And this isn’t the stuff of late-night infomercials. A few years ago, British researchers started using a part-time diet to help women at higher-than-average risk of breast cancer lose weight. (Obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer, and body chemicals associated with extra weight, such as the hormones insulin and leptin, can help fuel tumors.) The scientists first tested an ultra-low-calorie plan 2 days a week and found that it worked: The women lost weight and reduced levels of leptin and insulin; plus, they experienced a drop in levels of inflammation-boosting proteins that can also increase cancer risk. (See how else food can fight inflammation.) But there was a major hitch: Living on 650 calories a day 2 days a week isn’t easy. The women wouldn’t be able to stick to a diet that regularly left them starving for 48 hours. So the researchers sent them on another route: low-carb eating 2 days a week. The rest of the week, the study participants could eat what they wanted, as long as it was healthy. The results were astonishing. The women who followed a part-time low-carb plan lost more weight and saw bigger improvements in levels of leptin, insulin, and inflammatory compounds than did a control group who followed a conventional reduced-calorie, fulltime diet. Over 3 months, the group that cut out carbohydrate-packed foods such as bread, cereal, noodles, crackers, and sweets just 2 days a week lost 9 pounds, while the daily dieters on a 1,500-calorie plan lost only 5 pounds. The low-carb part-timers also saw greater reductions in insulin and inflammatory compounds, both of which can raise risks of diabetes and certain cancers, including breast cancer. Your 2-day planStrive to eat low-carb, avoiding carb-heavy foods such as pasta, pizza, bread, snack foods, and sweets, 2 days a week. You pick which days, and they don’t have to be consecutive. On your low-carb days, aim to eat no more than 50 g of carbohydrates. Spread your carbs—from vegetables, low-carb bread, fruit, and dairy products—throughout the day, making lean proteins (eggs, fish, or poultry) the central part of your meals. In general, have 15 g of carbs at each meal (roughly the amount in a small apple or a glass of milk), plus 5 g of carbs for your daily snack (say, a few slices of fresh tomato and mozzarella). So on a low-carb day, you might eat an omelet for breakfast, a leafy green salad with grilled chicken for lunch, string cheese and a few almonds for a snack, and salmon with a side of string beans or broccoli for dinner. The rest of the week, enjoy regular-carb eating, but don’t go overboard on processed foods. Opt to get your carbs from healthier sources, such as grains, fruit, and non-starchy vegetables. So, does it really work?Inspired by this new research, we developed the 2-Day Diet—a part-time, low-carb plan designed to fit into your busy (and very real) life. We know it works because we tested the plan on 18 women and men. In just 6 weeks, they lost an average of 9.1 pounds and 7.5 pounds of body fat—some lost more than 20 pounds. They also slashed LDL cholesterol (the dangerous type that increases your risk of heart disease) and lowered their blood sugar, reducing their risk of diabetes. More from Prevention: Eat Like This, Never Diet Again
