2-4-6-8 diet

maddie · Newbie Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Posts: 14

I used to have friend in high school that was anorexic. How did she lose weight so fast was question that always interested me? Lately I have heard about some 2-4-6-8 diet program. That is supposed to be a plan that aspiring anorexic eats 200, 400, 600 or 800 calories daily. I would like to know something about this kind of diet.

frank · Silver Member Joined: 21 Oct 2000 Posts: 280

The 2-4-6-8 diet is supposed to stimulate metabolism by tricking body to think person is increasing food intake. Oppositely, 2-4-6-8- diet helps anorexic person to maintain dangerously low calorie intake levels. Sudden, drastic and potentially lethal weight loss is the only result. There is no evidence this kind of diet gives any of the desired results. Maybe this is the reason this is one of the most popular diets among restrictors. It is possible to rotate the number of calories on a given day in order to keep their metabolism up. There are different ways to rotate, either reversing 2-4-6-8 diet starting with 8 or doing 2-4-6-8-6-4-2. As this is a very strict diet there is no room for junk food or caloric beverages. Also this diet is not considered as maintenance but is designed to kick start your metabolism or to keep you break through a weight-loss plateau. Average of weekly weight loosing is up to 4 pounds if you are at a “normal” weight but more like 2 pounds if you are already underweight.

youreaweenie · Newbie Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 1

I'm not anorexic but I too have read about this diet, and in an effort to lose weight before a cruise last year, I decided to give it a try. It's extremely hard to limit yourself to 200, 300, even 400 calories a day... you get tired, you have horrendous headaches, you basically feel like crap for those few days... but in the end, you get the result you wanted if you stick to it. I lost about 15 lbs in less than a week. It was absolutely shocking to me that I could lose so much weight so quickly. All the experts will tell you also that if you're losing weight this rapidly then it isn't fat, it's mostly water, and it'll reappear the moment you begin to eat normally again... but the truth is, I kept off the weight I lost permanently. I think that the rhetoric about the awful dangers of these kinds of diets are exaggerated a bit. A lot of people fast, and this is just a unique form of fasting. It's not an "all the time" thing, but If you do the 2-4-6-8 diet say, once a month or every two months, I believe that it can be a safe way to lose weight, rev up your metabolism, and cleanse your system. If you have the strength and will-power to persevere through the short period of intense discomfort, then more power to you.

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sunpoisoned · Newbie Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 1

Alright well I suffer from anorexia nervosa and I have tried the 2-4-6-8 diet. I have actually used it several times. I believe the woman who said she lost 15 lbs. in a week because it is possible. The most I've ever lost in a week is 10 lbs though (not on the 2-4-6-8 diet, just from starving myself basically). When you are at a higher weight it is much easier to lose weight. Although losing 15 lbs in one week can be very detrimental to your health (recommended weight loss per week is 2 lbs), it can be done and no, you don't have to be doing army training. If your body isn't used to restricting calories, your metabolism will be working normally which is too fast for how much you're restricting. The 2-4-6-8 diet is really bad for your system because you are starving yourself extremely. Now that I am underweight (I have a BMI of 16.9), the 2-4-6-8 diet will not work for me. It will really just maintain my weight. My advice, lots of water and exercise and healthy eating are the best (and healthiest) ways to lose weight. That comment is of sound mind and it isn't my anorexia talking. I do many unhealthy things to get to my weight and the 2-4-6-8 diet was one of the many. Also, to the first post, nobody aspires to be anorexic, people aspire to be thin, like you're all doing. Nobody wants to have this disease.

Guest · Guest

hiya
well i have been on this diet, and have to say it's the only diet that's worked for me!

Guest · Guest

This diet, while it does get your metabolism to speed up, is NOT something you want to try. Please, don't do this. I have an eating disorder and it's something that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. It's so hard to deal with. Please don't use these tricks to lose weight - it might seem like a good idea but in the end, you could seriously screw up your body. Just take the healthy approach - a good, well-balanced diet and exercise. It's what I wish I would have done over 2 years ago...

Guest · Guest

youreaweenie - all I can say is that if you lost that much then you much be hugely overweight - because otherwise it is seriously unlikely.

i have an eating disorder - and the most i have ever lost in a week was just over 10lb - and that was from total starvation. it was terrible - i wouldn't recommend it.

i doubt you could lose that much from following the 2-4-6-8 diet, as i've said, if you did you must have exercised a lot and i am guessing you are seriously overweight or even obese. and if you did then you must have gone through something terrible, because you cannot lose that much, that fast healthily - and i am shocked that you are recommending to people to do the same.

the 2-4-6-8 diet was dreamed up by people with a serious mental problem. it is unhealthy and will only cause pain. and something like 95% of people will gain back the weight over time.

Guest · Guest

So is this 200 calories for a day, then 400 calories a day, 600 calories a day, then 800 calories a day? That doesn't seem unhealthy at all. Prepackaged diet dinners are well within that range. So are most combinations of protien and vegi's. You wouldn't want to do that forever, but as a booster shot to start an overweight person off, it sounds like it would work pretty well.

Guest · Guest

Yes it is, and I am actually on it now, it works for me. And I dont feel like I am starving, I just eat stuff that is really low in cals (like veggies, fruit, nonfat) and drink lots of water. YOU DONT HAVE TO NOT EAT, JUST EAT SMART!!!! I am actually on this long term, and I have had no health problems....sorry to argue, but it is the truth....

2-4-6-8 diet

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