
For the first time in a long time I am overweight with a BMI of 26.1. I’m furious with myself but also determined. I know what it’s like to be fat and I’m not going to be one of the 95% who gain it all back.
The reason I’ve got to this weight (yeah, yeah, besides the fact that I’ve been eating too much and moving too little) is that I’ve been struggling to engage in calorie restriction. Just the thought of day after day after day of paying close attention makes me die a little inside. However, I may have found a short term solution…..
Flying home from Canada yesterday, I finally took out my January UK Good Housekeeping. I usually look at whatever “New Year, New You” diet they have on offer and immediately flip the page because, trust me, I have seen it all before. But this one was different. It connected with the low attention span me. It took something that I’ve already thought about, gave it structure and backed it up with research.
So – I’m embarking today on the Intermittent Diet. It’s a seriously boring name but I’ve decided to find that endearing.
The intermittent plan (referred to as the 2 Day Diet – which it’s not) involves very low calories on 2 days per week which then makes the other 5 days of healthy eating feel less restrictive.
I find it almost impossible these days to be restrictive seven days per week, so I love the fact that I only really need to get my head into that deprivation zone for 2 days. I can do that. I do it when I fast and this is far from fasting – instead offering around 650 calories on each of those 2 days.
I also like that most of the calories on those low days come from milk and milk products. I am a milky person. Milk Milk Milk. You can see why I thought it might be a good fit. However, I’ve been reading that any protein would do instead of milk. Will have to research that a bit more.
The calories on the “high” days come from a basically Mediterranean diet – or what I now call “normal eating”. Yes, it’s still a bit restrictive but not like trying to stick to 1400 calories a day every day. This allows fexibility for eating out and travelling which would normally throw me right off the losing track.
I think I’ll choose Monday and Tuesday as the “milk days” but I wanted to get started so this week only it’s Wednesday/Thursday.
Today I’m having
- 2 cups of milk in tea or coffee.
- 150 g Greek yogurt with a cup of blueberries
- 2 cups milk – plain for drinking.
- 4 carrots – because I haven’t been shopping and that’s what’s in the crisper. I’ll probably micro them and eat them drizzled with balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt.
So that’s my plan. I’m going to stick to it. I’m going to pay attention. I may also go back to public weigh-ins which do help to keep me accountable.
If you’re interested in trying it out, all the information is at the site of Genesis UK, a cancer research organisation.
NB For my North American readers, 2 pints is 5 cups/40 liquid ounces and not 32!
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