Horizon - intermittent fasting diet.

Yes, I saw it. Fascinating programme. To claim that accumulation of internal body fat can be reduced drastically in several ways seemed a rather risky assertion, but it turned out to be true. Blood pressure was down, cholesterol/lipids reduced, liver function improved and the presenter lost weight easily. He was told his risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, prostate and other cancers was much reduced. I understand this is the sort of regime Cliff Richard has followed for years.

One problem which they didn't mention was that you'd really need to be not taking any medication to be able to do the fast days. So many of the pills which many of us have to take need to be taken with food, otherwise nasty side effects occur (indigestion, GERD etc) I tend to favour the 'smaller portions' option which was also advocated by the elderly marathon runner

Doesn't Cliff Richard only have one meal a day? I think it's in the evening.

Did we possibly get used to intermittent fasting - in the Stone Age?

I remember reading quite some time ago that our bodies are really only adapted to a stone age diet, so I guess lots of fruit nuts seeds some cereal and some protein and I should also think fasting! So it does make sense. Mind you the average mortality was probably about 30 if you were lucky so I am not sure what that tells us.

Sometimes chasing old age takes us into some strange places, I am not sure that I would like to look like Cliff, a little padding does look better as you age.

I read somewhere that Sir Cliff is a firm believer in the Mediteranian diet he like's plenty of fish and only has small meals when he does eat,it wouldn't suit me though I would have shrunk away by now.Too fond of my food.

Cliff was asked about his one meal a day recently, and he said he does have a light breakfast, and will eat a leisurely large meal in the evening, but some days he will just eat fruit, or have the odd fast. No wonder he's so lean.

so if I wanted to eat just 500cals what would that look like. I suppose it depends what you choose to eat like loads of fruit but only one slice of bread? Need an optimal diet for that day really - has anyone got any ideas?

I think a once a week fasting day, or at least low calorie day, is a brilliant idea. We could maybe pledge on here and 'check in' once a week as to how we got on? I think there is just so much food available nowadays + disposable income that we chomp from morning till night (well I do anyway). I try to curb that by thinking to myself that I am chomping my way to an early grave with the gnashers I spend so much money on! Or I think that I'm just like a locust or a caterpillar. It works - for a while! I read the article about that program www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2183677/Why-starvation-diet-actually-good--make-live-longer.html

whitewave what about a 'fruit and soup' day?

Yes granny I have just had a cup of tea and some bread and jam , which is a weakness of mine. My biggest weakness is bread jam and cream. The trouble is that if it is in the house I eat it I have absolutely no will power what so ever

whitewave - one gorgeous helping of brioche bread and butter pudding! 500 calories!

fruit and soup sounds do-able providing it is veg soup I suppose - cream of anything wouldn't be any good
brioche and chocolate bread and butter pudding even better but then I guess it woud be more than 500cals

Yes, I feel I could manage eating so few calories for only a day at a time. It is the thought of long term low-cal diet every day which depresses me. When I receive my book I will see the examples of foods advised and post them on here.

Several of the womens magazines have reported on this two days a week type diet and that the long term effects have been found to be better i.e. the weight stayed ff for longer.

I sometimes think I could live on fruit. I did say 'sometimes'.

shysal excellent - like you I feel I could manage something along those lines , whereas day on day dieting I totally fail every time. What book is it?

2 Shredded wheat with skimmed milk for breakfast.

1 and a half ozs half fat cheddar for lunch.

Boiled medium egg plus 1 slice medium hovis wholemeal (no spread) for dinner.

Might be about right. And just do-ble.

Are you allowed cake the next day?

Doesn't that bung you up?

Loads of water? Be fine. Eat fruit and veg the next day.

Not enought to bung you up! Might not even tough the sides!

Ok so far we have JO4'S plan and granny's idea of fruit and soup - we could do both and different days and see how that goes. Any other ideas?

I think you have to eat it all at lunch time on the fast day.
This is the book I have ordered. www.amazon.co.uk/Alternate-Day-Diet-%22Skinny-Pounds-Healthierlife/dp/0399534903/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344357544&sr=1-1
There is a beginners' book on Kindle which I bought but it was a rip-off, only a few pages and no practical advice at all!

On the TV programme we were told you could eat anything and as much as you wanted on non-fast days. You can choose whether to do alternate day fasts or just one or two a week- the Horizon presenter did 2 days per week and had great results with weight loss and all physical tests after I think 6 weeks.