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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:
Sputnik · 14/10/2012 16:51

Yes MOB, I think I would also be a little Hmm if my partner sat watching Jane Fonda workouts :o

MikeOxardForHalloween · 14/10/2012 16:53

Talkinpeace that post made no sense. We all probably want different things in a partner, people are very diverse you know - everybody is someone else's wierdo. Jillian Michaels is clearly yours!

Olivia I have been doing Mon, Wed, Fri but switching if something came up. I am fasting today though because I have decided to go ADF this week and see how that goes, which means it'll just be every other day now.

Yesterday I had 1300 cals and I had put on half a pound when I weighed this morning (compared to my weight yesterday), I wasn't expecting that. :( I weigh every day and had worked out 1300 as my maintenance weight. I am sometimes only losing about half a pound per fast day now too, whereas I was losing over a pound when I first started. I suppose I should've expected that really, after all I weigh quite a bit less than when I started so it makes sense that I would need less calories now. (Still though, boooo!).

TalkinPeace2 · 14/10/2012 17:27

If we were happy with our size / weight, we would not be on this forum

Trills · 14/10/2012 18:17

Mike you can't expect every day's weight to go down consistently. Don't be disheartened. Half a pound could be due to having something salty the night before so holding more water. Or maybe you needed a poo.

MikeOxardForHalloween · 14/10/2012 18:38

Yeah, I know a lot of people's weight fluctuates, but my body is usually really responsive - my weight reflects consistently how I've eaten the day before. Although I am prone to being bunged up, so could have been that I suppose. I'm still doing really well overall, I think I'm more bothered probably because I'm fasting, so hungry and moody!

Trills · 14/10/2012 18:44

I know what you mean, I sometimes feel like this

MikeOxardForHalloween · 14/10/2012 18:52

Haha, that's me! x

Trills · 14/10/2012 19:01

I am going to make that chocolate cake and take it into work.

Thelittlestranger · 14/10/2012 19:37

So, ended up having a heavy night on the sauce last night unexpectedly with some friends. I decided to stick to vodka as it's less calories. BAD idea...so hungover this morning that I have craved all beige, carby foods. And had to cancel going to the gym, sigh.

Olivia, I do Mondays and Wednesdays, and then 16 hour fast on Fridays.

I currently use the gym a lot as I'm on mat leave so have the time time to do it (2 out of the 3 children are at school) but may struggle to fit it in once I go back to work. I think people need to do whatever they need to, to move more. If that's a DVD, walk, run, gym session or dance class so be it. Just because there is hype, it doesn't mean intelligent people get suckered in to it...and if they 're getting sweaty who cares what they use/do.

Trills · 14/10/2012 19:39

Mmm, yes, hangover food must be beige :)

I had half a jar of red pesto in the cupboard so that has been smeared all over my chicken, which is now roasting.

Tomorrow I am out for dinner with work, taking an innocent veg pot for lunch.

Tuesday will be fast day - taking in one of the posh low-cal soups - 600g of soup will fill me up nicely. Then booking to go to the cinema and I will buy some grapes and sneak them in as my munchy snack. I'll also have some cold roast chicken at some point.

catsrus · 14/10/2012 19:53

Olivia you do whatever days work for you Grin I choose the days in the week that I am away from home and busy. I find it easier to forget about food when away from my own fridge Wink

Mintyy · 14/10/2012 20:08

I've noticed that Monday and Thursday seems to be a popular combo amongst the 5:2 lot (its what I do). But if I was invited out for something on a Thursday I could easily swap to Wednesday or Friday instead. Tis the beauty of this woe.

Sputnik · 14/10/2012 21:09

Monday is good because you immediately deal with any excesses that may have occurred at the weekend

OliviaMumsnet · 14/10/2012 21:23

@catsrus

Olivia you do whatever days work for you Grin I choose the days in the week that I am away from home and busy. I find it easier to forget about food when away from my own fridge Wink

Good point.
Sadly I am never far from my fridge. Hence the problem. Grin

SarahWithAFringeOnTop · 14/10/2012 21:35

Feed day here (roast beef and Yorkshire pud, yum) but I have also just embarked on a couch to 5K... failed to find a class so am doing it on my own, but I discovered there are apps to time you through it... was encouraged to find that I could actually manage the week 1 "run" at least! I figured that running was the easiest thing to fit into my lifestyle as I'm out in the sticks, miles from a gym... so please someone encourage me, I think I'm going to need it!

ManOnBoard · 14/10/2012 21:37

Monday and Wednesday for me as I find I naturally tend to have less on a Tuesday without any self imposed restrictions and more flexibility to move the days further down the week. Mondays at work are also rarely used for events such as charity cake sales or lunches etc

Breadandwine · 14/10/2012 21:40

I began this woe, fasting on Monday's and Wednesdays, both days I don't work. I was initially very wary of fasting on a work day.

However, since I've fasted all day without feeling any ill effects (or hunger) 3 times now, I'm happy to do it any time. On those three days I wasn't going to eat until I found myself hungry - on each occasion I've eaten my evening meal around 6.30-7 still not feeling hungry. It won't be long before I go right through just to see when hunger kicks in.

This not feeling hungry all day is something I just would not have believed of myself only 2 weeks ago!

I'm aware that others need to start their fasting day with a breakfast - some using all 500 calories in one go - and then not eating until breakfast next day. Not sure I could do that. I like the promise of a filling meal, with wine, later in the day.

Trills · 14/10/2012 22:26

The day that I didn't really have anything during the day I felt a bit lightheaded and slightly sick by dinner time. So I need to split my calories over the day. But I don't start til lunchtime (unless you count coffee, which I do count the calories in but I don't count it as "breaking my fast") so I do the 16 hours easily.

bigwombat · 14/10/2012 22:38

I am having to fast for a medical procedure from last night until 4pm tomorrow! Allowed to drink today but only one cup of tea tomorrow. Haven't really felt hungry, which am very surprised about, it's been more psychological, wanting to eat something because I like eating. So in light of this, I might give this fasting approach a try, although I suspect I'll find tomorrow more difficult!

Trills · 14/10/2012 22:44

Wow, that's a LOT of fasting! I haven't ever known more than 24 hours to be needed. That's very harsh.

MyNameIsInigoMontoya · 14/10/2012 22:44

I do Mon and Thurs normally as they are the days I am best able to avoid eating (or skipping meals) round the kids. They are only small and I don't want to get them hung up on food, and also they tend to want to eat whatever I'm having, which would be tricky if I'm having "special" low-cal stuff but want them to eat a proper meal.

Will have to swap things around this week though, as I'm meant to be out for a meal on Thursday - hope it won't be too difficult.

Skinnyeye · 14/10/2012 22:47

Hi losers Monday and Thursday for me although changing it to Tuesday this week.

bigwombat · 14/10/2012 23:11

I think I've been unlucky as my appointment is late in the day, but yes I couldn't quite believe what they were expecting me to do!! Wasn't sure I could do it, but somehow I'm hanging in there!

Breadandwine · 15/10/2012 00:03

Hi bigwombat

Have a look at this website - The Fasting Connection. These guys are serious about fasting - up to 30 days at a time!

The link is to a discussion on the Horizon programme - it's interesting to see their take on it.

There are a few wild and wacky ideas on the site (watch out for the reboundology theory), but there is a lot of serious research referenced on there.

Good luck for 4pm this afternoon!