Is it ok to go way below 500 cals on down days?

[misslowcarbdiva]

On my down days I am doing :
B: Coffee w/ 2 tablespoons of half and half with 2 egg whites (90 cals)
No lunch
Dinner is usually an organic healthy boxed meal by Amys. Usually they run 300 cals or BELOW. Like today my boxed meal by Amys is eggplant lasagna wich is only 160 cals. If i only eat that my total caloric intake for thewhole day would be about 260 calories. I am not hungry so hunger is not an issue.
So.. the question is if I do this too frequent will it stall my weight loss?

[Luna Loca]

From a health standpoint, it's fine to do totally fasting days. In fact, Dr. Johnson only added the 20% calorie level to make this WOE something that more people would do, because the prospect of totally fasting every other day would not be appealing to many people.

From a weight loss perspective, everyone seems to be different. I seem to lose better when I eat something around 300-500 calories. Lower than that doesn't speed up my weight loss and makes me cranky so I don't do it.

Others here sail right through fasting DDs and feel great and are losing great. You just have to try it for yourself and see.

[Yam-Yam]

Yep. Dr. J. sites studies proving that the less you eat on DDs the better. He came up with the calculator because he figured most people couldn't wrap their brains around NO FOOD at all on DDs. Do what works for you!

[nickicaps]

You totally can go all the way down to zero. I am experimenting on my DD to see how low I can go. Trying tomorrow to get by with a simple banana and cinnamon smoothie. I will report back with the results!

[OhioGuy]

low carb slimfast and a banana here (280) when i upped my DD it actually helped!

[gotsomeold]

If you feel good on DDs, have plenty of energy and no bad signs of physical stress, then under 300 calories a DD should be fine.

Theory says the lower the DD, the more sirtuin enzymes produced = consistent weight loss. This works for many people. Experience has shown some bodies just need a few hundred extra calories or they stall.

So, if you are losing at a fairly consistent rate it is all good. But, if you see signs of stalling, the first step would be to up your DD calories for a couple of weeks and see if your metabolism needs that extra bit of ooomph.

[kimberino]

My question in regard to this would be: if you go lower than the DD calories that the calculator suggests, do you then increase your up day calories or keep them the same? I rarely meet my DD cals of 329. Any expert opinions?

[adillenal]

I am one that has transitioned to a 60 calorie DD. I drink one cup of coffee with 1 T of HWC and then water. Tomorrow will be my 5th no food DD and for some reason I have no hunger on DD's since I started doing this. I got tired of trying to figure out what to eat and then fixing that tiny serving etc. And I didn't even finish my coffee this morning so I may cut that out in another DD or so. I do have some calories in the lemon I squeeze into my water during the day. One lemon per DD.
AND then I really enjoy my UD and go back to fasting for my DD.

[Beeb]

Originally Posted by kimberino

My question in regard to this would be: if you go lower than the DD calories that the calculator suggests, do you then increase your up day calories or keep them the same? I rarely meet my DD cals of 329. Any expert opinions?

Only if you find you are not losing or you weight loss has slow WAY down. This is usually a sign that you are not eating enough and should think about upping your UD calories some, but not crazy upping them. Pami found that she needed to either eat something on DDs or up her UD calories because when she averaged out what she was eating on UDs with DD fasting it was like 800+ calories a day, and this was too low to help JUDDD work it's magic.

[adillenal]

Originally Posted by kimberino

My question in regard to this would be: if you go lower than the DD calories that the calculator suggests, do you then increase your up day calories or keep them the same? I rarely meet my DD cals of 329. Any expert opinions?

Well, I am certainly not a shining example of what to do but I increased my UD calories. I am a slow loser but I love my UD's a LOT. So decreasing my DD calories seemed like a good idea at the time. It does not seem to have had a negative effect on my weight loss. so I guess my numbers are 60/2000 at this time.

[gotsomeold]

Theory says every day stands alone - your body does not average calories over time. So, theory says do not add cals to UD when you reduce DD. Reality says give it a try if you wish. If it works, cool. If you stall or start gaining, remove the calories.

[sunday]

Hmmm, this is interesting. Johnson says that my levels should be 2020/417. But, due to lengthy stalls and staying the same weight for over a week, I lowered my UD to 1500-1700, keeping my DD at 400. Now I really did give the YOU GOT TO EAT, EAT a chance, but in order to even make 2000, I was eating a lot of crap and not really enjoying it. The only time I was able to hit the 2000 mark was to eat a lot of chips at mexican restaurant and have a swirl or two.

I have had several DD below 400 but notice my best losses when I do have at least 400 DD. Could I be one who needs more on DD & less than recommended on UD???

[sunday]

My graphs are showing the best losses are when I eat at least 400 on DD. I am averaging 1000 cal per day if you were to avg, but I know that doesn't matter.

[Pig2twig]

I'm obviously on my own here but trying to keep my DDs down is a nightmare to me. I tend to eat the same thing each day-which will only end in boredom I know but I'm kind of stuck for ideas?
I have two boiled eggs for breakfast, some home made tomato soup for lunch and prawn salad for tea. Up until now I was having a low cal chocolate drink b4 bed but it's too high in carbs so I can't now. Guess I'll be going to bed hungry...or should I say starving!!

[adillenal]

I do not know the reference but in one of my many food plan diets, it says that boredom is your friend when trying to lose weight. I also tend to eat the same things over and over although right now I am not eating at all on DD's. Now that is an easy menu.
And I admire anyone that can eat more than one boiled egg at a meal.

[gotsomeold]

Originally Posted by sunday

Could I be one who needs more on DD & less than recommended on UD???

Hey Sunday!

Since your most consistent loses happen with 400 calorie DDs, you certainly appear to need calories on DD! That comes purely from each individual metabolism = when fasting or eating very low cal DD some people dive right through caloric stress response (the place we want to stop and hang around) and straight into the starvation mode (not a nice place at all).

As you said, life is a science experiment and you, my dear, appear to be a diver!

As far as reducing your UD calories goes ... another experiment. Initially eating too few calories will cause weight loss. Then (as many of us know too well) starvation mode can kick in.

It sounds really obvious, but if you eat the lower UD cals and continue to lose then all is well. If you stall, the first thing to try will be upping your UD cals gradually.

Ain't science fun?

[Mimosa23]

My DDs have naturally progressed to fasting all day with a dinner in the evening. I can have up to 492 calories, but my DD cals are anywhere between 50 and 500, depending on how hungry I am.
I am currently loving a two egg omelette with tomatoes, wild garlic leaves, smoked turkey breast and a sprinkling of grated parmesan. It takes me to under 300 cals for the whole meal and is very satisfying.

I lose consistently, and seem to have large gains on UDs but by the time I have finished my DD my losses are always so that the gains are gone plus some extra. Works for me.
I do make sure I am as close as possible to my UD cals when I have an UD, and I exercise every day.
My scale bounces on UDs but when I look at the overall picture, every DD has shown a loss. Not sure if it's because of the fasting (I fast a total of 20-26 hours on a DD, from after dinner on my UD till dinnertime on DD), or because I stick with my cals on UD and don't go over on my DD cals, but I don't worry if it's below.

No clue, works for me!

ETA: I don't each many foods containing sugar and starches. I try to eat pretty clean paleo/LC with dairy, with the occasional potato and spoonful of rice thrown in. The only sugar I consume is from chocolate, but I don't eat that very regularly anymore. I will have some raw honey sometimes too, but I've reduced my consumption lately. Haven't had that for about 10 days now.

[sunday]

Thank you Nancy!!! I am doing just as you have advised!!! I know that you are close to my age and I figured that being menopausal and 54, my metabolism may be a bit slower than most doing the JUDDD program.

I will start adding 50 to 100 cals to my UD and try to get it much closer to the recommended 2086. I really don't want to go into starvation. One other thing that I noticed myself doing and I really don't want to get started is trying to drink enough wine on UD to bring the calories up. I do good wine, but really hate to drink that many days per week. And I wonder to myself if I am doing the right thing to get my JUDDD going full swing???

[sterlinggirl]

Well i have been doing 120/1950 for my rotation for almost 2 months.. and the last week i am only dropping like 2tenths of a pound after a down day.. my scale always jumps up about 2.5 to 3.4 pounds the morning after an up day.. I will continue this for a few more days to see if the loses pickup.. Now if they dont ( got used to about a pound drop every morn after a DD) Are you saying (Nancy and BEEB) that i should try to eat food on my DD up to the 397 cal its says i should to get the ball rolling again??

[sunday]

Kimberly! How close to goal are you? For some reason, I thought I read that you may be getting close and if that is the case, I would definitely experiment with raising the cals on DD. Nonetheless, you have done FANTASTIC on JUDDD, because I would be so thrilled to have your losses!!!

[KeirasMom]

When I slowed down, I increased DD and UD by a little and it started moving again.

[sterlinggirl]

Originally Posted by sunday

Kimberly! How close to goal are you? For some reason, I thought I read that you may be getting close and if that is the case, I would definitely experiment with raising the cals on DD. Nonetheless, you have done FANTASTIC on JUDDD, because I would be so thrilled to have your losses!!!

Aww,, No not really close, i was heading for 185.. current weight is 194.. but for my height and bones blahblah.. lol i should weight like 170.. so i do have a lot to go..

[sterlinggirl]

Originally Posted by KeirasMom

When I slowed down, I increased DD and UD by a little and it started moving again.

Well Dawn i think Ill finish this weeks rotation out, and if it dont pick back up like im used to.. then start monday I will try to up my DDs and eat real food.. i think i will fast all day like i normally do,, and then at night eat a few hard boiled eggs and see if that helps pick up the pace.. Thanks girls!! Hugs:

[gotsomeold]

Hey Kimberly!
You have been losing fine on your 120 cals/DD. Which should mean your metabolism is very happy there. In your case, DD is not the first place I would look. Have you gone back to Dr J's website and recalculated your DD/UD cals? There is a chance you have lost enough that you actually do need to fine tune your UD cals. (and, congratulations if that is the case!)

But, yes, if UD calories make sense then sometimes a change to DD cals can make a difference (I have seen that happen several times). Then again, you may have just reached one of those points I was blithering about on another thread yesterday - your body may need to slow things down for awhile in order to catch up to the weight loss.

Sunday, I know what you mean! I want good wine and chocolate to be a special occasion celebration, not the way I make calories every UD. I am officially jealous of everyone who has NP eating their UD calories!

[sterlinggirl]

Originally Posted by gotsomeold

Hey Kimberly!
You have been losing fine on your 120 cals/DD. Which should mean your metabolism is very happy there. In your case, DD is not the first place I would look. Have you gone back to Dr J's website and recalculated your DD/UD cals? There is a chance you have lost enough that you actually do need to fine tune your UD cals. (and, congratulations if that is the case!)

But, yes, if UD calories make sense then sometimes a change to DD cals can make a difference (I have seen that happen several times). Then again, you may have just reached one of those points I was blithering about on another thread yesterday - your body may need to slow things down for awhile in order to catch up to the weight loss.

Sunday, I know what you mean! I want good wine and chocolate to be a special occasion celebration, not the way I make calories every UD. I am officially jealous of everyone who has NP eating their UD calories!

Oh ya know.. I thought of that whole set point conversation when i posted this today lmao.. And i will visit the site and see what my number should be, and perhaps that is what i should try first.. i love ya Nancy!

[gotsomeold]

Kimberly, I LOVE the new avi!

[sterlinggirl]

Originally Posted by gotsomeold

Kimberly, I LOVE the new avi!

Thanks i thought it time for a new photo.. I get tired of looking at the same one lol

[Sheridan]

Originally Posted by gotsomeold

Kimberly, I LOVE the new avi!

So do I!! Beautiful!

[sterlinggirl]

Originally Posted by Sheridan

So do I!! Beautiful!

Thanks

[KeirasMom]

I'm loving it too. You look so happy!