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! :)

[ChazsGoldAttitude]

And I will happily applaud your weightloss should you wish to share

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

This thread is in the Big/Slim Whatever Weight Loss Club for a reason. Most of us are here because we would like to lose weight. Most of us are also aware of the health benefits, and these are appealing, however this is the weight loss forum and most of the discussion will naturally fall into the subject of weight loss.

There's a General Health forum, if people are truly worried about the amount of time spent discussing weight loss here in the weight loss forum, perhaps we should start a thread over there as well?

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

And FWIW, I'm looking forward to seeing the health benefits, myself, however I can't check my bloods once a week. :) I can weigh myself, though, so yes I'm afraid that's the sort of updates I'll be posting.

[TellMeLater]

I worry about the way this thread is starting to go - no chatting about low carbing with 5:2 diet, no chatting about weight loss....surely we should be able to talk about whatever we like, if your focus is weightloss/health/fat adapted fasting whatever without feeling like we are being judged for not doing things "right".

It's one thing that bugs me about the diet forum - people thinking they have it sussed and insist that everyone else has it wrong, we're not kids and we don't need another mummy!

[Mintyy]

I don't have any scales atm, so if anyone is looking for weightloss updates from me they will be disappointed.

Chaz and Bunt, lets just pretend we're not in the Weight Loss topic, eh?

I want to hear all about what people eat on fast days for inspiration.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

I think there have been positive comments re: LC whilst doing 5:2. However, there have also been negative ones (example, LCer coming in and scolding someone for eating a starch because "it turns straight to sugar!" etc). If the person has sorter the calories for that item, then according to what little has been posted about this diet, that person is doing fine. They don't need the carb police coming in and admonishing them.

I understand (and practice- my fast days are all veg) that LC on fast days is better. But if eating a piece of bread gets someone through their fast day, and they are seeing the results they want, so be it.

I think we just need a bit less judging and a bit more support. I've found this thread to be extremely helpful, especially on fast days. :)

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

Mintyy we don't need weight loss updates. I just don't want people to think they can't discuss their weight loss, especially if it happens to be their personal primary goal of being on this diet.

I'd just like people to be able to discuss the diet, regardless of what their reason is for doing so, and not be judged for their reasons for doing the diet. If that makes sense.

[rachelblythe]

It's weight loss primarily for me too, with the health benefits being a bonus. With this being a weight lots forum, i want to be able to talk about this openly, without feeling like i might be upsetting others, and i also want others to talk about it, as it gives ideas and inspiration. Maybe for those that are generally only interested in the health benefits and don't want to see talk of 'diets' it might be worth then setting up a forum of the health site as suggested...? not meant to read nastily :)

[BuntCadger]

I don't care what reasons people have for doing 5:2 I just get a bit riled when I feel I'm bring told I'm doing it wrong and that I need to change it else it won't work iykwim.

For me I'd love to lose weight but I'm also keen to have the health benefits. I don't want to view it as a diet but as a lifestyle.

[BuntCadger]

greeneggs you said this thread was getting full, would it be good to start new one sooner and afresh with positivity

I'm counting down to dinner time here fast day.

[TalkinPeace2]

Could we have a specific "Fast day menu plans" thread?

That way it would be a LOT less judgey and a LOT more supportive

[ChazsGoldAttitude]

Mintyy I am happy to pretend away.

TellMe Part of my concern was that I don't want people to judge if I am not losing weight or focussing on losing weight. For some people, myself included, it a hard job unpicking your self esteem from the number on the scales and so I do need to move my focus away from that.

Weight loss is important if you are overweight but, for me, I know I need to focus on the bigger picture of improving my health otherwise this will just become another diet for me to rebel against.

I am not trying to censor any discussion and lets face it I couldn't could I, I can't make you write or not write anything. Nor do any of us have the only answer, its just asking for some recognition that some of us may have a different focus and can we keep this thread as broad as my hips possible.

[Mintyy]

As I said, Greeneggs ... I would love to lose weight. I like to read about people's losses. I won't be posting any myself, but I hope and expect to lose some ... I am significantly overweight so I expect to shed some, at least.

I happen not to like seeing people fretting over whether they can have milk in their tea or not because that all seems slightly obsessive to me.

HOWEVER, as I also said, I am very glad that this thread is here.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

Yep ladies I'm just sorting a new thread out now, just getting some links together for the OP and shall post here with the new link to that thread.

Talkin that's a good idea. :) Can sort that, too.

[Aftereightsaremine]

I'm doing this primarily for weight loss, however I've noticed that since I've been doing it my rheumatoid arthritis is not as bad! Now it could be that fasting is helping the inflammation or it could be less weight means less joint pressure but actually I don't care what it means just that I'm going to carry on!

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

alright, here is a link to the new thread. I have packed a lot of links into the OP, but if you see any you think should be there, please add them.

[BIWI]

My apologies to anyone who thinks I am the 'carb police' or that I'm here to 'admonish' or 'judge' anyone. I thought I was sharing knowledge with people here, as evidenced by the links and other information I have also posted.

[Sputnik]

I don't think they were referring to you BIWI

[LouiseDavies]

The reason that the milk in tea issue was raised is that the primary reason for this thread to start was the 5:2 fasting with the health benefits. It has become a diet issue also as Moseley obviously lost weight as a by-product.
I wanted to clarify if drinking some milk would invalidate the benefits of the fasting period not because of the calories involved. I have some weight to lose but would be quite happy to stay the same if I was able to avoid the possibility of inheriting the family risk of early cancer. I find this thread amazingly beneficial reading everyone's messages and would never judge on why or how anyone gets through a fasting day

[BIWI]

Well, Sputnik, it was me who made the comment about potato turning into sugar ...

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

I haven't re-read any parts of the thread, so I'm not sure who has said exactly what. I am merely saying that, the studies we've been linking to have regarded the restriction of calories on the fast days, not carbs. I've just sifted through several links for the next thread, and the focus is on keeping to 25% of your daily calories. One study specifically said the participents were eating a conventional, 55% carb, 25% fat, 20% protein diet.

So. No, I don't think I was talking to you, BIWI, as there are more than a couple of LC folks in the thread. I'm just saying, this particular diet is about calorie restriction on fast days. I realise this is anathema to LC in some ways. I'm sure there's room for a specific LC 5:2 thread. However, LCers who decide to do this will find themselves counting to 500 calories just like the rest of us. :)

So I'd really just like to stick to being supportive of people who are doing that.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

sorry, I xposted...

Okay, then what shall I say, BIWI? I know you LC, most of us know you LC. :) But if someone decides to eat a potato on their fast day, and that's under their 500 calories, I don't understand how it helps to tell them it turns to sugar. It's not the healthiest choice they could have made, but it is the choice they made, and they're an adult who has decided to do this diet.

I've noticed a lot of people have shifted their eating patterns on fast days away from starches. I think people naturally learn that it's easier to not have many carbs on a fast day.

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

Actually. I'm sorry, I think I'm just going to stop responding to this particular subject. :) Please continue to beat the drum for LC where you wish. I only noticed that it had upset a few others in the thread, and was trying to be supportive of them.

I am personally not that bothered, and I really dislike these sort of discussions which feel like arguments. :( I like you BIWI, and I'm not trying to come down on you. I just want a place where people who are doing this diet can support each other.

So I'm sorry if I've offended you, or anyone else for that matter. And look, there's a shiny new thread for us...

[BIWI]

to you to for all the work you do on this thread. And I am trying to be supportive to others, as well as to try and understand how it might work for myself. I'm too frightened to start it myself, so I'm looking to learn from other people's experiences.

I was a bit offended, because my comment about sugar was to provide information. Anyway, that's all I shall say for now too.

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[LouiseDavies]

I so agree Greeneggs. I think people are genuinely trying to swop tips but sometimes it is taken as criticism out of context. (And I still haven't an answer re the milk thing lol) and thanks for doing all the admin stuff