The Every Other Day Diet

I. Every Other Day Diet Defined

The EODD or the Every Other Day Diet is a diet which involves a day of every normal eating and is alternated with a day of only 300-400 calories consumption. Dr. John Daugirdas, a retired kidney specialist, coined this kind of diet for dieters to lose weight and “keep their sanity” as well.

Another author, Jon Benson, in his popular book “every other day diet” has also explained the same concept. He claims that you can still eat food that you want while losing weight. Basically, forcing people not to eat what they want is one way to make a diet fail. A good diet lives up to one’s normal lifestyle. Furthermore, slow metabolic rate is not helpful in losing weight. This causes traditional diets to fail.   

II. EOOD Basics

Eating normally every other day will prevent one’s metabolism from reducing its rate due to low calorie diets. Accordingly, it is important not to binge on days of normal eating. It is helpful to eat variety of healthy foods still, to support the diet. Moreover, dieters are to eat a heavy breakfast and limits oneself as much as possible after seven in the evening.

Basically, men should be eating from 1800- 2400 calories and women, 1200-1800 calories a day. However, this depends primarily on one’s age and activity levels.

On the other hand, every low calorie day, it is advisable to eat no more than “300 non protein calories and 400 if exercising”. A small amount of protein intake should also be taken to keep hunger at bay and maintain muscle mass. Nevertheless, calcium and magnesium intake is also recommended.

III. How it works

According to Benson, the following are the things people need to consider to make the every other day diet work:

1. Dedicate yourself to the goal- It is important for one to decide whether to lose weight or not. To implement changes in the lifestyle is something one should work on. Focusing on your goals will drive you to make these changes.

2. Exercise- Doing extreme activities are not just the option. Do things that will mobilize you even a simple one to rev up the metabolic activities in the body and to burn fat.

3. Be reasonable- Losing weight is not an overnight activity. Exert effort in your goal of losing weight just like the effort you give in putting yourself in “that” shape.

In a deeper perspective, every other day diet focuses on alternate eating. This is otherwise known as “calorie cycling”. Reducing calorie intake decreases the body’s metabolic rate. This restrains the body from losing weight. However, caloric consumption must be reduced. Otherwise, weight loss is impossible. Therefore, the body should be tricked to believe that calories are not restricted when in fact, they really are. This way the body will keep guessing and will never stop adapting a calorie-restrictive diet causing one to lose weight.

IV. Every Other Day Diet Scam

Different reviews of the every other day diet tell about how this diet has helped many people. However, there are also every other day diet reviews claiming that this EOOD is a scam.

Some people believe the every other day diet scam is because of the diet plan itself. In one day, foods with low calorie content are considered. On the next, one can eat anything he wants. These seem to be impossible in helping one to lose weight. In reality, anytime you reduce your caloric intake and are physically active, you can lose weight.

V. Warning

Seek medical advice before trying this diet. 300-400 calories is a serious reduction of one's caloric intake. This low amount of calories might be unhealthy for some individuals like pregnant women.