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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:
GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 17/09/2012 20:35

I mean unsupported btw not unsupportive

do I win for getting the most "unsupportives" in one post!!

rachelblythe · 17/09/2012 20:35

I agree with GirlWithTheMouseyHair.

On another note, fasting day for me. Gone fine.started work on my new tattoo today which definitely gave me something else to focus on. On week six now though so fasting on one meal a day is also feeling very normal for me now :)

rowingboat · 17/09/2012 20:44

Hi all,
just back from a long weekend and actually managed a fast on Saturday and today (well today has been less stringent). I am also planning a fast on Wednesday as part of my - 4:3 for 2 weeks campaign of weight loss.
Don't think I could manage 4:3 for a long time as I do feel my brain isn't working properly when I am fasting and my energy levels are a bit rubbish. However sticking with it.
I find I am a bit absent minded at work, especially when things really hot up and I am under a lot of pressure to manage a number of customers at once. I find I am much more likely to flake when I am fasting and make more mistakes.
Had a long drive today so may have gone over my calorie limit, in the interests of staying alert whilst driving in torrential rain.
Laska that's interesting about the name meaning 'pretty girl' I will be over in the Czech Republic in October so can try that one out, probably on a child.
The tom yum soup does sound delish. I must go and do some shopping for my fast days - make them a bit more interesting.
Weigh in on Thursday am, so hope to lose a bit of weight by then.
Does anyone know exactly how much difference muscle makes to body weight, or is that just a myth. I do a bit of a work out 4 days a week and wonder how this will affect my weighing in?
Perhaps the measurements idea is the best?

GreenEggsAndNichts · 17/09/2012 20:51

Why is the support gone if it involves people with lower BMIs? We're all supporting each other in our efforts here, most of us are trying to lose weight, some of us need to lose more than others. A few are doing it for the health benefits and don't need to lose any weight at all.

It's a good place for discussing how we're doing, for getting through a particularly long fast day, or for helping people who are interested in trying it.

I think specialty threads could spawn if people want to make them.

OP posts:
hoops997 · 17/09/2012 20:51

I've decided to start tomorrow and fast, I'm at work so will be easy during the day, I think my downfall will be tomorrow evening, how do you get round that?

DisorderlyNights · 17/09/2012 20:54

Hoops - by staying busy! And going to bed early! They're what works for me, anyway.

Mintyy · 17/09/2012 20:55

Hoops, just grit your teeth and think about the nice things you are going to eat the next day! The point is not to calorie count or restrict yourself (within reason) on non-fast days.

I really recommend you watch the tv programme linked to in the first post of this thread.

hoops997 · 17/09/2012 20:56

Aha, so sleeping equals fasting :) sounds good, how about the eat days, can you really eat what you like?

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 17/09/2012 20:57

I go to bed early on a fast day!

TalkinPeace2 · 17/09/2012 21:03

hoops
Plan to eat sensibly - no more no less.
A nice mix of foods that will make you feel good at the end of the day.
No fad, no calories.

I've done food shopping on a fast day as I just told myself I was planning meals for later in the week.

BelinaTheChicken · 17/09/2012 21:06

GirlWithTheMousyHair the soup is great, and really cheap and easy

1.8kg broccoli (I get frozen cos it's cheaper)
1 onion
1 tin cannelini cannelinni white beans
tsp olive oil
stock cube

Brown the onions in the oil, then add the broccoli and stir for 5 mins. Add water and stock and simmer til broccoli is soft, then add beans and blend. I sieved mine to make it really creamy (and because my blender is shit), but you don't have to.

Have managed to stay well within calories, actually quite a bit under but I'm not actually hungry, are you supposed to eat the whole 500? Don't want to pick unnecessarily as this tends to landslide in to full on binge

BorisJohnsonsHair · 17/09/2012 21:15

2nd fast day here, and am off to bed VERY soon as I feel really hungry. 2 hard-boiled eggs with green salad at lunchtime, then 2 poached eggs (I like variety, me) with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach for dinner. Felt very full after dinner, until about half an hour ago. The last fast day I did I was surprised how little hunger I felt the next morning - let's hope tomorrow is the same.

rowingboat · 17/09/2012 21:24

Boris I hear you! I'm starving!
Just had a couple of slices of ham and an apple, but think it's an early night. I must be up to 700 calories by now, still pretty low in the big scheme!
Chomping tomorrow! Hooray!!!!
Night all!

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 17/09/2012 21:35

I feel so full in the morning after a fast day too - considering I go to bed hungry that's really odd! Eating normall today but am just grazing as just a bit of food leaves me feeling really bloated, then I'm hungry again about an hour later...

TellMeLater · 17/09/2012 21:39

Early night for me. Managed 450kcal today despite going out for a 14km run this morning - was expecting to be starving....not sure whether I am getting used to it or whether some days are easy and some aren't or whether all the food consumed on our weekend away has been adequately sustaining me - we ate & drank far too much. Dh and I are fasting on different days this week which may be challenging.

So food for today was
2 coffees & 2 teas,
Total Greek yoghurt
Half a chicken madras with cauliflower rice.

poachedeggs · 17/09/2012 21:43

Fast day number 5 done!

I'm finding it easy because I only fast when I am working a full day, and I'm too busy to think about hunger. It's a big turnaround because my work days used to be my biggest binge days (think mindless munching in the car etc). I'm finding I don't have that fuzzy-headed sleepy post-lunch thing going on, I'm definitely sharper, which is fab.

Having said all that I am very peckish tonight but I did a big (for me!) bike ride yesterday and perhaps I'm just hungry as a result.

I am not organised enough to make myself a packed lunch for fast days but for £2 I can have a small packet of ham (100 calories) and a tub of cherry tomatoes (hardly any calories at all for the whole box) so have tended towards that. I don't like eating so much processed meat though. Anyone else found any good ~200 calorie or less things you can buy cheaply in the supermarket and eat while driving?!

TellMeLater · 17/09/2012 21:47

poachedeggs You can buy cooked chicken in M&S in smaller portions.

BrigitBigKnickers · 17/09/2012 21:51

OK-I have at least three stone to lose in order to get my BMI down to a healthy level. I am 47 but have had alot of trouble with my joints so I have to do something.

I have taken the bull by the horns and started today with my first fast day. Just about coped spreading by 500 cals over the day.

There were some points in the day where I realised I actually just fancied something to eat rather than being actually hungry- hasn't been too bad but went food shopping this evening on my way home from work and am looking forward to eating healthily tomorrow but not having to obsess about calorie counting.

Hoping to try the 5:2 ratio for a while and if I cope with it ok may try 4:3 if it goes ok.

Have a cross trainer at home and am planning on doing 20 mins on each of my non-fast days (usually burn around 250 cals during these sessions so push myself quite hard.)

Wish me luck!

Laska42 · 17/09/2012 22:00

I have a recipe for a zero calorie (though slightly scary) snack for this evening , good for a fast day even.. though I dont recommend it

Measure out a small portion of natural popcorn kernels, place in pyrex bowl in microwave with lid, turn on,
Go back to study and carry on with report ..forget popcorn, realise and go back to microwave just in time to stop it catching fire., black smoke billowing , plastic lid melted, HORRIBLE smell!!

Throw all in outside bin having left it onstep for a while as it was really hot, Scrub mircowave and bowl ,..micro still works but is pretty nasty inside.might have to replace it now

ARGGH.... house still stinks,

SO RUDDY STUPID ...I nearly set light to theplave , AND no snack!! Shock
BlushAngry

pookey · 17/09/2012 22:05

Hi haven't read through yet but would like to join please. Tried on a previous thread then realsied I was bf and had better stop but no excuses now as dd is no longer bf . Might have yog or egg for breakfast

Laska42 · 17/09/2012 22:10

TML and others, I got my Tom Yum soup paste in sainsburys , buthave seen it othrsupermarkets . it comes in a small jar and you dont need much. MFP shows that Tablespoon at 40cals,, but even i'd only probably use a small half teaspoon worth (or less) in a cup of soup, You might not even want that.

My version has shrimp in but you can get veggie versions which are just as good i think .. ive seen pleanty of veggie ones in oriental supermarkets they probably would have them in supermarkets these days too .

Chilliheads! youll like this website I buy loads of stuff from them

pookey · 17/09/2012 22:11

App BMI is quite flawed. measuring body fat or body parts can give a better indication of need to loose weight

TalkinPeace2 · 17/09/2012 22:12

pookey - welcome.
Eggs are great - high protein, easy to cook and chock full of nutrients ...

NB
Quite a few of us have carried on exercising as normal on fast days. Its fine.

Mintyy · 17/09/2012 22:20

Oh gawd Laska. How long did you leave it in the microwave for? I can't imagine burnt popcorn smells all that appetising, poor thing Sad.

On a side note, I weighed out 25g of twiglets today (100 calories) and it was surprisingly few!

Just debating with self whether to have jacket potato and cauliflower cheese for my dinner tomorrow night, or spaghetti carbonara. Decisions, decisions ...

Mitchdafish · 17/09/2012 22:22

Hello fellow first-fasters and experienced ones... NotInMyDay I agree, childrens or family mealtime tricky, ideal would be a day on your own. Back to the real world though - by dinner time I was hungry however got full really fast. Was bonkers. Didn't even gorge myself Shock. Managed the day nibbling the occasional almond, tiny soup at lunch, lamb and veg for dinner. The lunch was an accident. Hope to do it again on Wednesday, might plan ahead this time though. It's helpful to hear other people's timings, either for their fasting or as hoops997 says, over a week?
FWIW I feel strongly that our BMI, our weight, size of muffin-top, our dress size... all immaterial. What matters is how we feel about it. It's really personal. Any of us wanting to lose some weight deserve equal respect, regardless of our starting point or our goal.
I started wondering if I was getting off on the fasting thing, felt a bit high. Is that just me? Blush

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