By: Laura Walton AFC®
Maybe you’ve heard about the 5:2 Eating Plan? For two days of the week you eat just 500-600 calories while eating normally for the remaining five days. Bob Swift sent me an article by “Pete the Planner” on an interesting spending plan that sounds similar…
Let’s start with the 5:2 Eating Plan. I’m following it along with a couple of friends and co-workers and here’s what we’re finding:
- Eating less for one day doesn’t feel too restrictive because you know you can eat what you want the next day (doing 2 days in a row isn’t recommended)
- Sticking to the 500-600 calories on the two days gives you a sense of achievement which seems to modify your behavior for the rest of the week. In other words, having “been good” on your two days, you hate to blow it on your five days.
- It seems to re-set your appetite – you feel fuller faster the rest of the week.
- It’s well-defined and simple to follow – eat whatever you want, just don’t exceed 500-600 calories on two days a week.
- The low calorie days encourage eating lots of vegies (maximum volume for minimum calories), a good thing.
- Oh, and yes, we’re losing weight!
Peter Dunn’s recent article in USA Today proposed the concept of not spending for one week out of the month – I’ll call it the 1:3 Money Plan. He talks about friends who have made extraordinary sacrifices to save for important goals. He says “your financial achievements will only go as far as your willingness to sacrifice for them” and suggests skipping spending for a week to test yourself.
Not spending money for a week takes some planning – stock up at the grocery store, be prepared to take your lunch to work/school, fill your car with gas, do your errands, take care of bills that will come due, think of activities that don’t cost money – and then take the week off…from spending.
I’m willing to bet that the results will be similar:
- You won’t mind not spending for a week because you know you’ll be able to spend the following week (two weeks in a row aren’t recommended).
- Once you’ve not spent money for a week, you’ll likely be more careful about spending it the next week and perhaps the week after.
- You may re-examine how you spend money and decide to change a few habits.
- It’s simple to follow – just don’t spend any money.
- It will encourage you to think outside the box for ways to spend your time that are fun and free.
- Oh, and yes, you’ll save money!
We’re all motivated by different ideas. If you try this, let me know how it works…nothing to lose here!