Has anyone heard about the Intermittent Diet? I'm thinking of giving it a go

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www.genesisuk.org/media-centre/articles/The%20Intermittent%20diet%20.html

It's not specifically for women who want to prevent breast cancer although who doesn't? The idea was to look at alternative ways of dieting to the standard calorie counting/Mediterranean diet as people find it hard and it's important for cancer prevention to keep your BMI in the heathly range.

I'm thinking of giving it a go as a part of my inevitable New Years loose weight resolution and it would be great to hear of anyone else who's done it or would like to give it a try.

My plan is to start a general 'good' diet tomorrow, throw out the booze and chocs and once the dc's are back to school at the end of the week start the intermittent diet.

I reckon I'll be hardcore on Mon & Tue. Haven't read full diet but a bit confused between initial "milk' based one and other version?

Welcome! The more the merrier, except on the VLC days, when the more the moanier :o

The initial milk based Genesis study is linked in the OP, but the study showed that it wasn't the milk that made the difference it was the low calorie aspect (650cals/day for 2 days) so you can replace the milk etc with lean meat/other low fat dairy.

The Good Housekeeping article says you need to stick to 1800 calories on the other 5 days a week but they can totally stuff that for a lark some people are sticking to the original Genesis because the idea of intermittent dieting is that it's supposed to be easier than constantly counting calories which is what I'm doing because I'm greedy and lazy like that

Good luck!

Do you think I could just use diet meal replacement shakes to make up the 650 calories? I have a load of Exante packets left over.

Hello, been sent over here from another thread. Sounds like something I'd like to try. Will have a read through all the posts and read up a bit, and will be checking in again,

xx

weclome, Mummalsih!

Please can I join your gang? I have let myself get fat again. I have lots of lovely dresses which I cannot fit into. And my back is buggered from being too heavy. I've been trying to lose weight most of my life (mostly unsuccessfully) for ages but the calories in/calories out equation doesn't seem to work for me and am desperate to try something else that might help as I blame my hormones/being peri-menopausal. I am also too lazy to count calories or points or syns or whatever name they go under.

Did anyone see the Times yesterday? There was an article on yet another diet plan but interestingly it advocates intermittent alternate day fasting (as it was called) ie 650 cals every other day or contracting the eating window every day i.e. skipping breakfast or dinner. It did also credit the 650 cals for 2 days per week study.

hi moonshine! was that the "diets don't work one"? Reading android Times and don't get all the stories so not sure..This article's gist was that diets, esp calorie-counting, don't work but that we should incorporate much lower carb intake into our diet and have this is our way of life, rather than being "on a diet". Sounds v sensible to me!

It's from a book called the Diet Trap so very likely - it does advocate low-carb which unfortunately (cos I do love a carb binge every now and then) does work for me but it's not a no-carb one. So avoid the usual pasta, rice, grains etc but you suggests things like carrots swedes, parsnips, sweet potatoes etc can be eaten ideally no more than once a day.

But I find you've got to find your own body's limits and accepting quirks and thankfully mine doesn't mind couscous and the occasional slice or 2 of brown bread.

Rita I found the actual chewing of the veg portions was what got me through the low-cal days, such a small number of calories in liquid form only would have killed me I think!

Great to see more people joining in, we'll be a diet revolution if it actually works :o

yes, agree, need something to chomp on when you've only got the 650 cals!

Just googled the doc referred to in moonshine's Times article. Quite convincing also; think he was referring to "intermittent fasting" ie - extending the window of time w/o food in the day (eg late breakfast or v early dinner) to lower insulin levels thereby burning fat, rather than the "intermittent diet"

Yes Expat - 'tis true that it is about intermittent fast to lower insulin levels. Interestingly he does mention the Intermittent Diet trial, as I mentioned, and states that over time this improved insulin sensitivity which is supposed to translate to improved weight loss over time and the preservation of more muscle.

I am having my first very low cal day tomorrow and shall find something to munch. I must read the original document and I know it's more about the calories but would it be ok to have a couple of bananas d'you think?

Oooh blimey - hello to all the lovely new peeps.

So I've done the shopping and got all my yummy cottage cheese for next week and I've been up the allotment to find beetroot for my salads. Hopefully I'm on track for a good couple of days. I think Weds and Thurs next week. I'll look on the scales Monday morning and see if we've dropped any pounds ;)

moonshine you can have one piece of fruit a day - that's on the Genesis thingy... basically bananas are quite high in calories so if you have a couple you'll have to knock something else on the head. Probably not a good idea imho.

oh does he, moonshine, in today's article or in the book? just curious as to what he says. The 2-day diet download from genesis did suggest banana w milk as a breakfast option, I think, so you could have the one. Obv quite a calorie hit though but a good start to the day.
RH, very impressed that a) you're having beetroot (hate it with a vengeance and b) it's from your own allotment.. surely extra brownie points for that!
I may do my 650cal tomorrow also, but still got kids off and loads of study to do so not sure I can handle all that.. will see how I feel in the morning.

Can I join too? Have been lurking and dithering about whether to take the plunge. I eventually decided to give it a go. I find calorie counting really easy and effective when I eat at home but it always gets buggered up by eating out or eating at friends. eg on Friday we were invited to stay with friends so they cooked our evening meal and breakfast and then we went out for lunch.

I'm figuring that this way the vlc days should go some way to making up for it. First one tomorrow. Can I just point out that I'm getting leeks and cavolo nero from my alloment?

Expat - it was in the article. He says (apart from the bits I've quoted) 'in one study for instance overweught and obese women undertook continuous intermittent caloric restrictioin over a six-month period. Half the women restricted food intake to 1,500 cals a day. Those on the 'intermittent fasting' regime ate 650 cals on each of 2 days in each week (the rest of the time they were free to eat as much as they liked). Both groups effectively restricted cals to the same degree (about 25 per cent of cals normally consumed)

Both groups lost weight and also saw improvements in measures such as blood pressure and inflammation, insulin levels fell and sensitivity to insulin rose but it did so more in the intermittent fasters. Improved insulin sensitivity is a good thing that would be expected to translate over time into improved weight loss and a reduced risk of chronic diseases etc etc.......'

Thank you both - one banana it is and a proper read of the Genesis thingy

thanks for posting that, it wasn't in the (limited) android version of the times I get here so good to have the info!

Thinking I need an allotment here

Right back on vlc day tomorrow. Have to drive my dd to a course in Somerset so won't be walking past the leftover Xmas goodies all day!
Must try to stick to it later than 5.00pm.
It's great to hear about everyone else's experienced and ideas. Also much cheaper than weight watchers or slimming world

Hello! Been lurking and watching how you have all been getting on with this and am very impressed.

All makes sense to me. Low carbing definitely works (lost 2.5stone this way), but I find it too difficult to maintain day in, day out. So this seems perfect.

So do you mind if I join you? Just over a stone left to lose and plan to do 650cal days mon and tue. Also running a minimum of three times a week. Will start vlc tomorrow. Am hoping this is a plan I can continue to use to maintain also.

Welcome openyourlugholes!

We will be vlc ing together tomorrow. Good luck.

Thanks! Looking forward to getting going

Ooh, please could I join? I'm going to do UpdayDownday. First down day tomorrow!

Having a now to brace myself.

Looks like lots of us are going for it tomorrow, good luck all!

here as well :o

Ooh lots of people on here now! I only managed 1 vlc day last week in the end as I couldn't face doing 2 consecutive days and didn't manage it on my 2 days back at work BUT I'll be back on it tomorrow and then Wednesday. I've also dug out my Davina dvd and am starting that again tomorrow - will be aiming for at least 3 times a week with it to help tone up as think that is half my problem.

Think there could be a few hungry people hanging round here tomorrow...!

I will be here tomorrow - chewing the the laptop - am tempted now to make a large cheese sandwich and hope I do not digest until about lunch time... still am 2lb down on last week so it is working !!

am here and decided to join you guys today with VLCD. Just wondering whether to substitute all that milk for other protein and make myself a small omelette for breakfast instead. Actually not that hungry yet although it's already school time on a school day so would normally have been up for 2 hours already..system obviously v confused! I'm 1/2 kilo down from last week so you're doing well, zzmum.

Anyone else read the Diet Trap guy's Times articles/book? There's another one today in which he refers again to intermittent fasting as being "based on the theory that reducing calories quite significantly a couple of days a week and eating normally on the other days, helps to maintain weight. There's growing evidence it works." Does this "growing evidence" include the GenesisUK trial, I wonder? Also note he says that this "maintains" weight, rather than reduces...

Anyway, this writer, John Triffa, is both a medical doc and nutritionist and is doing quite a lot of research into this area. Quite controversial on exercise he advocates AGAINST too much aerobic exercise (for weightloss tho points out it's still a good idea for cardio health). He evidences this by saying that it burns too few calories to have real effect and tends to increase hunger too much. He recommends rather to do:

1. HIIT - high intensity intermittent (that word again!) training for about 15-20 mins - ie intense interval running/cycling whatever a few times a week

1. brief sessions of weight-bearing exercise

1. lots of walking and generally moving about in your daily life

Interested to know what you all think anyway. Good luck those of us VLCDing today!