5:2 fasting questions

[pixiegumboot]

So I get that I can eat normally for 5 days. But can you please help with these questions?
Fasting is for 24 hours?
Within that 24 hours I can eat up to 500 calories?
So does than mean I can eat dinner as normal at 6pm, then fast for 24hrs and eat a normal dinner, after 6pm, the very next night?

[plecofjustice]

Some people do it that way, others do it for a whole day, so you eat a normal dinner at 6pm, then don't eat again until breakfast the day after the fast, e.g.

Monday - normal dinner
Tuesday - 500 cal
Wednesday - normal breakfast

The science seems to indicate that a 16 hour fast is the main "window" for significant health benefits, and that a 36ish hour fast is more beneficial than a 24hr fast. Obviously you are also creating a bigger calorie deficit in 36 hours than 24.

COme alone to the main thread and read the links in the first post for more info.

[pixiegumboot]

Thanks! didn't think I could do the fast as I'm not nice to be around without food. will give it a go and try moving to 36hrs if I can handle 24

[GrimmaTheNome]

I've tried that sort of thing a couple of times but from early lunch one day to late lunch another day - wasn't too bad.

[frenchfancy]

If you want to do just 6pm to 6pm then you are better sticking to zero cals rather than 500. 500 cals then a normal dinner is just a light lunch, you are not really fasting;

[Ojos]

When you're doing a fast day, do you count the cals you eat only, or do you count any exercise calories. for example: you eat 500 cals, but you burn 450 calories exercising.
You total would be 50 cals! I'm not sure if I should then eat 450!?
Not sure what to do?

[frenchfancy]

You don't eat back your exercise calories on fast days. Your body has built fat reserbes for a reason now it needs to learn to use them.

[GrimmaTheNome]

French - yes, when I did lunch to late lunch I didn't eat in between. If you do this don't forget to drink plenty (applies to any fasting - lots of our liquid usually comes from food)