Individuals who are curious about the Eat Stop Eat plan often ask whether it’s possible to gain weight while fasting.

The answer is yes.

Fasting is not magic, although it is a very effective way to create a calorie deficit and lose body fat.

Let’s say you’ve been gaining weight for the last couple months, and, through several scientific methods, we determined that you have been overeating by about 30%, which means you’re eating 30% more calories than you actually need to maintain your weight.

Because you’ve been gaining weight, you decide that it’s finally time to try the “Eat Stop Eat” diet that everyone else is talking about.

You fast twice a week, every week, for seven weeks – but in the end, you learn that you gained two pounds.

How could this be? Is Brad Pilon a liar? Is it a waste of time to fast? Is your metabolism ruined?
The answer is probably very simple.

The fasting might have actually worked incredibly well for you. The two fasts per week might have reduced the amount of calories you consume in a week by 22%. That’s a big drop, but it just isn’t enough.

If you had been overeating by 30%, a 22% decrease still means you’re eating about 8% more than you need to eat.

Fasting won’t work magic for you. The need to eat responsibly remains. You don’t have to avoid sugar or dairy products. You don’t even need to eat healthy (although it’s good to get a good variety of foods). In order to lose weight, you simply need to eat less.

Small changes are important.

Examine your diet and find small changes you could make that will cause big results. A few small changes should get you back into a caloric deficit and help you drop pounds.

It’s very easy to overeat. Some people overeat by thousands of calories every day. If fasting isn’t getting you the results you want, try studying the way you eat when you’re not fasting.

Small changes can have big results, especially if you’re already fasting.

It may not be great Eat Stop Eat marketing, and it’s definitely not some MSN style cure all weight loss technique (ice water anyone?), but it’s honest and it’s true.

“How much weight will I lose with Eat Stop Eat?”  I am asked that question often.

You can find my answer to this question in the FAQ section at the end of Eat Stop Eat, but I will also answer it here:

You should be able to consistently lose one to two pounds per week when you follow the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle.

Many people report that they have lost as many as seven pound per week by following the program, but these are exceptions.

Some people lose three or four pounds per week during the first couple weeks of the lifestyle, but this is mostly due to the loss of inflammation, excess water, and some fat mass.

While some people do lose an impressive amount of pounds during the first couple months of following the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle, don’t be fooled into thinking that the program is a starvation or a crash diet.

Eat Stop Eat is designed to create sustainable weight loss. Strive for long-term weight loss success, and look for trends in your weight losses and gains. (Remember that your weight can fluctuate by as much as two or three pounds in just one day.)

I want to share some reader mail with you regarding using Eat Stop Eat to get six-pack abs.

“Hi Brad,

I Recently bought your book “Eat Stop Eat” and just started applying it by fasting once a week. I am not an obese person but have some fat around my gut.

Every week I exercise for 3 times using weights , swim for 30 min and skip rope for 30 min .

I also watch what I eat and monitor my weight. My One and only goal is to have a 6 Pack. I can feel I have it but the fat around my gut hide it from showing.

My Questions are:

1) Is a 6 pack reachable if I continue doing what I am doing ? Or is it that some people can never see their 6 Pack ever.

My Answer – A six-pack is definitely obtainable. I believe that everyone has the ability to have a six-pack, especially if they’re following Eat Stop Eat and weight training. But be patient. It will require some time and some changes to your current lifestyle.

2) Will your Eat Stop Eat plan help me in seeing my 6 Pack?

My Answer – It will help, as long as you are fasting, weight training, eating responsibly, and follow these five tips.

3) What’s the Body fat percentage that I must have in order to see my 6 pack.

My Answer – Air Displacement measurements show that men typically have visible abs when their body fat is under 10%. Some men have more or less subcutaneous fat covering their abs, though, so it depends on how you measure body fat and how you carry your fat.

4) How thick/thin does the fat around my gut need to be in order for me to see my 6 Pack?

My Answer – Here is a simple way for men to measure their body fat: Multiply your height in inches by 0.447. This is your ideal waist circumference – approximately 45% of your height. In order for you to have visible abs, you’ll need to have a waist circumference that is 46-47% of your height at the most.

5) I am afraid of taking any supplements. Can I reach my goal without taking any supplements ?

My Answer – It is completely possible for you to get six-pack without taking supplements.

6) I heard you have to take growth hormone while you are following Eat Stop Eat, is this true?

My Answer – This is not true at all. The Eat Stop Eat method naturally increases your Growth Hormone while you are fasting. You don’t have to take any drugs or supplements to make the plan work for you.

(As always, my answers apply to “natural” individuals, not to those who are taking steroids.)

I have a very complex list of things you must do if you want to lose weight and eat healthy:

1. Eat the foods you enjoy, but eat less of them.

2. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.

3. Most importantly, stop stressing about what you eat.

If you can follow these simple guidelines, then, in my opinion, you’re eating perfectly.

Of course it’s important to eat “real food” over food-like substances. But if you’re eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, you’re already doing this.

I could also advise you to avoid flavoring your food with salt and sugar. But if you’re eating a lot of herbs and spices, you’re already doing this, too.

Finally, we could talk about the importance of having a healthy relationship with the foods you eat. A lot of overeating and obsessive/compulsive eating that takes place today is a result of unhealthy relationships with food. But if you’re enjoying the foods you eat and are not stressing about what you eat, you’re already avoiding this problem, too.

Simplicity is always the goal with the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle. That’s why simple guidelines are all you need in order to maintain healthy eating habits.

One of my most favorite e-mails came from a friend of the family who lost her post-pregnancy baby fat by using Eat Stop Eat.

It takes some women a few months – and for some, it takes years. But all women who have given birth can tell you that losing weight after having a baby is an important, yet difficult, goal.

For many women, post-pregnancy fat is a source of anxiety and embarrassment. But who has time to follow a strict diet plan when an infant’s routine runs the household?

This is where Eat Stop Eat fits in.

The Eat Stop Eat plan, which incorporates intermittent fasting into a normal eating routine, is the perfect solution for women who need to shed pounds, but who have very little time to invest in dieting.

Eat Stop Eat requires no investment of time. There are no special meals to prepare, no additional food shopping trips, and no supplements to maintain. Babies are time-consuming – and the Eat Stop Eat method can actually help give women more time to devote to the care of their new baby.

Eat Stop Eat is also a very private dieting method. No one will see a woman who is using the Eat Stop Eat method eating special foods or diet bars. Other women will be left wondering how a woman following Eat Stop Eat lost her baby fat so quickly.

Finally, Eat Stop Eat apparently works incredibly well for women who want to get rid of baby fat. My wife followed Eat Stop Eat after the birth of our first child, and she is now following Eat Stop Eat to get back to her pre-pregnancy weight after the birth of our second child. And, as you can see from Lindsay’s e-mail, she also realized great results using Eat Stop Eat to get rid of her baby fat.

Lindsay’s Email:

Hi Brad,

I’m not even sure if you knew I was doing Eat Stop Eat, I didn’t really mention it to many people, not for any particular reason, except that I just usually keep eating and exercise routines to myself unless someone asks.

You may or may not know, but during my pregnancy with Owen I gained a LOT of weight.  It was/is extremely stressful for me and gave me substantial motivation to lose it all.

I began Eat Stop Eat in November ‘08 and I am still following it.  I’ve mixed Eat Stop Eat with a resistance training and intervals program and so far I’ve managed to lose 72 pounds since my heaviest weight during my pregnancy.  I’ve set a weight goal that is actually less than my pre-pregnancy weight and I was going to email you when I reached that goal, just to let you know that Eat Stop Eat worked for me!  But since I’m pretty close to the goal anyway, I’m emailing you now.

I am proud of how far I’ve come so far, but it’s still a little tender for me to discuss specific numbers of pounds gained during my pregnancy.  I am willing to share photos if you need some.  I don’t have any crazy photos of myself in a bikini or anything, but I have a photo of my at the hospital with Owen the day he was born and I like to call myself unrecognizable in it.  I’d be willing to send you a photo of myself once I reach my final weight goal

I hope this helps you Brad.  Eat Stop Eat has truly helped me in many ways.

Please let me know if you need any further details and/or if you would like me to send you pictures.  I’m willing to help in any way I can.

Thanks,

Lindsay