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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 · 20/09/2012 21:26

Ending my fast day now. Had some veg and a cup of soup. Oh, and a Beechams for the cold I've got; yes I even looked up how many calories were in the amount of sucrose it said it had. Grin This way madness lies...

OP posts:
GreenEggsAndNichts · 20/09/2012 21:27

BTW looking at the number of messages we're at, I think I'll start a new thread tomorrow. Just a bit of warning for you all. :)

OP posts:
Aftereightsaremine · 20/09/2012 21:28

Well today was a feast day & boy did I feast! I've come to bed as I feel so rough that I've eaten so much, clearly I am adapting as I used to eat this amount normally & it not bother me. Hmm thinking maybe that's why I'm 5 stone overweight!

Didn't have great day yesterday as some of you are aware & I thought not to worry ill be better on Friday. Just remembered got a breakfast & lunch meet tomorrow & people over for dinner. So will restart next week. Best laid plans & all...

Laska42 · 20/09/2012 21:32

GWTMH Roughly 587 cals
this is what I put in to myfitnesspal as not really knowing exactly what you had ..
..
Butter - Salted, 2 pat (1" sq, 1/3" high) 72
Fage - Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt, 1 cup 130
Generic - Olives, Green, Pitted, 5 olives 20
Allinsons - Wholemeal Batch Bread 1.5 slices 165
Orange - Large Orange, 1 Orange 85
Marmite 25
Fruit - Fresh Figs, 3 small (40g) 90

Mintyy · 20/09/2012 21:33

Ooooh, I was sorely tempted to break my fast day today! The dc had fish and chips from the chip shop for dinner Grin. I ate about 4 small chips and a humungous bowl of home made carrot and coriander soup and seem to have ridden the storm. Am quite pleased with self.

I don't think I've lost any weight though Hmm. I have at least 30lb to lose and have done 7 fast days so far (over 3 weeks) and there has been no noticeable weight loss. Think I am going to have to bit the bullet and weigh myself. Eeek.

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 20/09/2012 21:41

Thanks Laska....goddamn butter! Hmmm within vaguely reasonable limits though - I'd have to eat a shitload of food to turn it into a feast day though. Planned on ratatouille dinner with baked fish so I'd probably get up to 1000kcal maximum - unless I finish off the half bottle of wine as well....

It's 1:45pm, might just see how I go, maybe do an intermediate day today and fast as planned tomorrow. Not sure I can make it to bedtime with nothing else to eat

BrigitBigKnickers · 20/09/2012 21:42

My fast day over at last.
I have had:
Splash of milk with cups of tea
4 seafood sticks and a few cherry toms
3/4 tin of French onion soup
4 sticks of celery
2 low fat yogurts
100g prawns with a big green salad and a bit of home made low fat seafood sauce.

Actually feel fine but looking forward to a little more tomorrow! (And a glass of wine which I have managed to avoid even on food days )

Laska42 · 20/09/2012 21:44

GWTMH oh yes, plus your 50 cals milk ...so probably 630 ish on my reckoning .. so not too bad ..I reckon you could you could call it a fast day, as probably the yog and butter I entered was more than you ate

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 20/09/2012 21:46

oh bugger that doesn't include the milk or sardines though - right, back onto a feast day then and fast day planned tomorrow!

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 20/09/2012 21:46
TalkinPeace2 · 20/09/2012 21:48

fast done - 525 calories today - but I did an hour of BodyBalance
and did not touch the biccies on the table at my 2 hour meeting this afternoon :-)

Tomorrow is wine and pizza
nom nom

MandaHugNKiss · 20/09/2012 21:49

DF gone to fetch takeaway curry... it's late for us but he didn't get in until late, blah blah, you know how it goes sometimes.

Looking forward to fasting tomorrow; not least so I will automatically stay away from the cookies (ate THREE of 'em today!)

Hey, green looks like we'll need yet another thread very soon already!

MrsMargoLeadbetter · 20/09/2012 21:49

Fast day for me too.

Just went for 2 bowls of soup, one at lunchtime and one for dinner. And a few cups of tea with skimmed milk. I like the ease of soup, needs to be something with bite so beans/a bit of meat but still under 250 each bowl.

Scales were looking good this am, but will try to hold off celebrating until official weigh-in day on Mon.

Wishing everybody a good fast/feed Friday!

GreenEggsAndNichts · 20/09/2012 21:51

I know, wow, thought I'd wait til tomorrow but might just go set one up now to be ready. :)

OP posts:
Laska42 · 20/09/2012 21:52

But tomorrow I'm making aubergine parmigiana for dinner .. that'll be Loads of calories. Then Saturday I have family coming and planning a barbie if the weather is nice..then fasting again Sunday..

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 20/09/2012 21:54

We have a big BBQ planned sunday too - wondering if I can make it a fast day regardless. Trouble is I'll want to drink litres of beer....

Laska42 · 20/09/2012 21:56

GWTMH oops sorry forgot the sardines ..could be another 100 then (thats half a tin of sardines in tomato sauce)

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 20/09/2012 21:58

they were in water and I don't think I had that much butter but it's still too over to be counted as a fast day...thanks so much though!

dandycandyjellybean · 20/09/2012 22:03

Have found today really, really hard, been very grumpy and snappy. I'm very tired after a few full on weeks, and am obviously fighting something off as I have been cold (only ever feel the cold if i'm ill) and have a cold sore.

You know it's bad when you're googling the individual calories in a polo! Have had 4 cups of tea with milk today, which I haven't counted, 3 polos and a raspberry, on top of about 100 cals of soup, 297 Quorn lasagne and 75 cals salad with superlight mayo. I was out at a meeting tonight, but just had half a celery stick and a tsp of pnut butter as I felt i really needed protein. Will have my 40 cal options hot choccy now, and retire to bed in a huff!!!! Grin tomorrow is Brew and Wine and Biscuit!!!

Laska42 · 20/09/2012 22:08

hmm .. MFP shows 1 whole pack of Waitrose aubergine parmigiana as 509 calories ..what a yummy fast day!!

Trouble is my homemade version will be loads more no doubt.. and then there's the ciabatta and the 3/4 bottle of Wine that goes with it........Grin

rowingboat · 20/09/2012 22:19

Hi all,
Just checking in, post fast day. Weighed myself this morning and have lost minute amount of weight, so it has been 2 weeks at the same weight.
I am now thinking I need to reduce calories over the week so plan to start a weight loss diet until I reach a weight I want maintain, then return to fasting to maintain and for health reasons.
I definitely don't want to change to 4:3 after the past week.
I would like to still incorporate some form of fasting a couple of times a week, but i am trying to work out how to do that.
From what I understand the 5:2 has two elements: one is the fast for 14/16 hours and the other the calorie restriction. If I still did the fast from say 6pm until 10am the next day would I still get the benefits of the 16 hour fast?
I'm not really clear on the benefits of the 75% reduction in calories on top of the fast, can somebody explain?
I am thinking of changing to around 1200 a day with one or two days at 2000. That would give me a calorie deficit of around 4000-4800.
I am not finding exercise very easy on fast days, but know I can exercise on 1200, so it would give me the flexibility to exercise whenever I wanted. Which is important to me as my hours are pretty irregular.

catsrus · 20/09/2012 22:20

well I've had one of my veggie soup days - tarted up with dollops of yoghurt and hot sauce. Just had a vodka and slimline tonic though (for my sore throat - it was medicinal Wink) but HELP!!! dd is making cookies - i might not have much of a sweet tooth but they smell wonderful Confused.

hoops997 · 20/09/2012 22:23

Hi all,

Finally finished a fast day Smile decide to only have 300 cal today

Porridge 187
Grapes 90
Half a spoon of sugar 7

So comes in at 283, was very hard but I've done it. Tomorrow a feast day and will eat like a pig probably Grin

Sounds like everyone is doing fab!

GreenEggsAndNichts · 20/09/2012 22:38

Alright I had to re-link all the links, and I've added some new ones in, like the BMR calculator.

Here is the new thread.

It's ready for tomorrow, though you can start posting there tonight if you like.

(In case anyone is wondering why a new thread: threads on MN top out at 1000 posts, and we're just at the 950 mark now. We post quite a lot, though so I'm just trying to keep up!)

OP posts:
GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 20/09/2012 23:03

Thanks greeneggs

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