The 2 day diet: what is it and how does it work?

Only go on a budget 2 days a week!

Following a strict diet for 2 days and eating in a controlled way for the other five will help you stay fit and healthy. These results seem, in fact, better than those obtained by obsessively counting calories from Monday to Sunday. This was discovered and explained by two scholars who made the famous “2 day diet“. La dietologia Michelle Harvie and the oncologist Toni Howellafter years of research as to what it was best way to lose weightthey figured out that the key wasn’t prolonged calorie restriction, rather one fast and painless low-calorie phase (lasting 2 days), followed by 5 days of normocaloric regimen.

The two scholars have so devised a revolutionary dietenclosed in the book The two day dietpublished by Mondadori.

How does the 2 day diet work?

• Similar to Fast DietHowever, it differs from it in one fundamental aspect: in this case no need to count trying not to exceed 500, but you can get to 650 Kcal daily (on the 2 pre-established days). However, it is a diet that includes very few calories, but is followed by 5 days in which the daily caloric intake is 1800 calories for women a About 2200 for men. On the contrary, in the Fast diet it was only recommended to eat healthier after the days of restriction.
• Another substantial difference of the 2-day diet lies in the fact that i diet days must be consecutive, for example on Tuesday and Wednesday or Wednesday and Thursday. Other people who don’t go out on weekends and don’t eat more than on other days, could also follow it on Saturday and Sunday. In reality, the latter choice could also be sensible for those who let themselves go a little too much on the weekend and want to control themselves, intensifying the weight loss process.
• During the 5 days of the normocaloric scheme, thephysical activityto help the body increase its energy expenditure and mobilize the fat stocks present in the belly, hips, buttocks and all other areas of fat accumulation.

I cibi si ei cibi no?

The foods to be consumed in the 2 days of the diet are rich in vitamins, proteins and good fats (Omega 3), such as white meat, Whole grains, blue fish, fruits and vegetables. Forbid foods rich in carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, potatoes, sweets or alcohol. The foods that are usually chosen not to exceed 650 Kcal/day are leafy vegetables, low-fat yoghurt, skimmed or soy milk, egg whites and not too sugary or ripe fruit, broths, infusions and herbal teas. Many do not know that chewing and digesting foods such as celery allows you to spend more calories than those introduced by the food itself. These strategies can be useful to help you choose the foods to consume in the 2-day diet.

On each of the two days of the diet it is possible to eat up to 12 servings of protein (14 for men). You can also consume up to 5 portions of fat (for example, a teaspoon of oil or a small knob of margarine), 3 of dairy products, 5 of vegetables and one of fruit. Grammage and doses per portion are indicated in a special table in the book.

For example: a portion of fresh white fish is equivalent to 60 grams, one of smoked fish is 45 g, one of white meat is 30 g. It is also possible to drink teas, herbal teas, natural fruit juices and sugar-free drinks

the rest of the week

In the 5 normocaloric days, which follow the 2-day diet, they provide for a much freer diet, which also includes complex carbohydrates such as rice, pasta or potatoes. Foods that are too fat or sugary, or alcohol, sweets and packaged products are always not recommended. A salutation then follows Mediterranean diet, rich in dough, whole grains, fruit, vegetables, white meat, legumes, fish, dairy products. With moderate consumption of bread, pizza and other baked or packaged products.

Example 2 Day Diet:

This is just one example of a food plan (from 650 Kcal) that can be followed by both men and women on calorie reduction days.

Breakfast:

• 1 glass of skimmed milk or unsweetened soy milk + 100 g of banana,
• Or 180 ml of orange juice + 125 g of normal low-fat plain or soy yogurt.

(As far as dairy products are concerned, you can also choose lactose-free products, as long as they are zero-fat, so as not to increase the calories eaten)

Snacks and snacks: (mid-morning and mid-afternoon)

• a kiwi or other unripe and low sugar fruit (100 grams). It remembers that fruit when it is eaten mature, contains higher levels of simple sugars.

Lunch and dinner:

• a soup with vegetables of your choice (with the exception of carrots, potatoes and beets) + vegetable or meat broth but without adding oil;
• or a plate of verdure choice except those mentioned, cooked in a pan or boiled or al oven but no oil;
• or 100 grams of cottage cheese allo yogurt;
• or again 1 omelette of 150 grams of egg whites with a teaspoon of Parmesan, cooked in a non-stick pan.

Remember to drink approx 1.5 – 2 liters of water per day, well distributed throughout the day. This will allow cells and tissues to be hydrated and thus ensure their correct functioning.

As already underlined, in the days following the caloric reduction there will be 5 days of normocaloric protocol. This type of diet has been studied and created for allow those who have so many kilos to lose, but cannot follow a diet easily and does not eat healthily, to follow a simpler diet. Those who tend to have a disordered diet and to be allergic to too restrictive low-calorie regimens may find a higher adherence to this type of dietary pattern.

It is always advisable to consult your doctor or a nutritionist, to receive more information about it and to have a possible low-calorie diet plan. A diet that takes into account the individual’s health needs and goals, without renouncing the tastes, flavors and aromas of healthy foods and combinations that help safeguard the well-being of the entire body.