We're still contemplating whether or not we should try the next fad diet. Maybe you've tried the Paleo, Mediterranean, Dukan, Biggest Loser or juicing diet. Well the next in line is the "Fasting" diet. Doesn't sound all that exciting to me!
For five days a week you eat normally (whatever that means) and then, for two days, you fast. It's not complete fasting, but women can only consume 500 calories and men can only consume 600. Dr. Michael Mosley, a British doctor, has just launched, "The Fast Diet: Lose weight, stay healthy and live longer with the simple secret of intermittent fasting."
The theory is based on life extension which focuses on restricting calories and fasting. If you're only consuming 500 -- 600 calories a day, it sure isn't a lot of food! Most of us eat that many calories for breakfast. If we break down these calories over the day, that might mean that at breakfast you may have two scrambled eggs on one half of whole wheat English muffin and 1 cup of diced melon. Forget lunch; just drink liquids with no calories. Dinner could consist of 2 oz of lean fish or chicken, 1 cup of green steamed veggies and a salad with low calorie dressing. Apparently, your body adjusts to this calorie restriction within a couple of weeks and on the days that you're fasting you don't feel all that hungry. You can always snack on very low calorie veggies such as cucumber, broccoli, green beans or lettuce.
Many of us feel weak and can't focus if we're hungry. But Dr. Mosley found he was more focused. His cholesterol and blood glucose levels came under control. Dr. Mosley says you'll lose an average of two pounds per week.
My concern is that on the other five days of the week you've given carte blanche! You're advised to eat healthy, but mammals are used to "hoarding" if we know we will be deprived -- and I bet you're not going to binge on carrots and broccoli. More likely, you'll eat all those foods you crave that are high in calories, fat and sodium. Why wouldn't you? I think the Fast Diet is merely a quick fix to lose a few pounds. Cutting back calories has to be done strategically, on a daily basis and a pattern of controlled eating has to be learned. It doesn't come naturally in our North American culture.
Dr. Mosley believes scientifically fasting works due to the hormone insulin called IGF-1. When you're young you need adequate levels of this hormone, but higher levels appear as we age, which speeds up aging and cancer (specifically breast and prostate cancer). Fasting reduces these levels. Fasting also appears to protect the brain from memory loss such as in Dementia and Alzheimers.
Britain's National Health Service believes that there is not enough scientific evidence about intermittent fasting and it's safety. They listed side effects being anxiety, bad breath, irritability and dehydration. But I'm sure this will not affect those looking for the next "magic bullet" for weight loss.
Weight Loss Success Stories
Stacey BEFORE(01 of150)
Open Image ModalStacey AFTER(02 of150)
Open Image ModalDeborah BEFORE(03 of150)
Open Image ModalDeborah AFTER(04 of150)
Open Image ModalJohn BEFORE(05 of150)
Open Image ModalJohn AFTER(06 of150)
Open Image ModalDelores BEFORE(07 of150)
Open Image ModalDelores AFTER(08 of150)
Open Image ModalChad BEFORE(09 of150)
Open Image ModalChad AFTER(10 of150)
Open Image ModalSasha BEFORE(11 of150)
Open Image ModalSasha AFTER(12 of150)
Open Image ModalJamie BEFORE(13 of150)
Open Image ModalJamie AFTER(14 of150)
Open Image ModalDen-Ray BEFORE(15 of150)
Open Image ModalDen-Ray AFTER(16 of150)
Open Image ModalArianna & Michelle BEFORE(17 of150)
Open Image ModalArianna & Michelle AFTER(18 of150)
Open Image ModalBrian BEFORE(19 of150)
Open Image ModalBrian AFTER(20 of150)
Open Image ModalBrad BEFORE(21 of150)
Open Image ModalBrad AFTER(22 of150)
Open Image ModalBrenda BEFORE(23 of150)
Open Image ModalBrenda AFTER(24 of150)
Open Image ModalRashard BEFORE(25 of150)
Open Image ModalRashard AFTER(26 of150)
Open Image ModalLacey BEFORE(27 of150)
Open Image ModalLacey AFTER(28 of150)
Open Image ModalBryn BEFORE(29 of150)
Open Image ModalBryn AFTER(30 of150)
Open Image ModalLacey BEFORE(31 of150)
Open Image ModalLacey AFTER(32 of150)
Open Image ModalTorrey BEFORE(33 of150)
Open Image ModalTorrey AFTER(34 of150)
Open Image ModalPatti BEFORE(35 of150)
Open Image ModalPatti AFTER(36 of150)
Open Image ModalTara BEFORE(37 of150)
Open Image ModalTara AFTER(38 of150)
Open Image ModalJamie BEFORE(39 of150)
Open Image ModalJamie AFTER(40 of150)
Open Image ModalSteven BEFORE(41 of150)
Open Image ModalSteven AFTER(42 of150)
Open Image ModalBrian BEFORE(43 of150)
Open Image ModalBrian AFTER(44 of150)
Open Image ModalPam BEFORE(45 of150)
Open Image ModalPam AFTER(46 of150)
Open Image ModalLisa BEFORE(47 of150)
Open Image ModalLisa AFTER(48 of150)
Open Image ModalCarra BEFORE(49 of150)
Open Image ModalCarra AFTER(50 of150)
Open Image ModalMara BEFORE(51 of150)
Open Image ModalMara AFTER(52 of150)
Open Image ModalCody BEFORE(53 of150)
Open Image ModalCody AFTER(54 of150)
Open Image ModalMike BEFORE(55 of150)
Open Image ModalMike AFTER(56 of150)
Open Image ModalRobbie BEFORE(57 of150)
Open Image ModalRobbie AFTER(58 of150)
Open Image ModalBen BEFORE(59 of150)
Open Image ModalBen AFTER(60 of150)
Open Image ModalChristie BEFORE(61 of150)
Open Image ModalChristie AFTER(62 of150)
Open Image ModalKodi BEFORE(63 of150)
Open Image ModalKodi AFTER(64 of150)
Open Image ModalKelsey BEFORE(65 of150)
Open Image ModalKelsey AFTER(66 of150)
Open Image ModalLinda BEFORE(67 of150)
Open Image ModalLinda AFTER(68 of150)
Open Image ModalKelly BEFORE(69 of150)
Open Image ModalKelly AFTER(70 of150)
Open Image ModalJohn BEFORE(71 of150)
Open Image ModalJohn AFTER(72 of150)
Open Image ModalChristina BEFORE(73 of150)
Open Image ModalChristina AFTER(74 of150)
Open Image ModalDeAnna BEFORE(75 of150)
Open Image ModalDeAnna AFTER(76 of150)
Open Image ModalPaul BEFORE(77 of150)
Open Image ModalPaul AFTER(78 of150)
Open Image ModalKourtney BEFORE(79 of150)
Open Image ModalKourtney AFTER(80 of150)
Open Image ModalDanielle BEFORE(81 of150)
Open Image ModalDanielle AFTER(82 of150)
Open Image ModalPamela BEFORE(83 of150)
Open Image ModalPamela AFTER(84 of150)
Open Image ModalSherlonda BEFORE(85 of150)
Open Image ModalSherlonda AFTER(86 of150)
Open Image ModalJustin BEFORE(87 of150)
Open Image ModalJustin AFTER(88 of150)
Open Image ModalKerry BEFORE(89 of150)
Open Image ModalKerry AFTER(90 of150)
Open Image ModalLacy BEFORE(91 of150)
Open Image ModalLacy AFTER(92 of150)
Open Image ModalMarqkria BEFORE(93 of150)
Open Image ModalMarqkria AFTER(94 of150)
Open Image ModalGina BEFORE(95 of150)
Open Image ModalGina AFTER(96 of150)
Open Image ModalSarah BEFORE(97 of150)
Open Image ModalSarah AFTER(98 of150)
Open Image ModalEmil BEFORE(99 of150)
Open Image ModalEmil AFTER(100 of150)
Open Image ModalNikki BEFORE(101 of150)
Open Image ModalNikki AFTER(102 of150)
Open Image ModalLauren BEFORE(103 of150)
Open Image ModalLauren AFTER(104 of150)
Open Image ModalDarrell BEFORE(105 of150)
Open Image ModalDarrell AFTER(106 of150)
Open Image ModalJessica BEFORE(107 of150)
Open Image ModalJessica AFTER(108 of150)
Open Image ModalAfter BEFORE(109 of150)
Open Image ModalAmanda AFTER(110 of150)
Open Image ModalMiesha BEFORE(111 of150)
Open Image ModalMiesha AFTER(112 of150)
Open Image ModalRachel BEFORE(113 of150)
Open Image ModalRachel AFTER(114 of150)
Open Image ModalShelly BEFORE(115 of150)
Open Image ModalShelly AFTER(116 of150)
Open Image ModalErnie BEFORE(117 of150)
Open Image ModalErnie AFTER(118 of150)
Open Image ModalDave BEFORE(119 of150)
Open Image ModalDave AFTER(120 of150)
Open Image ModalMeredith BEFORE(121 of150)
Open Image ModalMeredith AFTER(122 of150)
Open Image ModalQuentin BEFORE(123 of150)
Open Image ModalQuentin AFTER(124 of150)
Open Image ModalInez BEFORE(125 of150)
Open Image ModalInez AFTER(126 of150)
Open Image ModalTeena BEFORE(127 of150)
Open Image ModalTeena AFTER(128 of150)
Open Image ModalBen BEFORE(129 of150)
Open Image ModalBen AFTER(130 of150)
Open Image ModalGen BEFORE(131 of150)
Open Image ModalGen AFTER(132 of150)
Open Image ModalJayme BEFORE(133 of150)
Open Image ModalJayme AFTER(134 of150)
Open Image ModalCoty BEFORE(135 of150)
Open Image ModalCoty AFTER(136 of150)
Open Image ModalKate BEFORE(137 of150)
Open Image ModalKate AFTER(138 of150)
Open Image ModalKristina BEFORE(139 of150)
Open Image ModalKristina AFTER(140 of150)
Open Image ModalJamie BEFORE(141 of150)
Open Image ModalJamie AFTER(142 of150)
Open Image ModalSarah BEFORE(143 of150)
Open Image ModalSarah AFTER(144 of150)
Open Image ModalDanny BEFORE(145 of150)
Open Image ModalDanny AFTER(146 of150)
Open Image ModalLilian BEFORE(147 of150)
Open Image ModalLilian AFTER(148 of150)
Open Image ModalTroy BEFORE(149 of150)
Open Image ModalTroy AFTER(150 of150)
Open Image Modal