In Defense Of: Alternate-Day Fasting

I decided I'd better not put this one off. The concept of going an entire day without eating is likely to scare some concerned friends, family, co-workers, etc. Looks like I've got some informing to do.

Here's a quick sample of the studies that "alternate day fasting" brings up on Google Scholar:

Alternate-day fasting in nonobese subjects: effects on body weight, body composition, and energy metabolism

And a summary, so you don't have to:

Subjects lost 2.5 ± 0.5% of their initial body weight (P < 0.001) and 4 ± 1% of their initial fat mass (P < 0.001). Hunger increased on the first day of fasting and remained elevated (P < 0.001). RMR and RQ did not change significantly from baseline to day 21, but RQ decreased on day 22 (P < 0.001), which resulted in an average daily increase in fat oxidation of 15 g. Glucose and ghrelin did not change significantly from baseline with alternate-day fasting, whereas fasting insulin decreased 57 ± 4% (P < 0.001).

A Diet and Psychological Reform, First Day

One of the big promises I'm making with this blog is that I will not bore you, nor dilute the potentially informative content of what will be my blog with the unimportant minutiae of my life. However, I also feel that I need to prove that what I'm attempting to do is both possible and sustainable, and therefore, I'll update you about once a week on how I'm doing thus far.

A Diet and Psychological Reform, Part 2

Now that we've covered the WHY of my diet, it's time to address what I think will benefit you the most: the HOW.

One thing I've noticed that's wrong with a lot of dieting methodologies (even those such as the Primal Blueprint) is that they don't address the hardest aspect of dieting. Sure, they'll tell you what to eat, what not to, and (most importantly, of course) why, but they don't tell you how. Most diet/lifestyle book authors assume it's as simple "don't put x in your mouth." Unfortunately, anyone who has attempted to diet (even many on the Primal/Paleo lifestyle) know it's just not that simple. There is a great deal of psychology involved, what I sometimes refer to as the "Menemy."

A Diet and Psychological Reform, Part 1

I regret that there's little time for introductions. I'll be sure to post primers on the topics that will arise in this post soon, ideally before the year's out. Today, I'm announcing my diet plan. The reason for doing this publicly is twofold. 1) The fear of shame is an added negative incentive to stay on track. 2) I've developed some techniques and philosophies that I find to be unique. I've also found them to be extremely helpful, and as such, feel they will benefit others by being shared.

So today, I am beginning my diet. To be frank, here are the rules: