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!

tbh wolver, an awful lot of us don't really know what hunger feels like. I don't mean a bit peckish.

Wow. That's incredible. I have whole days when I don't eat because I'm so busy. I assumed many people did.

'You only have to look at the Atkins diet to see that people can print any old rubbish with no scientific basis and nobody bats an eyelid.'

OP low carb high fat diets DO work and a lot of people find them far more successful than 'eat your weight in Muller Light yogurt' style low calorie diets.

Maybe when discussing with the teenage girls you can the educate them properly. After you've done your research

There is so much gold standard, peer reviewed, medical research on this now

Can you please link to even one gold standard study?

Yes I evaluate medical evidence for a living. This claims to be the 1st such trial ... Only 50 people per arm. Only 12 weeks. hmmm. Better than this one which has a grand total of 40 people in it (still just 12 weeks). Placebo effect lasts at least 12 weeks.

YANBU but as you have found out, people get very precious and defensive of their pet "healthy eating plan".

Believeitornot

Actually, I think it'd be reasonable to say no teenage girl should be dieting unless a medical professional informs them to. There's simply no need for the vast majority and it's not right to have a fasting day when they have a heavy day at school which will require brain food.

Fasting diets are not for those under 18 years old.

Some of the Research into Intermittent Fasting & Health

This InterviewPart1 and InterviewPart2 with leading ADF researcher Dr Varady explains why fasting helps you to lose weight and improves some health markers.

Dr Michelle Harvie (funded by cancer charities) showed possible benefits of intermittent fasting compared to standard daily calorie reduction in her trials (consecutive FDs) with women at high risk of breast cancer: ComparingDiets , EarlierResearch52

Dr Johnson showed intermittent fasting helped Asthma

Why Intermittent Fasting Works: Mattson , BlackSwan and Hormesis

Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications: J CellMetabolism
Recent research into the health benefits of fasting: e.g. by world-respected neuroscientist Dr MarkMattson showed:
. Improved glucose regulation
. Loss of abdominal fat with maintenance of muscle mass
. Reduced blood pressure and heart rate
. Improved learning and memory and motor function
. Protection of neurons in the brain against dysfunction and degeneration in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and Huntington’s disease.

He compared 5:2 to ordinary daily diets on overweight women with family history of breast cancer.
Fasting group lost more belly fat, retained more muscle & had slightly better blood sugar regulation.

More of his research is in HealthyAging , Health , AvoidParkinsonsDisease

His article in J Aging Mech Disease 2015 explains the health benefits of intermittent fasting in great scientific detail.

Why intermittent fasting and stopping snacking can lower your risk of serious diseases:
Meal frequency and timing in health and disease

NY Times Fasting Overview

Recent trials with Type 2 diabetics and those at risk of having it used a form of daily fasting - skipping supper.
Their conclusions: eating 1-2 meals per day is better than several small meals for losing weight and controlling insulin levels, see Type2Paper

I do this and it's pretty much changed my life. I was a size 26/28 in June and I'm now a size 16/18, the slimmest I've been in my adult life. I feel so much better and it's so easy to do, I've never to stuck to any diet/eating plan for this long and this just comes naturally to me. My blood pressure is back to normal, my skin is much better and my life is so much better :) Definitely not dangerous nonsense for me.

Wowsa jerry. May I ask how old you are?

I ask only because I'm now in my 40s and I am finding it super hard to shift the 8 or so pounds I've gained in the past five years. It is no joke that your metabolism changes at 40.

Phew, BigChocFrenzy is here with the links at her fingertips.

I saw the original documentary in July/August 2012
started 5:2 in late August 2012
got to "happy weight" in December 2012
and have used a lazy version of 5:2 to stay there ever since.

I've looked at the long term health benefits of intermittent fasting and never plan to stop.

OP
YABU

Check out the science - IMO it's solid and compelling - which is why I, as a scientist tried it (PhD but not in nutrition - but it does mean I know how to read and evaluate scientific research)

I first tried it in 2012 when the original programme went out - having looked up the relevant research papers ( I was working in a uni then and had full access to online journals and databases).

I was around 11:10 IIRC at that point. In less than I year I was 9:4. These days I maintain around 9 stone. It has TOTALLY transformed my relationship with food. I know that at any point I can compensate for any over indulgence by have a fast day. I also know that fast days are, themselves, good for my body. I genuinely eat what I want now - but what I want to eat has shifted, I don't have to eat because the clock says so. I know what hunger feel like.

I was on a course recently and heard a young man in his 20's telling someone that he was not having lunch because he was on a fast day. I'm in my 60's - but we had a long chat and found we'd had very similar experiences re fasting, increased energy for one thing!

It's counterintuitive because we've all been bombarded by the advertising of the food giants into thinking we need to be constantly snacking as well as eating "regular" meals. The actual science doesn't support that.

[chimes in] same as talkinpeace....used 5:2 to lose a stone, too thin for me so gained about half of it back and now maintain using 6:1.

Museumofcurry
Bigchoc and Cats and I are all a fair bit older than you .....
5:2 is fab at hitting the belly fat

Waves to talkinpeace and bigchoc

I'm another longterm 5:2 maintainer, nearly 3 years on.
As with any other weight loss method, if you return to your old way of eating, you'll eventually return to your old weight & waist.

pp mentioned Mosely's Blood Sugar Diet; It has a very specific target group:
Instead of the ordinary person wanting to lose weight, it is really intended for those with T2 or preT2.

It is an 8-week daily fasting diet based on the award winning research by Prof Taylor (Newcastle Uni) and the Newcastle Uni hospital protocol to reverse T2.

Taylor is funded by Diabetes UK and this is his Banting Memorial Lecture explaining his "Twin Cycle Hypothesis" about the cause of T2 and how fasting can reverse it.

OK, I've been doing some extreme dieting e.g. 800 calories a day but it's not working. Should I try this?
thanks talkin

MuseumOfCurry I'm 32. Wish I only had 8 pounds to lose! But honestly, give it a try, it's worked wonders for me when nothing else would and I've tried everything!

A couple of other posters commented on it being good for shifting belly fat and it really is. I'm an apple shape and was always a good 2 sizes bigger on top and for the first time ever I wore a size 16 top and bottom on Saturday!

I find it very easy to do, because I know I can then eat. It wasn't at first, because I actually fast on fast days, and don't eat anything for 24-36hrs, two times a weeks. But after 6months my body has adjusted. Knowing what hunger feels like is a good thing to know.

Bigchoc and Talky
Don't you feel that the very substantial commitment you have to way above average levels of exercise have as much to do with your great physical fitness/low body weight as your diet?

For me it worked as on the fasting days when tempted i tell myself I'll have it tomorrow but in reality, you don't. You don't add in extra treats just have them if you want on non fast days.

It only works if you eat well on the fasting days. I go for eggs, beans, fruit and veg to fill up

IF has worked for me. 18 months ago I weighed 102kg. Currently 58kg and still losing (although weight loss has now slowed and as I'm only 5 ft 2 that's still significantly overweight). It's easy, unlike daily calorie restriction. The trick is to know exactly what your 500 calories are going to be, and have them prepped or cooked in advance so you aren't hitting the fridge the moment your fast is up.

If it results in eating fewer calories than are used, there will be a weight loss. If it is intermittent guzzling, it won't.

Much easier to eat normally all the time but that doesn't sell books.

bibbity
Don't you feel that the very substantial commitment you have to way above average levels of exercise have as much to do with your great physical fitness/low body weight as your diet?
No.
Because exercise contributes stuff all to weight loss.

My sedentary TDEE
(ie sat on my arse all day doing tax returns and never darkening a gym)
is 1522 calorie a day

My Gym bunny TDEE
(ie walk a mile, swim a mile, do two hours of classes, walk home)
is 1965 calories a day

one small sandwich different .......

What makes the difference is that I do not snack
and that on Mondays and Thursdays I only eat supper.