What? The Fast-5 Diet? What is that?

I am an internet traveler in every sense of the word. Today, I started out reading an article on Google News about whether or not antioxidants are actually beneficial (Why doctors don't like to talk about antioxidants) and ended up at Wikipedia reading about the benefits of caloric reduction and intermittent fasting. It was there that a found a link to a diet that I have never heard of: the Fast-5 Diet.

The idea is simple: pick any 5-hour window during the day and eat only during that window. No eating for the remaining 19 hours of the day. The theory is equally as simple: your body will not work to spend stored energy (fat) as long as it is still getting food from digestion. The 19 hour period gives your body time to start using up those stored resources, of which I have plenty.



A Little Background

My name is Josh, and by the time I hit age 21, I tipped the scales at almost 395 pounds. Honestly, it was hard to find a scale that would actually support my bulk. When I discovered that I needed to "upgrade" to size 50 pants, I finally decided that it was time for me to make a change. My tool of choice: Atkins.

I followed a low-carbohydrate diet religiously for over two years. No cake, no more Taco Bell, just lots of meat, eggs, and green veggies. To all the low-carb naysayers, it worked perfectly. I lost about 120 pounds, hitting 275 with no hard exercise or change in my lifestyle. My blood chemistry was great too - and still is.

After that, I decided I wanted to start eating good carbs and working out at the gym. So in with whole-wheat pasta and bread, along with 5 - 8 hours in the gym lifting weights per week. After about six months, I started losing weight again, and eventually got down to 227... my lowest adult weight ever.

Fast Foward

Several years later, I am married, I went back to school and got my Bachelors degree, and slapped on 70 more pounds. Now pushing 300 (and having to squeeeeze into my jeans), it is time to make a change. For now, the Fast-5 Diet is going to be that change.

I just ordered the book (The Fast-5 Diet and the Fast-5 Lifestyle) on Amazon.com, and am committed to give this thing a shot. Feel free to join me!