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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:
3duracellbunnies · 19/09/2012 13:45

I had my first fast day yesterday after disasterous aborted second fast day last week when I fainted in hospital when I was supposed to be looking after dh!

It was fine, had only 40 calories for lunch, but used up the rest for supper! Did wake up hungry this morning, well ds woke me just before 5 and was hungry so couldn't get back to sleep. Cleaned kitchen instead till 7.

Not sure whether to do 6:1 this week or fast on Friday. Think I should leave 2 days between fast days at least. I do have lots to do though with ds's party on Sunday, can I resist all the baking?

TalkinPeace2 · 19/09/2012 13:49

Wilf
do 6:1 this week and then 4:3 next week - planning it down to the last mouthful
buy in what you intend to eat, leave in the shop what you do not.
Remember that black coffee is great - zero calories AND an appetite suppressant AND it gives you energy

the 16 hour thing
its about giving your digestive tract time to deal with what is arriving.
Have a nice supper and then nothing for 16 hours - ie 8pm to noon ie skipping a solid breakfast.
BUT the meals you do have have got to be healthy - mostly fruit and veg - to make sure that your system stays healthy.

LookBehindYou · 19/09/2012 13:57

Wilf, it doesn't matter. Make this a 6:1 week and get back to 5:2 next week.

littlemissstan · 19/09/2012 13:57

Second fast day ever for me! Not finding it too bad, treated myself to a little sushi snack for lunch to have with 50 cal chicken noodle soup, tasty so I don't feel deprived! I know some of you won't approve but I'm going with the mug shot pastas for dinner, they are quick when I get home starving and quite highly flavoured, and it's much easier to measure the calories. Will have a look at the recipes though for when I am into the swing a bit more.

I found yesterday that I was starving after my first fast day, and worried that I'd gone mad in eating everything and made the fast void, but when I mfp'd it all it was only around 2,200 cals - and I was really full, so it seems that I can't be doing that badly!

hoops997 · 19/09/2012 13:59

loulou it's not a lot of weight to lose but it's so hard! I'm finding this fasting ok and having another fast day tomorrow.

Are you going to weigh/measure weekly or monthly?

mommybunny · 19/09/2012 14:05

Aftereights, yes I do count calories of balsamic etc (MFP makes it easy to do so). I've been avoiding milk in my coffee and tea for that reason, but I'm thinking I might go back to tiny splashes of milk and no sweetener - I can forego milk or sugar/sweetener in coffee, but not both, and I'm trying to wean myself off sweetener.

LookBehindYou, I found a new, low-cal way to cook vegetables in The Skinny French Kitchen, by Harry Eastwood. Simply "poach" them in a little boiling water in which you have melted oh, say, 1 tsp (don't have the book with me) of butter. They come out "glazed", with just a hint of butteriness, for very few extra calories (you certainly aren't consuming a whole teaspoon of butter). If you haven't tried it I recommend it.

I'm also contemplating changing from 2 250 cal meals per fast day (breakfast and dinner) to a single 450-500 cal one (lunch), with maybe a piece of fruit when I feel I need it.

BIWI, very interesting link on intermittent fasting. I did say I don't intend to pay excessive attention to what and how much I'm eating on feed days, but your link indicates maybe you can't be so blase. I'm still not too worried - I may be an American but I sure don't eat like one! I'm not "allergic" to fruits and vegetables, I eat some protein at every meal, and in general I don't like large portions. I very rarely eat fast food or "junk food", though I do love fish and chips from time to time Wink. And I do like my wine.

From what people here are saying, it sounds like the fasting itself helps recalibrate the metabolism and appetite to point you toward more healthy choices and portion sizes on the feed days, which is just the kind of process I'd like to happen. And the mere existence of the feed days takes away the guilt (and the pleasure of the guilt, IFSWIM) of eating something "naughty", so you don't feel like "I might as well eat it all up and enjoy it now because I'm going to have to starve myself for weeks to diet this off".

Does that make sense?

BIWI · 19/09/2012 14:08

Grin Sorry, the posting of the link wasn't intended to be an insult to Americans!

And agree (I think) about the recalibration.

mommybunny · 19/09/2012 14:10

No offense taken BIWI Wink.

LookBehindYou · 19/09/2012 14:15

Yes totally agree that this WOE makes you more aware of what you're eating and how.

LookBehindYou · 19/09/2012 14:15

Thanks for the tip mommy. Will try it out.

rowingboat · 19/09/2012 14:19

Hi all halfway through a fasting day and going fine so far. Cooking my lentil soup for tonight and eyeing up a pineapple in the fridge for a little pudding possibility.
Peace that is a good idea about looking at recipes I must plan at least one nice meal. I tend to have the same breakfast everyday so will leave that.
Perhaps the effort to count calories and think about food on fast days alters my attitude to eating and when the normal day comes it is sometimes tricky to get back into a normal eating frame of mind. I didn't have difficulty in deciding when I wasn't fasting. Strange?
I do think having fast days too close together doesn't work for me and I go into starvation panic mode. Mmmm chocolates!

rowingboat · 19/09/2012 14:22

Mommyb that 'glazed' veggies tips sounds good to me. I feel a bit dicky if I overdo fat anyway, so good solution!

TalkinPeace2 · 19/09/2012 14:25

BIWI
That link is really interesting - especially as it has a full bibliography (unusual on a web article!)
I'm going home to the US for Christmas so I'll be able to comment on 'typical' diets Grin

Aftereightsaremine · 19/09/2012 14:30

Thanks mommy I have been counting balsamic but was hoping I didn't have to!

SuseB · 19/09/2012 14:55

Am noticing a definite fringe benefit to DH and I doing 5:2 - we are eating less food (there is more in the fridge, weekly shop lasting longer) and therefore saving money too. It sounds obvious but has only really struck me this week as I noticed my mental calculations about what was in the fridge have been a bit off - there's more food than I think and I don't need to go shopping yet.

I had thought I might be saving a bit of time on food planning/prep but I don't think I am: still have to feed the family and even on fast days am doing small bits of prep/cooking for me and DH.

Anyone noticed any other fringe benefits?

Laska42 · 19/09/2012 14:55

I havent counted balsamic.. dont think its made a significant difference to weight loss .. (but then of course I cant know that!)

Fasting again today, then I had to meet my son this lunchtime in a cafe (unplanned meeting) .. He was eating of course - along with everyone around me.... Torture!! But I didnt crack, just had a mint tea . Consequently, I could eat my own arm right now .. but will have to wait until I get home after work for my plate of broccoli and chicken..

Actually I do find it great that the hunger doesnt really build once its got to a certain point ..

Seems like this WOE is catching on, got in this morning and my boss said she was trying it out forthe first time today also ..

Right .. green tea.. and back to work..

loulou969 · 19/09/2012 15:17

hoops I am 52 and am really strggling to lose although the primary reason for me following this is the health issues but the weight loss is just as needy!
Got down to 11 stone last year and felt fab but another half stone would have been perfect. This time it is so much harder! Think I have been overdoing the feed days so trying to level out a bit and have just some treats rather than a free-for-all.Really don't want to calorie count on those days but not losing much at mo.Weigh most Wednesdays in Rosemary Conley class which I'm going to for exercise as well but never at home as don't have scales.

mommybunny · 19/09/2012 15:27

Laska, you're probably right that not counting balsamic won't make a blind bit of difference to whether you lose weight. I just do because I have a habit of being too generous with myself - a pinch of this, a dash of that, and before I know it I've blown my entire allowance on stuff that I didn't really need, but of course if I don't "count" it I don't know and don't compensate for it.

Just went back and read the Krista Varady interviews in the blog link mentioned in the OP. If she's right, everything I've been doing so far, and every pre-conceived notion about this WoE that I have is spot-on.

katykuns · 19/09/2012 16:13

Sod the fast day.. I am too ill. I'll start again when I am better.
Fed up.

GreenEggsAndNichts · 19/09/2012 16:23

Eating day here. Have come back to the thread to discover there's a couple more Americans than just myself here. We're everywhere. :)

Am just about to make a pot of split pea soup. For the first time in a long time, I'm actually going to put a small amount of smoked sausage in. I do like that I can eat things I would have previously avoided on a low-cal diet.

I've also ordered a new pair of jeans because my current ones are quite literally falling off now. yay!

Good luck fasters :)

OP posts:
GreenEggsAndNichts · 19/09/2012 16:24

oh fwiw I do count every calorie on fast days. I allow about 100 calories for milk and the tiny amount (1/4 t.) butter I use on my veg when I have them for dinner. Then I weigh everything else. I tend to err on the side of caution on fast days because I do want to make sure I'm fasting properly. Am not normally so fastidious. :)

OP posts:
TellMeLater · 19/09/2012 17:30

Hope you feel better soon katykuns there's always another day for fasting!

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 19/09/2012 17:55

I was going to ask about weighing everything on fast days, I've not done calorie counting before so being fastidious about it too, but for those who have done it - do you just guess based in your knowledge?

I totally get the whole needing inspiration on feed days thing, need to make sure I eat good proper meals rather than being in a CBA state and snacking on crap all day.

I'm a Brit living in America, but I'm in LA so the "American food mentality" here is more leave at least half your meal, never chew in public, a dirty martini is one of your five a day etc which has permanently left me feeling guilty when chiding down with my British and breast feeding appetite but this WOE seems to allow me to have a foot in both worlds

It also means I've kicked the sugar in my coffee habit!

Thanks for links to recipe threads, I'm going to try out one big meal tomorrow so any ideas for something 350ish cals appreciated - will save the rest for milk in drinks and emergency miso!

Laska42 · 19/09/2012 18:05

GWTMH On fast days I use myfitnesspal to workout what I can get for my 500 and weigh everything..its interesting because I've realised that before my portion sizes were huge.. I've just religiously weighed out my broccoli and chicken (its cooking now) . It seems I can have 80g of chicken and not go over my 500 and I'm surprised at the size (more than I thought it would be , but much less than id usually eat !)

Feed days I weigh nuffin.. ! Dont even look it up .Grin.

Laska42 · 19/09/2012 18:14

suseb
I'm spending a lot less on food as well ..even though I cater for others as well.. An unlooked-for benefit.. I must have been eating tons before!!