Traveliztera: Randomly Entertaining!: MY VERDICT for THE 5-DAY DIET: Alternate Fasting & Cheating EXPERIMENT

As a fitness enthusiast, was I able to prove that NOTHING beats *PROPER* DIET AND EXERCISE? Read on...

I.  THE 5-DAY DIET: ALTERNATE CHEATING AND FASTING SUMMARY

Day 1 - High-Calorie Day: TOTAL CHEAT DAY Reason: Overeating stimulates fat-burning hormones and you burn fat faster in the upcoming days when calories are restricted.

Day 2 - Calorie Restriction Day Reason: Maximizes fatloss because body has been primed from yesterday's overeating. You can exercise to maximize weightloss.

Day 3 - Low-Calorie Day (up to 1,000 calories for WOMEN and mid 1,000 calories for MEN) Reason: Consecutive days of fasting = not healthy. (I must say that if you do more than 1 day of fasting, your metabolism will definitely slow down.)

Day 4- Increased Carbohydrates Day (40% Carbs, 30% Fat, and 30% Protein) Reason: To protect the metabolism. Actually, the 40-30-30 ratio is commonly followed by the healthy eaters.

Day 5 - High-Protein and Low-Carbohydrate Day Reason: To prepare for the CHEAT DAY the next day

-To read the FULL ARTICLE with the complete rules, go here: EZINEARTICLES.COM ( by Dr. Becky Gillaspy)

II. THINGS I CONSIDERED

• WORKOUT FOREVER FREAK!
  - I still worked out everyday except on the 4th Day as I had to do something the whole day. You see, I feel uneasy if I don't work out. It's already part of my daily routine. It's a formed habit from following a healthy way of losing weight.
• I'LL EAT WHAT I WANT. PERIOD.
  - I don't like depriving myself because the more you deprive yourself, the more you binge. Eat within the normal limits but you should be able to eat what you want.

III. PROS AND CONS

• PROS:
  
  1)ONLY ONE FASTING DAY COMPARED TO OTHER DIETS. It's true that you need to confuse your body at times because it easily adapts to whatever you do to it. If your body got used to you eating a lot, your body will adjust its burning rate to high to accommodate the intake. (However, proper food choices is still important because if you eat too much processed foods, your hormones get screwed up as these are unnatural to the body, making them get stored as F-A-T.) After letting the body realize that you usually eat a lot, its burning rate will be high that when you suddenly eat less, it will still continue the high rate. For example:
  
  
  
  
  THE BASIC CONCEPT OF CONFUSING THE BODY
   (which you can do without fasting)
  
  
  Eats 1,500 calories for around 2 days.
  v
  In 2 days, the body realizes it needs to burn 1,500 calories.
  v
  Body starts burning for 1,500 calories.
  v
  Suddenly eats 1,000 calories today.
  v
  Body is still burning for 1,500 calories while analyzing calorie intake today.
  (1, 500 calories being burned - 1,000calories eaten = 500 calories REMOVED)
  v
  Before body can analyze that I ate 1,000 calories (it takes at least 2 days for the body to realize it), I start increasing my food intake to go back to 1,500 calories.
  v
  Body doesn't get a chance to adjust to the 1,000-calorie intake and still continues to burn for the 1,500-calorie intake.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  2) EFFECTIVE. I lost 2 lbs. but I don't know if it will be consistent because I'm going back to my old routine of doing proper diet and exercise.

• CONS:
• 1)  UNNECESSARY DIET. I can LOSE 2 lbs. in 1 week without the help of this diet. I'm so used to a fun routine--eating anything I want (around 1,300-1,500 calories a day) with a 30-minute exercise-- and I can lose weight with such acts. I don't need to sacrifice and give up some of my favorite treats. Nuuuuu! Hehe! I lost 47 lbs. with diet and exercise alone. (Click here to read my weightloss sucess entries for tips and motivation in losing weight the healthy way.) However, there are some who are just starting their weightloss process and want some motivation.

• Listen (wuut? haha!), you want to make weightloss fun.

• You have to start off with a very memorable and motivating beginning.

• FASTING after CHEATING might scare you off. Those are extremes!

• BEING MODERATE is more consistent and enjoyable. No deprivation involved. :) Go for the normal zigzagging within the normal calorie intake limits.

• Eat what you want moderately and exercise. 

• (It's a cliche but health enthusiasts won't stop saying it because this cliche definitely works.) 

2) FASTING DAY. Yes, I commended it in the PROS section but it's also part of the cons because I believe that you really don't need to do this if you want to lose weight. If you're going to use fasting as your detoxification means, go ahead. But USING THIS DIET as a WEIGHTLOSS MOTIVATOR, especially among the starters, is something I wouldn't really recommend. Why?

• • • • 
        
        
        
        Sudden deprivation = increased chances of binge eating