To think the 5:2 diet is just dangerous nonsense?

[MrsMattBomer]

A girl I teach in sixth form was telling me about it today. I was a bit baffled by it, brought it up to a colleague who said it was amazing and really works.

Am I right in thinking it's basically just eating what you want and then starving yourself for two days? Is this not incredibly dangerous? Surely it's an eating disorder of some kind, not a diet!

[Sirzy]

It wouldn't be for me, but it does for many people and with long term success.

[Crumbs1]

It is OK and it works quite well. Fasting two days not starving (400 calories on two days). All doctors I know who diet use 5:2.

[ToastDemon]

YABU, it's hardly dangerous, why would it be?

[MadameDePomPom]

Well research has shown that this way of eating has many health benefits so no I wouldn't say it's dangerous nonsense. Maybe you should read up on it.

[MadameDePomPom]

'Am I right in thinking it's basically just eating what you want and then starving yourself for two days?'

That's incorrect for a start.

[Bobochic]

People need to learn to eat the right quantity/quality in the right circumstances without this being a big deal. Any kind of irregular eating pattern defeats that goal.

[MrsMattBomer]

hesterton

Well yes, but we've evolved. It's why we don't live in caves anymore and don't eat raw meat.

Our bodies have evolved to be used to a certain level of intake each day, and surely depriving the body of that isn't a good idea?

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

Why don't you read up about it before making your mind up?

I know two people who have successfully lost a lot of weight on 5:2 (say 2 to 3 stone each). 1 of them has put nearly all of it back on, 1 of them has regained about a stone.

[MrsMattBomer]

Babochic

Got to agree with you there. People would be better off learning how to eat properly and eat well, then they wouldn't need diets that involve starving yourself.

[InglouriousBasterd]

Works amazingly for me. Size 20 down to size 8!

[OurBlanche]

YABU.

There is so much gold standard, peer reviewed, medical research on this now that there is no reason for anyone to question its validity, let alone suggest it is dangerous.

That said, it is not, as with any other diet, recommended for people who have eating disorders. But it is not, in itself, a disorder of any sort!

[FeckinCrutches]

It's not starving yourself. I could still manage three small meals a day on my 500 calories.

[EssentialHummus]

There's rather a lot of research on why/how it works.

I've done it, DH has done it. If you have a certain mindset around food/dieting, it's incredibly effective and not that difficult.

Sadly I'm now back on the 364:1 diet (or "Judaism", as it's more commonly known), and need to get back to 5:2.

[MrsMattBomer]

bibbitybobbityyhat

That's my experience too. I have read up on it in the past but today brought it back into my brain. Almost everyone I know who's done it has put the weight back on once they get into a normal eating pattern again. Same with all the other ones like the juice diets and the cabbage soup diets.

[harderandharder2breathe]

I don't think it addresses the reasons for weight gain (emotional eating, portion sizes, snacking), but neither do many other diets.

I don't think it's particularly dangerous as for 5 days you are getting all the nutrients etc you need (or should be!)

[MadameDePomPom]

'People would be better off learning how to eat properly and eat well, then they wouldn't need diets that involve starving yourself.'

People would be better off reading up on the subject they're talking about.

[InglouriousBasterd]

Oh and maintained easily. "Lots of health benefits. Have a look on you tube for the original documentary, it's fascinating- honestly, don't judge it too quickly!

[MuseumOfCurry]

It's very good for you, far better than being overweight but a lot of people like to imagine that it's unsafe.

[MrsMattBomer]

I do think it's quite interesting that the NHS refers to it as a fad diet: www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/how-to-diet.aspx

Maybe it's not dangerous but it does seem slightly unhealthy if you're on it a long time.

[Giselaw]

Maybe the 5:2 as that's just marketing nonsense by Michael in order to publish his book before the doctors and scientists behind the fasting concepts, were able to publish their years and years of scientific research. It's all there in the program he presents all the proven benefits of fasting and in the end he just adds his own twisted version of 5:2 on it with absolutely fuck all trials, except his own weight loss.

and then makes millions.

[InglouriousBasterd]

Does the NHS still maintain that low fat, high sugar and chemical diets are the best diet? Or have they finally completely u-turned on it?

[OurBlanche]

You see that just shows you haven't read up on it.

One of the biggest psychological benefits of the diet is that people grow a more realistic idea of what hunger really is. Many people report getting feelings of satiety for the first time in decades, maybe ever. The common term is that they suddenly have a working full button. This enables them to make better decisions about food at every meal.

And, just to be sure you have had this thrown past you, there is no starvation on the diet. All that happens is that food intake is calculated on a weekly basis and restriction that amounts to the same 1 - 2 lb a week that is considered 'safe' in all other diets, is applied, on 2 days of the week rather than over all 7.

That's it!

[SerialReJoiner]

It needs to be viewed as a permanent way of eating rather than a quick fix. Nobody will keep weight off if they revert back to old eating habits.

I lost about 40kg using a modified form of 5:2 and intend to go back to it once I've had my baby. It worked very, very well for me.

[scaredofthecity]

It is not recommended for those who have any history of eating disorders (for obvious reasons... I should have paid more attention) I found it very triggering but for most people it works very well.