The new 5:2 diet thread

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

The continuing thread for those of us following either the 5:2 diet or the alternate-day fasting diet. Both are two versions of Intermittent Fasting, which you can read more about here.

The 5:2 diet was featured on Horizon recently, and essentially requires you to fast for 2 non-consecutive days per week. The other 5 days, you can eat what you like. Alternate-day fasting is just how it sounds; you fast every other day. By "fasting", we mean that we keep our calorie consumption very low, around 500 calories on average, on those days.

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

Getting my gallbladder out on Tuesday next week, so really looking forward to being fully recovered and being about to do this properly!

I lost another 3lbs this week. Clothes are looking better too. still got a massive belly though. If I can keep this rate up though for another week, I will have lost a stone in 4 weeks. Fast day today, so far so good.

Thats utterley fantastic rightbuggerforit a total inspiration.. I want that to be me in 4 weeks ..

I'm fasting again today, so far feeling fine. This will my third week.
I don't have scales around ATM so not sure about weight loss since doing this, but I started just over a month ago doing strength training and lowish carbing then started 5:2 and the difference in my body is really noticable, clothes looser and just looking better generally, feeling stronger and fitter.
I work out 3-4 times a week for 30-40 minutes max, I'm really happy with results so far and feel I could keep this up long term no problem.

lurk

Nice work rightbugger :)
Yesterday after exercising I noticed my belly had actually disappeared behind my tits, as it were. It's back today, but it would be nice one day not to look pg anymore. :o

My weekly 'proper' weigh in today Think I've lost another lb this week so not fantastically fast weightloss but I'm still VERY relaxed about what I'm eating on normal days. Am officially 'on holiday' though at home and a bit of a change to be losing a lb a week on hols instead of putting 3lbs on each week! Went to a christening yesterday so stuffed face and drank lots; and then ended up in a Turkish restaurant in the evening with my family so not doing too badly

I quite like my fast days now too! I feel a bit crap when I eat crap and it is interesting to properly notice this, instead of the permanent 'crap feeling'. So the fast days sort of feel pleasant, after the initial little chat I have to have with myself, you know the one at breakfast that goes 'you don't really want to do this, you really want an enormous pile of toast with chocolate spread don't you? Go on, it won't do any harm, you can cope...' 'No, just one day, have the chocolate toast TOMORROW - just this one day...' After I've got past about 11am I'm OK.

Well done to the losers!

I'm going to weigh myself next week, so i don't become too obsessed with the scales, as it can be a little discouraging if you haven't lost much one week. I might get a better idea of how it's progressing if I weigh every fortnight.

Today is a fast day. I did a 45 minute spinnning class this morning (as I knew I wouldn't have the energy to do it later.) Have just eaten my only meal today, a bowl of tomato soup with a slice of dry bread. I feel stuffed and slightly sick! That comes to 340 cals, so enough left over for milk in my tea.

Indigo, I struggle to sleep on fast days. I don't like going to bed hungry.

Dontcallme why not try and divide your calories into 2 meals so you have something in the evening too? I couldn't manage on just 1 meal in a day. Also maybe substitute some of the teas with herbal tea or green tea so you won't need milk.

Marking my place as I think I'll be doing this too. Am really interested by what I've read and watched so far, and the losses you've all achieved are great!

How do you all feel if you work out (45 mins cardio, 15 mins weight training) on a fast day?

Anyone else feel the urge to lick the plate on fast days ?

(I've just had my 2nd 250 cals ..white fish, salad , so thats it for today...Roll on breakfast.. Did someone mention toast earlier?...)

Ah well I have green tea and a glass of fizzy water with lemon slice to look forward to in the meantime ..

squishy 45 mins cardio and 15 mins weight training?!!
Whats that then? LOL, Respect, Sister!

I only tend to cycle (usually 6-8 miles at a time - dont get off for hills) , walk , zumba and rebound mostly .. I find even on Fast days I can do those ok , though sometimes getting up the hills on my bike I think my legs are definately giving up ...

I saw a kettlebell class advertised recently though.. I may start giving that a go ..

Squishy I think you'll need to try it and see how you go. My first few fast days, I don't think I could have done much exercise. Now, though, I feel just fine, not hungry or lightheaded or anything, and am actually quite active. I'm unable to do proper cardio for another month (long story) but I do a lot of walking on those days and it's not been a problem. If you were doing weight training on those days I'd guess you'd want to be sure to get a bit of protein in whatever you do eat. (I mostly stick to veg on fast days)

However, the reason I say you should try it and see, is that people are having different experiences with fast days. I actually feel more active and alert on those days, but I wouldn't say all of the responses are the same. :)

Squishy
On a normal day I do not eat till Lunch - and supper will have been at 7pm the night before
I regularly swim a mile and do two hours of classes (yoga / pump or spin / Balance or Yoga or balance) of a morning and feel just fine
BUT
I've been doing it for years and years

if you start to feel AT ALL dizzy, be very very careful

Wow rightbuggerforit that's great motivation - have you found it easy to stick to the fast? Any side effects headaches / sore throat? Could you give us a quick summary of what you eat on fast days? Are you doing any exercises? Sorry for so many questions - curious to get view of someone with experience :-)

I think I'm going to have to come off this thread now.
I just can't do it. I am so weak willed.
Bloody hungry and just scoffed a chocolate bar.
I have not had 1 successful fast day. Not one.

Wishing all of you all the luck though, and maybe I'll feel able to do it at a later date.
Will continue to lurk.

Silvery
You do know that on a fast day you are still meant to be having 500 calories ....
which is a GOOD bowl of cereal, endless cups of tea and a bit of fruit .....

and more to the point - why was the chocolate bar in the house ???? :-)

Yes. I've been adding everything onto myfitnesspal.
Today a salad for lunch and an orange, for dinner I have measured some pasta (it's a tiny amount) and some sauce with some grapes for after which I have already eaten.
That took me to 500.
I sent dp to the shop because I am in a foul mood and am hungry

Oh, silvery your disappointment is palpable.

I truly think you would benefit from doing a couple of weeks of Low Carb to switch your body into the zone of stable blood sugar/utilising fat for energy then you won't have the massive crashes of hunger that are causing you such problems with the fasts.

There WILL be a way that works for you. You're not simply 'weak willed' you're attempting to change a lifetimes habits and that won't happen overnight. The key is that you pick yourself up, dust yourself down, and try again (or try something slightly different)

Hang in there.

Thanks for the congrats and the questions. i feel really good, really proud of myself and like I am getting on top of my weight now. The results are really motivational.

I haven't done any excersize really, I have a baby and a toddler and we walk to the shop every day, other than that, my arse is settled on the indent in the sofa pretty much! I am bf though, so some calories will be going on that. I have got hold of an excersize dvd now but have so far found excuses not to get on with it.

I got headaches the first week or so. I fast mon, wed and fri and find it easyish to stick to, especially now after a few weeks of fab results. I've got my eyes on the prize, so to speak - the prize of being slim in a couple of months if i keep this up, and then not having to be as strict anymore about the eating.

On a fast day i always have a slimfast for breakfast, then whatever else i can find for the other 270 cals, sometimes i have it for lunch and sometimes dinner. Omlette, egg/cheese salad, cheese salad sandwich with nimble bread, or a ready meal have been my main options. I drink pepsi max all day too for practically no calories, and water of course.

Well done everyone else too - sputnik, it's one of my special aims to stop looking pregnant too!

Silvery, i don't think that's too bad tbh. So you had your 500 cals, and then a chocolate bar, so thats about 750-800 cals total? Not bad, why not aim for fast days of 700-750 cals for the first few weeks, then you have some wiggle room for a bit of choccie if you're desperate for it, while you get used to the whole idea of it? x

Silvery if you can branch out and try some veg (you were the one who mentioned that you don't like veg, right? Correct me if I'm wrong!) you should give it another try. I am not sure I could manage a fast day that involved pasta. Having even a bit of pasta just leaves me wanting loads more! I can totally empathise with you wanting chocolate after that.

When you try another fast day (because you will ) try to do it with protein (an egg maybe) and veg. Manda has some good hints there. I can't low-carb for the long term, but it has its benefits, especially for a fast day.

As Right says, it's possible it hasn't taken you over your limit. Depends on how big it was.

fwiw, my first fast day, I'm sure I went up towards 700 cals. I had a last-minute desperate grab for something more substantial (small piece of focaccia I'd baked the day before). Those first attempts at fasting are difficult until you get used to it!