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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:
SarahWithAFringeOnTop · 09/10/2012 20:49

Thanks GreenEggs... I like the idea of having to have a glass of wine to keep up Smile

awaywego1 · 09/10/2012 21:08

minty I'm guessing at 7 pounds! I'm a five foot twoer and lose weight slowly too!

Mintyy · 09/10/2012 21:10

I have lovely food fantasies for the next day on fast days, but rarely follow them up. There was one day when I felt I would have actually killed someone for a cheese scone with butter Grin. But next day had forgotten all about it Hmm. I think this woe works in mysterious ways ...

awaywego1 · 09/10/2012 21:12

greeneggs I'm wondering this too as I'm only 5 2 and now 9.7 so my bmr is much lower than 2000 a day. However even 500 feels like a challenge at the moment so I'm sticking to that BUT am being more conscious on eating days too-have had around 1400 today.

ManOnBoard · 09/10/2012 21:32

BMR is based on a very low (bordering on comatose) lifestyle so this is where exercise or movement comes into this WOE. The only time I think my BMR is anywhere near to my totel calories burned figure is when the Ashes are on and I move from my bed to the sofa and back, but even then I do go to the paper shop to read the reports of what I spent 8 hours the previous day watching.

Oh, and MikeO, DW often says "I am a cricket widow, I would prefer it without the cricket bit"

Trills · 09/10/2012 21:46

Probably 600-700 today - coffee, lunch (small portion of curry and rice, if it's anything like a ready meal it'd be 400-500 calories), a pack of pre-cooked chicken breast for dinner (80 cals apparently) and a few olives and pickled onions (maybe 30-40 cals in that).

Trills · 09/10/2012 21:46

So not too bad and mostly sticking to the "one meal in the middle of the day" thing, while also not letting my colleagues see that I am doing a weird fasting thing.

GreenEggsAndNichts · 09/10/2012 22:40

Yes, we're not basing it totally on BMR, which is why I mentioned the links in the BMR link in the OP which allow you to figure out the calories you need per day when taking into account the amount of exercise you do.

500 is still a decent number to aim for. :) I do, and I could actually be eating more.

OP posts:
mollycuddles · 09/10/2012 22:41

I'm on my third fasting day. Doing 5:2. Last week was very tough but today was better. I have definitely found it much better to not eat at all until tea. I was much hungrier last week when I had porridge for breakfast. I'm not sure how this WOE will work for me longer term as next year I will be training for a marathon and running a lot but for now I'm giving it a go. I'm trying to run my usual 4/5 times a week and that inevitably means some sort of run on fasting days. I ran this morning which was fine. It was first thing so there was no way my body could know I was fasting anyway.
I have a deadline of 17/11 for losing some weight. Want to be under 10 st 7 (currently 11 st 3)

Breadandwine · 09/10/2012 23:09

"I'm trying to run my usual 4/5 times a week and that inevitably means some sort of run on fasting days."

Molly, here's a forum for serious cyclists who are practicing the ADF and 5:2 WOE:

yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=di4fjbrtknb4r741fqn4uusv00&topic=62353.0

Wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't one for marathon runners as well. Smile

MsIngaFewmarbles · 09/10/2012 23:55

Evening all. Well yesterdays fast day went well at 392 cals and feed today at 2048 cals including 2 lovely glasses of wine. Ready for another fast day tomorrow :)

dalek · 10/10/2012 00:01

Found this on twitter - some of you might find this interesting

www.valar-wellbeing.co.uk/the%20valar%20blog.html

ThinkICan · 10/10/2012 01:45

Thank you Cyclistist for putting things in perspective. I think I was stressed out when I went to check my BP as I haven't done so in a while. I don't have a digital monitor at home. Maybe I should get one, if these are reasonably accurate. My weight has been coming down and I definitely don't want to go on meds, so - with your advice and the inspiration from others in this group - I will soldier on!

ThinkICan · 10/10/2012 02:19

Thanks too Cyclistist for the info on hawthorn. Had never heard of this and found so much good stuff online about it. I think people on this thread are the best-informed on everything under the sun!

Aftereightsaremine · 10/10/2012 07:01

Revelation alert! Went to lunch at dcs school on Monday & was sat on table with 10 others. I was on a fast day & feeling hard done by that I wasn't able to enjoy all the lovely food.

But I've just realised that all the skinnies on the table had the same food as me ie no carbs just protein, salad & no dressing. They also only had fruit salad for desert not the lovely cake. All the not so skinnies ate like me on a normal pig out day.

Just thought of it now & it makes sense why maybe I got to how big I am.

Piebaldrider · 10/10/2012 07:02

Hi all thanks for the support after my fall , i did get straight back on the horse and my fast day was ok. Im wondering if 4.3 was just a bit too much at that time when i was under a lot of stress and just feeling exhausted and low.

I'm going to try to pick up on 4.3 again as the results were so obvious to me and a kick start on any weight loss is a motivation. I still never weigh myself but clothes i bought earlier in the year and then wouldn't wear due to the rolls showing though are all looking much better and i am able to wear them now .

When i let go of the reins it wasn't so much snacking or massive overeating it was 3/4 bottle of wine whilst on the phone to a shouting daughter. I wasn't massively over calories but over is over, luckily it doesn't seem to have made a difference overall.

I think in future when things get tough or im really tired i will just drop to 5.2 for a week and see if i feel better.

I ride my horse every morning before work and muck him out etc and i find that takes away any hunger in the mornings but it can be tiring when you are on the morning after a fast. When you tot it up the 500 calories actually get spread over 40 hours so we fast for more than 24 hours at a time. I will eat my last meal at around 6pm on a Monday and wont eat again until 11 ish on Wednesday and then im fasting again from 6pm that same Wednesday and within one fasting period i will have ridden and mucked out twice besides anything else so when i look back i don't feel so bad about the fall.

Im joining the gym this week too so im going to have to make sure i start a multi vit i think ..... Health happiness and weight loss to you all.

ShortLass · 10/10/2012 08:07

Thanks for those who replied about running.

I have to say that I seem to be particularly susceptable. When trying low carb, I had no energy for running either, yet other people on forums had no problems. I'm also not good doing exercise before breakfast, yet other people swear by it!

Will definitely look at that cycling thread of those doing 5:2 - 11 pages! Will keep me busy Grin

Piebaldrider: that's a good strategy of dropping to 5:2 on a difficult week. It sounds like you're doing really well in trying times.

MsIngaFewmarbles · 10/10/2012 08:27

Fast day. Hungry already :(

ShortLass · 10/10/2012 08:27

Someone's just pointed me to an article on fasting and running.

Can Runners Benefit from Fasting?

Aftereightsaremine · 10/10/2012 08:51

msinga I'm ravenous so I've come back to bed as its only way I know to avoid giving up fast day today. ( though I've got to be out of house by 9.30 so not being a total lazy arse.

Laska42 · 10/10/2012 09:06

piebaldrider i'm confused now.. You say I will eat my last meal at around 6pm on a Monday and wont eat again until 11 ish on Wednesday and then im fasting again from 6pm that same Wednesday

Why arent you eating your 500 cals on Tuesday?

Im not being funny, but wondering have I got this wrong? (though its been working for me overthe last few weeks )

This is what i did this week ..
Ate 6pm Monday , Yesterday 500 cals half at 2pm, half at 6pm, and am just about to eat my eating day breakfast in the next hour . im pretty sure thats right.. so wondering why you are going so long without fod (if you are_

BTW the scales ate the Devil.. just that.. mins showed briefly 10.7 (my target weight for about 10 years) this morning .. Wow!! . got off stepped back on to experience the monment again .... 10.9 ..
The Devil .... Angry
Wink

Laska42 · 10/10/2012 09:08

ARE the devil not Ate them LOL Grin

Thelittlestranger · 10/10/2012 09:26

Morning...step away from the scales!!! I'm feeling liberated now mine are in the OH's car and I can only weigh at the gym. I'll be interested to see if it makes any difference to weight loss over a sustained period...

Fast day here...got buggy fit this morning for the first time, then I'm busy for most of the day, so planning on eating salmon and roasted vegetables for tea and if I can hold out, then I'll also have some left for Greek yoghurt and strawberries for pudding.

Yestday I felt I ate a lot, with more snacking than usual, but still under 2000 calories, which was a surprise.

Went to the gym on Monday during a fast, and I definitely felt it was easier than when I've had breakfast. Strange.

bunjies · 10/10/2012 09:30

Ok need some support and a pep talk please.

I've been doing 5:2 with dh for 5 weeks now, we've done 11 fasts so far, and in that time dh has lost half a stone and I've lost.....zilch Envy. Not only this but my measurements have not changed one little bit Angry. The stupid thing is after the first couple of weeks it seemed my tummy had gone down but it's now back again. Sad

Now, before you all think oh she must be at a healthy weight and doesn't need to lose anything I'll set you straight. I am currently about 3 stone overweight and have a BMI of about 30 but would need to lose at least 2 stone to get into the healthy category. Although if I just lost a stone I would be happier with the way I look and would fit into most of my size 12 clothes again. And I am one of the short arses at 5'1".

I have mentioned before on here about being metabolically resistant although it has been pointed out to me that this is a myth. All I can say on this is that I used to be 4.5 stone overweight and it took me 2 years of low carbing to lose 1.5 stone (when others lost the same weight in about 2 months). I did try a VLCD and lost another stone in 8 weeks but this wasn't sustainable and so I have put back the stone I lost.

So, I'm now reaching a bit of a crisis point in that I want to carry on doing this as I believe in the health benefits but I also want to lose weight. Doinf the 5:2 is obviously not working for me in this respect but, on the plus side, I haven't put any weight on.

Oh and currently we fast on Mon & Thurs as I like keeping Fri-Sun as normal days. We do have wine, nibbles and sometimes pudding on these days but don't go mental as we have dcs and don't think this sets a very good example to them. I probably eat about 2500 cals on these days (although I will try & do a proper count this weekend to make sure I'm not undrestimating).

Thinking about it last night I reckon my best bet would be to try and fit in another fast somewhere along the way so have decided to do a day time fast on Weds but eat normally when I get home in the evening. So, if I eat an average of 2500 cals each day on Fri-Sun, 2000 cals on Tues, 500 cals on Mon & Thurs and 1000 cals on Weds this gives a weekly total of 11500 cals which equates to an average of 1650 per day. My BMR is 1435 and my daily calorie needs are 1973 based on a lightly active lifestyle.

Does this sound like a plan or am I overthinking this too much?

BTW everyone's losses on here are so motivational but also a bit depressing when things aren't going the same way.

TellMeLater · 10/10/2012 09:52

bunjies how frustrating for you. 2500kcal a day sounds like too much to eat on your feed days. I'd try to get used to eating closer to 2000kcal every day. Still sounds like a lot for someone of your height though.