Alternate Day Diet (Up Day Down Day Diet)

[Downdog]

I've been doing this since the beginning of January and have lost about 5 kilos (weighing myself again this weekend).

Basically you eat whatever you want without overeating, on one day (UP DAY) and eat a very low calorie diet on the DOWN DAYS - about 500 cals only on down days. The theory is your cals average out over 48 hours. It is claimed to have many other health benefits re athsma etc too.

I'm finding it so easy - not only are the down days really quiet easy now (the first week was hard), but I have lost all cravings for food & am eating in a much more balanced way on the UP days. I love it as I don't have to think about food, or cooking special ways, or anything else (essentially I am lazy & would prefer to put my efforts elsewhere) - I just do veggies, miso soup, protein shakes etc up to 500 cals on down day, and all is normal on up days. My overall deist on UP days has improved because I'm making better choices & I'm also developing more awareness about my body, when I am full etc.

The weekends can get a little tougher esp if it's an indoors rainy day, so I am now trying having 3 down days (Mon, Weds, Fri) and just being relaxed in the weekends. Not sure if that will work until I weigh on the weekend.

I would like to lose 30 kilos so have a way to go, but I can imagine doing this for sometime.

I can do anything for one day - funny thing is though, at the end of a DOWN DAY I'm pretty hungry, but all I can think about is the delight of eating my porridge (no sugar) for breakfast in the morning. YES PORRIDGE!!!

I don't think it will suit everyone - if your blood sugar fluctuates wildly it wouldn't be advised. But it certainly works for me and as someone who has always overeaten, I am learning it's OK to be hungry and to actually feel comfortable with it.

I have read critisim that it encourages eating disorder, but that certainly isn't my experience. There are some silly articles out there where journalists are saying you can scoff KFC & chocolate all day & overeat if you starve the next day - that is silly & irresponsible & not how the plan works at all.

www.johnsonupdaydowndaydiet.com/html/diet-landing.html

Anyone else out there doing it? How are you getting on?

After watching Horizon tonight I am inspired. I am going to do a down day tomorrow (or try my best). So yes I will join you. I will try and let you know tomorrow night how I have got on.

Hooray!
just saw the other thread on the BBC prog...
I'm having my first 'fast' day tomorrow - I've planned in advance what i will eat: skinny latte for breakfast, apple, banana and miso soup for lunch and a salad and a muller light yog for dinner.
I think I'll do something in-between the 5:2 diet and AFD - prob fasting on Mon/Weds/Fri and see how that goes...
Good luck!

Or rather.. How'd it go trickydicky?

I watched the Horizon programme too the other night and both my husband and I have started today on a down day! We are both 2-3 stone overweight and have been trying over the past few years to lose it, to be honest i think I have been trying all my adult life, we are both 42 now so not getting any younger!! I have tried them all; slimming world, weightwatchers, Rosemary Conley, cambridge diet, celebrity slim, cabbage soup.

It is now just about lunch time, i have had a homemade mocha coffee, everything low fat, dont know how many calories, I have bought some protein shakes for lunch and tea, although I think tea time is gonna be the hardest.. If it all gets too difficult tonight I will go to bed early!!

So glad I found people posting now , me & my dh watched the Horizon programme last week & both decided to give it a try. We started with a down day last Wednesday & are doing Mon, Wed & Fri as down days.
I did notice at the weekend that my appetite had dropped which was great.
I've been having crunchy bran & 100ml of milk for breakfast - tried special K today but didn't fill me up as much, no lunch & weight watchers meal with weight watches bread for dinner all coming in at approx 500 cals.
Good luck to everyone, hope we can help each other along

Like Rockmelly, I've done almost every diet under the sun but just end up feeling deprived and can't see myself doing them long term.
Did the Cambridge diet a few years ago but couldn't cope on just shakes - didn't like anything else (and it cost a fortune), and now the thought of those shakes just makes me feel sick, so it's low cal food all the way on my down days.

Hi,
Very happy to stumble across this thread. Hope others are still following and we can provide some support and encouragement to each other. I don't have much weight to lose to be honest,i am within a healthy bmi, but have a wedding on 1st September and an extremely expensive dress that doesn't fit me! I would initially like to lose 5lb if possible by the wedding, and then maybe another 4lb after, and then maintain.i started on a down day on Monday and have just finished my second down day.
Anyone else out there ?

Well, week 1 went very well. The down days were a bit hard but I lost 5lb so I'm a very happy bunny.
Down days on week 2 have been so much easier, doubt I'll lose 5lb again but I'll be happy with a steady 2lb/week loss.
Good luck Rachel, hope it goes well for you

Hi Alcol,
So glad to hear the down days on week two are easier. I'm nearing the end of my third down day and I've got to say, been feeling rather hungry since about 4pm! Roll on breakfast in the morning.
How are you treating your up days, eating as much as you like, or still trying to stick to a certain number of calories? I've got to say, I have been trying to treat them as though I'm on a healthy eating kick, but still eating around 1700 calories - but yesterday I didn't really feel satisfied when I went to bed, that may be why I have found todays down day so difficult. I'm having around 600 calls on a down day.
On Monday morning I weighed 9st 10lbs, that was after a weeks holiday, followed immediately by a weekend of eating out and drinking, as it was my husbands birthday. Before the holiday I was 9st 5lbs. Weighed myself this morning - was amazed that scales said 9st 3lbs. Must have been holding a lot of water, but still, I'm so pleased with that. Made the hunger of today feel that little bit more bearable :-)

Saw this on Horizon the other week and am really inspired not enough to actually start it though.

Have put on a little weight, the thing that really bothers me is that it is all around my waist which I know is the worst kind.

The thing that really puts me off is that I've never counted calories so don't know what would make up my 400-500 calories on my fast days.

I've already got some good ideas from this thread, but think I need some more tips. Really dont' fancy the shakes as I'm not all that fond of milk.

Anyone?

HI there,
You don't get loads for your calories! I personally choose to have 600 calories as this is easier for me. On my down days I always start with a big can of diet energy drink, this only uses about 20 calories but takes me through to lunch time before I stay to get any feelings of hunger. Today I decided to have a big salad for my lunch just now. I had salad leaves, tomato, cucumber, onion, red and yellow peppers, beetroot, a whole tin of salmon and some light seafood dressing. I'm going to attempt to include a picture so you can sees the large portion size. This has used 350 calories, which is a lot to use in one go, but I've got to say it's really filled me up and I really enjoyed it. You could easily replace the salmon for tinned tuna in brine and this would save around 100+ calories, taking it down to around 250 calories. You could take the dressing off too and save 20-30 calories, but I love sauce.

[IMG]i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j361/rachelblythe1/20120819_133822.jpg[/IMG]

I'm not sure how I'm going to use the rest of my approx 200 calories, but I feel like this should keep me satisfied until at least 6-7pm. The salmon had got loads of protein in that will fill me up.

Hope to hear from you all soon.

Link to salad photo:

i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j361/rachelblythe1/20120819_133822.jpg

That does look yummy thanks rachel .

Saw the Hairy Dieters in the week and they did a Tuna Nicose wrap which was about 350 calories. Was thinking of trying half for lunch and half for tea.

Think I'd probably prefer a cup of tea to a diet energy drink. You wouldn't know how many calories there is in a cup of decaf tea with a splash of full fat milk would you?

Just wanted to post again to say how touched I am that you made the effort to photograph and post your lunch for me.

Feel much more inclined to do it now. I'm at work for the next 2 days so think I'll stock up on fruit and veg and miso soup and start on Wednesday.

The benefits mentioned in the Horizon programme Eat, Fast and Live Long are just too tempting to miss out on .

Hi Julie, no worries :-)

A cup of tea with whole milk will be between 15-20 calories depending on how much milk you put in, so you wouldn't want to be drinking too many a day.
Will be nice to have you on board, we can help each other.

I found the first three fasting days really quite hard, but can't believe how full and satisfied I have felt today. I think the difference has been that I have actually made a meal, and also included lots if protein. I have generally snacked on 100 calories at a time and never at one point felt full. Will definitely try a similar tactic on Tuesday. Even managed to save enough calories today to enjoy a small white wine spritzer x

Hi JJJ and others...try having a look at this thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/big_slim_whatever_weight_loss_club/1535972-5-2-Diet-Thread

We've all been inspired I think by the Horizon programme and are giving the fasting a go. Good luck with it.

Fanjita - you are a star.thank you! ! !

Thanks rachel and thanks too Fanjita. 5:2 does sound a bit more bearable . Haven't got that much too loose, but would like to shift some weight and the health benefits do sound good.

Will have a proper look at the thread later if I've got time but got a feeling it might be tomorrow.

Hello i started the up day down day diet, evryone else seems to find it easy but i am not i cant go thru the evening without eating and i suffer with insomnia and cant sleep without eating. Therefore after giving in on the first day and eating around 9.30pm i wondered if i could start my up day at 9.30 in the evening and stop the up day at 9.30 the next evening. Do you think this would work?

Hello
I started the up day down day diet, evryone else seems to find it easy but i am not i cant go thru the evening without eating and i suffer with insomnia and cant sleep without eating. Therefore after giving in on the first day and eating around 9.30pm i wondered if i could start my up day at 9.30 in the evening and stop the up day at 9.30 the next evening. Ive had to do this as its the only way i can manage to do it but do you think this would work?

Hello All,

I've been doing this diet on and off since October - so far I've lost 30lbs...

it's so easy, but if you need any tips - get in touch x