The Pros and Cons of The 8 Hour Diet?

By Ryan J James


People looking for a simple and straightforward weight loss plan are in luck - the latest book by David Zinczenko and Peter Moore entitled "The 8-Hour Diet: Watching the Pounds Disappear Without Watching What You Eat!" is now available on Amazon. The basic principal behind this weight loss program is that you are allowed to eat for 8 of the 24 hours in a day. In other words, you will be fasting for 16 hours every day. The diet also calls for a short 8 minute burst of physical activity once a day. Although fasting to lose weight is not a new idea, the notion of fasting for intervals is unique.

The 8 Hour Food Window

If you are interested in trying this diet, you will first need to decide on the time that you will begin and end your 16 hour fast. For many people, this will involve skipping breakfast and starting their 8-hour eating window in the late morning. During the eating phase, you are able to eat anything you would like, however the authors strongly encourage that participants stay with a short list of "power foods" that include lean proteins and vegetables. If you have never done a fast before, it is recommended that you take an 'off day' every 4th day to allow your body an opportunity to adjust to the new diet. Eventually, you will be able to go for 7 to 10 days at a time, then longer.

The Pros

There are 4 advantages to the 8-Hour Diet:

- although extreme, fasting is a recognized way of creating a calorie deficit and losing weight.

- by its very nature of fasting and eating phases, it cuts down on 'mindless' late night calorie consumption.

- by its very nature of fasting and eating phases, it cuts down on 'mindless' late night calorie consumption.

- the 8-minute physical activity component will achieve results.

The Cons

As with all diets, there are issues with the program. In particular:

- potential for overconsumption during the 8-hour eating window. If somebody eats nothing but french fries and hamburgers for 8 straight hours, no weight loss plan will work.

- for people on the diet for more than a few days, the 8-minute exercise component could become problematic.

- any diet is simply a short term switch from a regular eating pattern. It is far better to have a regular pattern of healthy eating integrated into your lifestyle. Having said that, this program can initiate a change in behaviour that could last a lifetime. Many people gain back their weight at the end of a diet, and it is important to develop healthy eating habits while on the 8-hour diet to ensure that does not happen to you.

Final Thoughts

The 8-hour diet is cunningly simple - the clock determines when you can eat and what you are encouraged to eat are "power foods". Over time, the 16-hour fasting phase will help the body to recognize that late night 'grazing' is not really a symptom of being hungry, but rather it is more about boredom. This diet is a good way to begin eating more healthy and will certainly help in shedding a few pounds. The "power foods' can form a more permanent foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating - if dieters make the connection between smart food choices and proper consumption levels, this diet will have accomplished something truly remarkable.




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