What is eating QOD all about

• QOD means eating every mostly every other day
  (Q = every O = other, D = day).
• It is a new way to lose weight fast, but keep your sanity.
• With QOD diet, you limit food intake during your “OFF days” to 300 calories.
• QOD works because if you eat within reason during your “ON day”, your average caloric intake, which will be your (“ON day” calories + 300) divided by 2, will be low enough to lose weight.
• QOD is different from other conventional diets like the South Beach diet or the Atkins diet, although we also recommend limiting intake of carbs during the ON day, especially those containing fructose and also desserts.
• QOD diet may prevent or delay your body from going into starvation mode and from reducing your metabolic rate, though this remains to be proved.
• You choose foods during your OFF days to keep your sodium intake at 1500 mg/day, and your potassium intake at a similar level. Continued intake of sodium and potassium and some high-biologic-value protein during your OFF day helps keep you feeling strong and well during this day of mild fasting.
• You also need to take calcium supplements and multivitamins during both ON and OFF days, but especially during your OFF days.
• During your OFF days, you learn to break unhealthy eating habits (emotional eating, timeclock eating, or absent-minded snacking) and reacquaint your body with true hunger for specific foods.
• During your OFF days, you also give your body a rest, both metabolically and spiritually, and give yourself more time to pursue activities that interest you.
• Low calorie intake during your OFF days depletes your body’s glycogen stores. This does two things: First, tt makes it easier for you to lose fat during your OFF day, overnight, and morning of your ON day, since normally the first place your body looks for energy when you lower food intake is your glycogen stores. Second, during your ON day, you start with depleted glycogen stores. So if you eat a bit too much during a given meal, the extra calories go to replete your glycogen stores instead of laying down body fat.

The QOD Diet (where QOD stands for “every other day”) involves one day of normal eating alternating with one day of very light eating where dieters consume around 300-400 calories. It was designed by retired kidney specialist Dr.John Daugirdas as a way for dieters to lose weight but ‘keep their sanity’.

Daugirdas emphasizes that the diet has not been tested extensively and cautions that it is not suitable for many individuals including those with a history of diabetes, heart disease, eating disorders, kidney disease, hypertension or stroke.

He also outlines what he believes are the possible spiritual effects of the diet and highlights the benefits of increased awareness that may occur on days when dieters do not have to concentrate their attention on eating and food preparation.

The QOD Diet Basics

By eating normally every other day Daugirdas states that dieters will be able to avoid the metabolism reducing effects of low calorie diets.

He emphasizes that it is important not to binge on the high calorie days but rather to eat a wide range of healthy foods until satisfied but not overfull. Dieters are advised to limit themselves to one dessert serving daily and to avoid snacking on candy or cookies. On this day dieters are also encouraged to eat a big breakfast and limit eating as much as possible after 7pm.

As a general rule men should be eating around 1800-2400 calories and women 1200-1800 calories however this will vary depending on the dieter’s age and activity levels.

On the low calorie day dieters are advised to eat no more than 300 non-protein calories and 400 if exercising. Dieters are also given a protein allowance so as to control hunger and keep up muscle mass. This is taken in small amounts over the day. Calcium and magnesium supplements are also recommended on the low calorie day.

Daugirdas claims that dieters will feel okay on the low calorie days because the design of the diet keeps the mineral and protein content high and this helps dieters to keep feeling strong.

Recommended Foods

An important component of the diet is vegetable juices that are high in potassium and with adequate sodium such as tomato juice as these help to alleviate the feeling of fatigue and weakness when calories are very low. Orange juice and low fat drinking yogurt are included as source of potassium.

A 4 oz serve of orange juice is also recommended on the low calorie day for when dieters feel very tired or are experiencing uncomfortable reactions.

Dietary Fiber is added to prevent constipation that can occur when food intake is significantly reduced.

Sample Diet Plan

The following is a sample meal plan for the low calorie day. On the other day dieters can create their own menus from whatever foods appeal to them.

Pros

• Scientific research on animals shows that this way of eating is promising for its potential to extend lifespan.
• May be easier for some dieters psychologically as there is only one day of dieting to stick to at a time.
• Online support forum.

Cons

• Many dieters may feel tired and have difficulty with normal activities on the low calorie day.
• May not provide dieters with tools necessary to maintain a healthy weight loss plan when the diet is finished.
• Not suitable for dieters with more than 25 pounds to lose or with conditions including diabetes, heart disease, eating disorders, kidney disease, hypertension or stroke.

Conclusions

The QOD diet is a fairly extreme approach to dieting that will require a great deal of determination on the part of the dieter. Although it is not suitable for a wide range of individuals it may appeal to dieters who appreciate the freedom of being able to eat normally every other day without sacrificing the calorie reduction and rate of weight loss that occurs with other diets.

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