JUDDD: Real Food + Real People = Sustainability Long Term

     JUDDD is a calorie counting regimen.  It is about timing and creating deficits.   That is the bottom line.  How you choose to adapt it to your lifestyle can be very individual.
     Starting a new diet with a slew of rules of what you should and shouldn't eat is a recipe for UNsustainablity.  In time, the lifestyle of ADF changes your taste buds anyway.  Don't put the cart before the horse.  As you lose weight, you begin craving healthier foods.  (Dr. Johnson mentions this in his book.)
     It is best to get on the horse, eat how you're already eating (within reason of course), work with that for awhile, and begin to take baby steps toward a healthier lifestyle.  Expecting to change everything overnight is a recipe for failure.  Living this lifestyle opens up your horizon and you begin to become choosier about the desserts you're going to eat.  Now you CAN eat that decadent dessert.  Why settle for a Snackwell cookie?
     In time DDs may become more challenging.  To counteract this, higher protein foods can become your best friend.  (See "Protein - Crucial for Metabolism")

❤ I sure love my diet! ❤

My Thoughts on Fung Fasting

I wrote this awhile ago, regarding Fung Fasting.  This is just my opinion.  36 hour fasts are something that I have done off and on since I was in my early to mid twenties.  

FUNG FASTING - MY OPINION:

     I struggled with my weight by age 8, trying many many diets along the way. I lost bits here and there with periodic extreme dieting, as regular weight loss programs such as Weight Watchers and the like, would result in such slow losses that I'd become discouraged from the get go. (Unlike most, my first week of any diet would help me lose 1/2-1 lb.)

     In my early 20's, out of desperation, I dabbled in fasting 36+ hours at a stretch, so after approximately 8 years of periodic extreme dieting and fasting episodes, my total weight lost was 60 lbs. My metabolism was at a new record low, allowing me only 1000 calories per day for maintenance, which I eventually couldn't hold any longer.

     We are all different, but for those that do not have health issues such as Dr. Fung deals with, complete fasting may do more harm than good on their metabolism.

     I do not have a normal metabolism, never have, never will. For me, complete fasting lowers my metabolic rate. It did when I was in my 20's and again recently when I did a 3 week stint of 42 hour fasts when Dr. Fung's book "The Obesity Code" hit the bookshelves. While I appreciate his wisdom, for me, the fasting aspect did me more harm than good. Complete fasting didn't improve my metabolism in my 20's, so I should have known better than to try it in my 50's. 

     I'm working on improving my metabolism at present, going back to the basics that serve me well.

 JUDDD 

    Note:  One last thing to keep your eyes out for are those who are now in maintenance following Fung Fasting.  What is their metabolism like afterward?  Fung Fasting put me into one of two plateaus.  If we end up with a lesser metabolism, is it worth it, even if we lose weight quickly?  We need to quit looking at weight loss with a microscope. Instead, see it as a telescope and look at the long term harm possible effects.

My Blog is Directed Toward Those at LEAST Obese

       My writings come from the perspective of someone who's been morbidly obese.  If you're barely into the obese category, you will probably not accept much of what I have to say.  If you're a bit overweight and not even well within the obese category, please do not be critical of me and my ramblings.   Yes, you may glean some of what I have to share.  Take what you can use, toss the rest.
     The world of an obese woman is different than the world of normal size people.  It's a different world for those of us totally without hope, totally without even a glimmer of hope.  Until you've walked a mile in my shoes, you cannot fathom where I've come from.  On the flip side, I cannot wrap my mind around the life of a severely morbidly obese woman like those featured on "My 600 lb Life".
     Note:  My husband is the one that wanted me to put this page in here.  He went on and on about how normal sized people just cannot get what it's like to be totally helpless.  He's never had a weight problem in his life, and he's been my biggest supporter... all of our time together.  ❤  He's the one that's gotten after me telling me there's more to this weight loss thing than calories!  If CICO was 100% true, he'd be an excellent candidate for "My 600 lb life" at this stage in his life.  I should know.  I'm the one that makes him his desserts.  😁

There is a BETTER Way Than Weight Loss Surgery!!

     I've often pined for weight loss surgery, truth be told.  My sister had the gastric sleeve (8 years ago or so), and she still struggles.  It's merely a tool.  In the end, it is about what you choose to put in your mouth.  You may not be able to eat as much, but with a smaller pouch, there are issues that we non-WLS people cannot fathom.  I've visited a lot of WLS forums.  Listening to their struggles breaks my heart.  One thing that stood out recently was when I read some women chatting back and forth about their frustrations in not being able to drink a full glass of water (without pain).  Ice water is something I truly love.  One of life's cheapest pleasures in life!  They do have other problems, but this last example shut the door on my regretting of not being "allowed" to have a smaller pouch.
     Next month marks my 3rd year of maintenance.  I'm a work in progress.  It is a struggle, some times feeling like a battle.  I'm finally fully comprehending that I just cannot do a simple CICO formula.  I've been experimenting with levels of protein, fiber, and maybe a bit of fat, with carbohydrates falling where they may.  That's how I started out, and that's where I will go out into eternity.
     So I have been putting thought into the types of food I put into my mouth and found that protein and fiber are key as to how content I am with my calories.
     One thing I've heard WLS doctors state, time after time, "You will not be able to lose weight on your own because of the size of your stomach."  Really?  Okay, yes, I agree that may be for super morbidly obese patients.
     But for Larry Goldberg, the Spike Guy, Dr. Rachael Heller, and me, all of whom were 300+ lbs, we have defied the odds.  Specifically, Larry and the Spike guy (and now me), we've found the magic key is spike days (aka cheat days).  Are our stomach's actually shrinking?  Somehow I do believe they may, in time.  Our bodies do have some elasticity; however, the key may be more in WHAT (and when) we're eating that's causing our leptin levels to be more stable.
     Eating a stable amount, day after day, leaves me so dissatisfied.  Whereas, taking that same amount, average it among 3-7 days to get in the desired total calories for the week (the choice is up to you), figuring in Spike days, it releases the leptin necessary for satiety.  Again, I am not into the science.  I just know that the up and dn pattern work  for Larry and the Spike guy and me!  (The "Spike Guy" can describe it more in specific terms than I can.  He's all into the science behind why it works.)

What is Gluttony?

   

     Over my lifetime, I've heard countless preachers speak against this sin they call gluttony, cringing in my pew in shame as both a child and an adult, not being able to hide my ample hips and double/triple chins.  It's not one of the 10 Commandments, I do know that.  Sure we can pull out verses to fit this agenda.  But at the same time, we can find verses in the Bible where eating and feasting is part of the fellowship with believers.  Of course, there is a difference between gluttony and being fat.  Some gluttons are blessed to be slimmer.  Some obese are blessed with concentration camp type bodies where their bodies are so efficient at keeping the weight on... and yet they don't necessarily binge.  Yes, they may enjoy a holiday feast, but who doesn't?  We live in this world, and food celebrations are all a part of life.  It's an enjoyable part of life.  Admit it.  Quit feeling guilty about enjoying donuts.
     This is a sensitive subject for me, and so I'm coming from a formerly obese childhood experience.  I was fat before it was common (I'm 55).  I gained weight very easily, fat by age 8, obese by age 11, dieted and gained a bit more, starved to lose weight, gained more and more until I was morbidly obese for much of my adulthood.
     If obesity is always as a result of gluttony, then why is it that one of the most celebrated preachers of our time was Charles Spurgeon.  He was obese.  Did he overeat?  I'm not positive, but he certainly didn't live on celery.  That's true, right?
     My friend Nancy told me that she posed this question with her pastor.  He told her that he believes that gluttony is eating, vomiting what you've eaten, then eating again.  This is a valid point of view.
     Dictionaries do not all agree.  If "gluttony" could be found in the dictionary the translators of the King James Authorized Version of the Bible, 1611 had a dictionary, I'd love to see what it would say on this subject.  It's probably available on-line somewhere.

Here's an interesting perspective:  http://kjv1611.com/devotion/the-sin-of-gluttony-saturday-january-23-2016/

     I have a far bigger appetite since I've gone from being morbidly obese down to being within a normal weight.  Dieting creates a vacuum in your gut where your body tries to recup it's lost weight, part of the weight loss plight.  Does this make me a glutton?  I don't believe so.
     I have an interesting perspective since my hubby has the opposite issues.  He was a skinny bullied kid, whereas I was a fat bullied kid.  When my husband is done eating, he has no desire to put one more bite into his mouth.  When I'm done eating, full even, I can always get in one more cookie.  I believe it is a hormonal issue, not usually a self-control issue.  Modern day scientists and/or diet experts don't have all of the answers.  Hopefully, in time, more researching can be directed in this area and relieve the pressure that some self-proclaimed diet experts try to guilt us with.
     There may be a fine line when it comes to this.  Some of this can be determined by having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit.  Just some thoughts.  Glean what you can with my ramblings, toss the rest.  :)
   
   

CICO = Calories in Calories out?

     I'm a fairly big believer in the CICO (calories in calories out) philosophy.  It has worked for me.  However, I believe that it's more complicated than that.  I am not into science (my worst subject), but I do know what works for me.

     I was explaining this to my friends the other day, while at Apple Bees, enjoying my Spike Day.  Think of it like this...  In simple terms that even a 7 year old can comprehend.

     Compare how your body deals with 2000 calories of pastries vs 2000 calories of lean poultry.    If you were able to somehow calibrate your weight from one day of each, you will lose weight with the poultry, but you could very well gain weight with the pastries.  Of course, with the poultry most of the weight loss will be water, but not all of it.

     The healthier the food, the better your body utilizes the calories.  This is an extreme case, but you get the idea.

     I have done quite a bit of experimentation on macronutrients, comparing the effects of fat, protein, and carbs on my craving levels.  That is my main concern.  Satiety can make or break my plans.  Truth be told, if I could eat only cream filled donuts for my daily calories, I would do it, but that would be neither good for my body NOR for my nerves.

     There are differences of opinions on either side of this debate.  I won't go there.  I really, mainly know how this affects me.  I'm the one that must live in my skin.  This is not my livelihood.  Glean what you can from my ramblings, toss the rest.  We are all so different.

     And then there are are people like my hubby.  He loses weight so easily (24 hour flu) and it takes him a week or two to gain back his weight.  It frustrates him.  

     Science does NOT have this all figured out.  I hope that more diet researchers would delve into this.  Why is that there are so many diets out in the media, while maintenance is sorely, sickeningly, lacking?   Maybe the bottom line is that maintenance does NOT bring in money.  What would Weight Watchers or Zeal zealots do if their plans truly worked?  Good question.

     

My Spike Life - JUDDD on Steroids

   

     I became a big fan of the "Spike Diet" after arriving at goal, well into maintenance.  Until I hit goal, JUDDD was the be-all-to-end-all way to lose weight.   The bottom line is that I'm still doing JUDDD but my UDs are twice my TDEE.  I still have the same average overall BUT having a much more extreme calorie day releases the leptin that I'd been lacking, which is probably the main reason weight losers regain their weight before long.
     One and a half years into maintenance, I had severe family stress.  I eventually gained 16 lbs, even continuing to do the up / dn pattern of JUDDD.  My UDs were just too high, truth be told.  I felt out of control with my appetite, though I did NOT allow myself full reign.  If I had, I'd have regained much more than 16 lbs.
       I struggled for a long time.  I finally came to the conclusion and fully realized that re-losing the same weight does NOT come off half as easily as it did initially.  I've heard others describe this.  I believe that this may be the crux as to WHY most regain their weight.  Usually the regain begins almost directly after achieving goal, but in my case, I was so enamored and excited with my lifestyle and what it had done for me, that my goal "glow" stuck around for a long time.
      When the rubber hit the road (stresses of life caved my resolve), I often felt very frustrated.  I eventually stopped the gaining, and then went into full blown maintenance mode, which was difficult.  I whined a lot in FB forums.  Embarrassing, but hey, I'm human, right?
     Amanda and I vented with each other, determined to get the handle on the situation.  I told my hubby that I'd die rather than regain my weight, which shows my fears and desperation and not necessarily the best situation psychologically.
     She and I began to read up on Spiking days (eating lower calories to get in caloric deficits, pressure valve released with higher calorie days) through the "Spike Diet" and "Controlled Cheating" books.
     In a sense, the Spike / CC (Controlled Cheating) is JUDDD on steroids.  Low days, "earning" calorie deficits", rewarding ourselves with a much higher calorie day (twice my TDEE).  These can be further understood reading the books.  I'm merely giving you my perspective and how they just fit me like a glove.
     Our bodies only burn so many calories in a day.  Keeping the higher days revs our metabolism, while the lower days knock the weight off.  Calorie consideration is key to losing weight, but Spiking is something I've purposefully implemented within my way of eating which provides the necessary leptin levels needed for maintenance, especially.
     The main difference (for me) that I've incorporated into JUDDD is that now I'm eating far more on UDs than I was allowing myself.  The UD allotment just didn't seem enough for me anymore, this side of maintenance.  To offset the "cheat day", I've been having two 500 calorie DDs.   It may sound daunting; however, the first DD is easy breezy after such a feast.  The second DD is a typical DD.  Nothing fun about it, but it is tolerable if my fare is dense protein.  The following day is yet another "Spike" day.  In this case, anticipation is not greater than reality.   😂
     In the end, also, it IS about keeping a calorie deficit, but changing the amounts from day to day (calorie cycling) to keep the metabolism stoked, having a very high day for the leptin release is necessary.  The "Spike Diet" book describes this phenomenon far more than I can in a few words here.

Why Do 98-99% of Dieters Regain Their Lost Weight?

   

     Good question!  Ask almost anyone who's lost weight (I've asked a LOT of them!)... "Why did you regain your weight?"  Every one of them told me "I went back to my old eating habits" or something else self derogatory.
      It is NOT a lack of self-control.  It is a lack of understanding how our bodies work.  Quit blaming yourselves but don't drop it right there.  There IS a way to win this battle.  No, you cannot go back to eating the way you had been eating previously.  You need a plan!
      Who better to listen to than to the two long term formerly morbidly obese men who've both maintained 100+lbs weight for longer than ten years!  The "Spike Guy" and "Fats" Goldberg of "Controlled Cheating".
      Both of these men incorporated Spike days within their lifestyle.   Both gave God credit for showing them "THE" way.  For both of them "THE" way was via Spike days, living the Spike lifestyle.  Both describe  the phenomenon that went on inside their bodies as they were losing weight, something that the vast majority of weight losers, in the end, struggle with.  Both express that there are going to be days that you're just going to lose it food wise, so they've made "cheat days" part of the plan!
     Not just morbidly obese experience this.  Most regain their weight no matter what method they use.   No matter how much one has lost, most begin gaining their lost weight almost as soon as they achieve goal.  90% regain it within 2 years of achieving goal.  98-99% have regain it by year 5.  Only 5% of those with weight loss surgery succeed.
     Okay, admit it.  You are GOING to cave into overeating some day, sooner or later, in the road of maintenance.  It's our bodies' rebellion against deprivation.  Once you get to goal, you will still need to have some sort of restriction.  It's not something that you can just do once and then never think about again.  (Unless you're a pristine eater.  In that case, you will not probably enjoy one word of my blog. I'm very human when it comes to eating.  I love donuts, pizza, and ice cream!)
     Spike days have brought back the smile to my face, working as a pressure release.  The more you've lost, the more of a pressure release you will probably need.  The formula involves figuring your TDEE and organizing the calories allotted within a specific time frame that works for YOU.  For me, a three day cycle makes me content.  If I eat that same amount, eating the same day after day, it is a recipe for an overload on cravings.  The cycling of calories revs my metabolism with the up, while the lower days keep me at the calorie level I have chosen.  The Spike book describes it more scientifically than I can.
   

   

Recommended Reading

      The main issue that I find coming from a formerly morbidly obese perspective, is that people like me struggle much more achieving the "full" feeling with my allotted food, than does the average person who's lost 40 lbs or less.  Sure, if I went paleo or LCHF, Weight Watchers, Zeal, Advocare, etc., I would have more of a handle on this, but as my husband often says, "My God can do better than that!"  And it doesn't cost a penny, beyond the purchase of a book (perhaps) to get you going, knowledgeable and encouraged.  (Paleo and LCHF is not a long term solution unless you have nerves of steel or a great amount of self control.
     It is not a coincidence that only 98-99% of weight losers maintain their lost weight.  Eventually, the vast majority cave into the goodies of their youth or the decadent desserts of their skinny friends.  If you're able to set aside your love for the tastier foods of this world, all power to you!  But for those out there, like me who just love to eat, there is a way to work this out to both eat food you love AND maintain your weight.
      I have struggled to find the key to satiety, fiddling with every diet expert ideas out there and their opinions.  Anymore, I take the opinions of diet experts with a grain of salt unless they have come from a similar background or knowledge base.  Experience means far more to me than opinion.
      These books were written by those who fall into the tried-and-true category, those who deserve my respect.  They all know their stuff and are not just trying to sell a book.  Not in any particular order of preference:

• Controlled Cheating, by Larry Goldberg
• Spike Diet, by Russell Branjord
• Alternate Day Diet, by Dr. James Johnson
• The Cheater's Diet, by Dr. Paul Rivas
• The Every Other Day Diet, by Dr. Krista Varady
• The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet, by Dr. Rachael Heller

The Every Other Day Diet, by Dr. Krista Varady

     This book came out after I'd already lost 100 lbs.  It's much more basic than the Dr. Johnson's JUDDD book.  The basic premise is to eat 500 calories (men 600 calories) every other day, while on opposite days, eat mindfully.
     The author does not address the fact "mindfully" becomes more and more difficult the longer you're on the plan.  It is a great starting point.  However, for me, as-is, this is an excellent maintenance strategy.  Note:  The science cited within the book mirror much of that of that which is already within the JUDDD book, published 5 years previously.
     Dr. Varady has done a better job getting this lifestyle out into the public eye, whereas Dr. Johnson wrote the book and has made himself unavailable to the general public.  Dr. Varady maintains a Facebook page.

Maintenance

     I hit the 100 lb weight loss marker Oct. 2014, officially conceding to "goal" 5 months later, at 110 lbs lost. I struggled, trying to find my niche and ended up losing up to the total of 129 lbs off during the process. Took me about a year to fully realize that JUDDD is not only the BEST diet for for weight loss but also the BEST woe for maintenance.

     How does maintenance look for this JUDDDer? Almost always I use the up / dn pattern (no 5:2 or 4:3 as I can eat more when I stick with ADF). Currently, I'm doing two 500 calorie DDs followed by twice my TDEE (3400 calories) on UDs.  It works nicely.

     I think of my calorie consumption something like a savings account. Save here, save there, so I can spend it on Friday night! Yesssss! I sure do love my diet! Who woulda thought it could happen to me?! If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. I really believe that. The keys are the same for maintenance as they are for weight loss:

1.  Calorie cycling
2.  100-170 g protein on UDs
3.  Mostly protein on DDs (500-1000 calories)
4.  Spiking (aka Controlled Cheating)

     Is this "Easy"? Put it this way, maintaining is FAR easier than losing. The thing each of us needs to do is to find the EXACT key to unlock maintenance for our OWN body. ADF allows more calories than any other woe does. With each successive tweak, fine tuning the key, I am becoming more comfortable with the fact that I will be able to keep this weight off. It is not easy, takes a lot of time, but if you're going to succeed, it's necessary. 
     I have done a great deal of research into maintenance.  I have a couple of books that describe others who've gotten to maintenance, along with statistics, etc.  (These are of little value to me.)  In the end, each of us need to carve out our own path with this journey.   Some days I feel as though I'm re-inventing the wheel.  No one else can do this for me.  Not enough research has gone into maintenance in general, other than to be told to continue on with what you were already doing when you got to goal.  I want more than that because the basic JUDDD (alone) is not enough for me at this stage!  I also am forever wanting to boost my metabolism.   Because, truth be told, it is all about the food.  😀

Protein - Crucial for Metabolism

     

     June 7, 2012, age 50, my weight loss journey began unintentionally after dramatically increasing my protein intake (for anxiety). My sister, who'd had the gastric sleeve, encouraged me to increase my protein to 100 grams/day, telling me that's what WLS patients are told to eat. She encouraged me that I'd probably lose weight in the process. It worked!  ALLLLL I did at first was to make sure to eat 100 g protein per day, and I began to lose weight.

     Six weeks in, I stumbled upon the idea of every other day eating (aka JUDDD [Dr. Johnson's "Alternate Day Diet" Alternate Day Diet]) while visiting lowcarbfriends.  The protein and JUDDD together paved the way for me to go on and to eventually lose 129 lbs in total.

     Since that time, I've had a greater appreciation for the advice my sister gave me, which changed my life.  Russell Branjord of "Spike Diet", formerly morbidly obese, in maintenance 13 years, has this to say about protein:

"How much protein do you need?  Personally, I got my best results when I ate one gram of protein multiplied by my body weight.  For example, I weigh 215 lbs so I eat about 215 grams of protein a day, which I find to be sufficient for my recovery.  The general rule is the more intense the weight training, the more protein you need.

"Simply multiply your weight in pounds by one of the following:

• Sedentary adult:  0.4 gram per pound
• Active adult:  0.4-0.6 gram per pound
• Athletes and building strength: 0.6-0.9 gram per pound
• Living the Spike Life: 0.6-1 gram per pound

"These are all estimates for healthy adults and may not be appropriate for people with chronic kidney disease, liver disease, or diabetes."

For me, 100-150 is within reason.  If my protein level goes too low, I notice that my metabolism suffers and my ability to stick with the plan becomes more difficult.  I eat normal food, the Mediterranean style diet.  When necessary to supplement to get my protein count up I will use whey protein powder / bars and beef gelatin, my protein staples are:

• Cottage cheese
• Fish
• Poultry
• Eggs
• Milk
• Greek yogurt

For down days I don't get in this much protein, but my food is usually pretty much mostly protein in general.  i.e. Greek yogurt is a common food, which does have a few carbs.  

My Weight Loss Journey With JUDDD

I'd started trying diets by age 8, obese by age 11. I dieted off and on for 20 years, frustrated because I didn't lose weight like normal people. In my late 20's, I started Optifast. One week the scale didn't show a loss. My doctor yelled me, stating that I HAD to have cheated. I'd previously explained to him my inability to lose weight like a "normal" person and that my body has an uncanny ability to lower its metabolic rate when eating lower calories. He ridiculed me, "I expected more out of you, for someone your age." I gave up on diets that very day, terribly discouraged. Shortly afterward, I was diagnosed with PCOS, which can definitely contribute to problems with weight.

June 7, 2012, age 50, my weight loss journey began unintentionally after dramatically increasing my protein intake (for anxiety). My sister, who'd had the gastric sleeve, encouraged me to increase my protein to 100 grams/day, telling me that's what WLS patients are told to eat. She encouraged me that I'd probably lose weight in the process. I didn't believe that was possible, because of my history, but I kept at the protein increase because it helped my mood. After a couple of weeks, I dared start weighing myself. I was 293 lbs. My hips: 65" ! But the scale did start to move slowly.

Six weeks in, I stumbled upon the idea of every other day eating (aka JUDDD [Dr. Johnson's "Alternate Day Diet" Alternate Day Dieter ] while visiting lowcarbfriends. The whole concept was exciting to me, as I loved the idea of being able to eat normally every other day. I thought that could only be a dream diet.

I lost my first 100 lbs by October 2013, and by March, 2014, I'd lost 110 lbs and officially called "goal". I've since lost 19 more pounds, with a new goal of 163 lbs in mind (1 lb to go!). I occasionally throw in low calorie days to get off bits here and there but mostly working on maintaining.

I always have my eyes on the scale. To maintain, I MUST walk 3-5 times per week, 45 min., or my metabolism slows to a crawl. I usually follow a CAD / JUDDD combo. I still count calories because I have issues with leptin levels more than likely as a result of having been obese at a very young age. Counting calories is not tedious to me at all. I enjoy it, and it keeps me accountable.

WHY DID THIS DIET WORK, when others hadn't? The combination of increasing protein to 100+ g every other day PLUS eating very low carb on opposite days worked! JUDDD enters into the equation because the higher eating days rev your metabolism, while the lower days knock the weight off. By trial and error, I've found that I am able to eat more by alternating my calories from day to day, rather than eating a stable amount day after day. My journey wasn't simple, including a 3 month plateau, but even during that time, my hips were shrinking. 

I'm so excited about this that I admit that I'm like one of those annoying ex-smokers.  I'm passionate about this woe and helping others, if I possibly can, in the same condition because I was the bullied fat kid in the playground, the fattest kid in school all of my life, during a time when being obese wasn't as common as it is today. To be honest, childhood obesity ruined me in many ways emotionally. I'm affected by it still today, even though I'm no longer obese, but I cannot help but brag on what ADF has done for me and what I believe is the #1 answer to losing weight and keeping it off.

Above all, I thank my Lord, Jesus Christ, daily for revealing the key to a door I didn't realize even existed. In my gut, I always thought there was a tool I was somehow missing, and I was right.

What is JUDDD?

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Getting started on the Johnson UpDayDownDay Diet™ plan is easy... and unlike many other diets, long-term adherence is easy, too! The diet is ideal for individuals who are trying to lose weight, but it is appropriate for anyone who is looking to improve their health and prevent premature aging. Dr. James Johnson developed the diet based on studies showing that alternate-day calorie restriction decreases the risk of disease and prolongs life in virtually all organisms tested. Resveratrol is also believed to promote similar effects.

Getting Started – The UpDayDownDay Diet™ Plan

There are a few things you can do before you begin the Johnson UpDayDownDay Diet™ to help keep track of your progress and goals:

Begin keeping a journal so that you will be better able to measure your success. Include how much you weigh before you start the diet.
You may also want to have your fasting cholesterol, insulin, and glucose levels checked prior to starting the diet so that you can monitor your improvement in these areas.
The Johnson UpDayDownDay Diet™ has helped individuals greatly reduce the severity of asthma, allergies, arthritis, and other conditions. By listing any symptoms that you have prior to starting the diet and then tracking their improvement, you will receive extra motivation and encouragement to stay on track.

Up Days and Down Days

The Johnson UpDayDownDay Diet™ is more than just a diet. It is a lifestyle…a way to eat for the rest of your life…a way to promote optimal health and nutrition. The plan is straightforward and simple to follow: every other day you will limit your calories (Down Days), and on alternate days you will be free to eat what you would like (Up Days). After a two-week induction phase, the amount of restriction necessary on Down Days will depend upon your goals.


Here's an interview with Dr. Johnson:  

Controlled Cheating, by Larry "Fats" Goldberg

Larry "Fats" Goldberg, 69, New York restaurateur, food writer and author who devised a system of "controlled cheating" to lose and keep off 175 of his 325 pounds, died Monday in his native Kansas City, Mo., of complications from Alzheimer's disease.

Beginning in the 1960s, Goldberg started three restaurants in New York that he named Goldberg's Pizzerias. He created his own recipe for pizza that was rated best in the city by New York magazine. A dedicated consumer of food who considered eating "entertainment," Goldberg also wrote food columns for the New York Daily News.

But he may have gained his greatest fame for losing weight and keeping it off for more than 30 years. His friend, Calvin Trillin, wrote about the remarkable effort for the New Yorker magazine, and Goldberg described his struggle in several books and talks while repeatedly admitting that "dieting stinks."

Among his books were "The Fats Goldberg Take It Off and Keep It Off Diet Program" in 1981 and "The New Controlled Cheating Weight Loss and Fitness Program" in 1992.

I prefer Larry's first book.  The basic premise of his books are eating a low enough calorie amount for 6 days, creating a deficit, and then one day per week eat whatever you want.  From accounts found on-line and within his books, it sounds like this free day is somewhere between 2200-3000.

I've incorporated CC (controlled cheating) into my lifestyle, which fits in nicely with JUDDD.  The CC plan is almost identical to "The Spike Diet" except that Larry doesn't have all of the scientific data that the Spike guy does.

Support group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1065476356834102/

Controlled Cheating diet summary in Stages - basic plan:

GCC = Goldberg Controlled Cheating day. Basicly means a free day of eating whatever you really **want** to eat, as much as you want... No BOZO eating. :)
BOZO eating= eating ginormous amounts of food, stuffing your mouth full of things you don’t really care about eating, just for the sake of eating.
Stage 1: 14 days low calories Induction, 1 GCC day
Stage 2:6 days low calories
1 GCC day, repeat till 3/4 to goal weight
Stage 3: When 3/4 to goal:
2 GCC days a week
(2-3 days in between each GCC) other 5 days low calories
Stage 4:Goal Weight
3 day plan:
2 day low calories, 1 GCC repeat indefinitely to maintain for life
Stage 5: At goal Weight for 12 weeks:
7 day free GCC vacation
Stage 6: After 7 day vacation:
6 down day low calories, 1 GCC , then Back to 3 day plan (Stage 4) Weight gradually returns to normal on its own)

More reading on Larry: 

http://www.pitch.com/news/article/20611996/the-skinny-on-fats

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1973/12/30/page/106/article/fat-larrys-diet-resolution

The Spike Guy

Six months after I began JUDDD, I entered a plateau phase, which lasted 3 months. It was a horrible time for me, where I began to wonder and fret about a whole lot of things regarding my new lifestyle. What was I doing wrong? (Found out later that it is quite common to hit a plateau after 6 months with this style of eating. Didn’t know that then. Got a lot of bad advice, accused of cheating, etc. Wasn’t a fun time.)

I sought for encouragement in a lot of diet forums, chased a lot of rabbit trails, bought a LOT of books on recommendation from others on the same journey. I ended up in weight lifting forums, as they tended more toward the ADF style of dieting. I bought the “Spike Diet” book, by Russell Branjord. Shortly afterward my plateau broke and the book sat on my shelf.

Six months ago, I mentioned the book to my good friend Amanda, and we began devouring it. This also led us to finding a book by Larry Goldberg, author of “Controlled Cheating”, who sustained a 175 lb weight loss for 32+ years. I don’t know about you, but when I hear of someone maintaining their lost weight for that long, it perks up my ears BIG time. 98-99% of weight losers regain their weight within 5 years, MOST begin regaining their weight near to the time that they hit their goal, most within 1 year. These are scary statistics! Forewarned is to be forearmed!

Russell Branjord, of the “Spike Diet” has been sustaining a 100 lbs loss for 10 years (later on adding 30 more lbs) to bring him up to 130 lbs total lost. His plan goes against what is commonly thought of as a way to lose weight. I lost my weight with JUDDD, but I am now maintaining by Spiking, which is a bit of a spin on JUDDD. I’m thrilled that he has come out with an updated Spike book. http://spikediet.blogspot.com/

How does the Spike Diet fit in with JUDDD? Very easily! Instead of following the JUDDD calculator for the up day, have a much higher calorie amount, followed by 2 or 3 DDs. In the end, it is about creating a deficit, but it is also about allowing yourself to have a very large up day. The higher calorie day gives you the oomph to carry on with the lower days, both keeping your metabolism revved and filling the need to eat a decent amount, thus relieving the pressure of constant day-after-day calorie restriction. Doing this often enough, at least once per week, will give you something to look forward to. It is not just psychological. It is also hormonal and physical. Medical science has not yet caught up with how our bodies work especially in the area of weight loss.

My Life With JUDDD - A Beginning

I am burdened to reach out to people, to let them know of a lifestyle that can change your weight and change how you look at weight loss and maintenance. This is available for free, other than the price of a book you can purchase used at half.com for just a few bucks, without a special eating plan to start out with, just some basic tools.

Anyone following me in weight loss support groups knows that I can be quite wordy. Pity my poor hubby who’s listened to me ramble on excitedly sometimes literally for hours. And my poor friend Amanda. :) I am very opinionated on what worked for ME, a formerly morbidly obese middle aged woman.

I am not a professional writer by any stretch of the imagination, but I yearn to reach out to others who struggle with their weight. If I can be a blessing and encouragement, that’s my goal. There is a way to lose weight without “Zeal” or “Advocare” or “Weight Watchers” !!! A much better way, but it takes a plan.

My hubby’s been pestering me for a long time to start a blog, and I think now may be just that time. I’m a bit scatter brained, so my ramblings probably will not be very organized. :)

Now I have a place to write my thoughts without worrying about offending an admin of a group or hearing another diet expert disparage my eating style. Thank you for reading. :D