Aibu to try the 5:2 diet?

[KylieKoKo]

I posted this on the diet forum but it seems quiet.

I've put on nearly a stone in lockdown and having been significantly overweight before I don't want to go back. I tried everyday calorie counting but life kept getting in the way and I thought it might be easier to be super strict two days a week than vigilant every day. As I'm working from home I can control exactly what I eat and there's not the temptations of biscuits in the office.

Had anyone here had any success or otherwise with it?

I've planned out my meagre 500 calories tomorrow. I'm eating a relatively large volume of food for the calories, focusing on veggies and protein and miso soup. I won't eat til as late as I can during the day. Does anyone have any other tips?

Opps sorry you've said - so do you mean on 4 days you would do 500 or 800 calories and then on your 3 days - you would fast?

DH and I did 5:2 a few years ago and it was really effective. I lost at least a stone. We have intermittently done it since if the weight is piling on.

I think you have to be aware that on the none fast days you can't just go "Wa hey fry everything and serve it with cream". But the fact you can eat relatively normal on the five days makes it easier to endure the other two

Have you consideredifting weights and eating fairly heartily? I've got a good physique and eat 3000 cals a day (I'm a bloke but it's still a decent amount).

I have a massive pig out on Saturday (sometimes as much as 5-7000 cals!) and don't get fat as long as I'm squatting/deadlifting etc.

@BBCONEANDTWO

Opps sorry you've said - so do you mean on 4 days you would do 500 or 800 calories and then on your 3 days - you would fast?

I'm guessing that it means 4 days at where she eats what she likes (within reason!) and 3 days eating 500/800 calories per day. You wouldn't do very low calorie days followed by fasting! (At least I hope not ... )

In my experience it does work but you also have to eat healthily on the 5 days! I couldn't sustain it long term though, as is the problem with most diets.

I do 5:2, fast days get much easier as you go along. I tend to save most of my calories for dinner. I'll have some fruit mid afternoon and then a nice evening meal. I feel much better since starting 5:2 a year or so ago. Good luck.

Eating nothing on those days is easier than sticking to 500 calories!

Because 5:2 is about implementing long-term lifestyle changes, this approach normally doesn't work because it makes most people more likely to find it too tough, give up and/or binge the next day, rather than retrain yourself about portion sizes.

It works for me, 23kg or so lost over a year and now maintained long term. I really rate it (I would, wouldn't I). And the 5:2 threads on here are a wonderful source of support.

I found that I had to remember not to eat more on the days following fast days. I thought I should be hungrier than usual, but actually when I listened to my body, I wasn’t.

It worked for long term weight loss and maintenance for me. Mostly because it really helped me re-set my approach to food, fasting helps me be much better about eating when I’m hungry and stopping or saying ‘no thanks’ when I’m full.

@ForrestTrump I do lift weights which helps but I stopped when gyms shut. I have weights at home but they just sat there gathering dust over lockdown. I'm back on it now gyms are open. I also do HIIT when I fancy some cardio.