Hello everyone. Male, 40 5’11 and 104KGs.

I have no blood sugar issues yet but am aware that unless I shift some weight it may well start to be an issue at this age.

My Q is as per the title: which is better for weight loss, BSD or ADF?

I need to give a little bit of background. I am a vegan and I do think that a vegan plan (which is pretty much the opposite to the BSD!) has merit for health and weightloss and I have, during successful weightloss phases in the past, used it to great effect. (I am not naming it here, this is Michael’s forum.)

‘So why not use it again?’ you may ask.

The problem is that I am on psychiatric drugs for OCD and anxiety that absolutely send your appetite through the roof. The plan I have followed before says that you can eat as much as you want of the ‘allowed’ foods. So not only would I not lose weight, on the calories in/calories out balance I’d gain.

The Drs have okayed both ADF and BSD for me.

My options:

1. Alternate day fasting – but REAL fasting. I find it easier psychologically to have nothing to eat on a given day than 600-800 calories. Eating pasta, veg, beans in one meal a day I’d be eating about 2000 calories on ‘feast’ days

2. BSD – I would be eating beans and green vegetables and it would come in at around 830 calories a day

As well I like to exercise. I know that HIIT is de jour but I have the time to do about an hour a day of steady cardio and I prefer it )each to their own). This burns about 600 calories day according to the unreliable stationary bike computer.

If you were me, which would you go for first?

On alternate day fasting you would be averaging about 1000 calories, so both ways should lose you a similar amount of weight, it will really come down to which you feel is better suited to your requirements psychologically. I would have definitely been happier with consistent 830 calories per day than the alternate day idea, and while I do not personally know anyone who has done this style of weight loss my hairdresser mentioned a family member had done it and looked ill (probably due to either not eating enough on feast days or a nutritional balance, not the diet itself). Whichever you choose, the important thing is to listen to your bodies feedback and stay healthy. Good luck.

Thanks for your thoughts! I think I will try the BSD first…Let’s see if I can get to 8 weeks! ;-D