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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:
GreenEggsAndNichts · 18/09/2012 10:50

Good morning everyone! Fast day here- coffee as usual.

Great posts for Wilf there. :) Said all I wanted to, really. Tomorrow can be your fast day, no problem. I plan my fast days in advance but I'm sure there will be some day when it just doesn't happen. It doesn't help to get down on yourself about it, just focus for the next day.

In other news, am still congested and I can't imagine wanting more than soup today, anyway. :)

OP posts:
BuntCadger · 18/09/2012 10:52

Fast day here. Duet Pepsi so far.

BurningBright · 18/09/2012 11:18

Thanks Captainmummy and TellMeLater. Will try cauli rice with bean chilli later this week.

MandaHugNKiss · 18/09/2012 11:41

Fast day here, with a stinkin' cold type thing. And I had to torture myself by baking the pack of frozen pain au chocolate that were in the food delivery this morning because I couldn't fit them in the freezer. I rarely eat them, they're for my older two kids... but they smelt so good!

Really stressed about the house we're buying too - have to exchange and complete by Monday or it'll fall through and our solicitor seems to be the crappiest, slowest solicitor ever known.

Roll on this evening for my kebab... Grin

MandaHugNKiss · 18/09/2012 11:42

bunt I'm guessing it's the famous autocorrect striking again but I'm smiling at your Duet pepsi... makes you wanna sing with someone, eh? Grin

mommybunny · 18/09/2012 11:51

Had first fast day Thursday and second is today. 2 scrambled eggs on dry toast and black coffee and tea so far. I'm going out at lunchtime to gaze at all the gorgeous clothes I'm going to be able to fit into once I've been doing this long enough, to take my mind off how hungry I am! DH and I are going to have grilled salmon and veg tonight.

I deliberately didn't abstain from anything I wanted to eat or drink over the weekend, though I never intentionally stuffed myself. I want to run this WoE into the ground, really test it for all it's worth. The Horizon programme and the Telegraph article both said that low-fat diets on your feed days make no difference to your ultimate weight loss. For this to be a sustainable WoE, I have to be able to eat and drink whatever I want on my feed days - I can handle 2 days a week of eating almost nothing if I know that on the other 5 days I don't have to feel deprived. This weekend, knowing that has made me able to push away some things I might otherwise have scoffed with an "eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow I diet" mindset. Let's see if it lasts!

As my Jewish friends would say to each other in the spirit of Yom Kippur: "Have an easy fast."

TalkinPeace2 · 18/09/2012 12:23

Weighed myself today - down 5 pounds since the start of term. BUT more to the point, DH and I are still enjoying the WOE.

RE the fasting high - you will : your blood chemistry is changing.
BUT remember that it is only healthy when washed down with a small glass of white at the end of the week. Grin
And if you feel you have more energy, GO WITH IT - because activity breeds activity
I am not getting the high - but that is because I routinely do not eat between 7pm and non the next day.
About to go for lunch with a friend - salad in the sunshine.

littlemissstan · 18/09/2012 12:39

Delurking finally after 30 pages! Had my first fast yesterday, and was surprisingly fine - a pear for breakfast, cup a soup and crackerbreads at work, then mugshot pasta with extra broccoli when I got home. Even managed the gym this morning which I though would be awful due to so few calories yesterday (though did replace them with a bacon roll when I got to work). DP is doing it too so fingers crossed we find it easier and easier and get healthier and happier!

pookey · 18/09/2012 12:45

Interseting that some people have found it hard around certain time of month, might watch out for that. On a similar vein I haven't weighed myself but might just weigh myself once a month so I don't get put off by normal monthly variations. I am about 3 stone overweight.

So skipped breakfast and going to try and stick to tea and coffee then eat a small portion of whatever making for family - home made chicken curry today.

Finding it hard not to think about food. Need to get on with some jobs and keep busy!

ILoveLemonCurd · 18/09/2012 13:05

Fourth fast here. So far one cup of tea and some miso soup with added mushrooms. That soup will have to grow on me Hmm.

I did a huge food shop this morning as the chicken pox quarantine has finally been lifted. I've got lots of tasty things for fast and non fast days. I like it that I am really starting to think about what I am eating and if you eat something tasty you don't need so much of it IYSWIM.

Some turkey breast and roast veg for later. This is the easiest fast day so far Wink.

Desperate to go out for a run but DD is still off school and DH is out tonight. Might do a double dose of Jillian later, just after I have finished playing Barbies with DD. (I'm a Sindy girl at heart Grin)

Aboutlastnight · 18/09/2012 13:52

Miso is an acquired taste Grin

Today is a fast day and I have had a bowl of Thai sour spicey soup - a spoonful of paste dissolved in hot water is 20 calories and it is much nicer than miso.

mommybunny · 18/09/2012 14:23

I'm hungry. And my breath once again stinks (am I the only one experiencing this? I did make sure to brush well AND floss this morning!). But I am consoling myself with a new blouse and pair of shoes, which I went out and bought during my lunch hour, and a half liter of Diet Coke.

RightBuggerforGOLD · 18/09/2012 14:24

Fast day today, put off from yesterday. Had egg on nimble toast this morning for about 150 cals, then we went to subway, oops (dh still off work), so used the rest of my calories and then some on a turkey salad sandwich. Yum, but all gone by midday! I will be more sensible next fast day. ...probably. :o

pookey · 18/09/2012 15:13

My tummy is rumbling. about an hour after I last posted I scoffed a smallest quarter of dd's cheese sandwich then ate a mini apple and called it lunch. dinner will have to be an even smaller portion of curry

TalkinPeace2 · 18/09/2012 15:36

mommy
NO DIET COKE. Please. For your own sake. Diet drinks are one of the worst things for trying to lose weight.
Water
Hot water with lemon in
Black coffee
anything but diet and non diet fizzy drinks.

pookey
water and black coffee - and try to stay standing up and active ....

MandaHugNKiss · 18/09/2012 15:42

The only time I've ever tried miso was from pret and it kinda tasted like what I imagine a cross between dish water and pond water might taste like; if it were heated up, that is. Blurgh.

mommy are you sure your breath smells bad and if so, how do you know? It's just that the bad breath of ketosis wouldn't usually kick in so soon. But if indeed you're someone who almost instantly goes into ketosis then apparently if you drink plenty of plain water it helps you flush the toxins into your urine rather than exhale them.

Speaking of stinks, my nose tells me DS2 needs a nappy change - it's fun times like this that really help a fast day fly by!

BuntCadger · 18/09/2012 15:44

Why not diet coke? Without diet Pepsi I would really struggle

TalkinPeace2 · 18/09/2012 15:50

news.menshealth.com/diet-soda-fat/2012/06/21/
www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14034441
www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20075358-10391704/new-study-is-wake-up-call-for-diet-soda-drinkers/

and the rest ....
diet drinks knacker your insulin system - and getting the insulin system right is the primary aim of the fasting approach

GreenEggsAndNichts · 18/09/2012 15:52

mommy I second the notion that your breath may not be as bad as you think. Or there might be another problem, dental or otherwise? Do you brush your tongue? Grin Sounds odd I know, but it might help.

OP posts:
BuntCadger · 18/09/2012 16:02

talkin I never knew that. Sad I've been losing weight and inches and have 2-3 glasses of diet Pepsi on a fast day (none on feast days.).

hoops997 · 18/09/2012 16:08

Nearly finished at work, managed to have a cup of earl grey, 10 glasses of water and a banana, does that sound about right so far?

mommybunny · 18/09/2012 16:22

No Diet Coke - aaarrgh!!! Don't know how I will last! But I'll try. Right now I'm drinking plain sparkling water - the fizz does help somewhat.

Breath is actually not as bad as it was last Thursday at this time. I only notice it when my stomach is empty, so I don't think there's something "dental" going on.

Can't wait till my salmon dinner...

RightBuggerforGOLD · 18/09/2012 16:26

bunt I'm another one who cant manage a fast day without buckets of diet coke! Have been losing loads of weight and inches though. I will give up one day...

Hoops You are doing really well. Do you normally drink so much water, or is that instead of snacking?

TalkinPeace2 · 18/09/2012 16:46

mommy
www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/low-carb-diets-can-cause-bad-breath
you should ONLY be getting bad breath if you are excluding all carbs from your diet (which is not part of this WOE) and as the last sentence says - persistent bad breath is one of the markers for diabetes.

hoops997 · 18/09/2012 16:47

I don't normally drink that amount, just fending off the hunger pangs, I'm finding it not too bad actually Smile

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