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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:
WeShouldOpenABar · 18/09/2012 17:09

Diet 7up is all i drink most of the time, I weaned myself off diet coke which seemed so much more addictive and bad for me , I've managed to convince myself 7up is fine cos its clear Blush

Ok so , I started last monday at 70kg/11 stone, this was way over my normal weight of 65kg/10 stone 2 , but my period came on tuesday unexpectedly and I'm sure my actually starting weight was 68kg/10.7 and the extra was fluid and my sunday lunch!

This morning after fast day yesterday I was 67.5 which is only about a pound loss or half a stone loss depending on what i take my first reading as.

So in other words I have no idea how im doing but at least the trend is downwards. Sorry about the kg/lb confusion, I dont understand kg at all but its the only scales that are currently working in my house.

I'll know how im actually progressing next week but so far the fasting is dead easy and the eating so much fun so if it works even slightly im going to continue indefinitely, currently 4.3 will move to 5.2 when im comfortable with weight.

I tend to have a tub of supermarket soup on my fast days , half for lunch half for dinner a coffee and two pieces of fruit. My breakfast & lunch remain unchanged from my usually diet so only dinner and lack of snacks change for me on fast days which if i keep myself occupied i barely notice.

onwards and downwards (hopefully)

TalkinPeace2 · 18/09/2012 17:13

contents of diet 7 up : www.labelwatch.com/prod_results.php?pid=601512

DisorderlyNights · 18/09/2012 17:21

I like miso. Yum.

I'm finding this fast (4th) the hardest. Perhaps only because I fell out with someone yesterday evening, cried a lot, and lost the buzz/high I've had since starting this a week ago. Hoping it's a short term thing because of high emotions yesterday, and I'll get my buzz back?

Definitely a mind over matter day. I've nearly given up loads of time. I have 100 cals left for a piece of fruit this evening.

hoops997 · 18/09/2012 17:32

Does anyone else eat the WW meals? They're quite low in calories and I could pad them out with vegetables

TalkinPeace2 · 18/09/2012 17:37

hoops personally I'd say you are better sticking to 'normal' food that you can carry on eating for the tens of years after you have settled at an ideal weight ....

hoops997 · 18/09/2012 17:59

Makes sense peace although I did have a WW cottage pie to use and lots of vegetables so dinner has been

Pie - 199
Veggies - 105

I have had 469 calories so that's it for the day, I'll drink lots of water for the rest Smile

This thread is brilliant, I also worked my bmi today, it's 29 so not too bad

RightBuggerforGOLD · 18/09/2012 18:04

I do hoops. They start at 211 calories, all counted out and prepared for you so you really can't go wrong with them, even if you're really clueless and lazy like me! :o

I don't wanna horrify you talkinpeace but i sometimes have a slimfast for breakfast, a ww ready meal for lunch and diet coke all day, haha. Works for me. :-)

MandaHugNKiss · 18/09/2012 18:15

I think, hoops that if at the moment it 'works' for you to use a ww meal which may not be the absolute gold standard for life, if it gets you into the habit of 5:2 then it'd be easier to make small changes as time goes on.

So, for instance, right now RBfGold may have a slimfast, ww meal and lots of diet coke. It's what keeps her sticking to 5:2. But, in time, perhaps 5:2 truly becomes habit rather than an effort and she'll feel ready to tackle another change and give up diet coke. In time, that struggle is conquered and so she concentrates on getting a fresh nutritious low cal brekkie rather than reaching for the slimfast. And so on (hope you don't mind me using you as an example gold - not actually suggesting you should or will do this!)

Because (imho) when we are changing a lifetimes habits, I think baby steps aren't as overwhelming as a total change of everything you do and so you're more likely to succeed.

For what it's worth, I hate the ww meals I've tried but marks and spencer have some really yummy stuff for around 400 cals that I happily eat (their count on us range or fuller for longer or the superfood salads, etc) Grin

pookey · 18/09/2012 18:42

Interesting about breath and diabetes, never heard that before, isn't there a note that people with diabetes shouldn't do this diet. I sometimes think I have hypoglycemia but app everyone has that to some degree. Are people finding they get less spaced out if they don't eat until dinner or if they space the cals out into 3 meals?

I don't drink diet coke but will try harder with water.

Well I am a lousy cook but today I cooked delish flapkacks and yummy curry. Obv I ended up tasting some of the mix to make sure it was on the right track but not a whole flapjack. Had a childsize portion of curry prob 350 cal.

Message is cook boring food on fast day.

Might skip breakfast and wait 16 hours to eat.

pookey · 18/09/2012 18:54

hugs disorderly - you have done amazingly much better than me and I had no excuse

TellMeLater · 18/09/2012 19:05

We often go for a ready meal curry with cauliflower rice or broccoli on a fast day especially if like today dh is fasting and I am not. I cooked the kids and I a chorizo stew and dh will have a normal Waitrose prawn masala (175kcal a portion) with cauli rice, it tastes as good as take away and leaves you feeling full. Must admit to not finding weight watchers meals very appetising as they are full of ingredients I don't recognise as food. But agree that whatever gets you through. Dh also has a diet Pepsi on his fast days...sometimes you just have to!

GreenEggsAndNichts · 18/09/2012 19:15

pookey I find saving my calories for dinner works best for me. If I eat earlier in the day that just gets me thinking about more food. I also like that if I save calories for dinner, I can have a very reasonable meal. I just have coffee and water during the day. It's not a problem at all now, but I did feel differently the first few fast days I had.

Also yes, cook boring food on fast days. Grin I'll often dream up something quite nice to make for dinner the next day, actually. Yesterday it was the lemon-rosemary sourdough focaccia, tomorrow might be split pea soup if I can find some decent smoked sausage while I'm out (I love soup, and the weather is right!)

OP posts:
RightBuggerforGOLD · 18/09/2012 19:22

I think that's it exactly Manda. Ww meals aren't what I hope to be eating for the next 20 years, but they do for now, it's a means to an end, making 5:2 as easy as possible. Once I'm more used to it and have got more familiar with other options for the calories, then they will gradually naturally phase out and be replaced with 'proper food'!

GreenEggsAndNichts · 18/09/2012 19:26

They're a good way to keep track of calories. I don't eat them at the moment, but I like the concept. Grin I actually found Morrisons new line (well, new this year, ish) of Nu Me meals to be really good. They had a really interesting selection, not all pasta based (which so often happens with low calories meals.. and I like pasta but it leaves me wanting more). Worth checking out if you're in a Morrisons anyway, I think.

OP posts:
HappyOrchid · 18/09/2012 19:32

Evening All,

Been an eating day today and will fast again tomorrow. am feeling very bloaty and fat at the moment. Weight has started to creep back up.
Week 7, this week, so far have only lost 4.25lb.

Was extra specailly careful not to exceed 450 calories yesterday, but def feeling lumpy.

I need to get some exercise, but until next week it will be a little difficult. As have to work away Thurs / Fri and will be taken out to restaurant and buffet lunch.

Ate a banans and then an egg salad sandwich for lunch, still feeling far too full for tea.

Not sure where I'm going wrong now, but maybe I'm premenstrual. Still that wouldn't account for my top being so tight I can barely lift my arms and my skinny jeans bulging. Buggerit.

Aboutlastnight · 18/09/2012 19:43

Well my fast day went well - porridge made with water with a splash of cold milk for breakfast, Thai spices soup for lunch (20 cals) and 2egg omelette with onions, mushrooms and courgettes for dinner.

Am full.

Fasting is getting easier.

MamaChocoholic · 18/09/2012 19:45

So I have a dumb question. I am on my first attempt at a fast day. I ate dinner last night, panicked at the thought of not eating again, had a bowl or porridge just before 8pm. Then nothing till 12pm today (3 oatcakes, miso soup, banana). Then fish and broccoli at 6pm today. I'm probably over the 500 cals today, but not by loads. However I am still v v hungry! Don't think I can sleep in this state. So do I have to now go till the morning, so that the low cal/fast period lasts for near enough 36 hours or can I eat something after 8pm, ie when a full 24h hours but not a full calendar day has passed?

Aboutlastnight · 18/09/2012 19:45

Have been using those innocent veg pots, or Waitrose equivalents, when at work.

rachelblythe · 18/09/2012 19:46

Evening ladies.feed day for me. Had two pieces of apple pie out of the freezer after my dinner (that had been there far too long, lol). I have thought about those apple pie slices quite I often since they were put there (at xmas!) but never felt comfortable eating them without the guilt. Anyway,I had them and...well, was really disappointed! Not nearly as nice ad I had imagined them to be. I did eat them without any guilt though, which was such a refreshing change :)

People talking about the high, I'm doing 4:3 and actually struggling to sleep now on fast days, not because I am in the least bit hungry, but because I can't 'come down'. I have half a can of energy drink first thing in the morning on fast days rather than breakfast but I'm going to not have this tomorrow and see if it helps with sleep after tomorrows fast.

pookey · 18/09/2012 19:47

lemon-rosemary sourdough focaccia sounds amazing GreenEggs - making me hungry again!

On the fence with ww meals can see it makes sense to eat normal food and make it a permanent adjustment. but if I am not losing weight after a month will def try that as much easier to control cals. Trying to eat less processed food but I eat ready meals occasionally anyway so maybe one of the fast days could be easy shakes and ready meal give the kids fish fingers day and the other day more healthy nutrient rich food.

HappyOrchid · 18/09/2012 19:48

Mama some people do the 24 housr thing, but its not really fasting. You're eating your normal food, then 500 cals AND normal food if you eat after 8pm. So if you wanted to fast 8pm to 8pm you would eat nothing all day.

Most people will eat normal meal on e.g. Monday night
500 cals on Tuesday
Normal eating on Wednessay, ie breakfast.

Its normal to feel a bit hungry on fast day. Try some hot water with lemon or stock cube in a mug to make you feel full.

Good luck

rachelblythe · 18/09/2012 19:51

Mamachocoholic - if you are following this like most people, and as per the documentary, then yes that is correct, you should wait now until the morning. Maybe have a warm drink and see how you feel. Have you got any bovril or similar to make a beef cuppa soup, only around 11 calories and some people day it helps. Something small like that isn't going to have any bad effect I'm sure

pookey · 18/09/2012 19:52

Def skip energy drinks if having trouble sleeping rachel. Maybe have some of your 500 cals close to bedtime. Oat biscuit and a piece of cheese maybe? Also try not to watch screens just before bed have a bath or do a pedicure or something - i always plan and fail to give myself a pedicure (does that sound patronising I'm sure you know the sleep tips!)

MamaChocoholic · 18/09/2012 19:55

Ouch. thanks for replying, but ouch.

We normally have tea around 6pm, so that would be 36-37 hours with 500 cals! I think I'd better manage 0 cals for 24h hours. Is that an alternative option or am I making it up as I go along now?

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 18/09/2012 19:56

Mama there's another version where you just don't eat in 24hours but you do't restrict your calories, so you would do lunch-lunch or dinner-dinner. I don't much about it but a friend was doing it earlier this year...might be worth looking at.

Fast day 5, week 2 for me. It's midday and I'm a bit hungry but nowhere near as I've been on previous fast days. DH has a suprise work-from-home day so I've cooked lunch for all four of us to eat together, slightly worried it'll make me extra hungry the rest of the day so planning on having 250kcal now (lean pork loin, butternut squash and broccoli), 120kcal on frozen yoghurt with DS later, then still have a little leeway for this evening and a miso soup if I need it.

I'm definately experiencing the hunger high on fast days - but seem to be able to get to sleep despite hunger pangs or the high! 9month old DD still not sleeping through might have something to do with that though....