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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:
Mintyy · 19/10/2012 10:05

Welcome to cathyandclaire, btw, and good luck for today Smile.

Sputnik · 19/10/2012 10:30

That weight calculator is interesting, apparently I have a big frame, which makes me only 3kgs off the top end of my ideal. According to standard BMI I would still be overweight at that weight. Makes me feel better, although my longer term aim is to get to the lower end.
I seem to have stalled on the weight loss too for the moment, but this has happened before and I'm not too worried about it. This is a long term thing for me and if weight loss takes a while that's ok, I intend to do this or some version of fasting for the rest of my life.

loulou969 · 19/10/2012 11:18

Just reassessed my calculation re: frame size and putting in 'large frame' brings my ideal weight range of between 9 stone 8lbs & 10 stone 8lbs which is spot on for me. Lower end would have been before age 40 and 10 stone 7lbs is my ideal now aged 52. Only a stone to go then (and slowly as want to continue this indefinately) Smile

MollysFolly · 19/10/2012 11:57

Interesting link from Cyclistist on previous page - not sure about author's maths though
^Lost only half a pound in
two weeks? That?s great.
In a year you?ll be down
25 pounds while your
friends will have gained
5-10 pounds.^

Isn't that 13 pounds in the year?Confused

catsrus · 19/10/2012 12:34

The frame size calculator is very interesting - and explains why, in BMI terms, I'm OK - but in waist measurement terms I'm in a danger zone Sad

having always thought of myself as medium / large frame (tall with huge feet) it seems that going by wrist measurement I am small framed [wail emoticon]. If I was medium framed I would now be at the bottom end of ideal weight, as a small framed person I am above the top end Shock ah well - at least it doesn't feel like I have to stay on a "diet" for months more - I just won't be able to cut down the fast days for a while longer!

captainmummy · 19/10/2012 12:48

I don't understand the 'frame calc' - my fingers dooverlap - just! That makes me small, right? But my 'ideal' weight is apparently therefore 48-54 kgs -but I was 55 kg a year or so ago (after my marriage broke up) and I was skeletal! I'm now 58.5 kg, and better looking, tho i think i should be more like 57kg.

But if i put down that my fingers don;t touch I 'should' be 55 - 60 kg. There should be an option for fingers that just touch but don't overlap (i would be different, me)

loulou969 · 19/10/2012 12:54

What happens when you have short fingers/thumbs then? lol

frenchfancy · 19/10/2012 13:56

There is an option for fingers that just touch.

Small frame, fingers overlap
Medium frame, fingers just or nearly touch
Large frame, fingers don't touch.

I was surprised as my fingers as no where near touching, but DH who I would have always said was a large frame, has fingers that just touch.

MikeOxardForHalloween · 19/10/2012 14:03

Oooh, I should be 6st 6 to 7st 7. I think I'm going for about 7st 3, that was my normal weight before having dd. Even 7st7 would be fab though, and not too far off now. Fasting and used all my calories now, feeling nice and full though. :)

Aftereightsaremine · 19/10/2012 14:58

Hahaha, I should be between 8stone 2 & 9stone 3. Haven't been that for 17 years. Oh well....

Long way to go.

dietschmiet · 19/10/2012 15:04

6 st 6lbs!!!! 57kgs!!!! Is this a diet for normal people or anerexics ?

captainmummy · 19/10/2012 15:05

MikeO - are you sure? 6st 6? Are you a 10year old girl?

captainmummy · 19/10/2012 15:06

diet - 57kg is 9st-ish, so not anorexic!

MikeOxardForHalloween · 19/10/2012 15:07

I was 6st 8ish on my wedding day! And I looked fab btw, not anorexic at all, just very slim, very small built and short. But thanks for the insult, that's always nice. :(

MikeOxardForHalloween · 19/10/2012 15:08

I'm 30.

GreenEggsAndNichts · 19/10/2012 15:10

The frame thing is a little odd because it doesn't stipulate where the fingers are. Are we wrapping around the bulby part of the bone, or the smaller area just above (closer to the hand)? Doesn't matter much for me, I know very well I have a large frame (tall, broad shoulders, hat size is the largest of mens' sizes, forget women's hats unless specially made :( ). The weights they gave for me are fairly accurate.

OP posts:
GreenEggsAndNichts · 19/10/2012 15:15

Have just done the conversion to lbs (stones mean nothing to me, kilos only a bit more) and honestly, diet, you're being incredibly rude. It's sad that you assume 125lbs is anorexic. If someone who was overweight posted their weight, would you come in and tell them what a lardo they were?

125lbs is far too small for my height and frame, and it might be for yours, but it is a perfectly healthy weight for a shorter, more petite woman.

OP posts:
dietschmiet · 19/10/2012 15:16

Sorry Mike no insult intended but honestly I dream to be twice that!!

MikeOxardForHalloween · 19/10/2012 15:21

I have uploaded a pic of me on my honeymoon when I weighed that (which I'll delete shortly). Anyone who would like to suggest (or who has suggested) that I look anorexic there can frankly GFY. Different people have different ideal weights. I'd never react to hearing someone's weight by saying 'that's anorexic', same as I'd never say 'ooh, that's fat'. That's just upsetting. Nobody deserves to be told they are unattractive just because of a number on the scales, whatever that number is.

MikeOxardForHalloween · 19/10/2012 15:24

Sorry X-posts diets. Apology accepted. I'm fasting today, so possibly a bit snappier than usual!

dietschmiet · 19/10/2012 15:30

6 st 6lbs is 90 pounds not 125 pounds. Hardly lardo. I'm out

GreenEggsAndNichts · 19/10/2012 15:37

Okay, you're out. But you mis-read my post. Here, I'll copy and paste:

If someone who was overweight posted their weight, would you come in and tell them what a lardo they were?

Secondly, I didn't do the conversion from stone, I did it from the "57kgs" you posted. And 57kgs is just over 125lbs.

OP posts:
GreenEggsAndNichts · 19/10/2012 15:40

To re-iterate, I'm not calling anyone a lardo. My point is, you were calling a weight of 125lb (57kgs) anorexic.

OP posts:
MikeOxardForHalloween · 19/10/2012 15:48

diets "I'm out". Meh, go fuck yourself then. Thanks for your diagnosis, and don't let the door hit your presumably medically trained arse on your way out.

lyra41 · 19/10/2012 15:52

Try Overeaters Annonymous www.overeatersannonymous.org it's the only thing that's helped me.