[Red Diablo]

I didn't see any place where anyone specifically talked about the 4 day diet, and not just the FS diet. I started the 4 day diet today. Anyone else do this?? I initially thought that it was 4 days on, then take a 3 day break, and then start the next phase. I don't know why I thought this--wishful thinking maybe? haha Its pretty hard for me to diet like this on the weekends (as far as having specific foods to eat everyday) I can def watch and eat smaller portions though. I plan on not cheating at all during the 4 day phase, so I'm hoping that maybe I won't mess up too much of my progress in the 2-3 days I take off.

Any thoughts??

[beerab]

Hm I looked up the four day diet and it's not like that at all. It has 7 phases, each lasting 4 days, and at the end of the 28 days- you should lose 10-12 lbs.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-4-day-diet

I say on the days you "take off" you might mess up your progress from the other days, why not just take it one day at a time I used to eat perfectly during the week, then on the weekend eat a bit more, and I'd find that I wasn't losing anything- just those few extra hundred calories for two days offset all my progress. And that was only 2 days!

Maybe you could allow one treat every 4 days (a SMALL treat) so you won't feel burned out from your diet?

Good luck.

[Red Diablo]

Eek! Really?? Its so hard for me to eat the specified foods on the weekends because I'm always traveling and I can't really bring food with me to the places I go. That's why I thought if maybe I was just making better food choices and eating smaller portions than it wouldn't offset my progress so much. But you are making it seem like if I don't follow the diet exactly then I'm going to completely regress on any progress I may have made

Has anyone else done this 4 day diet??

[beerab]

It really depends on you- for me- it did NOT work. I'd stick to 1500 calories a day during the week then not really count on the weekends (thinking I was doing well) and every Monday I'd be the SAME weight...

I don't know what you are doing but you can't pack say a health bar and water in your bag? Or bring a sandwich somewhere with you? You can't bring a small cooler?

If you eat out at a lot of restaurants you can ask for things like salad with dressing on the sides (dip the tip of your fork into the dressing and then get some salad), you can ask no oil be added to your food, no sauce/light sauce, stay away from the breads, drink water instead of soda, etc.

Say you make your three day break an eat anything deal (even if it's small portions) you could offset. If your goal is one pound a week, that's 500 calories a day you must have a deficit (3500 calories for one pound). And say in that time you get that deficit for 4 days and the other three you break even? Well at most you'll lose half a pound if you don't do any exercise- but if you aren't watching your sodium you'll retain water and might see that you aren't losing. And say you don't break even- say you actually eat 200 extra calories a day for three days, then you probably will see no movement on the scale.

I'm not trying to discourage you- but let you know how easy it is to see little/no progress if you diet 4 days on and 3 days off. A lot of times weight loss is about working harder than you normally would to lose weight- and if that includes preparing more food and taking it with you- then I'd do it. Even when I travel (I've got a business trip this week) I try to make the best choices I can and occassionally bring snacks/foods with me so I won't eat anything else. I've taken flights and brought food- nothing liquid- and haven't had issues.

I'm leaving Tuesday night to fly up North and I plan on eating dinner before I go the the airport (my flight's at 7:40) then whenever I get to my destination and get to my hotel I'm going straight to bed. My breakfast will be something low carb from the hotel (omelette most likely) and lunch I'll try to find a place that serves healthy food and stock up on veggies and protein, I'll get dressing on the side . You CAN eat out and lose weight- but you have to really stick to it- specially with temptation in your face! Eating small portions won't work if you order burgers and fries and drink soda and so on

Good luck.

[Red Diablo]

Thanks for the advice Beerab! I appreciate your feedback.

Well the thing with the 4 day diet is that it is very specific foods to eat on each day during each phase. I can very easily eat healthy foods and not overdo it on the weekends. Make requests at restaurants, not eat fried or fast foods. I did weight watchers for almost 6 months and lost 53 lbs. So I'm pretty familiar now with how the make "right" choices. I also work out 4-5 days at the gym (and could do so at least once over the weekends) But carrying around the specific exact foods that I need to eat on each day is not something that can be done. That's my gripe. So I guess maybe if I can't eat the exact specified foods for 2 days out of the week, then this diet won't work and I shouldn't bother
He says in the book that if you are good 80% of the time, then this will be successful. Maybe that's not true?

Anyone out there that has done this specific diet and didn't eat the exact foods listed for a few days???