The Alternate-Day Diet is a reduced-calorie diet plan that works by alternating the number of calories you take in every second day. The diet is based on a book written by Dr. James Johnson who discovered that alternating a higher calorie day with a lower calorie day turned on a skinny gene in studies performed on rats. This cycling approach was then applied in human trials with resulting weight-loss success in the volunteers who averaged an 8 percent lost in body weight over 8 weeks. This dieting method also had various health benefits including reduced inflammation, decreased blood pressure, increased insulin resistance and protection against harmful free radicals. The alternate-day diet plan may be a healthy way to lose weight when combined with healthy foods and a regular physical exercise program.
How To Eat For The Alternate-Day Diet Plan
Step 1
Alternate your eating plan between high calorie days and low calorie days on this diet plan. High calorie days allow you to eat as much food as you normally would while you must limit the number you eat on your low days in order to assure an overall reduced calorie intake. Weight loss occurs when there are fewer calories ingested than what is expended. Cycling calories allows you to indulge and enjoy foods in moderation without restricting yourself every day.
Step 2
Eat a maximum of 20 percent of your daily total caloric intake on your low-calorie days during the first two weeks of the diet plan. The book suggests approximately 500 calories during the first two weeks of the program, which is known as the induction phase. This allows you to jump-start weight loss success and ensure you are not over-consuming calories on your lower-calorie days.
Step 3
Consume meal replacement shakes on your lower-calorie days during the induction phase. This allows you to monitor your caloric intake as well as provide convenience and simplicity by avoiding the under-estimation of caloric intake or indulging at meals. The days between consuming shakes, simply return to eating normal foods in the same manner you normally would.
Step 4
Eat as you normally would on higher-calorie days. Avoid going overboard and taking in more calories than are healthy or exceeds your normal daily consumption. This is not healthy nor sustainable for long-term success. Dieting one day at a time allows you to eat normally on your alternate days. Your higher calorie days may include foods that are more calorie dense but are also a source of essential nutrients and antioxidants. On higher calorie days, you may choose to enjoy a glass or two of red wine, which is a source of antioxidants that may protect against heart disease.
Step 5
Eat foods that are healthy and well-balanced on this diet plan in general. Eat these foods on most days of the diet but in smaller portions on your down days. Your higher calorie days will allow you to eat more of these foods as well as indulge in a daily treat as desired. Foods recommended on this diet include meal replacement shakes and smoothies, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, egg whites, fish, whole-wheat bread, pasta, oats, high-fiber cereal and red wine. A high-calorie day may include a dinner meal of whole-grain pasta with tomato sauce, lean ground turkey, roasted vegetables in olive oil, a lightly buttered roll and berries with yogurt for dessert. Alternate days should include more lean protein and vegetables, such as egg whites with salads or meal replacement shakes.
References
- Every Diet: Alternate Day Diet
- The Alternate-Day Diet: Turn On Your "Skinny Gene", Shed The Pounds, and Live a Longer and Healthier Life; James B. Johnson, M.D & Donald R. Laub Sr., M.D.; 2009
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