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in 500 Calorie Meals, Alternate Daily Fasting, Modified Alternate Daily Fasting · February 6, 2022

It’s easier than you think! 500 Calorie Down Day (Modified Alternate Day Fasting)

Alternate Day Fasting (ADF) is a schedule that can be implemented many ways. Today I am sharing how I personally use ADF. Once a week (usually, I’m not rigid about it) I have what’s called a down day, followed by an up day.

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Always follow a down day with an up day!

Down Day

A down day is a day where you either fast completely, or have a single 500 calorie (or less) meal. If you have the 500 calorie meal, this makes it a modified down day. This low cal/no cal day is accompanied with plain water and black unflavored coffee throughout the day. (unflavored teas are acceptable too, but I stick with coffee).Modified Alternate Daily Fasting

Up Day

Immediately following a down day, it’s important to refuel with an up day. I initially received my guidance from “Fast. Feast. Repeat.” on how to safely refuel. As suggested in the book, I ensure I eat a minimum of two meals over at least a 6 hour period. If desired, I will eat three meals, or have my window open all day.

And Beyond

After a down day/up day combo I return to my One Meal a Day schedule. The OMAD continues until the next time I decide to do another down day/up day.

Benefits of Down Day & Up Day

As I learned in “Fast. Feast. Repeat.” by Gin Stephens down days paired with up days (along with other ways to avoid the same schedule every day) help your body avoid metabolic adaptation. We have to vary our fasts to keep our body guessing almost! Much more to come on this topic in the future.

Sample Down Day 500 Calorie Meals

Here is my most recent down day meal; a Big Mac style salad! Let’s break it down:

Beef Patty – 300 calories*
Spring Mix Salad – 25 calories*
1/4 Cup Shredded Cheddar – 110 calories*
Mini Cucumber – 15 calories*
1/2 Small Yellow Onion – 25 calories*
5 Green Onions – 25 calories*
Pickles – 0 calories per serving per the jar (I am sure some calories were actually present, but close enough)
Walden Farms Thousand Island Dressing – 0 calories*

Total tracked calories – 500 on the dot!

As I mentioned the nutritional label said 0 calories for pickles, but enough of them would obviously add calories. Also, the estimates from my fresh produce could be off. I am okay with 500ish; this is about a small meal not perfectionism.

*indicates I used nutritional values from labels or google search.

I make many salads on down days!

Other Ideas

I have many other ideas on 500 calorie down days! Click here to watch YouTube videos that share specific meals. Or click here to sign-up for my email list and get a 500 calorie cheat sheet that I created to give me low-cal options are I create 500 calorie meals.

Thank you so much for reading! Chow Down & Ciao

Previous Post: « 5 Intermittent Fasting Books You NEED
Next Post: 16:8 (Simple!!) Intermittent Fasting Schedule »

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Jackie Moravek

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Sitting at Panera with my coffee refill and about Sitting at Panera with my coffee refill and about to get a bit of work done, thought this picture was a good visual summary of me and life. 
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Happy Friday friends!  I’m going to breakfast soon with a friend (I’m  currently 36 hours into a fast) !  What is your Friday highlight?
We ran to ALDI to get cake pop supplies! $17.77 fo We ran to ALDI to get cake pop supplies! $17.77 for all the supplies to make a triple batch of cake pops for the school for teacher appreciation week…. Which I didn’t know about until after I grocery shopped this weekend!  Ooops! (Still need to decide if I should get sticks)

@aldiusa 

Are you doing anything for teacher appreciation week?
I am so excited to receive this gorgeous beverage I am so excited to receive this gorgeous beverage fridge!  If you were around last summer you saw us working on the pool house…. I’ve wanted a fridge out at the pool for the last 14 years!  This year we will be all set to host 🎉🤩🤗
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There will be a sponsored video on YouTube next month, but I wanted to share it here too because it’s so pretty 😍 
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All staging credit goes to my 10 year old, Elsie 🥳👏🏻 Link to shop in stories, I do have a discount code; Jackie10off
@newairusa 
#newairusa #shareyournewair
Every meal could have this and I’d be happy. Co Every meal could have this and I’d be happy.  Come to think of it, why don’t we do that? 🤔 💭 
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Warm Italian bread, butter and gouda 🤤
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#aldifavoritefinds #aldisides #aldiaddict #groceryaddict #windowworthyfood
I don’t know why, but lately I’ve been craving I don’t know why, but lately I’ve been craving fruit and peanut butter every day!  So delicious and satisfying.
This was yesterday’s window opener.  Today I’m planning a banana (& always cinnamon!) 
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Anyone else get in kicks of the same snacks?  What has been on your plate lately?
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#intermittentfastingfoodie #windowopener #currentfavoritesnack
I have this drawer that I put mom’s snacks in. I have this drawer that I put mom’s snacks in.  It used to be a secret, but everyone knows about it now.  It’s just off limits - unless you’re me 😅  Today I added mini bags of gummy bears.  I love these things and now have roughly 54 of them 🥳. They’ll last me a very long time. 
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Any others have a snack drawer?
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#haribolover #momssnacks #handsoff #aldifinds #aldieaster
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