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Fasting / 5:2 diet

Talk about intermittent fasting and 5:2, including what’s worked for others. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

5:2 Diet Thread: Part Three. Come join us!

986 replies

GreenEggsAndNichts · 07/09/2012 15:51

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.

Here is a list of the links we've gathered so far about this diet. I hope I haven't left many out, but it was a 40 page thread! This is a good start for anyone, though:

First things first, here is a link to our previous thread, which we've outgrown. Lots of good support and ideas still to be found there.

Here is the link to the BBC article regarding Michael Mosley's findings, which was featured on Horizon.

is a link to the first part of the aforementioned Horizon, subsequent parts of that episode are linked on that page.

There is a Wiki article here which explains intermittent fasting and gives a short summary of some studies which have been done on it.

A blog post here gives some of the scientific explanation for why this way of eating helps you to not only lose weight, but improve your all-around health.

A Telegraph article which comments on the diet and gives a brief overview.

A study discussed here gives commentary specifically addressing the effect of this diet on obese people (both men and women), with regard to both health and weight loss. ("After 8 weeks of treatment, participants had an average 12.5 lbs reduction in body weight and a 4 cm decrease in waist circumference. Total fat mass declined by about 12 lbs while lean body mass remained relatively constant.) it also mentions "Plasma adiponectin, a protein hormone that is elevated in obesity and associated with heart disease, dropped by 30%. As did LDL cholesterol (25%) and triglycerides (32%).")

Important link if you are currently your ideal BMI: this appears to suggest the benefits for women at a lower BMI might not be seeing the same health benefits that are found on men at their ideal BMI.

And for those already fasting, here is a link to 100 snacks under 100 calories. :)

Another food link, here is a link to the BBC Goof Food site, with a list of low-calorie soups.

I will start a different thread just for recipe links, though, as there seems to be some demand for that.

A BIG THANK YOU to all who have been contributing, btw. Most of us are new to this diet. All of the links above have been posted by others in our previous thread, and they've been very helpful. Sorry if I haven't given credit where it's due, but it was just enough of a job getting them all in one post this afternoon. Wink

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

OP posts:
dandycandyjellybean · 11/09/2012 20:08

thankyou lby, that is how the sensible part of my brain is reasoning, particularly as I am seeing this as a permanent part of my life, but the stress driven, hormonal part of my brain just won't let me off!!! Sad

GreenEggsAndNichts · 11/09/2012 20:15

MamaGeek you might want to try and see how it goes. Honestly, I do not calorie-count on my eating days, and my maintenance level of calories is similar to yours (2200). I certainly do not restrict to under 2000 calories, and I'm averaging 2-3lbs loss a week. I am doing 4:3.

I suspect the diet is not simply about calorie reduction, perhaps fat is being burned more efficiently on fast days. I don't know. But I know a few of you are counting and planning ahead what your calorie deficits will be for the week and what they equal in terms of pounds lost, and I'm not sure that's exactly how it's working for me.

OP posts:
Laska42 · 11/09/2012 20:15

sexbomb Please do give yourself permission.. you have lot on your plate right now and you need to be kind to yourself in a difficult time . it doesn't mean you have to go totally mad , but only leaving it for a week or so.. (like me above) . i'm going to keep checking in , just so I keep in the loop ,and you could too
Good luck with your Dad.

Laska42 · 11/09/2012 20:16

greeneggs i've PM'd you

GreenEggsAndNichts · 11/09/2012 20:16

DUCKS am watching that as well. :) Planning my bread baking for tomorrow...

OP posts:
captainmummy · 11/09/2012 20:28

Well I consider my first fast day a bit of a sucess!

Had a boiled egg, some homemade tomato soup and a bit of salad, low-fat mayo and ham just now. MFP says I have had about 400 cals, but as a Low-carber I am more worried about the 48g of Carbs I had today - mostly from the passata in the soup!(32g in 500g pack) I try to keep under 30g carbs/day, and i hope i don't feel the effects tomorrow.

(Also I did notice that the low-fat mayo tasted so sweeet! After months of the real stuff, i think i'll just give low-fat a miss in future fast days)

LookBehindYou · 11/09/2012 20:29

Thanks for your confession Laska but I'm not sure what you're confessing to. 1200-1300 calories is far too little so I'm glad you're rethinking that.

Laska42 · 11/09/2012 20:30

Vanity I think LBY !

beamme · 11/09/2012 20:38

TalkinPeace2 interesting reading thank you. Something to think about, but since I don't drink the quantities they are talking about I'm not sure how relevant it is too me.

TalkinPeace2 · 11/09/2012 20:47

beamme the fizzy drink issue came up in one of Dr Mosely's earlier programmes ....

Lagartijadoesthecrazyshake · 11/09/2012 20:54

I'm not calorie counting AT ALL on feed days and I really don't think that's the point of this. I eat whatever I fancy. Obviously I wouldn't have 3 large pieces of chocolate cake or an entire packet of hobnobs or a whole tube of pringles etc etc, but mostly because I'm not hungry enough to do that. I thought the whole point of this was to eat normally on feed days?

My most recent feed days included things like:
Breakfast: very large bread roll buttered with scrambled eggs or ham
Coffee with loads of milk and 1 sugar mid morning
Lunch: Pasta (quite reasonable serving) with cheese and tomato, a yoghurt and a square of chocolate
Coffee with milk, 1 sugar
2 toasted pitta breads, with mayo, lettuce, tomato and ham. A custard pudding. 3 squares white chocolate.

Fast days I don't really calorie count as such, I don't eat til lunch and then I have things I reckon are low calorie (without counting) or small enough portions of things (that aren't high calorie).
Seems to work OK.

RightBuggerforGOLD · 11/09/2012 20:58

Thanks Talkinpeace, food for thought there! Not sure I can diet without diet fizzy though, I tend to drink it instead of snacking, it's like a replacement habit. Might think about giving it up in a stone's time, when I don't need it for that.

It's supposed to be a fast day tomorrow, but I'm having a little party with snacky food and cake, so might switch it for Thursday, but that will mean having consecutive fast days on Thursday and Friday (because I really don't want to have a fast day at the weekend - that's why I do 4:3 rather than ADF). Hmmmm.

beamme · 11/09/2012 21:13

Again thank you talkinpeace2, will admit I haven't seen all of Dr Mosely's programmes. The articles do make interesting reading but I'll have to do alot more investigating to make an informed decision.

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 11/09/2012 21:25

Largart I totally read that initially as your usual menu on a fast day!!

2nd fast day today - eaten all but my frozen yoghurt and strawberries I'm having with DS later. He has gym class followed by swimming lessons, so weird making sure he's getting tons of calories in him to see him through and restricting myself so much!

When is everyone weighing themselves? I weighed myself about 6 weeks ago at 10st 6lb then yesterday morning (after a fast day) at 10stone (well, 140.03lbs) but assuming that's because I ate hardly anything the day before - so is it better to weigh yourself on say the morning of a fast day, before you would normally start eating, to get a true amount? Weight is a tough one though - I'm trying to train for a mammouth bike ride too so eventually will start building muscle so I suppose better to go on how my clothes feel on me.

interesting about keeping up calories on feed days - shouldn't be too hard tomorrow, have a massive dinner out plus cocktail planned for the evening!

I am soooooooooooooooooo hungry.... (its only 1:30pm here)

Skinnyeye · 11/09/2012 21:45

Hi all eating day for me only managed to get 1000 cals down but am making it up with Wine. Lost 4 pounds in week 1 but am really struggling to eat enough after a fast day even though I know I have to. Anybody else having this "problem"? Never though I would be posting that I couldn't manage to eat enough LOL! will try and eat more tomorrow before Thursday's fast. Hang in there fasters you're nearly there :)

TalkinPeace2 · 11/09/2012 21:46

I weigh myself every Tuesday after my swim and before my class on the uber accurate scales at the gym ... do not have scales at home

Thina · 11/09/2012 21:59

Thanks for the links, and the advice, and support guys x

GreenEggsAndNichts · 11/09/2012 22:01

I weigh myself about twice a week. I weigh myself after a feed day sometimes, and sometimes after a fast day. I don't want to get too hung up on small shifts in weight as the nature of the diet means that some days you'll have more food processing in your system than on others. I'm not just a few pounds from my goal Grin so as long as the numbers are going down (average 2-3 lbs a week) I'm happy with that.

I always weigh first thing in the morning, regardless, though.

OP posts:
BuntCadger · 11/09/2012 22:03

I officially love my dh Grin. We are on fast day and he went shopping and found the most yummy naughty low calorie munch!

Pink and whites, huge wafer with pink and white mallow and only 50 calories! Sat here scoffing with an options Belgium choc (40 cal), after Harley's jelly (3 cal) and I've still got another 50 cal or so to play with before I reach 500cal. Dd nursed extra last night too so I've given her a total of 6 long feeds so I think I could even creep over the 500 cal. Envy @ dh having 600 cal allowance

Paddington76 · 11/09/2012 22:17

I have had an iffy feed day today. TOTM is due, my lunch was awful so I only ate about half and after yesterday's fast I was starving so indulged on far too much choc and crisps during an accidental visit to the shops. Normally this would end in me throwing in the towel, assuming I'd ruined it but I will carry on with my planned fast day tomorrow and see how I get on.

Just watched the Horizon programme on You Tube and have to say I found the science behind it fascinating, even though my driving force is weightloss at the moment.

poachedeggs · 11/09/2012 23:03

Glad I'm fasting tomorrow. Had the most enormous meal tonight (CPD and dinner so it was for work purposes) and feel awful for it. I was more comfortable hungry! This really makes you think about your body and its response to what you put in it.

Mega busy day tomorrow so fasting will be easy. Hopefully!

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 12/09/2012 03:02

So much hungrier today than last fast day. Been so busy so actually have prob burnt more calories which has made me hungrier, and started the day with a bike ride to Pilates and back. Might lay off proper exercise on fast days, a literally about to crack. Going to bed early to get the day over with!

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 12/09/2012 03:14

so everyone who sees this as a long term WOE, can you therefore see yourself just going hungry twice a week? After Sunday being relatively easy today has made me wonder if I can actually do it long term. Maybe once I've lost the last bit of weight just once a week wil be enough to sustain it?

About to eat my own foot!

HorryWinwood · 12/09/2012 06:16

Fast day today, my 6month old decided 4am was playtime and has been awake ever since, Berocca Boost for breakfast for me!