"Update Anyone whos ever dieted knows that sorting through the deluge of research can be overwhelming. Paleo has a devout following who swear by its proteinheavy meals while intermittent fasters believe that forgoing food for hours on end which varies but can include skipping meals for an entire day provides the best results. For those who just cant give up grains or regular eating a new study indicates that being less restrictive is actually better for your waistline. Researchers from The University of Tasmania in Australia found that breaking up with your diet for two weeks could lead to more weight lossand help you keep it off too. For the small study just published in the International Journal of Obesity https_access_tokenOnPjvmDCAjMJEJMEFJNRgNjAjWeljnRZoTvMHfdgXzkKbbxpojLdtDXUXDigJgbynJmUcGksLHimLsxgGNceftFgiwmoVQMPhnTqtxZzv the team enlisted  obese men from the ages of  to  years old. All participants had maintained their current weight for six months leading up to the study and did not exercise regularly. One group of men followed the diet which reduced calorie consumption by about onethird of their individual needs for  weeks straight. The experimental group stuck to the eating plan for two weeks before ditching the diet for two weeks. They repeated the cycle until they had also dieted for  weeks however in their case each bout of restriction was followed by a period of eating enough calories for weight maintenance.  At the end of the study the men following the intermittent diet plan lost  percent more weight than the control group. And while its common to regain a few pounds after returning to previous eating habits the twoweek dieters kept the pounds off maintaining a nearly pound loss six months after the study. Krista Varady httpsahs.uic.edukinesiologynutritiondirectoryvaradykrista an outside researcher who studies intermittent fasting not the same as intermittent dieting and weight loss at the University of Illinois believes the results were significant.  I was really impressed that they still saw almost a two kilogram weight loss during that last period at the end of the four months she tells Newsweek. At that point we see almost zero weight loss she explains of her own research. Somehow theyre kind of keeping the body on its toes. This trick may help combat the dreaded weight loss plateau that plagues dieters looking to lose those last five pounds. As we cut calories and lose weight our resting metabolic rate eventually slows and our bodies become less efficient at shedding mass in a process known as adaptive thermogenesis httpajcn.nutrition.orgcontent.long. While frustrating its one of our natural survival mechanisms to prevent potential starvation. Another benefit from intermittent dieting People who have a difficult time staying motivated may find relief by the twoweek breaks. However its important not to think of them as cheat days. The dieters ate enough calories to maintain their weight during the off period. But Varady believes its probably safe to enjoy a slice of cake or bowl of ice cream during the break.  It seemed like they probably had a couple of cheat days here and there she says of the data. Diets tend to work if you have a couple of cheat days during the month. Just as long as it doesnt psychologically derail people.  This story was updated to include analysis from weight loss researcher Krista Varady PhD a nutrition professor at the University of Illinois Chicago."