Is This Diet Safe For Fat Loss

Diet and Nutrition
1

I have pretty much never cut in my life because mainly the length of time it takes and how meticulous you have to be with calories and food in general.

So I came up with a diet that I would like anyones opinion on it.

I started at 6 2 205lb around 14% BF and a 33 inch waist.

After 2 weeks I am down to 198lb 31 inch wasit, and have gotten visible leaner all over but mainly on my lower back and midsection.

The diet goes as follows:

Day 1: 210 Protein 270 Carbs 110g Fat = 2910 Calories (In around maintenance)
Day 2: 210 Protein 0 Carbs Under 10g Fat = 930 Calories
Repeat

The only times I get hungry are between 6pm and bed time on a low calorie day. I have tons of energy on both low cal and high cal days.

I let the workouts fall where they may, so not all my lifting days fall on high calorie days.

I never feel bloated or “fatter” the morning after the high day, usually thats when I feel like I dropped some fat.

I got the idea from Lyle Mcdonald’s “Rapid Fat Loss Handbook”, but instead of doing 2 weeks straight of 930 calories a day I divide them to keep me sane and my metabolism in check.

Is this diet safe, or will it screw up my insulin sensitivity, or metabolism in anyway ?

I haven’t lost any muscle, my strength and intensity is still there while working out

My goal is to get down to 8% BF

The main idea is instead of feeling like your on a diet all week I cut it down to just 6 hours a day, 6pm - 12am on my low day where I feel starving.

2

I haven’t worked with anyone who has done similarly so I’m pretty limited in commenting.

However in comparison to differing diets with intermittent fasting (this is not exactly the same, but alternating-day IF could be looked at as a more extreme version of this), and looking at overall calories per week, I’d doubt you could be hurting yourself with this, at least over a moderate period of time. Long term, I wouldn’t be surprised if thyroid function drops somewhat as is typical with keeping calories per week rather low.

Where I would somewhat question the diet or suggest room for improvement is that average carb intake is only 55 g/day.

For comparison, on say the Anabolic Diet, one would have probably a minimum of 150 grams carbs total on the five low carb days, and probably at least 500 g more on the two carb days, for at least 650 g total per week, or an average of nearly 100 per day.

And in non-cyclica diets, a good minimum carb intake is usually about 100 g/day.

I’d really think about increasing carbs to 200 g on the higher calorie days.

3

I follow a similar protocol. No metabolic downsides so far as I can tell. Let us know how it works long-term for you.

EDIT On second glance, agree with Mr. Roberts: Would bump the carbs to 200 or so on the High day. To keep the diet isocaloric, could pull back an equivalent number of cals from Fat those days.

4

I think you guys accidentally misread it, Its 270g carbs on my high days which I do 4 per week so 1080 carbs per week. Average daily 154g

5

EDIT:

I have also added 8 cups of green tea on my low days to prevent breakdown of fat burning hormones Epinephrine and Norepinephrine, to really shift the fat on my low days.

6

You’re right–misread on my part. 270 g carbs/High day is fine.

7

Yes, did misread it. Plan sounds good when read correctly!

8

I think it’s worth getting fibre every day - even if you are getting more than enough on your first day.

It’s not hard: 6 bits of broccoli, 1 carrot, 1/2 cup of sauerkraut and you’re there. The insulin response from these is insignificant.

9

[quote]tsantos wrote:
I think it’s worth getting fibre every day - even if you are getting more than enough on your first day.

It’s not hard: 6 bits of broccoli, 1 carrot, 1/2 cup of sauerkraut and you’re there. The insulin response from these is insignificant.[/quote]

Forgot to mention, I eat one large broccoli or large bowl of baby spinach each night to keep hunger at bay and to keep things moving.

10

Agree with the others in that this sounds like a solid plan. Besides, you don’t have that much fat to lose so it’s not like it’s going to be going on forever and so far your results are great (they will slow down, of course).

For fiber, it you want to increase that, I buy these low carb tortillas by Tortilla Factory: 80 cals, 18g carb, 12 of them being fiber. (Not sure if they’re available where you are, but there might be something similar). I have one a day with a little cheddar (plus have broccoli) and get 35g+ fiber/day.

I’m in a cutting phase now so doing this currently; my results aren’t as good as yours (dammit) but I’ve been down this path before. The first cut, if done correctly, seems to be the best (at least in my case). Good luck…you’ll like the leaner you.

11

[quote]Tyler23 wrote:
Agree with the others in that this sounds like a solid plan. Besides, you don’t have that much fat to lose so it’s not like it’s going to be going on forever and so far your results are great (they will slow down, of course).

For fiber, it you want to increase that, I buy these low carb tortillas by Tortilla Factory: 80 cals, 18g carb, 12 of them being fiber. (Not sure if they’re available where you are, but there might be something similar). I have one a day with a little cheddar (plus have broccoli) and get 35g+ fiber/day.

I’m in a cutting phase now so doing this currently; my results aren’t as good as yours (dammit) but I’ve been down this path before. The first cut, if done correctly, seems to be the best (at least in my case). Good luck…you’ll like the leaner you. [/quote]

Im just glad i found something that works well for me and that I can stick to. I think another aspect to quick fat loss is the high volume training, i do 21 sets per bodypart 5 day split. So all my carbs just get soaked up after training.