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Fasting / 5:2 diet

The 5:2 thread number 32 - We can eat it tomorrow: toffees, toffee sponge or even toffee sausages!

999 replies

TurkeyAtYuleHoHo · 04/12/2013 09:32

The continuing thread for those of us following the 5:2 fast or other forms of fasting such as 4:3, ADF, or daily 16:8.


The 5:2 diet was featured on Horizon in August 2012 and essentially requires you to fast for 2 non-consecutive days per week. The other 5 days, you can eat normally - or approximately your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE - see explanation below). 4:3 is the same except you fast on 3 days in the week. Alternate-day fasting (ADF) is just how it sounds; you fast every other day. 16:8 is another form where you stick to only eating in an 8 hour window each day, therefore fasting for 16 hours each day.


By "fasting", we mean that we keep our calorie consumption very low, around 500 calories on average for a woman, 600 for a man, on those days.


You'll find on these threads we use a number of acronyms. If you're new to the threads, or Mumsnet in general, they might not make much sense.


WOE/WOL = Way Of Eating/Way Of Life. We use this term instead of "diet" as many of us see this as something to do in the long term.


MFP = My Fitness Pal, a website or app many use for keeping track of the number of calories they're eating.


TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure, quantifies the number of calories you burn in a day. This measure is best estimated by scaling your Basal Metabolic Rate to your level of activity. TDEE is critical in tailoring your nutrition plan to desired fitness goals. Here is a link to a calculator to help you figure out how many calories you should be eating in a day.


NFD = Non fast day


NSV = Non scale victory


Michael Mosley has a website to accompany his book on the subject. Please go check it out, as he's the whole reason most of us are here!


Lurkers and new starters: please just jump in and post - you'll find a lot of support here and we’re a friendly bunch.


Here is a list of links to get you started with this way of eating. Please let us know if you find a new article or some other information online:


All our previous threads can be found by browsing through the fasting section of the site.


Another thread which breadandwine has started is a good resource for some of the tips and links that get lost in these big threads. In addition to sharing links, we try to condense some of our top tips for fasting there. Keep in mind, we all do this differently, so these are just tips, not rules. This might be a good place to catch up with us if you're feeling a bit lost!


eatriskier’s thread has some lovely inspiring stories which are worth checking out if you want some motivation to get started or keep going through a plateau. Please add your own too.


frenchfancy has a recipe thread over here, please post any low-calorie recipes there so they don't get lost in these bigger threads!


If you've been at this a while and are moving on to maintaining your goal weight, there is a thread here to discuss that.


Here is the link to the BBC article regarding Michael Mosley's findings, which was featured on Horizon.


There's a link to the aforementioned Horizon programme here.


A blog post here gives some of the scientific explanation for why this way of eating helps you to not only lose weight, but improve your all-around health.


This link nicely demonstrates that there are many body ‘right’ body shapes and types, because what we are actually aiming for is low body fat for fitness and health.


A Telegraph article which comments on the diet and gives a brief overview by Dr Mosley himself, very informative if you're just starting. (I highly recommend this for an overview)


A study discussed here gives commentary specifically addressing the effect of this diet on obese people (both men and women), with regard to both health and weight loss. ("After 8 weeks of treatment, participants had an average 12.5 lbs reduction in body weight and a 4 cm decrease in waist circumference. Total fat mass declined by about 12 lbs while lean body mass remained relatively constant.) it also mentions "Plasma adiponectin, a protein hormone that is elevated in obesity and associated with heart disease, dropped by 30%. As did LDL cholesterol (25%) and triglycerides (32%).")


Something to consider if you are currently your ideal BMI: this appears to suggest the benefits for women at a lower BMI might not be seeing the same health benefits that are found on men at their ideal BMI.


A BIG THANK YOU to all who have been contributing. Most of us are learning this way of eating as we go along. All of the links above have been posted by others in our previous threads, and they've been very helpful.


A HUGE THANK YOU to Greeneggsandnicht for putting together all this info and resources into one concise OP text, much appreciated by so many 5:2ers!


Come join us, and tell us about your experiences with this diet!

OP posts:
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TurkeyAtYuleHoHo · 04/12/2013 09:35

Oi LOSERS!

Please use last thread up first or we shall set BigChoc on you, and show Tip those pictures of you snacking! You know the ones! Xmas Wink

OP posts:
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TurkeyAtYuleHoHo · 04/12/2013 09:40

Oh and yes that does make me first Xmas Grin Xmas Grin :p

Thanks to Betsy for preparing thread and coming up with the new title. Thanks

Thanks to Toffee for inspiring the title. [sausage]

Thanks to TheRealToffee'sSausage for just being so damn sexy! Xmas Wink

OP posts:
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rubbishfamily333 · 04/12/2013 10:42

Just marking my place on the new thread Xmas Smile

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MelanieCheeks · 04/12/2013 11:31

Marking the spot

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annielewis · 04/12/2013 11:39

Marking place so i don't lose you all!!!

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EatriskierDrinkAndBeMerry · 04/12/2013 11:51

Xmas SmileFlowers

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postmanpatsreindeer · 04/12/2013 12:30

Sticky toffee sponge for me please, and no sausages unless they're veggie!

Thanks turkey and betsy for keeping us organised.

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sweetiepie1979 · 04/12/2013 13:23

Ok! I'm here. fast day today as Monday ended up being a mini fast due to the houmous moment! Today I have had a black coffee and a miso soup with Tabasco sauce. Tonight's dinner is waitrose low cal chicken korma. That will make it 500. I do feel lighter today but bot weighing in. Dh said I'm losing weight in my face and I'm getting g some shape back so that's good since I've only lost 4 pounds and still 2 stone to go. Dd2 made me run with the scooter this morning and when I wouldn't run she sat down in the road so I had to run for about 10 minutes absolutely wasn't fit fir it at 6 week's postpartum, never leaving the house with her again! Good luck all casters today x

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Dotty342kids · 04/12/2013 13:50

Marking place with some stats:

Height: 5"4
SW (Feb 2013): 11st 8
BMI: Not sure, but def in the overweight category
Lowest weight (Aug 2013): 10st 5 (just on border of "healthy" BMI)
CW: 10st 7
GW: 10st 2-3ish

Thanks to whoever suggested, on the subject of my self sabotaging tendencies, limiting the naughtiness eg. I can have wine, but not chocolate, or crisps, but not cake as well. I like that idea! Smile

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BigChocFrenzyAteYourReindeer · 04/12/2013 15:54

Well done creating the new thread, Turkey. We like the cut of your giblets.
Flowers
^^
Confused
Has some greedy avian been forgetting NND and Frenzying ??

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BigChocFrenzyAteYourReindeer · 04/12/2013 15:55

Toffee That is real fame: inspiring a thread title.

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BetsyJingleBells · 04/12/2013 16:05

Woohoo! Thanks cuckoo turkey YOU DID IT Grin Grin Grin - executed perfectly my dear :) Flowers

Credit goes to bssh and of course toffee (and sausage) for the title!

Teamwork!

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devoncreamtea · 04/12/2013 16:55

Hiya, found new thread! Good to hear all your ups and downs - frenzying??!! Think I may have joined in - did great first fast on mon, felt fine - next day ok, was really super busy, missed lunch as on train then felt very odd (low blood sugar?) drank a hot choc as on hop between meetings and that was a v. big mistake! Felt much worse. When finally got home was chaos and had to wrestle children into bed etc - so didn't eat till 8 then drank wine and ate some posh pudding.. today feel bit hopeless! Any tips about what to do the day after a fast to feel good and keep the whole thing going? How much weight did you guys expect to lose doing this WOE - and was it pretty quick or have you needed to persevere for results? I've read the lovely inspirational thread, but it would be great to hear your experiences too. Will not fast till next week now as have horrid cold.

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whimsicalname · 04/12/2013 17:13

Oh dear I'm in Starbucks. My husband made me a toffee horse once. Long story. The coq was au vin. Frozen treasure! Having a hell of a day. Will do mini fast tomorrow.

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postmanpatsreindeer · 04/12/2013 17:22

My husband made me a toffee horse once

Well, I've never heard it called that before!

Sounds a bit like the sort of thing DD2 would come out with too though...she is famous for 'I accidentally drew Hitler today' and, said with a shrug, 'Ducks have gas!' (the last of which was while wearing a duck onesie...you can guess what happened!)

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BsshBossh · 04/12/2013 17:46

Thanks for the new thread Cuckoo / Turkey.

Hello! Please everyone continue to post your stats:

Height
Start weight (with BMI if poss)
Current weight
Goal weight

Let's inspire each other with numbers!

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dingdongduckyfuzz · 04/12/2013 17:48

hello new thread

will there be sausage orgies on this one too?

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BsshBossh · 04/12/2013 17:57

devoncreamtea
Any tips about what to do the day after a fast to feel good and keep the whole thing going?
I simply eat whatever I want (some days all I crave is a thick slice of cake, other days I want lots of protein and fruit. My key thing is that as I always overindulge at weekends, I consciously try not to overeat on weekdays. But 5:2 is so entrenched in my routine now (been at it since February this year) that it's second nature. The health benefits keep me motivated more than the weight loss these days.

How much weight did you guys expect to lose doing this WOE?
I expected to reach goal.

and was it pretty quick or have you needed to persevere for results?
Quick to begin with (though I consider 1 lb loss a week to be a good amount - I'm easily pleased!) now much slower. Perseverance, patience and diligence are my catchphrases for anything I want to achieve in life and I'm very good at sticking with things.

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Talkinpeace · 04/12/2013 18:10

My stats are on my profile pic
But

as its Christmas coming up
I'm going to take a picture of me in a party frock and add it to my profile (face blanked as usual)
Lets all do them
especially the men in their frocks
and have a virtual 5:2 party going by Christmas eve .... Xmas Grin

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ToffeeOwnsTheSausage · 04/12/2013 18:18

Grin

Does this mean I am accepted, here and joined in? .

Sexy ShockShock.

I felt slim tonight when ironing Grin.

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ToffeeOwnsTheSausage · 04/12/2013 18:22

I mean generally in life I have not been accepted and welcome to join in.

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EatriskierDrinkAndBeMerry · 04/12/2013 18:27

tip I shall join you in the Christmas party dress picture, but I'll take it just before I go out so I look half decent!

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postmanpatsreindeer · 04/12/2013 18:36

(((((toffee))))) I'll be your new BFF if you want one Thanks

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whimsicalname · 04/12/2013 18:44

toffee I often felt like that too. Of course you're welcome to join in (although I'm not sure if I'm qualified to say that!)

Stats: I got up to 14 stone when pregnant. What's that in lbs? Had baby in January. Started weighing in April. So that's my start weight, although before / between pgs I hovered a bit above 10 lbs.

SW 170 lbs
CW 135 lbs
GW 133 lbs (but I'm starting to think I might aim for 127 which is 9st)

And I'm 36 and 5'4.

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headintheclouds · 04/12/2013 18:53

ooh stats are very motivating and I will also post a pic of the Christmas party frock but just before I go out so I'm looking gorgeous Xmas Grin.
5 '3" 50 years old
Pre 5:2 SW 11st 9 BMI 28.9
5:2 SW 11st 2 BMI 27.6
CW 9st 11 lbs BMI 24.3
GW. 9st 7. BMI 23.6
I might revise the goal a bit lower when I get there

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