Anyone tried the 'Eat Every Other Day' diet?
therollingmils
Posts: 2 Member
Hi all,
Just curious as to whether anyone has tried the EEOD diet? I've seen a fair bit of information online about it. Don't think it's something I would like to do for a long time, but I can see it as a decent way of kick starting weight loss. If you exercise a lot I don't think it's suitable, but that's just my opinion.
For those of you that haven't heard anything about this before, basically you stick to your calorie goal on one day, and then the next day you eat below 500 calories, or some people don't eat at all. Then the next day you're back to your normal calorie goal, then repeat.
Any thoughts?
RM.
Just curious as to whether anyone has tried the EEOD diet? I've seen a fair bit of information online about it. Don't think it's something I would like to do for a long time, but I can see it as a decent way of kick starting weight loss. If you exercise a lot I don't think it's suitable, but that's just my opinion.
For those of you that haven't heard anything about this before, basically you stick to your calorie goal on one day, and then the next day you eat below 500 calories, or some people don't eat at all. Then the next day you're back to your normal calorie goal, then repeat.
Any thoughts?
RM.
0
Replies
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I think that if you have trouble sticking to a moderate calorie deficit, eating 500 calories some days is not going to be easier.
Kick starting weight loss isn't really a thing. It's good for nothing but setting oneself up for failure.8 -
I've tried various different methods of intermittent fasting like this. The IF method that works wonderfully for me is 16:8, where you have a fasting window if 18 hrs and an eating window of 8 hrs. Having to stick to 500 or less 2-3 days per week is not easy for me, and caused me to obsess too much about food. The 16:8 method is easy enough for me to do everyday, with some exceptions for vacation or special occasions.3
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therollingmils wrote: »Hi all,
Just curious as to whether anyone has tried the EEOD diet? I've seen a fair bit of information online about it. Don't think it's something I would like to do for a long time, but I can see it as a decent way of kick starting weight loss. If you exercise a lot I don't think it's suitable, but that's just my opinion.
For those of you that haven't heard anything about this before, basically you stick to your calorie goal on one day, and then the next day you eat below 500 calories, or some people don't eat at all. Then the next day you're back to your normal calorie goal, then repeat.
Any thoughts?
RM.
I've considered and researched 5:2, which is similar (and pretty sustainable, I think, if you are someone it works for). You have it a little mixed up, though, as the idea is that you alternate maintenance and "fasting" days (the 500 calories, although some do more -- the idea is that it adds up to your overall deficit).
Trying to eat at a significant deficit and then alternating that with 500 calorie days WOULD be unsustainable and also not particularly healthful.3 -
I did 5:2 and it was extremely suitable for a heavy exercise volume - training and recovering 5 days a week fully fuelled remember.
It took me a while to acclimatise to fasted exercise on the two low days but eventually that felt perfectly "normal" too.
Resulted in a slow, steady weight loss that didn't feel too onerous to stick to. Other people's experience will be different of course.
I do hope your Up Days / Dating Eays aren't also at a calorie deficit?
Alternate day dieting never appealed to me but would suggest researching the work of Dr Krista Varady if interested (or is that the plan you are referencing?). Far more rigorous and scientific approach than some of the other IF plans.3 -
I wonder how that would affect digestion?? I definitely wouldn't recommend any day's of not eating at all- low calorie maybe, but not nothing!0
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I do ADF which is pretty much EODD. I workout 5 days a week (3 strength training/5 running) with no issues at all. Sometimes I do not eat on my down days. It just depends on how I feel in the evening when I would usually break my fast. Its actually a super easy rhythm to get into once you get through the first week or so. However as others mentioned you eat at maintenance (or up to 15% over) on your up days not at a deficit. I travel for work a lot, so not always having to stress on my high days over the exact calories in my food that someone else is preparing makes my life a lot easier.2
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lightenup2016 wrote: »I've tried various different methods of intermittent fasting like this. The IF method that works wonderfully for me is 16:8, where you have a fasting window if 18 hrs and an eating window of 8 hrs. Having to stick to 500 or less 2-3 days per week is not easy for me, and caused me to obsess too much about food. The 16:8 method is easy enough for me to do everyday, with some exceptions for vacation or special occasions.
16 - 8 has helped me I have also done a 24 hour fast. I like I.T.
If you are looking to kick start your weight loss it is imho worth a try.
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amyrebeccah wrote: »This is also called Intermittent fasting, but usually people eat at maintenance on non-fasting days.
This. And yes I did alternate day intermittent fasting for my initial weight loss phase and it worked well for me
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Oops, I just realized there's a typo in my earlier post! I meant to say that with 16:8 there is a 16 hr fasting window, and an 8 hr eating window. Sorry!0
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I think that would be a dangerous diet and would mess with your metabolism2
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I think that would be a dangerous diet and would mess with your metabolism
It is a form of IF. Many people successfully create and sustain a calorie deficit by eating this way or using another form of IF (e.g., 16:8, as mentioned above).
If one finds it sustainable to have a couple of low calorie days while eating at maintenance for the rest of the week, there is nothing wrong with that.
No, it would not "mess with" your metabolism.9 -
endlessfall16 wrote: »
I did alternate day IF and I had great success with it-I lost around 50lbs and then had no problem transitioning into a non-IF maintenance plan, where I'm still at several years later. My blood work is fantastic now as well. If done correctly ADF (also known as JUDDD), can be a great weight loss method.4 -
endlessfall16 wrote: »
5:2 is similar and a lot of people respond well to this way of eating...it doesn't mess up your metabolism. If you respond to this way of eating it's not headed to failure. There's nothing dangerous about it...you eat to maintenance on non fasting days and lower calorie on "fasted" days...usually somewhere between 500 - 1000 calories give or take and depending on what kind of deficit you are targeting.
So for me, if I was eating 3000 calories on my maintenance days and 1000 calories 2 days per week on my "fasted" days...essentially I have a 4,000 calorie deficit for the week...a little more than 1 Lb per week...so how would that be dangerous.
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crzycatlady1 wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »
I did alternate day IF and I had great success with it-I lost around 50lbs and then had no problem transitioning into a non-IF maintenance plan, where I'm still at several years later. My blood work is fantastic now as well. If done correctly ADF (also known as JUDDD), can be a great weight loss method.
Fantastic for you. You had a lot of pounds to lose and I guess your days were more or less the same?
To me it's dangerous and needlessly difficult when a person assigns his/her deficit eating to an artificial schedule, ie doesn't correspond to activity requirement. I have days where I work, exercise much harder than other days -- don't we all? -- and a constant deficit like EEOD would destroy my body.
Again, if my days were mostly similar and had a lot of pounds to lose, it'd be ok.
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Im no dieting expert so this is purely opinion....... I try to eat all of my meals before 8 pm, evening snack included. I usually dont get around to breakfast until about 10 am. sometimes later. I eat at my regular calorie goals targeted to lose 1.5 lbs pr week and it works for me. I guess some would say that this is a form of fasting? To me, by not eating any food or way less than your daily needs might help one to lose wieght very quickly. It sounds like a pretty sweet deal but when I think about loose skin and sagging etc, due to losing muscle and water vs. actual fat- I get turned off a little by the concept. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is....... (sorry for the buzz kill if this is your thing)2
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endlessfall16 wrote: »crzycatlady1 wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »
I did alternate day IF and I had great success with it-I lost around 50lbs and then had no problem transitioning into a non-IF maintenance plan, where I'm still at several years later. My blood work is fantastic now as well. If done correctly ADF (also known as JUDDD), can be a great weight loss method.
Fantastic for you. You had a lot of pounds to lose and I guess your days were more or less the same?
To me it's dangerous and needlessly difficult when a person assigns his/her deficit eating to an artificial schedule, ie doesn't correspond to activity requirement. I have days where I work, exercise much harder than other days -- don't we all? -- and a constant deficit like EEOD would destroy my body.
Again, if my days were mostly similar and had a lot of pounds to lose, it'd be ok.
In your previous post you implied that it is dangerous and would lead to failure, period.
That's not a sustainable way to eat for you - fine. Doesn't make it dangerous for everyone. And no, you don't necessarily have to have a lot of weight to lose to employ ADF or IF and be happy with it.
Different strokes.
Nothing wrong with your way, nothing wrong with this way.2 -
If you want to do something that "kick starts" you - eat nothing but fresh, flash frozen, unprocessed foods. Fresh fruits and veggies and lean cuts of meat/poultry. I like to have a lot of fish - I notice the weeks that I have a lot of fish - at least 3 times a week are the weeks that I lose more. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. I could never NOT eat - that's why I'm here!0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »
5:2 is similar and a lot of people respond well to this way of eating...it doesn't mess up your metabolism. If you respond to this way of eating it's not headed to failure. There's nothing dangerous about it...you eat to maintenance on non fasting days and lower calorie on "fasted" days...usually somewhere between 500 - 1000 calories give or take and depending on what kind of deficit you are targeting.
So for me, if I was eating 3000 calories on my maintenance days and 1000 calories 2 days per week on my "fasted" days...essentially I have a 4,000 calorie deficit for the week...a little more than 1 Lb per week...so how would that be dangerous.
Not the same thing.
Quoted OP "basically you stick to your calorie goal on one day, and then the next day you eat below 500 calories, or some people don't eat at all. Then the next day you're back to your normal calorie goal, then repeat."
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I am also following a form of fasting but I correspond the fasting and what not to level of activities. Not blind fasting.0 -
endlessfall16 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »
5:2 is similar and a lot of people respond well to this way of eating...it doesn't mess up your metabolism. If you respond to this way of eating it's not headed to failure. There's nothing dangerous about it...you eat to maintenance on non fasting days and lower calorie on "fasted" days...usually somewhere between 500 - 1000 calories give or take and depending on what kind of deficit you are targeting.
So for me, if I was eating 3000 calories on my maintenance days and 1000 calories 2 days per week on my "fasted" days...essentially I have a 4,000 calorie deficit for the week...a little more than 1 Lb per week...so how would that be dangerous.
Not the same thing.
Quoted OP "basically you stick to your calorie goal on one day, and then the next day you eat below 500 calories, or some people don't eat at all. Then the next day you're back to your normal calorie goal, then repeat."
---
I am also following a form of fasting but I correspond the fasting and what not to level of activities. Not blind fasting.
I would translate "normal calorie goal" to be maintenance...calories on fasted days would be dependent on one's desired deficit.
Also, I wouldn't call it blind fasted...learning to perform in a fasted state is actually a training protocol in many programs.
Personally, if I were to do it I'd just schedule lighter workouts on fasted days...pretty easy....1 -
Wickglamgirl wrote: »If you want to do something that "kick starts" you - eat nothing but fresh, flash frozen, unprocessed foods. Fresh fruits and veggies and lean cuts of meat/poultry. I like to have a lot of fish - I notice the weeks that I have a lot of fish - at least 3 times a week are the weeks that I lose more. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. I could never NOT eat - that's why I'm here!
Just about none of the above is necessary. There's nothing wrong with "unprocessed" foods per se, but people can lose weight with a mix of "processed" or convenience foods just fine. If you like fish and it meets your needs, that's great. There's nothing "necessary" about fish, however.
I really wish that "shop the perimeter" nonsense idea would die the death it deserves. My grocery store has cake, pie, beer, cheese, wine, sausages, and bacon on the perimeter. I'd be avoiding so much that's good and useful to me by not venturing into the aisles.
As for the OP's post, IF type plans are perfectly safe and effective when they're structured appropriately. Having a few days/week at maintenance and keeping the deficit within 2-3 days of the week is just another method of building a sustainable deficit. Some people just find it works better with their day-to-day routine.6 -
Wickglamgirl wrote: »If you want to do something that "kick starts" you - eat nothing but fresh, flash frozen, unprocessed foods. Fresh fruits and veggies and lean cuts of meat/poultry. I like to have a lot of fish - I notice the weeks that I have a lot of fish - at least 3 times a week are the weeks that I lose more. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. I could never NOT eat - that's why I'm here!
This is not necessary and not a sustainable way to eat for everyone. I'm not arguing that fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins are good staples in our diets - I think it's great to incorporate them into our diets, and vegetables are a great way to add volume without adding a ton of calories. But it is not necessary to eat this way all the time, for every meal, and can cause people to burn out. I always recommend a balanced diet that includes a wide variety of foods that will be sustainable long term.
Also, this:Shop the perimeter of the grocery store.
is just not very good advice. My grocery store contains the bakery and the beer section on the perimeter aisles. Also, things like rice, oats, quinoa, canned beans, and other perfectly fine foods are located more towards the center. There is nothing wrong with "processed" foods.2 -
amyrebeccah wrote: »This is also called Intermittent fasting, but usually people eat at maintenance on non-fasting days.
This^
5:2 or 4:3 is eating at maintenance on "off" days. Then your "fast" or "on" days are 500 calories for women, and 600 calories for men.
Drastic calorie deficits make it harder for your body to support existing lean muscle mass. Aggressive weight loss doesn't lower your body fat % by as much as moderate paced weight loss does.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100058-5-2-fasting
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/8628-5-2-diet
I tried 5:2 the 500 calorie days didn't work for me. But I do I zig zag my calories to allow me to eat at maintenance on the weekends.
No need to "kick start" weight loss. Just pick something you can be consistent with & that helps you develop good habits you can use during maintenance.1 -
I don't do anything as extreme as this, but I eat 1200cal net most days and then eat maintenance or over on 2-3 days, averaging about 1500cal net over the week. This works much better for me than a steady deficit. It's quite an individual thing I think.0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »endlessfall16 wrote: »
5:2 is similar and a lot of people respond well to this way of eating...it doesn't mess up your metabolism. If you respond to this way of eating it's not headed to failure. There's nothing dangerous about it...you eat to maintenance on non fasting days and lower calorie on "fasted" days...usually somewhere between 500 - 1000 calories give or take and depending on what kind of deficit you are targeting.
So for me, if I was eating 3000 calories on my maintenance days and 1000 calories 2 days per week on my "fasted" days...essentially I have a 4,000 calorie deficit for the week...a little more than 1 Lb per week...so how would that be dangerous.
Not the same thing.
Quoted OP "basically you stick to your calorie goal on one day, and then the next day you eat below 500 calories, or some people don't eat at all. Then the next day you're back to your normal calorie goal, then repeat."
---
I am also following a form of fasting but I correspond the fasting and what not to level of activities. Not blind fasting.
I would translate "normal calorie goal" to be maintenance...calories on fasted days would be dependent on one's desired deficit.
Also, I wouldn't call it blind fasted...learning to perform in a fasted state is actually a training protocol in many programs.
Personally, if I were to do it I'd just schedule lighter workouts on fasted days...pretty easy....
Agree with all of this, except I thought OP was saying a normal deficit on some days, 500 on others and never doing maintenance. Thus, a "kick start." But who knows -- OP would have to answer.0 -
I don't have a metabolism. Most days I don't even wanna eat over 500 calories. When I'm traveling for work it's a hassle trying to not go over in one meal. I like the idea of IF. I'm going to do my own research.0
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I had 30lbs to lose and lost 24 of those in 4mths doing ADF. I had no problems with it, and it didnt ruin my metabolism or cause me to binge on my up days. These books helped me through.
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No I haven't tried that diet. I also haven't tried the diet where you hire someone to kick you in the balls anytime you pick up a donut. I typically just try to moderate my intake while increasing my activity level.2
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