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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.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

5:2 Diet Thread: Part Five! Top of the Mornin' to you!

977 replies

GreenEggsAndNichts · 07/10/2012 17:53

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 a month or two ago, 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 we've filled several threads by now. Please share if you find something particularly useful, and we'll add it for the next thread.

First things first, here are links to some of our previous threads: most recent one before that another one.

Another thread which breadandwine has just started can be found here. We'll be trying to condense some of our top tips for fasting there. Keep in mind, we all do this differently, so these are just tips, not rules.

frenchfancy has a recipe thread over here, please post any low-calorie recipes there so they don't get lost in these bigger threads!

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.

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. We tend to favour lots of hot drinks during the day (count your milk if you use it!)

Another food link, here is a link to the BBC Good Food site, with a list of low-calorie soups.

We often mention basal metabolic rate (BMR) here. This refers to the amount of energy (calories) a person uses when at rest; so, the basic number of calories a person needs to stay the same weight. This number is often quoted as being 2000 calories for the "average" woman, but of course is different depending on how tall you are, how much you weigh, etc. Here is a calculator which will easily help you to find out what your BMR is.

A BIG THANK YOU to all who have been contributing, btw. Most of us are learning this way of eating as we go along. All of the links above have been posted by others in our previous threads, 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:
TalkinPeace2 · 07/10/2012 21:54

I don't. I have coffee and fruit for lunch and then a nice supper.
BUT
everybody's metabolism is different - try options and see what works
you have 20 years to get it right!

rachelblythe · 07/10/2012 22:15

I have a day away and we are onto a fab new thread, thanks as always Greeneggs.
Been an eating weekend for me, ready for a fast tomorrow. Not had any weight loss again this week. Lost 12lb in total over 8 weeks, but 10lb was lost in the first three weeks. Still happy to eat how i am on non fast days and not put weight on, as i in the bottom end of the normal bmi now anyway.

ManOnBoard · 07/10/2012 22:29

Hello Trills. There are so many variables to calculating the number of calories that you burn, for example a 7st person who is bedbound would use 1000+ cals whereas a 14st person would burn 2000+ and with perhaps 2 hours slow paced walking this would increase by 2-300. It is highly improbable that any single person used the exact same calories on 2 consecutive days so 2000 is a reasonable average.

The weight loss, in my case, seems to have been as a result of a reduction of the total calories/exercise as has always been the rule but it is my overall attitude to food that seems to have altered, which I began to notice from about week 4/5 of this WOE.

Just eat like you normally would the day before a fast, limit yourself to 500cals on your fast day however you want to have it 1x500, 2x250, 3x167 etc and the day after revert back to nornal. It is the simplicity and limited days of denial that make this WOE so easy to follow.

Trills · 07/10/2012 22:32

Thank you :)

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 08/10/2012 00:08

christ I have eaten for England in the last 24hours, and have a spontaneous BBQ this afternoon. Thank god for a fast day tomorrow

The BMR index is odd - I can't believe that I would use up 1995kcals being on bedrest! Personally trying to keep within 2000kcals on feast days but also not calorie counting - eg had a mimosa brunch today, BOTTOMLESS mimosas. Bugger....prob used up 2000kcals just on booze! Getting stricter again from tomorrow, which will be easier once my mum arrives and keeps my dad in check.

Thanks for the new thread GreenEggs

ThinkICan · 08/10/2012 01:43

Hi supervixen. Another person on thyroid meds here. This WOE really works for us too! Lost around 10 lb in just over a month. Be a happy loser and join the gang!

AGeeksWife · 08/10/2012 06:58

First weigh in- lost 4.2lbs this week! I have a lot to lose so its fab, and I have eaten a lot on feed days, was convinced I was going to stay the same! Yay!

CrackerJackShack · 08/10/2012 07:01

I did end up having subway, but that was all I ate yesterday. It's a feast day today, but I haven't bothered with breakfast as I'm not particularly hungry. Not sure what to do about lunch as I was planning on going for subway again. Not really many options for healthy lunches at my work (I always thought subway was healthy Confused) and no time to make my lunches in the morning before work.... Sad

Trills · 08/10/2012 08:13

I think Subway is one of those places that trades on its "healthy" name, but of the thousands of possible combinations of things you could order only a few of them actually are.

CrackerJackShack · 08/10/2012 08:20

On my WW it gives you the healthier combos, so I always go for one of them. Yesterday was roast chicken on whole wheat with veg and little bit of lite mayo. Which according to myfitnesspal came to 472 calories (that was with cheese though, I didn't get cheese).

Debating pasta for lunch, as we have a pasta station at work, but I always worry about pasta....

LookBehindYou · 08/10/2012 08:36

Can you have pasta with salad cracker? The amount of pasta you're supposed to eat is miniscule! I've been over eating it for years.

CrackerJackShack · 08/10/2012 08:37

No. There are no salad options. My other option is rice and Arabic salads which are loaded with oils and greasy chicken.

CrackerJackShack · 08/10/2012 08:38

I'm using the term salad loosely with Arabic "salads" can't think of what else to call them.

ThinkICan · 08/10/2012 08:40

Read this in livestrong.com: Your diet should primarily consist of whole-food sources like meats, veggies, fruits and nuts. However, research published in the Journal of Nutrition found those who consume whey-protein shakes lost almost twice as much fat as those who didn?t have the shakes. Does anyone have info on this?

LookBehindYou · 08/10/2012 08:42

Then could you switch your meals around? Have pasta or the rice dish for lunch and a salad or soup - something like that, for dinner?

Aftereightsaremine · 08/10/2012 08:42

Well weighed in & as suspected no weight loss this week, BUT more importantly no weight gain. Have had lunch out 3 times this week & friends for dinner on Saturday so am thrilled to have stayed the same. Although as most of you know I have a lot to lose but I view this as a life long eating pattern rather than just losing weight. Anyway fast day today & stuck home all day waiting for oven man. Will be a challenge to stay away from biscuit tin!

LookBehindYou · 08/10/2012 08:46

think whey protein helps preserve your lean muscle when you exercise. So you lose fat while your metabolism increases. I think people use it also for 'healthy snacking'. You'd have to really watch your other protein intake though to make sure you weren't having too much.

CrackerJackShack · 08/10/2012 08:47

I promised DH curry tonight for dinner. Confused

I guess I could just limit my portions. No more than a cup of pasta and a cup of rice tonight for dinner.

MsIngaFewmarbles · 08/10/2012 08:52

Here I am on my first fast day and I have another question already. I had caffetiere coffee with ss milk and a sweetener this morning. I can't find the calories on mfp, can anyone help? I think almost all the calories are in the milk is that right? If so I can easily cut out the milk.

LookBehindYou · 08/10/2012 08:59

It's a food day though I've just seen cracker. So enjoy!

CrackerJackShack · 08/10/2012 09:07

It is, but I still don't want to overeat. Although it's lunch time and I'm only a bit peckish.

GreenEggsAndNichts · 08/10/2012 09:20

MsInga If it's coffee, sweetener, and milk, almost all of the calories are in the milk. So measure your milk and figure out the calories for the milk.

(I tend to just allot x number of calories to milk in hot drinks for a day, I overestimate and say 100, though I think I probably only use half that.)

OP posts:
GreenEggsAndNichts · 08/10/2012 09:26

Cracker I think Subway is "healthy" in the sense of, when it's compared to its more traditional, fried fast food neighbours, it's often the healthier option. You do need to keep an eye on the sauces, etc, and of course it can fluctuate with how heavy-handed the person is making the sandwich.

It's a learning process, once you've done a few fast days, you'll figure out what you can eat on those days, and you'll have a reduced appetite on the other days as well. Don't get disheartened. :)

Where are you? Egypt?

OP posts:
Mintyy · 08/10/2012 09:27

Fast day here and marking place on shiny new thread.

Alaska77 · 08/10/2012 09:27

Thanks for the new thread GreenEggs. Just marking my place here as I love to read everyone's progress.

Still going well for me on week 5. Doing 5:2 some weeks and 4:3 others depending on what I've got on. Clothes continuing to feel looser but I made the foray into the 'slim' part of my wardrobe over the weekend and was disappointed to find everything's still more than a tad tight. I must have started off heavier than I realised! Oh well, this WOE isn't just about the weight loss and it's early days. I can feel the benefits in my skin, energy levels and also I sleep much better too. Weirdly, in the first week my hair fell out so much! Don't know if that's got anything to do with diet but it was a bit alarming. Never suffered before! It stopped after about a week so maybe it was my body adjusting.

Feed day for me today but holding out to decide what I really want to eat. Just a banana so far.

Good luck today feasters and losers x