The 2 day diet, created by Dr. Michelle Tony Howell is a plan which combines several dieting concepts. Overall it’s very simple to follow, but if you’re looking to do it, make sure you read this review first as it’ll help you better understand what it’s all about.
Contents
How the 2 day diet works:
In this plan, you eat in a Mediterranean diet way for 5 days, while the other 2 are spent on regular low calorie, low carb eating. This plan combines several concepts together:
1. The Mediterranean diet: For 5 days out of the week you will be eating the same way people from the Mediterranean areas eat. We’re talking lean meats, legumes, vegetables, alcohol (in specific limits), fruits, not so much dairy, lots of fish, monosaturated fats which basically means oils such as coconut and olive that thicken when it’s cold and turn liquid when it’s warm.
These oils carry a lot of health benefits which have been noted to help lower blood pressure and improve overall health as well as reduce the risk of diseases. The entire concept of the Mediterranean diet is all about healthy eating, but not in a traditional way. Rather it’s all about eating foods that are tasty, exotic and provide a ton of health benefits.
2. Standard dieting 2 days out of the week: You will have to follow a low carb approach for this period. This is where it’s going to get a tad traditional. You’ll be able to eat about 1,000 or more calories each day which is fine for most people and it’s only for 2 days, something most people shouldn’t have issues with.
3. Interval Eating. This is pretty major. Interval eating is an approach to eating in a way which mixes up eating routines, more specifically how many calories you consume day after day. If done correctly, your metabolism will increase and help with weight loss.
Although through the 2 day diet, interval isn’t taken to it’s maximum, it still contributes to the weight loss results. In it’s purest form interval eating can help you lose more than 1 pound every single day while being able to eat as much as you want. There’s very few diets that can pull this off. The diet called EODD (Every other day diet) is one of the best and vs the 2 day diet, it just gets faster/better results:
Learn what makes EODD so amazing.
Common Confusion about the 2 day diet:
A lot of people believe the 2 day diet is very similar if not identical to the 5:2 diet, also known as the “Fast diet”. It isn’t.
In the 5:2 diet, you get to eat anyway you want for 5 days and then basically fast for the other 2. On fasting days, ideally you don’t eat anything. More modern day versions of this diet say you can eat up to 500-600 calories on fasting days, but it depends on the person doing it.
As for the 2 day diet, make no mistake, you ARE dieting for 7 days each week. It’s just that in 5 of those days, you are eating in an exotically limited way, where as on the other 2 days, you are following a standard approach. So in essence, while the concept is similar between both diets, when you examine it further, they are not the same.
What about side effects?
This plan doesn’t really pose any health issues if you look at it, but if you have ANY concerns, you should always consult with your doctor before trying.
How much weight can you lose?
Although results vary, the overall weight loss approach isn’t fast for most. You gradually lose weight. Some have reported quick results in the 5-10 pound range within the first week, while others less than 5 pounds. Again it varies. If fast results are what you’re looking for, one diet where results are commonly fast is the #1 rated diet on this website.
Pros:
- Overall solid diet.
- Focuses on healthy eating.
- Good long term approach to weight loss.
- Provides health benefits.
Cons:
- Not a lot of recipes to stick to this diet in the long run.
- Could get boring after awhile.
- Limited portion eating on the 5 days, contrary to people thinking they can eat as much as they want.
2 Day Diet Score:
3 stars out of 5. Pretty good/healthy diet, although limited proportional eating which can get boring after awhile.
Conclusions:
While there is a lot of potential to this plan especially since you’re eating mostly in a Mediterranean way, it’s still a diet that does limit your proportions. Not to mention that there aren’t really a lot of recipes provided to customize your experience with. In the long run this diet may likely get boring for you. It is however a healthy approach to losing weight and improving health so it’s certainly worth a shot if those are your goals.
Even though it’s not the same as the 5:2 diet, I would have to say that this alternative is actually more flexible even though you do technically fast 2 days out of the week. However on the 5 other days you basically go all out and eat what you want, which in my mind is more flexible. Plus there have been noted reports on the health benefits of fasting, though it’s not for everyone and you should definitely consult with a doctor if you plan on trying it. Just an idea if you’re looking for alternatives.
There is also the #1 rated plan, Every Other Day Diet which is probably the most flexible and provides the best results. Whatever your choice, the 2 day diet is pretty solid and does endorse healthy eating, something that will always get a thumbs up from me.