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! :)

Does that mean it will be back on iplayer, then, I wonder...

Fast day today. I'm feeling 'empty' but not hungry, per se. (with my fast, I will have a couple of black coffees throughout the day with one and a half sugars in each... but eat nothing until about 8.30pm when I have my dinner. Tonight, it'll be a large chicken shish in a wrap instead of a pita, with extra salad and a dollop of tzatziki)

Although, coffee has been tasting funny to me since yesterday. And two days ago I had sore nipples... I'm only 15 week post partum, ebf and no sign of a period yet so praying not pregnant. Can't be. Better not be! DF is booked in for a vascetomy in october

It's probably just fluctuations in my hormones, right? Especially as that paper suggests the regime 'masculates' the female rats and affects their fertility.

thanks catrus!!! I missed it and am going to record it for some motivation.

Mandahugandkiss just seen your post. Not sure this is a good idea if youre breastfeeding. Think you should check with a doctor or breastfeeding advisor - maybe the NCT or LaLeche helping could tell you

I take your recommendation on board thinkfast but I really think it's ok, so far. This is dc4 I'm feeding (dc1 for 18months, dc2 12 months, dc3 still occasionally and he's 2.5yo) so have lots of experience. At 12 weeks, he'd almost doubled his birthweight (average child will double at 6months) so I know that he's doing really well and I produce some sort of condensed milk!

I've been watching his nappies and behaviour in connection with the fasts - he had a couple of fussy days last week but I think that was him being generally off colour (ds2 had a cold last week and ds3 was snuffly too). Certainly he's been service as usual this week and I fasted Tuesday. I have noticed hardly any 'seed' in his nappies when I fast but it all reappears when I resume eating normally. SO I would say that although he'll have slightly less fatty, calorific milk for a couple of days a week, his weight gain thus far would suggest that my milk is 'extra' calorific usually so on balance I don't think it will be harming him especially as he seems his usual content self bar the couple of days last week.

I also take a calcium/vit D supplement every day and a pregnacare with omega capsule most days.

Of course, I will continue to monitor. I will stop in a heart beat if either of us seem to be adversely reacting.

I had been going to start yesterday but as I only decided in the afternoon it was too late to fast so today is fast day 1. So far I've had a coffee this morning with teeny splash skimmed milk, a kids size banana and a plum at 1pm, I'm going to have a camomile tea now and a small bowl of porridge with skimmed milk at about 3pm. Then I reckon I should have about 250cals to have some dinner at 7ish, thinking chicken and salad, then a low cal horlicks before bed. Does that sound about right?

I'm on holiday from work after tomorrow so i'd imagine it's going to be much more difficult then, staying with family and my aunt is a real 'feeder'. I'm quite excited about it all though.

I agree with Wilf's post from last night.

Non-fast day for me today and so far I have had a sausage sandwich with brown sauce on white bread and a bag of cheese and onion crinkly mini cheddars .

Will have a proper meal with salad or vegetables with family tonight, but no alcohol and no pudding - I don't really do puddings.

I don't drink Monday - Thursday most of the time as a matter of routine.

I didn't get to be this fat by dieting and bingeing, its just gone up and up a tiny bit each year until, like millions of other middle aged people in the first world where food is plentiful, I find myself facing 50 at something like 30lb overweight.

Marking place; congratulations to all of you that have lost weight
Finally got around to watching the horizons doc last night
Think I am going to ease myself in on a 5:2 and then move onto 4:3 once im used to the 'hunger'
I'm 5,5" and 10st , not a lot to lose but last 7lbs is prooving the hardest
Can I ask about the non fast days; how many calories should we be consuming?
I'm on mfp and on normal days I consume about 1200cals(after factoring in calls lost from exercise, but without exercise is usually about 1500-1700)
Is this too little or the right amount? I don't want body to go into starvation mode(as mfp keeps informing me) as this will defeat the whole point of fasting

Also is it possible for someone to outline the main points please, starte reading the first thread but it's taking me a while to read it and am eager to get started

YouTube bbc horizons doc
Here's the link for those who missed it
The video freezes halfway through on phone mind not sure if it's just mine but worked fine on laptop

Arggh So hungry right now!

Youshouldbedancing I think the basic principles are:-

1. 5 days per week you eat what you want
2. 2 days (or 3) per week you "fast". This involves eating only 500 calories (or 600 for a man) spread over one or two meals from when you wake up to breakfast the following day when you can have what you want again.
3. Eating what you want does not necessarily mean eating however much you want.
4. Drink LOTS of water on your fasting days

I think the ideal on your fasting days is to have just one meal, but I cant go that long so have 2. You shouldnt spread out your calorie allowance on those days by grazing on low cal snacks throughout the day. I think some people are dieting on their non-fast days, but for me that defeats the point of the 2 days' torture each week

Then it's trial and error of what works for you. For example, I found that I am better off skipping breakfast on a fasting day but need to have lunch or I cant concentrate on work.

Welcome and good luck! Keep us posted on how you get on.

hunger not helped by the fact someone has brought a cinnamon nutella cake into the office today

hi youshouldbedancing I think one important thing, for me, about this way of eating / weight control is to forget calorie counting. Those of us who have dieted using the calorie counting method do know how many calories there are in a carrot or a hard boiled egg . If you eat healthy food on your non-fast days, with the occasional treat, then you will be fine. Keeping it to under 500 on fast days is the crucial thing. I'm pretty sure my meals today (veggie soup and more veggie soup) will come in around 500 or less but I have not weighed the ingredients or counted a calorie. Nor have I done that on non-fast days and I've eaten ice-cream, bread & butter and drunk . Some fast days I just have tea, black coffee then an evening meal of something like jacket potato and cottage cheese with a nice salad (which I happen to love )

I get the feeling that I have finally found something simple that allows me to be flexible, go out to eat with friends and enjoy my meal annoying stick insect friends too really cut down the next day, be sensible but 'normal' the day after and then have the fast days to balance the excess days. It just doesn't feel like a burden in the way previous attempts to "diet" have, because then every day was an attempt to "be good" and that is boring!

Well done Lag, fab loss!

Manda I'm bf too and looked into the effect of diet on bf before even starting. Studies show quantity of breast milk production is proportional to how much and how often baby feeds, not related to how much or what the mum eats. Constitution of breastmilk is also practically identical in rich western diets as in nutrient/energy deprived mothers. So the evidence is that a diet like this really shouldn't affect bf, and this is what I have found too. Ds (8 weeks) is a very happy, big bouncing baby (75th centile) and not been affected by my diet or weight loss.

In fab news, I have officially now reached 'normal' BMI, and not overweight anymore! However I am a very small built so still look chubby. Ultimate aim is another 2 stone (BMI 20) for pre-pregnancies weight, but initial goal is 1 more stone (so I can get rid of all the maternity clothes)!

I think I've been under eating on eating days as not really been hungry but i don't want to make my body think its starving. So today I have deliberately included more carbs than I usually eat.. breakfast was strawberries blueberries and yoghurt , lunch cheesy chorizo pitta bread and tonight will be chinese-y chicken ,veggies and noodles ..I may have some wine as well.

Fasting tomorrow..

I did mention this on the first 5:2 thread and I'll just mention it on this one as well and then leave it alone and not hijack anymore. I think BIWI has been here too

I just want to emphasise that this kind of fasting is much, much easier (pleasurable, even!) if you're adopting a low-carb WOE, not a low-calorie one.

Skimming through the thread there's a fair bit of high-carb, high-sugar food being eaten, on both fast days and feed days. Not a judgement, btw! Just that it's WAY more difficult to fast this way because high-carb foods trigger hunger - it really is as simple as that. A low-carb diet naturally suppresses hunger (and you don't have to worry about calorie-counting either). Michael Mozley ate eggs and ham for his fast-day breakfast, I think? Because protein and fat will fill you up and make fasting a (relative) breeze.

Intermittent fasting is pretty natural imo, it shouldn't be something to be endured and battled through. It definitely shouldn't be torture! It's what our bodies are naturally programmed to be able to manage - but not in conjunction with a modern processed diet high in carbs and sugar. So it's worth seriously considering low-carb. Anyway, hijack over

Thanks for the advice, you're right about the calorie counting on non fast days, I don't want it to become a chore noting everything im eating
I'm starting tomorrow, had dinner at 5.30 today so will try to hold off tomorrows meal untill then!
I hope I get on well with this one, previously tried cutting back and only having one treat say but I HAVE to have sunday lunch so always felt like I was missing out during the rest of the week
I'll be back tomorrow evening to let you know how I get on

well done Lagartijadoesthecrazyshake - that's excellent . second fast day of my first week tomorrow and i'm hoping I do better than Monday as was nearer 700 cals than the less than 600 I was aiming for !

I agree about low carbs on fast days being easier.

I am a big carb person. Breakfast is normally toast, lunch pasta something or other and dinner with potatoes or rice. So cutting out carbs has always been one of the reasons I don't diet.

BUT, on this diet I only have to cut the carbs on one day. And I really haven't been hungry today. I had a bit of coucous with my ratatouille this evening but that is the only carbs I have had.

No way I'm low carbing on non fast days though :)

First fasting day for me today and I feel rubbish! My hips are aching, I have a headache and I can't concentrate. Is this normal?

I can't wait for tomorrow and I'm dreading the next fast!

viggle it gets easier! Make sure you are drinking enough & have tea/coffee to fill you up a little.

Viggle, it's my first fast too and I've got a headache and i'm quite irritable :(

I've eaten:

kids size banana, small plum, teeny bowl of porridge (about 20g oats), a small tin of beans and 2 oatcakes

i think that keeps me at about 500cals

Will need to have tea and resist biscuit temptation before bed. The thought that I can eat normally tomorrow is getting me through though.

I'Ve had lots of water and even treated myself to a teaspoon of fresh orange in a couple of glasses.
I've had 20g shredded wheat with a splash of milk
Apple

Small banana
Small carrot
Bag of plain French fries
2 spoons of beef stew specially made by DH

I do hope it gets easier!

viggle I find on fast days I'm OK til lunch (I don't eat anything til lunch) but then as soon as I eat I'm really hungry. I find no carbs easier on fast days...loads of veg as it takes ages to eat and fills you up. lots to drink. first fast day I had a headache too.

Thanks all. Will stick at it and report back!

I want to watch the Great British Bake off, but I'm not sure if it would be torture. My dinner was nice but I'm starting to get peckish now.

I definitely low carb on fast days.. (although watch them on eating days also).
If you are eating fruit and cereal based products I think you will get insulin highs and lows and that will make you more likely to be hungry and irritable .

Dr Mosley ate eggs and ham for breakfast and lean protein and veggies for dinner and I do also. (usually plain steamed fish with a little soy sauce on fast days).

I think this is probably harder if you are a veggie or vegan perhaps , but having said, that ive had porridge made with water and blueberries when I haven't had any eggs in , and ive also had tofu stir fry (made with stock) ,or stir fry with a few nuts or seeds, so it can be done..

Personally I wouldn't have apples on a fast day because i find they make me feel even hungrier a short while after and banana are just too many calories for not a big enough 'thing to eat' IMHO, (though ilove both apples and bananas and eat them on other days .

BTW. I definately recommend the Dr John Briffa 'escape the diet trap' book.and his blog.. He is an advocate of 5:2 also