The Fast 50% diet

Here are the main features of the diet:

• Eat whatever you normally do
• Save time and money
• No exercise necessary
• Super simple--no thinking required!

So what is it? Well, there are 2 parts. The first part is the "50%" part:

Eat half of what you normally would.

This means that you have to estimate what you would normally eat and only eat half of that. So if you go to a place that has ridiculously large portions, you might eat only 1/4 of the meal, because normally you would eat half.

You save money because food goes twice as far. You save money because you can eat the other half as leftovers. You save time because it doesn't take long to eat half as much!

So can you eat chocolate all day? Sure. If you normally eat 20 pieces of chocolate for dessert, just eat 10. As long as you do exactly what you normally would but eat only half, you guarantee that you'll be taking in only 50% of your usual calories. That should be enough of a reduction to get anyone down into the weight-losing mode.

You might think that dieting like this would leave you feeling hungry all the time. Normally, that would probably be the case, and that is why you need part 2, the "Fast" part:

Fast once a month to reset your appetite.

Years ago I noticed that fasting had an unexpected effect: right after fasting I would feel full sooner than normal. You'd think you'd be famished after breaking a fast, but if you eat slowly you'll notice that you get that full feeling much sooner than normal. Respect that feeling and stop after 50%.

For me, about 24 hours taking in only water or juice works. The point of the fast is not to skip calories, but to reset your appetite. As a practical matter I find it easiest to fast on a day when I'm doing light chores or shopping--something that keeps me active but is not strenuous.

Historically, fasting is associated with spirituality. And I think it helps your body and mind to get back into balance. As someone who loves eat, fasting helps me to keep food in the proper perspective.