Alternative Day diet (ADD)

[capricorn62]

After watching the recent programme on tv this week I have decided to try fasting to lose some weight.
Have tried other diets & also had the odd day when tried to fast but with no real incentive wish to try again. Did anyone watch the ADD prog? Like to hear your reactions.
Going to fast 2 days a week .....watch this space...............

[VHG]

Fasting is not a great idea.

Your body thinks it is going to get no more food so goes into "shut down" mode to preserve energy so you just feel tired.

Far better to eat regularly, a good low fat diet, each and every day

[BlueToffee]

If you're referring to the Horizon programme, I understood that the presenter had 650 calories on 2 consecutive days a week and then ate normally for the rest of the time. He reckons to have lost a stone in 5 weeks. My 5/2 diet starts tomorrow!

[Old_Geezer]

I've seen various claims for fasting, some may even be true, but I've not seen it seriously put forward as a weight loss programme. Do it long enough and sure you will lose weight but at what cost ! No I missed the TV programme but if I were you 'd only contemplate it for I wanted to do it for reasons other than weight loss. If you are overweight it built up over a long time and needs to be encouraged to reduce again over a long period too. And if you want any loss to remain you need to make your natural intake match that which you need to maintain you new weight, otherwise the moment you reach your target you are in danger of 'coming off the wagon', as it were.

[Ann]

I watched the programme - fascinating. I really could do this diet I'm sure, but can't imagine losing weight if you can eat just what you like 5 days out of 7. I missed the crucial part where he said about the 2 days fasting on 650 cals when they had to be undertaken - did they have to be done together or could you split them up e.g do Monday and Thursday?

[naomi24]

As VHG says, better to eat a good healthy diet all the time. That combined with a bit of exercise is all you need to keep slim. Fad diets only work in the short term.

[NoMercy]

Cut down your carbs, cut out alcohol completely, up your intake of green veg and walk more. Also, eggs are a brilliant breakfast food - they keep you full and burn belly fat.

Instead of eggs on toast, have eggs with cooked cherry tomatoes.

[liquidspace]

I watched the programme and it wasnt mainly about losing weight, it was mainly about the science behind the idea of living longer and healthier lives. The idea is to eat 600 calories on two days and the other days eat what you normally would. You can have two days together or any two days. When your body is hungry there are cell changes and the cells renew themselves differently to at other times. The programme was very interesting and yes he lost well over a stone in the 5 weeks. I would like to give it a try but have to muster up all my willpower as I dont like the feeling of being hungry.

[liquidspace]

The presenter is Michael Mosley who is a doctor, journalist, producer and presenter so he does know what he is talking about. He met an 101 year old who had just run the marathon and eats a lot less than most people, linking the idea of what and how much you eat affects longevity to a certain extent.

[jesussigler]

The diet goes under various names.

[sophie_1003]

My mum was telling me about this today; I think I'd do what the presenter did (5 days 'on' and 2 days 'off' each week) rather than alternate days. Would be interesting to know what the benefits would be if it was cut down even more; say 2 days fasting out of every ten, would there still be any benefits even?

[sandyRoe]

If people reduce their intake of calories to less than they're using, they'll lose weight.

[pastafreak]

But-as said above-the program was not about loosing weight. It was to do with how much, and what we eat and the ageing process, susceptibility to heart disease,cancer,etc.

[capricorn62]

Well I have lost 4lbs in about 10 days so far!
I'm finding it quite easy, the hunger pains are usually helped by just small drinks of water. I decided to fast on 500 cals approx twice a week as its not easy to fast 2 days running & yes I find I want to eat less on my non fasting days!
We all tend to eat too much anyway & as the prog tells us we were not meant to eat 3 times a day!
If I can reduce my chances of serious diseases then wheres the harm?
I intend to fast eventually say once/twice a month after getting my weight down to my goal of losing about a stone.

[capricorn62]

By the way have not felt tired at all, actually sleeping better since stopping eating after 6pm.

[sophie_1003]

Have only just seen your reply capricorn, well done! I've been trying the cereal diet as a way to get used to eating less and am finding it more difficult than I thought I would! Are you feeling any healthier for it?

[Scarlett]

The idea is that the body DOESN'T go into fast mode since it is not 'starved' for long enough, by fasting on alternate days. So it is not your traditional fast. I think the principle is that we, as animals, as designed to go for periods without food, like we would if we were hunting in the wild. By fasting, our bodies can rest and repair. Digesting food takes a lot of energy and if we avoid digesting food, particularly during sleep, then ourm bodies can focus on repairing damage. I always feel so much better when I wake up after a fast day. I feel like crap if I went to bed having eating a large meal! I think it sounds like a good thing to try, but space the fast days out if you are only doing two, as doing two in a row might make the body think it is out of food, and start to "save" fat.

[evedawn]

This is fairly similar to the "3 day diet " that's been about for years . Similar principle as cutting calories majorly for brief period followed by normal eating. It certainly had worked for me in the past and is the diet of choice for me.

[capricorn62]

Any weight loss diet that specifies eating just one or two foods cannot be longlasting as I for one get fed up eating the same food. I just have smaller portions & a special treat occasionally, that means poss once a week not everyday!! That way I have something to look forward to.

[capricorn62]

Yes Sophie 1003 feeling great! Lost 7lbs now. Not sure I will be the same after a weeks holiday - all inclusive! I love my food too much!