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Galaxies of Time-Restricted Diets

Intermittent Fasting Diet
CSIRO Flexi Diet
5:2 Diet
Hay Diet
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Explore Time-Restricted Diets

Time-restricted eating (TRE) is a dietary approach that limits eating time window to 2 - 8 hours every day, with fasting for the rest of the time outside of that window. Time-restricted eating is also known as intermittent fasting and is becoming more and more popular because it doesn't require calorie counting, and it can be combined with any type of diet.
Some of the TRE health benefits include:
  • Improved heart health
  • Managing Type Diabetes (lowers blood sugar levels and improves insulin resistance)
  • Reduced blood pressure
  • Improved digestion and gut functions

Time-Restricted and Special Patterns Diets

  • Intermittent Fasting (OMAD) Diet
    Simply put, this type of diet advises to eat only within dedicated small time window each day, fasting the rest of the day. Most popular intermittent fasting time formats are 22:2, 20:4, 18:6 and 16:8. No food, no sugary drinks, snacks or anything with calories is allowed during the fasting window. Combined with low-carb diet intermittent fasting often times is used for weight loss and to control Type 2 Diabetis.
  • CSIRO Flexi Diet
    CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Flexi Diet is a kind of alternate day fasting. Each control diet day is followed by a regular meal day from Monday to Saturday with one ‘Flexi’ food day on Sunday.
  • 5:2 Diet
    This time-restricted diet, created by medical journalist Dr Michael Mosley, splits each week into 5 ‘regular feeding days’ (no food restrictions) and 2 ‘fasting days’ with max 500 calories for women or 600 for men.
  • Hay Diet
    Developed by American surgeon William Howard Hay in the 1920s to treat obesity and other health issues. This diet is a nutrition plan that separates food into three groups: alkaline, acidic, and neutral, and is intended to help the body digest food more easily.

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Intermittent Fasting Diet
Simply put, this type of diet advises to eat only within dedicated small time window each day, fasting the rest of the day. Most popular intermittent fasting time formats are 22:2, 20:4, 18:6 and 16:8. No food, no sugary drinks, snacks or anything with calories is allowed during the fasting window. Combined with low-carb diet intermittent fasting often times is used for weight loss and to control Type 2 Diabetis.

How it Works

  • Select Duration of Your Can-Eat Window. If you just starting this type of diet and you never did fasting before, then start low and go higher while you progress. You can start with 16:8 format, meaning that you eat within 8 hrs window and fast the rest of the day.
    In a broader sense, duration of fasting window depends on many factors, including your age, health conditions, cultural traditions and personal food adaptability.
  • Select Start Time of Can-Eat Window. Adjust this time according to your regular day schedule. For example, in 16:8 fasting format you can set a start time to 11am, then the end time will be 7pm.
  • Changing Can-Eat Window's Start Time. While it is technically possible to change your daily can-eat start time, for your own health benefits it is recommneded to stick to one, selected time window parameters and don't change them frequently. But if, for some reasons, you have to make temporary adjustments there, try to get to permanent (old or new) time schedule whenever it is possible.
  • Switching to More Advanced Time Formats. Once you start feeling that your accomodation to selected fasting format goes well you can start narrowing the eating window duration, going from 16:8 to 18:6 and higher. If at some point of time you realize that new time format is too agressive for you, feel free to return back to the format you tolerate well.

Note also, that the strictest form of intermittent fasing, usually associated with 22:2 Fasting format, is a so-called OMAD (One Meal A Day) which quickly gains popularity among intermittent fasting practitioners due to its health benefits.

Foods to Eat

Intermettient fasting doesn't impose any limitations on what you can eat or drink during the regular "can-eat" window. However, it is always a good idea to resort to healthy food, rich in non-startchy vegetables, leafy greens, lean proteins and not-high-sugary fruits and berries.

Foods to Limit

No food is off-limits here - the only requirement is to stay withing the selected "can-eat" time window every day. At the same time, participants are encouraged to reduce their consumption of foods that high in starch, high in trans-fats, high in added sugar as well as all types of junk food. Where exactly to draw the red line is totally up to you.
Your Health - Your Choice !
CSIRO Flexi Diet
CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) Flexi Diet is a special type of alternate day fasting invented in Australia. Each Control day in this diet is followed by a Regular Meal day from Monday to Saturday with one Flexi food day on Sunday.

As per CSIRO Diet specialist Dr Bowen, "Losing weight can be challenging with results often limited by an individual’s ability to stick with a diet. The Flexi program offers a flexible alternative to traditional diets, which could help Australians to fit a weight loss diet around their busy, social lifestyles."

How it Works

  • Regular Eating Days include regular balanced meal with more added healthy proteins.
  • Control Eating Days normal balanced meal with lots of non-starchy, low calories vegetables.
  • Flexi Eating Days are the cheat days, where no foods and drinks are off-limits. This flexi day may be any day in the week you like, with Sunday being a most popular choice as a family day.

Foods to Eat

The CSIRO Flexi Diet is a high-protein, low-GI eating plan designed for weight loss. It's based on whole foods and moderate amounts of low GI- carbohydrates.
  • Lean Meat
  • Poultry, like skin-off chicken and turkey
  • Fish and Seafood
  • Eggs, as an excellent source of healthy proteins
  • Low-Carb Foods, i.e. all foods with less than 5 grams of carbs per 100 grams.
  • Non-Sugary Drinks: all protein-based drinks, like protein shakes, smoothies etc. would wpork here.

Foods to Avoid

  • Sugary Beverages, such us regular colas and energy drinks
  • Candies, as a food loaded with calories, sugar and fat
  • Sugary Cerials, as a food loaded with sugar, starch and food coloring
  • Baked Foods, such us cookies, cakes, and pastries
  • Fried Foods, like potato chips, which are normally high in trans-fats
5:2 Diet
The 5:2 Diet - also known as the Fast Diet - is a limited calories, time-restricted diet, created by medical journalist Dr Michael Mosley, that involves eating normally for five days (no food restrictions) and fasting on the other two days with max 500 calories for women or 600 for men.

How it Works

  • Regular, Not-fasting Days - Eat a healthy diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and fish.
  • Fasting Days - Consume fewer calories, typically between 500 and 600 calories for women and 600 and 800 calories for men.

Foods to Eat

  • Lean Proteins: meat, poultry, fish and other lean proteins.
  • Fruits and vegetables: Load your plate with different colors to get a range of nutrients.
  • Legumes: beans and lentils.
  • Whole Grains, like whole-wheat breads, whole-grain pastas, brown rice, and quinoa, which are rich in fiber and vitamins.
  • Low-fat and Nonfat Dairy Products, such us yougurt, buttermilk and kefir.
  • Eggs - a good source of healthy proteins
  • Nuts and Seeds: all nuts and seeds for healthy fats.
  • Healthy Fats, like extra virgin olive oil, grape-seeds oil ...

Foods to Limit or Avoid

5:2 Diet doesn't impose any food limitations, however it is advised to avoid any food high in calories, sugar, fat, and salt.
Hay Diet
Image Credits: integrativelife.ro
Hay Diet was developed by American surgeon William Howard Hay in the 1920s to treat obesity and other health issues. This diet is a nutrition plan that separates food into three groups:
  1. Alkaline
  2. Acidic
  3. Neutral
and is intended to help the body digest food more easily.

The "secret" of Hay Diet is in proper combining of these three types of food to loose the weight in a healthy way.

How it Works

The Hay Diet promotes eating three meals per day ensuring the proper sequence and combination of 3 main food groups:
  1. First meal being alkaline foods only
  2. Second meal to be protein foods with salads, vegetables and fruits
  3. Third meal composed of starchy foods with salads, vegetables and sweet fruits
Listed 3 meals to be taken daily with interval of 4.0 to 4.5 hours between each meal.

Foods to Eat

  • Alkaline Foods:
    • Most fruits and vegetables, salads, and herbal teas
    • Grains, like rice and whole grains
    • Potatoes
  • Acidic foods:
    • Protein foods, like meat, fish, dairy, and other high-protein foods
  • Neutral Foods:
    • Nuts and Fats: all nuts (except peanuts), butter, cream, egg yolks, and olive oil
  • Starches:
    • Starchy Vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and artichokes
    • Sweet Fruits: all ripe fruits like raisins, dates, figs, sweet grapes, and ripe bananas

Foods to Limit or Avoid

  • Sugary Foods, such as cereals, breakfast bars and other sugary foods.
  • Artificial Sweetened Products, like diet sodas, flavored yogurts and sweetened juices.
  • Low-fat Foods
  • Refined Grains
  • Dairy Products, such as milk, buttermilk, yougurt and cheese
  • Combination of Starches and Proteins: avoid eating starches and proteins in the same meal.

Known Concerns

Hay Diet was so popular in 1930s that many restaurants in USA was offering Hay-friendly menues. However inspite of known benefits of Hay Diet some Dietology Professionals raise their concerns on this diet's efficiency.
  • Misaligned with Modern Dietology and Nutrition Science. Being over 100 years old, Hay Diet doesn’t reflect dietary science changes happened since 1920s and is misaligned with newest scientific discoveries in dietology and nutrional science.
  • Lack of Scientific Basis. Central idea of Hay Diet that carbs and proteins should be eaten separately is considered unfounded.
  • Potential Health Risks. Hay Diet may provide insufficient calories, which can lead to fatigue and other health problems.
  • Metabolic Effects. A study of group of Hay Diet participants found that the Hay Diet led to higher fat oxidation and lower respiratory quotient.
  • Protein Turnover. A study of control group of Hay Diet participants revieled that Hay diet can led to constant protein turnover. In other words - the body was burning protein as an energy source rather than building muscle.
  • Unfounded Statements. Hay Diet has been criticized for saying that patients with type 1 diabetes can stop taking insulin.

Hay Diet is not for everyone. Always consult your family doctor and dietitian before making decision to switch to Hay Diet.

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