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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 Six! Now's the time to de-lurk and chat with us..

984 replies

GreenEggsAndNichts · 25/10/2012 12:49

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 in August, 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 started is a good resource for some of the links and tips that get lost in these big threads. In addition to sharing links, we try 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 mentioned BMR and TDEE often. Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) quantifies the number of calories you burn in a day. This measure is best estimated by scaling your Basal Metabolic Rate to your level of activity. TDEE is critical in tailoring your nutrition plan to desired fitness goals. Here is a link to a calculator to help you figure out how many calories you should be eating in a day.

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:
Laska42 · 31/10/2012 11:56

Tips for first day fasters (thats you jobyloo).

  1. Its really easy to do ! just stick to your 500 cals for two days and count calories on something like my fitness pal. just do that for a few fasts then if you want you can look into into the other health benefits bit later ..
  1. Don't be afraid of hunger.. We are just not used to being hungry mostly, but it really is manageable once you stop fearing it and doesn't build , I'm always amazed that the morning after a fast day I'm often just not hungry.
  1. Find out your total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) to show the number of calories you need to remain the same weight . (link above ).
  1. I found at first I wasn't sleeping well on fast days.. but now I'm fine ..
  1. My absolute top tip is chilli sauce! (Franks is my favourite) ill say no more..... those that know me here have heard it all before!
  1. Make every fast meal as tasty as possible. Add fresh coriander, parsley and mint, watercress, or lemon or lime juice, gherkins, garlic, mustard ,black pepper, soy or Worcester as these all perk up your meal up no end for very few calories. .
  1. Miso soup is good(around 20 cals) if you really think you cant wait for dinner
  1. Drink lots of Mint tea, green tea with lemon grass , water water water (its easy to get dehydrated on fast days I find) . I have real black coffee too ,
  1. I tend to base my fast day meals around eggs and fish and veggies .

This is on the links and tips thread but thought id repost it here .anyway .

mumofcrazynamedkids · 31/10/2012 12:05

babbas what is your BMI? some people just take longer to get started on losing, and if you were gaining before and now aren't then you've already turned things around, being patient is difficult, definitely not my strong point, and I was disheartened at around the 5/6 week mark when I gained back 4 of the 6 pounds i had lost, but I just carried on, as the health benefits were my priority in teh beginning, and I figured, not gaining was better than where I had been before with the the weight ever so slowly creeping on. And it levelled back out and I am averaging 1 pound a week loss, now just within high end of normal BMI range, so over a stone to go to get somewhere I feel happier at.

also bunjies reallly hope it starts to come off for you soon, if you are doing 4:3 I don't see how it can't, it just might take some time, if you cals deficit is not that large that might not help?

my tdee says i consume 2213, but on this WOE on a good week i am consuming 11000 per week, and on a bad 14000, so always 1500 less but often 4500 less, I can't remember the calculation for how much less you need to eat in order to lose a pound....is it 300 per day?

catsrus · 31/10/2012 12:07

LOL to new clothes Laska - I did a mini wardrobe sort out this morning - in the hunt for jeans that would fit comfortably but not need hoiking up the whole time. If I were to carefully go through my stuff I do think I would probably have enough - but I can't find any thin-ish black jumpers to wear under cardis or sleeveless smartish long tops if I'm layering .... I think I gave them to a dd for a school ski trip a few years ago [hconfused]. Might need to pop into M&S!

I'm now really concentrating on sorting out a WOE which is sustainable - and for me that will never mean "eat what I want" unless a) I change what i want to eat or b) fast more days than I eat! Like Laska my calorie needs are in the 1500 range for my age, weight and height - if I lose a bit more weight to get my waist measurement to the 'safe' zone then it will go down again. This is something I have never really taken on board before.

Yesterday and today are non-fast days, I made a huge veggie goulash yesterday and am ploughing my way through it - got a friend arriving tonight so will add some chorizo to spice it up and serve it with rice. I did a 16 hr fast yesterday, but don't think I will do it every non-fast day as it did feel like hard work - on fast days I'm usually out and about so it's easier to forget about food [hsmile].

For those not losing - really, just stick with it, if you are taking in less energy than you need then you will lose weight - unless you are on medication like steroids - it might just take a while and a bit of fine tuning!

ManOnBoard · 31/10/2012 12:58

*MOCNK" It is 3500cals represent a pound in weight

"Cats" Have to agree, eat more than you burn you put on weight, burn more than you eat you lose weight, unless you defy basic biology. We are just machines and it is like putting petrol in your car, it needs enough to keep running, put in too much and it spills out. Some of the diet myths such as slow metabolism and starvation mode really aggravate me, just be honest!

TalkinPeace2 · 31/10/2012 13:01

HEAR HEAR

AND : when you get too small for clothes get rid of them
and go to a Charity shop to buy the next size down !
Keep doing that till you are buying a healthy size (which on current UK sizing is around a 12 maximum - 1970's version of size 16)
I buy jeans - posh ones - for £4 a pair ..... tops for around £3 .....

Laska42 · 31/10/2012 13:12

As we are talking about what you put into your body ... its been a while since I posted a plug for Dr John Briffas Blog and his book 'Escape the Diet Trap'.

It's an illuminating read about the current state of the food and diet industry and along with this WOE has totally changed the way I eat (although I haven't actually given up any foods, just become a LOT more aware of what and how much and when I give my body to work with )..

He also has a chapter on IF (but we probably know more here now thanks to all our great 'researchers and experimenters' ...Smile)

SolarSparkle · 31/10/2012 13:35

Hi Everyone [hgirn]

I haven't posted here for a while but I have been doing the 4:3 since the end of Aug and have managed to loose about 12lbs.....still have another stone to loose.

I have a question for you all re menstrual cycle, think someone mentioned about this woe affected their mc? I was about 2 weeks late this month (thought I was pregnant as we r ttc) ....Anyway period came on d50 but for only half a day and then spotted for a day or so. Stopped completely for about a day but now spotting again Sad

SolarSparkle · 31/10/2012 13:37

sorry...can't spell Blush

Should say Hi Everyone [hgrin]

bunjies · 31/10/2012 13:38

eat more than you burn you put on weight, burn more than you eat you lose weight

Sorry ManonBoard if only it WAS as simple as this. I low carbed for a couple of years and lost 2 stone. I was definitely NOT eating less calories than I used. Please don't patronise those of us whose bodies do not react the same as yours. "Slow metabolism" may be a myth but my body does not react the same as many peoples' and I don't understand why.

TalkinPeace2 · 31/10/2012 13:40

bunjies have you had your thyroid tested? as that is one of the few TRUE causes of stubborn failure to lose weight.

bunjies · 31/10/2012 13:56

TalkinPeace - no I haven't although it has crossed my mind to. I may speak to the doctor about getting tested as at least I can rule it out if nothing else Smile.

ManOnBoard · 31/10/2012 14:23

bunjies I accept "low carbing" may appear to break the rule but I assume this is because of the extreme imbalance in the diet causing your body to reject much of it, as with the egg diet, cabbage soup diet etc. That slimming aid that allows you to eat but causes fat to pass through the body without giving the stomach a chance to absorb it, again defies the basic principle but does not really counteract what I previously posted.

Sorry if I patronised anyone it was not intende but for anyone who disagrees "congratulations" you may have solved the world's energy crisis and dicovered perpetual motion (now that IS patronising)

TalkinPeace2 · 31/10/2012 14:29

manonboard
DH says my feet (Raynauds) are the answer to Global Warming - is that a start?

ManOnBoard · 31/10/2012 14:45

Talkin It's a start and if we put it together withh all of the icy retorts and cold shoulders my last post causes we might have cracked it.

Sorry, Sorry Sorry, Sorry everyone if only there were an emoticon for "tongue in cheek"

MummysHappyPills · 31/10/2012 14:52

Solar sparkle if you go back to the original post on this thread there is a link to an article, the one about women with a normal BMI, that reports how some women, especially those at normal weights, may experience more adverse symptoms from intermittent fasting, including periods stopping. Might be worth reading that to make an informed choice as to whether IF is right for you, especially if you are ttc.

GreenEggsAndNichts · 31/10/2012 14:56

Solar I've been doing this the same amount of time as you, and I've just experienced my first odd cycle. My TOTM came 2 weeks early. Shock We aren't TTC yet (I'm still on a medication and needing related tests, so won't be trying again until Dec or so) but I'm afraid I'll have to either reduce my fast days, or eliminate them entirely during that time. :( I will see if my cycle evens out in the meantime. I'm usually like clockwork, and that would help when TTC (obviously!)

OP posts:
GreenEggsAndNichts · 31/10/2012 14:58

I haven't read every post here but if MOB is acting up, I suggest everyone just start discussing their menstrual cycles (if applicable) for a bit. That'll learn him. Wink

OP posts:
Milimelo · 31/10/2012 15:07

Good morning,

Would you accept a French Canadian in your thread? I don't speak (or write) a perfect english, but i can understand it pretty well. I tried to find some "support" on the 5:2 plan in french, but I found none. The discussion i tried to begin on an other forum was a disaster because everyone is just trying to destroy my convictions that the 5:2 is a great way to lose weight and getting healthier!

I'm a mother of two cute little girls (2 years and 10 months old and a 17 months old). Do I need to say I need to lose weight and regain energy?

I am so happy to have found this plan (I prefer the word plan rather than diet)! I need to share my experience with others and thought this would be the place!
I just begun last friday and have done two fast days so far and i'm thrilled! I've lost 3 lbs! I know i'll gain a little bit today, but as tomorrow is going to be an other fast day, I hope that by next friday I can say that I lost 3 or 4 lbs (total) or even more! What is your average lost each week?

Laska42 · 31/10/2012 15:08

or our hot flushes ....Grin

Trouble is then he might start on about his hairy ears (or worse) Wink

(just teasing MOB)

Laska42 · 31/10/2012 15:10

Bonjour milimelo (sorry thats about alli feel comfortable writing in French ! welcome! . You've come to the right place !

ManOnBoard · 31/10/2012 15:16

GE&N You got me I am out of here, or on my bike if you will

milimelo bon matin et bienvenue

Laska No hairy ears (or anagrams thereof) here but hot flushes!!!! Bye

Milimelo · 31/10/2012 15:35

Merci (thank you)!
I was wondering if it's all in my head or what, but I feel my tummy is already much smaller. I'm less bloated than i used to be the last couples of months (sorry for the details, but my doctor told me she thought I was suffering Irritable Colon Syndrom but we didn't investigate since). Did this happened to anyone? This fast (after only two fasting days)?

TellMeLater · 31/10/2012 15:57

Solar I think fasting has affected my menstral cycle, my cycle is now 55days. After being a regular kind of girl for most of my life. I'm not ttc so its not such a worry but I'm looking at alternative types of fasts - like the leangains 14 hour daily fast, which is effectively just skipping breakfast.

TalkinPeace2 · 31/10/2012 16:01

mili
DHs digestion problems seem to significantly improve after every fast day .... it has to be to do with allowing the system to clear itself out completely
grazing is clearly bad for us in many ways

Laska42 · 31/10/2012 16:24

Milimelo it probably could be if on your fast days you are cutting the carbohydrates ( especially bread, pasta ,wheat and many other grains ) as these are implicated in Irritable Bowel syndrome ( as we call it here )

Dr John Briffa writes about this extensively in his book and his blog that i've recommended above ..

however quite a few people don't have this problem or particularly cut out carbs on fast days (though I do) .. but it might be worth investigating in your case . I'm no expert though...

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