Fitness, weight loss, starvation?

[Sterillium]

A couple I know have recently started what they call a "detox diet". Aimed, I think, at losing a few pounds and feeling healthier, which is great.

But, the basic format is that they "fast" for five days, eating only one very small and simple meal per day (a small bowl of salad veg with a can of tuna is a favourite apparently) but they drink masses of water and zero sugar/zero calorie drinks throughout the rest of the day.

The weird bit is this though... on the weekends they eat whatever they want, so they go from the above to literally eating sandwiches, chocolate and takeaways for 48 hours, before returning to the lean (and healthy?) routine of the week.

My knowledge in this field is zero, but is this in any way sensible or likely to be effective?

It seems to me, that they are just saving up all their weekly fat/calorific intake and doing it all at once on the weekend?

Either way, I'm not buying it, it sounds miserable...

[BurtonLazars]

If they end up eating less calories over a week than they would have done then they might lose weight, although this might be offset by moving less because they feel tired & crap.

It’s definitely not sensible or sustainable.

[Jimmy No Hands]

I've had moderate success with IF (intermittent fasting) but mostly just sticking to eating between 12-6. Although it tends not to be sustainable and I quickly fall back into old habits.

Whatever their doing sounds miserable, mind.

[DanL]

Sounds like the inverse of the 5:2 diet? Odd - can’t see it’s sustainable, but as covered above if they consume fewer calories over the week than previously then they should lose weight, all other things being equal...

[bigandclever]

It sounds like they’ve read about the 5:2 diet and got it completely wrong

It wouldn’t surprise me if their bodies go into starvation mode and all those lovely weekend calories get hung onto even harder.

[Beyond Rational]

I always think it's just people who need a quirk or some sort of catchy name to put to things.

The eating slightly less than needed and exercising a bit more diet just isn't fashionable or extreme enough to warrant discussion or notice, but longer term, is a lot more sustainable.

[gregs656]

Sounds grim.

[Drive it fix it repeat]

Sounds like the type of people who have been on some sort of diet for the last 20 years but dont actually lose any weight. For me when you are actually serious about losing weight you just do it, instead of making up stupid rules to follow.

[super7]

If calories in is less than calories out then they’ll lose weight.... simples really