500 Calorie "Diet"

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Replies

  • 7elizamae
    7elizamae Posts: 758 Member
    Sounds like a version of intermittent fasting. I tried it. On my fasting days, I found myself thinking about food more than I ever had before. For me, it was not a balanced approach. I know some people have had great success with it.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    LandyBreigh wrote: »
    Good morning!

    I recently read an article from the magazine Prevention online about the 500 calorie 'diet.' Instead of restricting food intake daily, it is only every other day. Today is day 1 for me. My intake will be 500. Tomorrow will be a normal day to eat what I would normally eat, then the following day is back to 500.

    Has anyone had success using this method? If so, any pointers, menu ideas, etc.

    Thank you!
    B

    It sort of depends on what you normally eat... if your maintenance calories are 1500 for example, and you are eating 2700 cals per day normally, and plan to alternate that with 500 cal days, you could still be in a surplus.

    I know there are people who love intermittent fasting, and some who have a lot of success with ADF as you've described. I prefer to just set a reasonable calorie deficit for myself every day, rather than restrict so heavily on some days. I also am not sure how people who follow this approach do with exercise - I would have a hard time working out on 500 cal days. Actually, I would have a hard time not killing people on 500 cal days, but that's me.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    I was doing something like this naturally for awhile and I had great success with it (I had lost 30 pounds and was ON IT in terms of exercise and diet). I'd have days where I'd be really hungry (depending on what my workout was) and then days when I'd be far less hungry. It made more sense for me to have those 2500+ calories days when I felt like I wanted to eat that much and then 600-800 calories days when I wasn't hungry at all.

    I think it works best for people who aren't snackers and people who have reliable hormonal cues for hunger.

    As for menu : I'd make a few things and have them always on hand. At the time I ate meat so I'd have a bunch of ground turkey I'd cooked and seasoned and could place into tacos, salads, etc. Full fate yogurt, eggs, etc. For the days I wasn't hungry to be honest I usually made my calorie goal via ice cream lol.
  • _sacar
    _sacar Posts: 80 Member
    DrEnalg wrote: »
    I sort of take the idea that if you're not eating in a way you'd be happy eating for the rest of your life, it's probably not a good way to be eating now.

    Exactly this. I feel like if you're not making a lifelong change, you are likely to gain your weight back.

    Fasting for short periods like that does give me some mental clarity, but usually I crash shortly after lol!

    Anyway, different strokes, but I agree with kommodeveran.
  • lulalacroix
    lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
    I have done this from time to time. My purpose is usually to eat a larger amount of calories on the next day, which is what you are supposed to do. I found eating 600 calories difficult in the beginning, but once I learned how much food I could actually eat, it became easier. This is definitely not for everyone and one should be careful about making sure they are getting enough calories for the week if doing this method on an on-going basis.
  • BlitzCracker
    BlitzCracker Posts: 2 Member
    Seems like it would be easier to just fast one day a week in addition to a slight caloric deficit on the other days of the week.
  • xxsplease
    xxsplease Posts: 16 Member
    I like to do something like this... I wont eat all day then I'll have one big meal much bigger than a typical meal but not as many calories as I need for the day. I'll eat fewer calories than I think but feel very full. Easy way to limit calories. I don't find it hard, give it a shot but if you do then just limiting a little every day always works.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Yep, I lost the majority of my weight doing ADF. I did it for 4mths and lost 24lbs. For me it was easier to be on diet every other day, rather than 7 straight days a week.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    Xo_healthylc wrote: »
    That's called intermediate fasting. A lot of people on here follow it.

    .....Do you mean intermittent fasting? :/
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »
    Xo_healthylc wrote: »
    That's called intermediate fasting. A lot of people on here follow it.

    .....Do you mean intermittent fasting? :/

    Spellcheck fail :wink:

  • teetertatertango
    teetertatertango Posts: 229 Member
    I read that the first 8 fasting days on ADF are the hardest and that it gets easier from there.

    I've never made it that far myself because I didn't plan in advance for the fasting days and did not make good choices on the fasting days after I got hungry. I would like to give it a go again sometime.

    For those wondering about maintenance, I think the form of alternate day fasting that alternates low days with maintenance days could be perfect practice for maintenance...just reduce the number of fasting days--you've already learned how to eat on maintenance days (as long as you keep your maintenance eating current as your weight decreases).
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited July 2016
    teetertatertango wrote: »
    I read that the first 8 fasting days on ADF are the hardest and that it gets easier from there.

    I've never made it that far myself because I didn't plan in advance for the fasting days and did not make good choices on the fasting days after I got hungry. I would like to give it a go again sometime.

    For those wondering about maintenance, I think the form of alternate day fasting that alternates low days with maintenance days could be perfect practice for maintenance...just reduce the number of fasting days--you've already learned how to eat on maintenance days (as long as you keep your maintenance eating current as your weight decreases).

    Precisely. It's a great tool to have in the toolbox if you're one of the people who thrive on it. When people say "it needs to be a lifestyle change" and similar claims, I don't think they understand what "lifestyle change" means in the context of weight loss. It does not mean eating one rigid way for the rest of your life, it means utilizing sustainable tools to reach there and keep the weight off. Said tools don't need to apply in maintenance exactly as they would during dieting. You aren't going to be in a calorie deficit for the rest of your life, so certain things will change when you transition to maintenance. In case of consistent daily deficit, the number of daily calories would increase, and in case of every other day diet, the number of fast days would decrease or the calories of fasting days would increase.

    For me, I believe IF is a great tool for both dieting and maintenance. I get to practice maintenance on feast days while dieting which is a whole different beast. I doubt such practice would have any negative effects on my "lifestyle". Fasting days are a great tool in the toolbox as well. If I overeat one day during maintenance, one fast day should be able to fix it instead of the weight gradually creeping back. Having understood what eating pattern works best for me on fasting days, I would be able to implement it more easily while in maintenance if the need arises without having to fumble around.
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
    It sounds complicated, especially if your intake on "off" days is high and negating your 500 days on the regular.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    JessicaMcB wrote: »
    It sounds complicated, especially if your intake on "off" days is high and negating your 500 days on the regular.

    If you count your calories then there shouldn't be a high day (over TDEE) on up days. It's 500 calories on low days and TDEE on up days, simple :smile:
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    JessicaMcB wrote: »
    It sounds complicated, especially if your intake on "off" days is high and negating your 500 days on the regular.

    If you count your calories then there shouldn't be a high day (over TDEE) on up days. It's 500 calories on low days and TDEE on up days, simple :smile:

    That makes more sense but the way the OP has it written it sounds like she would just eat "as normal". Does that mean eating whatever she wants to hunger in this case (which is where I would be hooped lol) or to TDEE which is sensible? I just don't know not being familiar with that level of IF.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    LandyBreigh wrote: »
    Good morning!

    I recently read an article from the magazine Prevention online about the 500 calorie 'diet.' Instead of restricting food intake daily, it is only every other day. Today is day 1 for me. My intake will be 500. Tomorrow will be a normal day to eat what I would normally eat, then the following day is back to 500.

    Has anyone had success using this method? If so, any pointers, menu ideas, etc.

    Thank you!
    B

    Intermittent fasting is a way of life for many people and not meant to be a weight loss plan. Or, if you choose this way of eating as part of your weight loss plan, you might as well make sure it is sustainable for you so that it becomes your way of eating when you are maintaining.

    When it comes to weight management, the plan that works for the individual is always magic because it help to maintain calorie goals.

    Personally, I would not be able to do such a plan because I love eating my food everyday. I just weigh my food, log everything I eat, and am accountable to myself for staying within my calorie goals. :)
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    JessicaMcB wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    JessicaMcB wrote: »
    It sounds complicated, especially if your intake on "off" days is high and negating your 500 days on the regular.

    If you count your calories then there shouldn't be a high day (over TDEE) on up days. It's 500 calories on low days and TDEE on up days, simple :smile:

    That makes more sense but the way the OP has it written it sounds like she would just eat "as normal". Does that mean eating whatever she wants to hunger in this case (which is where I would be hooped lol) or to TDEE which is sensible? I just don't know not being familiar with that level of IF.

    I think eating "as normal" is what led us all here in the first place lol Having 500 calories on one day does definitely not give you free reign stuff your face buffet on your up day, you still have to keep track of your calories. When i first started i was worried I would want to binge on my up days and over eat, but it never happened.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    JessicaMcB wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    JessicaMcB wrote: »
    It sounds complicated, especially if your intake on "off" days is high and negating your 500 days on the regular.

    If you count your calories then there shouldn't be a high day (over TDEE) on up days. It's 500 calories on low days and TDEE on up days, simple :smile:

    That makes more sense but the way the OP has it written it sounds like she would just eat "as normal". Does that mean eating whatever she wants to hunger in this case (which is where I would be hooped lol) or to TDEE which is sensible? I just don't know not being familiar with that level of IF.

    That's what I tried to point out up thread too. Depends on what OP is defining as normal, she needs to eat at maintenance cals on the off days, not necessarily eat the same calorie level she's eating currently.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    JessicaMcB wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    JessicaMcB wrote: »
    It sounds complicated, especially if your intake on "off" days is high and negating your 500 days on the regular.

    If you count your calories then there shouldn't be a high day (over TDEE) on up days. It's 500 calories on low days and TDEE on up days, simple :smile:

    That makes more sense but the way the OP has it written it sounds like she would just eat "as normal". Does that mean eating whatever she wants to hunger in this case (which is where I would be hooped lol) or to TDEE which is sensible? I just don't know not being familiar with that level of IF.

    That's what I tried to point out up thread too. Depends on what OP is defining as normal, she needs to eat at maintenance cals on the off days, not necessarily eat the same calorie level she's eating currently.

    Well, technically, you are supposed to eat to satisfaction without purposely gorging, preferably up to no more than 150% of your maintenance, but in most cases most people don't tend to eat more than 125% of their maintenance on this diet for some reason.

    I personally kept it to maintenance and increased my down days to 800 calories.
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
    LandyBreigh wrote: »
    Good morning!

    I recently read an article from the magazine Prevention online about the 500 calorie 'diet.' Instead of restricting food intake daily, it is only every other day. Today is day 1 for me. My intake will be 500. Tomorrow will be a normal day to eat what I would normally eat, then the following day is back to 500.

    Has anyone had success using this method? If so, any pointers, menu ideas, etc.

    Thank you!
    B

    Making easy things complicated imo

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