Crash Diets and Rebound
 

I need to do something to shock my system and get back on plan. I'm considering a 5 day - 5 food detox plan. After that my plan is to get back on balanced eating.

My question? How many of you go out of control after a short crash or detox diet? I am concerned that instead of going back on my balanced diet I will overinduldge in everything.

So I'd like to know from your own experience if short sharp changes work for you or mess you up. I know slow and steady is best but sometimes I feel like a change up. Mary

In the past I've tried everything in the book, including 30 day water fasts (zero cals!) on a couple of occasions.

I've learned that slow and steady is the answer, at least for me. Change your nutrient mix, change up your exercise, cut (or increase) cals a bit if you've hit a plateau. Just my opinion, since you asked. :D

Regards,
Michael

Hi Mary,
I have used a 5 or 7 day detox/fast diet to get my act together pretty sucessfully over the years. It seems if I get to 5+ days I don't feel the need to eat everything in site at the end. But if I only hold on for 2 or 3 days Katy bar the door!

Thanks. I'm giving it a try for 5 days. I need to get rid of the bad habits I was getting back into. I'm doing it for that purpose as much as a quick fix. Hopefully when I go back on plan I will go back to all the good habits I have learned - not the bad ones that keep me overweight. I think strick control for 5 days will remind me I am in control - not the food. Mary

I also think slow and steady is better. Tried a diet through which I lost 35 lbs in 28 days but it damaged my liver somewhat, and it made me really cranky too.

Hi Mary, I've done both ways...if I really, really fall off the wagon and eat myself silly (and sick), then I do a day or so of primarily liquids (tea, water, juice, broth soups) and that generally shoves me back on track. If I've just been not-so-good, as opposed to horrible, I'll go back to one of my food logs in the beginning, rather strict, but not a crash diet, and follow that for a while. I agree that tightening up for a few days really does get the cravings and the yuck out of your system and makes it easier to be smart about what you choose going forward.

Notice I can say this three days before the biggest food holiday we have here ;).

Thanks for the feedback. I was losing control of all the good habits I'd been using. I like you suggestion of going back to a more strict time as well. I may do that once my 5 days are over. It is so easy to relax too much!

Our Thanksgiving was a month ago so Christmas wil be my next food challange -- and the weeks leading up to it.

The 5 food 5 day challange is going well. I feel better than I usually do when doing something strict. I think it is helping by reminding me I don"t need a ton of food to be satified. Mary