The latest diet craze to hit the world is Fast Diet, also known as intermittent fasting diet or 5:02 (IF) diet. The basic principle of this diet is to eat normally for five days and semi-fast for two days a week. Does it work or is it dangerous? DietDoc comment.
One of the main reasons Fast Diet: Secrets of Intermittent Fasting - Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, Live Longer, which was written by Dr Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer, very popular, is that it seems to be relatively easy.
Instead of having to count calories or kilojoules, follow rigmaroles elaborate, cutting whole food groups needed by Atkins and all the high-protein, high-fat, zero-carb diet more, or learn how to implement a low glycemic index (GI) diet (which takes some insight, practice and dedication), author of the book above to convince his readers that Fast Diet is very easy.
What is needed is that users limit their energy intake to two days per week (preferably on Mondays and Thursdays) to 500 kcal (100kJ 2) a day for women and 600 kcal (about 2 500kJ) per day for men. This two-day semi-fast should result in a loss of about 0.46 kg per week for female users and decrease weight slightly greater for men.
The authors
Dr Michael Mosley describes himself as someone who studied medicine and qualified as a doctor in England, but soon after qualifying joined the BBC where he has spent 25 years producing science and medical programs for the British broadcaster.
I'm not sure if people who have not practiced in the field or specialized in nutrition, is fully qualified to influence the dietary habits of thousands of people around the world, but it is something every person who chooses to follow the diet instructions must decide for him-his own.
I am also concerned to read that Mimi Spencer, another author of the new diet book, is a writer who seems to be taking a little too much dietary 05:02. He admits that he considers himself an "evangelist" of Diet Quick and proudly admitted that he has reduced his BMI from 21.4 (which is generally considered to be below the ideal) to 19.4 which sets off alarm bells that he might be on his way to become anorexic.
Anomaly
It is important to note, that Mosley and Spencer stating that Fast Diet followers should "not overeat on a normal day". They argue that the "day of eating" women should consume about 2000 kcal (400kJ 8) and men around 2600 kcal (920kJ 10) per day. How can this be proven, remains to be seen.
There is a body of research to show that we humans tend to overeat after a fasting or severe energy restriction period. Skip even one meal often lead to overeating at the next meal or for the rest of the day, which is why nutritionists emphasize that it is not a good idea to skip a meal because of what you lose on the swings would be made on the roundabout.
Then there is the potential that reduce your energy intake drastically for two days a week may cause the body to shut down weight loss system to save energy instead of fat loss. It could also backfire and cause weight gain or failure to lose weight.
Keep in mind that the human body is programmed to always strive to achieve a state of homeostasis or balance. If you deprive your body of the energy it does not automatically mean that the body will only burn the energy available in the depot fat. Body can easily reduce the basal metabolic rate to conserve energy in the face of perceived hunger (famine) to maintain this balance, the strategy will not result in weight loss.
Money spinner
The fact that Mimi Spencer cashing in on the success of the early books and recently published Fast Diet Cookbook collaboration with Dr Sarah Shenker, nutritionists, which provides a "150 delicious, calorie-controlled meals to make your day-to-day fasting easier", suggests that what is started as a simple concept may soon become much more complicated.
Based on previous experience with other diet fads, I predict that we will soon hear about "Fast Ready-Made Food Diet", which is sold in pharmacies and supermarkets popular all over the world. It is very feasible to see that the majority of such diet guru Patrick Holford, Tony Ferguson, Dr Atkins, etc., extending their scope to profit by producing a handbook, cookbook and diet products after they have drawn public attention to desperately lose weight .
Potential hazards
Fast Diet At first glance looked most dangerous, but there are certain considerations that should be mentioned for the safety of those who might be tempted to try the diet.
Patients with reactive hypoglycemia, diabetes, particularly type 1 diabetes, or those taking diabetes medications such as insulin, Glucophage, etc., pregnant women, people who are very active and anyone with a tendency or a history of eating disorders, you should not use fasting as a weight loss aid body.
Unfortunately, many people who suffer from diabetes are overweight and would be tempted to try Fast Diet. It can have harmful consequences for patients with diabetes always need to adjust the use of medication (either oral or injectable diabetes medications), their food intake.
So if you are diabetic and use of oral anti-diabetic agents and injecting themselves with insulin, please discuss the concept of Fast Diet with your treating doctor before you try and develop fasting hypoglycemia coma caused by a shortage of food and the effects of your blood glucose-lowering drugs.
Individuals who are fast, can also be automatically tend to ingest too little fluid (foods containing relatively large amounts of fluid) and develop dehydration which can be potentially dangerous and should be avoided.
So fasting is accepted practice in many major world religions (Catholics fast during Lent, devout Greek Orthodox Christians advised to fast for 180 days a year, the Jews fasted for Yom Kippur, and the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan every year ) (Mahan et al, 2011), the new Fast Diet craze may encourage individuals who should not be fasting for the negative consequences of this practice with.
Always take your unique situation into consideration before trying a new diet trend and if in doubt do not do it!