I just read about this study yesterday from the Diabetes In Control.com e-magazine.

British researchers found that women who gave up carbs for two days and ate normally the rest of the time droped ~9# on average, compared to 5# lost by women who cut back to ~1,500 cal/d.  

The researcher said the reason they studied this intermittent low-carb 'diet' is because it allow people to still have foods that are satiating.  

The researchers targeted obesity because obese women are at increased risk of breast cancer and losing weight potentially reduces breast cancer risk.  

The study was conducted with 88 women over 4 months.  The women were at high risk for breast cancer based on family history.  A third of the women were put on a Mediterranean-type diet that was ~1,500 cal/d.  Another third were told to eat normally most of the time but 2 days/wk to cut carbs and calories to about 650.  The third group was told to cut carbs two days a wk but there was no calorie restriction on those days.  The carb restriction was essentially ~50g/d.  They allowed 1 piece of fruit on the low carb days.  

At the end of four wks those in both the intermittent dieting groups had lost more weight (~9#) than the women in the low calorie/Mediterranean group (~5#).  They also had better improvement in the levels of hormones (leptin and insulin) than the Mediterranean group.  

This study was presented at the CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Nov 2011.

http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/articles/diabetes-news/11895-low-carbs-for-just-two-days-a-week-spurs-weight-loss

I am not advocating this 'intermittent diet' but I do think it is interesting and may offer some helpful information for me and my patients.  I find that most people like a 'catch' when they want to lose wt.  For example, do eat this, don't eat that.  I hesitate to offer that kind of advice because I know that all foods can be a part of a healthy lifestyle.  But for my patients that is not always the case.  I find that many of them want and need to be told what to eat and not eat.  They cannot afford the luxery of choice when it comes to wt loss efforts.  I think this type of 'intermittent diet' may be helpful for some of them-whether it is employed as low carb or not.  

I would love to see a long-term study of this nature.

What do you think?  Do you think intermittent dieting help your patients lose wt?  Have you ever tried this type of intermittent approach yourself or with your patients?

I saw this study as well Micki, and I have to say that I'm disturbed by it. Red flags pop up whenever I hear about diet plans that restrict foods so much that people feel they are deprived, or diet plans that promote a 'splurge' day, or even worse, a 'binge' day. I've found that people really can learn to eat mindfully, and to trust their bodies instead of trying over and over to adhere to a set of diet rules. In fact, most of my clients find that when they strive for a realistic balance in their eating, they're happier overall, achieve and maintain a healthier body weight, and enjoy their food choices. All without 'dieting'!

In fact, the National Weight Control Registry research shows that people who consistently follow healthy eating patterns day in and day out, including during vacations and holidays, are more likely to maintain a lower body weight over a year or more. Promoting long-term weight control:  does dieting consistency matter? AA Gorin, S Phelan, RR Wing and JO Hill, International Journal of Obesity (2004) 28, 278-281.

I actually beleive that carbs and sugar are addictive, so I don't buy into the idea that people should not feel "deprived."  People should learn to break their addiction.

Intermittent diets seem to be quite effective.  I think part of the reason is that the body quickly adapts to dietary changes.  Dramatically reduce the calories (like the "plate method") and the body slows the metabolism down to match the calories that are taken in.  An intermittent diet seems to work by keeping the metabolism going at a high rate and choosing a day or two a week to restrict calories/carbs.  I have found intermittent fasting to work quite well.  I consider this to be a form of intermittent fasting.

In the big scheme of things, 4 months isn't really very long. I do, however, find the study interesting. I'm not sure that the application of such a plan really means "diet only 2 days per week." To me, it could mean, eat well every day and for two days each week, be a little more restricted. I think a lot of people could follow such a plan long term. Of course, there a so many people that would take it to mean a free for all for five days and a food fest for two. This is where it becomes a real problem. so like anything else, we tailor to the individual. But interesting study, nonetheless.

I read this study as well and my first reaction is that this may be a good idea for maintenance after weight loss. As we all know, losing weight and keeping it off is very rare. So if a person has lost weight and is eating pretty healthy...a restricted carb intake just 1 or 2 days a week might just keep those portions in control and keep one mindful of their food choices.
Roxy

I think I'm having trouble with the word 'restricted'. It seems to me that whenever we restrict a food, then often that's the food that we want even more. If someone restricts carbohydrate, or any food or nutrient, for 2 days per week, then might they not go overboard on the other days? Wouldn't it be healthier both emotionally and physically in the long run to find a comfortable middle ground? That middle ground may vary from person to person, but I think until we remove the word 'restricted' from talking about food, many people are going to have trouble.

I agree.  I think tailoring the need to the individual is best.  But I have to admit that most of my patients want something 'catchy' when it comes to weight loss.  I think making healthy, well-balanced eating sound 'catchy' somehow may be the best move.  

Micki, your comment about needing something 'catchy' for healthy eating made me laugh out loud - and I think you're right. Balanced eating, or eating mindfully, just isn't as exciting as some of the names for the diet programs that are out there. I guess in this information and advertising age, we have to jazz up our message or it won't get heard.