Dylan Backer | Writer
May 19, 2023
Everyone knows that maintaining a quality lifestyle and good physical fitness is part of being healthy, and many people poke at these goals but never seem to achieve them. Everyone wants to become healthier, stronger, and leaner, but it is easy to waste time following the wrong diet or one that does not help you reach your goals. This is where this new diet can come into play for individuals who are looking to slim down for the upcoming summer.
Recently, scientists conducted a study comparing two different dieting techniques. The first was a traditional calorie deficit (consuming less calories than you expend), and the second was a two weeks on, two weeks off diet. Essentially this second diet has half of the time actively engaged in a calorie-restrictive state while the other half is engaged in a maintenance state. In the two weeks you are not dieting, you are actively maintaining your weight.
The scientists hypothesized that the people who take the second approach will lose a lower percentage of muscle mass than those with a typical calorie deficit. The study was of 36 men who were split into two groups; as mentioned above, the first group had individuals eat thirty-three percent less than their maintenance calories for a period of sixteen weeks. The second group dieted for a total of thirty weeks, also eating at a thirty-three percent calorie deficit breaking from the diet every two weeks to eat at the individual’s maintenance calories. At the end of the study, the second group lost fifty percent more fat and less total muscle mass. In addition to those differences, the second group had a higher overall energy level.
However, there are downsides to this diet. While it produces much better results, it takes twice as much time. For some people, the longer time associated with the diet could discourage them. Additionally, for some, they don’t need to maximize muscle retention. Sophomore Cruz Juarez stated, “I think it is great for some people, but I don’t see myself dieting for that long.”
Cruz is right that the diet may not work for everyone, but for many, maintaining a higher energy level will allow someone to diet longer without getting burnt-out. The benefits, such as maintaining a higher metabolism while dieting, are very significant. Furthermore, this diet would be beneficial if you’re an individual with a high body fat percentage.
Though this diet may not be for everyone, this diet has shown groundbreaking results, and its techniques can be implemented in many ways.
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