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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 · 05/11/2012 21:30

I like red wine too and used to drink buckets and most nights ..and despite having just had a glass this evening, (bit left in a bottle from Saturday..that used to be unheard of ) since doing this WOE I now usually only drink Fridays and Saturdays.. and interestingly I haven't missed it really ..

But can I just say thanks to all who have cited me as a bit of a poster girl for this.. Especially today, when I seem to have received so many nice messages,..

I'm sure I don't deserve it, but I cant tell you how stupidly pleased (and flattered ) I am to get them as I have YEARS (25 at least) of failed diets behind me and have watched lots of other people lose and i've just not seemed to be able to ( light bulb moment: as L notes the buckets of wine she never gave up! LOL!) ..

Like I said earlier, I really don't know why I didn't think of doing something like this before.. It just is so simple after all the faffing around counting 'points' and 'Syns' (for F.cks sake! lets make the dieters feel really bad, eh) I've done over the years.

Also, despite the nice things said to me.. theres lots of us here who have lost as much or more than me..and as said my weight of 146 (I forgot it was as 146 not 147!) is more than lots of you are anyway!..

so I'm sending back a great big WELL done everyone xxThanks

TalkinPeace2 · 05/11/2012 21:42

Laska - and of course just cutting down on the booze will have done your organs a world of good as well as the mahoosive reduction in calories.
DH and I have stopped drinking in the week too.
If you don't start its easier - then Friday nights get a bit lary ;-)

Laska42 · 05/11/2012 22:00

TIP
Its a total shame that on a fast day you can only have 3/4 a bottle of red! Grin

Breadandwine · 05/11/2012 22:00

[I put most of this post together this morning - then forgot about it - so it's a bit out of date.]

sexbomb, good to hear about your dad! And that you're a happy sexbomb (the best sort, IMO!)

And it's lovely to hear about everyone's successes - I sit here catching up on the latest posts with a big smile on my face - it certainly sets me up for the day.

Loved hearing about your weekend mumofcrazy. Great stuff!

"If I eat lots of carbs in the form of non starchy vegetables, lots of vegan fats in the form of coconut fat, avocados, olives and nuts and plenty of protein in the form of seeds then I have no real trouble with not eating for 36 hours. On the other hand if I eat fruit or grains, including flour, then I suffer from unbearable hunger, cravings and dizziness and a desperate desire for more of the same a few hours after eating. None of this will necessarily apply to you, but it might be worth experimenting with before you go for your longer fasts.
Good luck, it certainly feels good afterwards!!"
Thank you, Bordercollielover for this advice (I'd been thinking aloud how long I could fast for a few days ago). I'd still like to find out when hunger would strike and it hasn't done yet up to my (fairly measly) record of 23 hours.

24 hours should be quite doable - I'm fasting now and 8.30 tonight would be the 24 hour mark - which is quite late for us.

But, if I was organised, and we had an early dinner the day before - say finishing eating by 7pm, we could then have dinner at 7 the following evening. Sorted!

Just realised how far I've (we've?) come in just a few short weeks, when I can call a 23 hour fast 'measly'! Grin

TalkinPeace2 · 05/11/2012 22:04

laska
but it IS a whole bottle of Cava :-)

MummysHappyPills · 05/11/2012 22:42

I am also well impressed with my reduction in drinking, opened a bottle of Pinot Grigio on Friday night, even my mum and dp had a glass out of it, and still had some left last night! Before I would have done a whole bottle once I opened it!Blush (but this was only once a week at the most)

Breadandwine · 05/11/2012 23:39

Today we've finally said goodbye to the box of Thornton's milk chocolates I gave my wife on our anniversary - 13 days ago!

(For new readers, this is the first box of chocolates I've given my wife in many, many years, but she's now on 5:2 and losing a 'significant' amount of weight.)

Every 'eating' day she's had 2 of the chocolates - and our daughter joined in for a few days - and then I'd put the box back on top of the cupboard! Grin

But tonight, the last two pieces have gone! Previously a box of chocs would have gone in two days, tops!

The way I reduced my wine intake was to make sure I tasted every drop - previously, I'd pour a glass - then, halfway through the meal half of it would be gone and I wouldn't have noticed! So then I halved the amount - and I was still taking sips that didn't register. Now I'm down to 50ml most nights - and I could have got away with less than that tonight, since this is a fast day for me.

I noticed the same with chocolate - in the past I've divided a piece into 8, and still got the same mouthful of flavour from each bit as I would have done if I'd eaten the whole piece in one go.

TheCyclistist · 06/11/2012 09:13

Hi Skippy , it was interesting to read your stats yesterday and I can relate to the 'binging' on 'up' days as recently I seem to be doing the same. The day starts off well enough but then goes awry as my body gets used to the fact it can have sugar again. I seem to start on Wholemeal toast and end up on Chocolate Cake...but like you the weightloss is still pretty much constant.

You asked about the evidence for the 16 hour fast. I think the theory behind is that the lack of calories means the Pancreas does not release Insulin that then does not have it's normal effect on the Liver and other cells.

Varady, the American scientist touched on it in this interview where she discusses some of her 'observations'

crabsalloverhealth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/dr-krista-varady-interviewed.html

But the science is still not in on all of this so the 16+ hour fast thing could be a dead end but for me I think it's worth following until more evidence comes out.

Have a great day all, whether a faster or a feaster be

Laska42 · 06/11/2012 09:28

One thing I can report from my 500 cal day followed by 24hr fast testerday is the realisation that on breaking it last night I only had about 650 cals and one of those was a glass of wine.. so in effect it was fast two days back to back..

But this morning im not hungry ( although thirsty ) but I do feel a bit 'spaced out and was wide awake a for an hour or so in the night.. (mind you the cat was partly to blame for that) ..

Eating normally again now until Thursday I think..

welshmill · 06/11/2012 09:31

Also related to the 16 hour fast is this article. Apologies to whoever posted it earlier. Based on mice again but interesting nonetheless.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517131703.htm

ThinkICan · 06/11/2012 09:47

Thanks for the link welshmill. Does this mean that it is better - and we lose more weight - if we eat during an 8-hour window everyday? So, even on a feed day, should we eat after a 16-hour fast? Is anyone doing this successfully and is anyone not doing this and still losing weight steadily?

TheCyclistist · 06/11/2012 09:48

Thanks Welshmill , link was very interesting. My 'up' days seem to be grazing days at the moment, something I think I should try and control a bit more. Not that I want to reduce the amount of calories but just restrict myself to eating at a couple of set times during the day Hmm

Morning Laska , if things continue like this you'll have to buy that dress in a size 8 Smile

GreenEggsAndNichts · 06/11/2012 10:53

Did a quick weigh-in this morning, numbers going down again so that's good. :) Would really like to shift a few more kilos before we TTC again, but we'll see.

I think I'll be making that chicken and chorizo paella I mentioned above again tonight. It was so tasty, and my 3yo DS liked it too, which is always a bonus.

Good luck today, fasters!

OP posts:
welshmill · 06/11/2012 11:25

For the most part I've been doing a 18hr fast with a 6 hr 'feed' not because of any of the articles I've read but because I find it easy to skip breakfast on a fast day (more to eat then for lunch and dinner Blush ); if I eat after 6pm in the evening then there's hell to pay as far as my stomach/indigestion is concerned. I don't know if this is the reason I've been sleeping better than I have in years but that is certainly the case and the odd times we've been out and I've eaten late I haven't slept at all well.

stillhere · 06/11/2012 12:37

Hello! Just crashing in here having lurked around the edges for a bit seeing what you're all doing. Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, but the reason I'm doing 5:2, and have been for about a month, is that I was really interested in the theories about IGF1 and the potential to improve lifespan through cell regeneration. The weight loss is a nice side benefit as I could do with shifting a few pounds (or more... who's counting eh? :D) but it isn't the main concern for me.

So, the question is, has anyone done any testing on this themselves personally (i.e. tested IGF1 levels pre- or mid-way through the diet) and/or recommend some research or papers on the effects of this? I've read most of the articles mentioned at the top of these threads, and spent some time on Wiki etc. but would welcome anyone's feedback. Ta! :)

Breadandwine · 06/11/2012 13:52

Don't forget we have a Tips and Links thread where we can keep all the research that's turning up in one place. Smile

Can I suggest that when posters find something of interest such as this, you copy and paste it over there?

Don't worry, welshmill I've posted your link on the thread. Smile

hoops997 · 06/11/2012 14:27

Hello all,

Weigh day for me and another lb off so 15lbs in 8/9 weeks Grin

Glad to hear about everyone else's losses, i have starting telling people who ask me how I've lost my weight that I've been fasting and I no longer get the shocked faces, everyone seems to have heard of this WOE now, which is brilliant Smile

Amumsim · 06/11/2012 14:47

Hello all, been doing 5:2 for just 1 week so far...

I've found the fasting to be cope-able but have eaten too much (or too many calories) on my non fasting days. I had a sneaky look at my weight, which was silly, and found I had put weight on.

I'm pretty disheartened by this, I know it's only been a week but :(

What I'm wondering is how are you all eating on your non fast days, do you stick to a calorie limit that would maintain your weight, less, or do you eat what ever you want?

I have been tracking my calories of MyFitnessPal and have set my calories to "lose 1/2 a pound a week" I have been over this limit on my non fast days but of course under on my fast days. Over the week I have not gone much over my weekly limit.

What are you doing on your up/feed/non fastings days?

frenchfancy · 06/11/2012 15:02

I tracked my feed days for the first couple of weeks just to make sure my idea of normal was correct. I realised pretty quickly that my portion sizes were a lot a bit out, especially for pasta.

I aim to eat my TDEE in calories on feed days, relying on my fast days for weight loss.

Got to go my scones are ready - no soured cream so I guess it will have to be butter :)

GreenEggsAndNichts · 06/11/2012 15:06

In my opinion, with what experience I have with this WOE (doing it since mid-August), take it with a grain of salt as we're all different, etc:

If you're doing 5:2, you should probably be eating your maintenance calories on your non-fast days. Don't do low-cal on those days, but don't over-do things, either.

If you are doing 4:3, eating on non-fast days is a bit more forgiving, you can eat more than maintenance calories (well, most likely you can. I sometimes do on evenings out or whatever, and am still losing, am doing 4:3). That's just maths, though. Obviously on 4:3 you're eating fewer calories overall as you are fasting that extra day.

My interpretation of the "eating what you want" on the non-fast days, for 5:2, is along the lines of "you don't have to diet anymore." You can have reasonable meals, you can have some chocolate, you are not on a diet on those days. So, maintenance calories.

Also, fwiw, I think that first week you might be inclined to eat more on your non-fast days. Your appetite should go down with time.

Good luck :)

OP posts:
frenchfancy · 06/11/2012 15:23

You can have reasonable meals, you can have some chocolate, you are not on a diet on those days. So, maintenance calories.

Surely that should read you can have some chocolate scones!

They were delicious :) Any diet that lets me eat guilt free scones has got to be good right?

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 06/11/2012 15:26

ugh yesterday was tough - hunger was totally copeable but a week of gorging has catapulted me into bad habits with a vengeance and it was really really hard to resist nibbling and picking, think I kept within 600cals but didn't enjoy the fasting, which I really was until my little holiday from it.

So, planning meticulously for Thursday so I can't go awry or allow myself a nibble of the children's tea etc...right down to the last calorie

GreenEggsAndNichts · 06/11/2012 15:42

frenchfancy lol yes, have to admit chocolate isn't my weakness. I might have a spiced pumpkin cake I made this weekend still around. Grin

OP posts:
skippyscuffleton · 06/11/2012 15:51

Cyclistist and Welshmill Many thanks for the links. For the time being I think I'll stick with vanilla 5:2 IF, daily 16hr fasts look too intrusive for me.

stillhere I echo your question re IGF-1 readings. Anyone out there got any results? I'm embarrassed to say that I too still don't, despite jumping on this bandwagon primarily for the hoped for health benefits. I hope mine will be on the low side, if not I'm not sure I'll continue with this. Despite the multitude of comments on here about how easy this is, I sadly don't agree nor have I ever experienced a heightened sense of well being on a fast day. Sometimes I feel good on the morning after a fast after b'fast but never on a fast day.
I enjoy aerobic exercise but since starting IF there are days when I think the exercise is harder than it should be. I put this down to my glycogen stores never getting the chance to fully replenish. I think my fat to carb (glycogen) burning ratio has increased both at rest and during exercise which is good for weight loss but reduces the enjoyment of exercising for me. Hopefully this will get easier as I get used to it, and lighter.
As I've said before, on non fast days I'm sure I over compensate with eating especially on confectionary, I don't feel less hungry and nor am I more conscious of what I eat. These may be benefits for 4:3 folks but not for me 5:2ing.
I look forward to seeing the results of the ongoing studies in this area. In the meantime happy fasting all. Smile

onit · 06/11/2012 17:41

De-lurking! Although I've only been lurking since reading the article in The Times on Saturday and then watching Horizon on iplayer on Sunday. I've lost 16 lbs since June by watching calorie intake and using myfitnesspal. I'm now almost my ideal wieight, but was really interested in the health benefits - 3 of my grandparents had Alzheimer's :( Anyway, did a 500 cal restriction day yesterday and felt quite up-beat about it. No headaches but went to bed early as I was sooooo tired. But today, I wasn't over hungry but I was exhausted all day. Particularly my arms?????!!!!! Is this normal?

Really enjoyed reading all the other posts. Thank you!