The Pros and Cons of The 8 Hour Diet?

If you want to shed a few extra pounds and have been looking for a simple and straightforward diet plan, you will want to seriously consider the latest book by David Zinczenko and Peter Moore called"The 8-Hour Diet: Watching the Pounds Disappear Without Watching What You Eat!". This diet proposes an 8-hour period in which you consume all of your calories for the day, followed by a 16-hour fasting period. Exercise is also a part of the plan with only 8-minutes of physical activity recommended each day. The idea of 'intermittent fasting' is a twist on conventional logic and makes this diet unique.

The 8 Hour Food Window :

The first thing for dieters to decide is when they want to eat. More specifically, lifestyle will dictate when to start and stop the fasting phase. In all likelihood, most people who try this diet will skip breakfast and start eating in the late morning. The authors suggest that your food intake be from a short list of lean, healthy "power foods". For people who have never fasted before, the authors recommend starting the diet for 3 days, then taking a 'cheat' day every 4th day until your body becomes accustomed to the new eating plan. With time, dieters can increase the length of time they stay on the program.

=> The Pros :

There are 4 advantages to the 8-Hour Diet :

- fasting is a proven way to lose weight.

- with no restrictions on food, dieters can still enjoy their favourite foods, albeit restricted to certain times of the day.

- by its very nature of fasting and eating phases, it cuts down on 'mindless' late night calorie consumption.

- the 8-minute physical component could 'turbocharge' your results.

=> The Cons :

As with all diets, there are issues with the program. In particular :

- because the authors don't forbid any foods and only encourage the "smart foods", some people may interpret this as permission to have an 8-hour fast food binge every day.

- the 8-minute exercise segment may become harder to perform as the diet goes along given the fact that your body is in a net calorie deficit.

- any diet is simply a short term switch from a regular eating pattern. It is far better to have a regular pattern of healthy eating integrated into your lifestyle. Having said that, this program can initiate a change in behaviour that could last a lifetime. Many people gain back their weight at the end of a diet, and it is important to develop healthy eating habits while on the 8-hour diet to ensure that does not happen to you.

*Final Thoughts :

This is a very simple plan to help people break out of a cycle of unhealthy eating. The 16-hour fasting window teaches your body to consume during times of activity and to stop eating late at night. Fasting is a proven weight loss technique, and restricting the times of your caloric intake will keep people from snacking at night (when they are bored, not hungry). If people are able to transition their diet towards the "power foods" and away from unhealthy choices, then this diet will have accomplished something important.

About the Author: By Ryan J James

Ryan is has published other diet and exercise articles including What to Expect from P90x. He is passionate about helping new and experienced entrepreneurs earn money online and runs the How to Earn Money Online HQ blog.