go for it….
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    Dave198lbs wrote: »
    give it a try.....regardless of the xoming storm of "just eat in a deficit" crowd. You might like it....you might hate it....it won't hurt you so give it a try.

    umm what she is asking about would put her in a deficit….

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