Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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:
Piebaldrider · 07/11/2012 20:16

Second of three planned fasts this week, daytime was ok but this evening im un settled. I dont have enough calories left for a glass of wine and im a bit hungry. Tomorrow morning i plan to do my horse as quickly as i can and then get to the gym before work which will put me in a better frame of mind than i am now. I shall weigh myself tomorrow too as another week has just flown by and as long as the trend is still downwards i shall feel very motivated again. As always on a fast day i shall have an early night and in the morning i wont be hungry and will have more than enough energy for the gym. Funny how that works because im hungry and i dont feel like working out right now.
Wishing you all health happiness and weight loss.

MakeHayNotStraw · 07/11/2012 20:27

Hi all - I'm trying to work my way through some of the threads about this, so apologies if my question has been asked and answered before.... I've been dabbling with IF for a while, not very successfully as I am getting very confused and have not convinced myself it's an entirely good thing. Basically the problem is whether or not it's actually good for women - there are a few links in this post that suggest that the female response is very different and not always positive. What do people think? Aargh.....

And that's before I even consider whether one meal or grazing is better for the 500 calories.....

SarahWithAFringeOnTop · 07/11/2012 21:00

Hi notwilliamboyd, I had a similar problem, but with bad wind as well Blush, but I'm hoping I've got past that and that my body has readjusted. I think someone on here suggested spoonfuls of linseeds, but when I checked the calorie content seemed really high! I think it must be the oil content... I know the idea is not to count calories, but it just seemed a a bit pointless to waste them on something that isn't "food"! Is psyllium husk less calorific?
Also, would love to know how you're getting on with the C25K? I'm on week 3 now (having repeated week 2 as I was away and other disruption led to me missing some) - so far, so good but it's still a long way to 5K!

hoops997 · 07/11/2012 21:10

lilacbluebell can I have your recipe for veg and cashew nut stir fry, sounds like yummy heaven Grin

NotWilliamBoyd · 07/11/2012 21:14

SarahWithAFringe - with the C25K, I've just (this evening!) done W5 Run 1, and still feel a very long way from 5k! I find every session hard (did I mention that I'm not exactly very fit?) but I can see how I've made progress, so I figure that it's all got to be helping. Plus there is definitely less bum wobble when I run now - the first time I went out I wanted a sports bra for my bum....... Shock

MakeHayNotStraw · 07/11/2012 21:18

Btw, link to the nutritarian pyramid mentioned above, here

Any help re: my query gratefully received....

Breadandwine · 07/11/2012 21:32

I've been trying to watch the programme, 'Breakfast, lunch and dinner', on BBC4, ATM, but I've had to stop - just too much flesh on display for my vegan sensibilities! [shudder] Grin

It's a series, and the first one is about breakfast - I'm interested in the introduction of the 3 square meals a day concept, and the part that breakfast cereals played in this. If anyone watches it and these come up, could you let me know, and I'll fast forward through it on iPlayer?

TIA!

Laska42 · 07/11/2012 21:40

WARNING I've had a bad day (nothing to to with this WOE) so perhaps i'm being over tetchy here......

But it seems that looking at the last few days lots of people are wanting to complicate this at the moment and I'm really not sure it needs to be that complicated... The one thing that makes this a sustainable WOE ( and not a diet ) is its simplicity surely?

500 (600 for blokes) cals 2 days a week, and don't go over board on the other five.. or 4:3 6:1 whatever you are doing..

Maybe I'm just one of the lucky ones... but it seems to have worked just fine following that simple rule for me ..

Look sorry, Im really not Trolling or criticising ... Perhaps I should just go to bed..

MakeHayNotStraw · 07/11/2012 21:57

Well, personally I'm not trying to over complicate anything, but I have read a few sources that suggest that putting the body into a calorie-deficient mode can actually do some harm to pre-menopausal women so I am trying to clarify that I am not actually going to be risking my health - either long term or short term - by trying this. The page I linked to in my first message made quite worrying reading, and I am trying to dig through very opposing viewpoints to find the truth as it is currently known.

I thought this might be the sensible thing to do, 'tis all.

TalkinPeace2 · 07/11/2012 21:58

Laska
You are right.
I was trying to explain it to friends today who commented on my weight loss and they could not believe it was that simple. But those of us at the gym who are doing it keep trying to show / tell them that it is ....

give us till Christmas - then we'll have months of thousands of peoples worth of stats

MakeHayNotStraw · 07/11/2012 22:00

I'm very sorry, I did not mean to get on anyone's tits with my question. I clearly have, so i'll bugger orf and harass someone else.

Blush
TalkinPeace2 · 07/11/2012 22:03

sorry Makehay - Laska was talking about stuff up thread.

Could you link to your concerns about women fasting?
Just that Moslem women have done fasts daily fasts for 4 weeks a year for hundreds of years and it does not seem to harm them
many poor people do involuntary fasts and seem to cope
and IF has been around for years - just not mainstream

remember that the diet industry stands to lose A LOT of money if this system turns out to work for lots of people ....

GreenEggsAndNichts · 07/11/2012 22:04

MakeHay I know you haven't been reading the thread, as you said so yourself, so I'll give you the short version: I don't think Laska is talking about your question. :)

And to "answer" it: none of us are professionals, so if you are truly worried about your health on this diet, it's probably best to speak to your GP. You will lose weight on this diet. You will get the health benefits described in the studies. However, I cannot comment on your reproductive health. sorry. :( Some women who are already in a healthy BMI range have noticed missed periods, if that is the question?

OP posts:
GreenEggsAndNichts · 07/11/2012 22:08

Laska if it matters, I agree. Grin People can finagle if they like, but the simplicity is what I like about it.

OP posts:
Abra1d · 07/11/2012 22:13

Makehay I hear you. I too worry that we don't really know what the differences are in the female response to the diet. Men and women do have differences and the link posted up-thread was concerning.

I have been doing 5:2 for about two months now, really for the health benefits. I wanted to reduce my cholesterol and blood pressure. I don't really need to lose much, if any, more weight. No point me doing it if it's actually placing my body under more stress. For the moment, I shall continue, though.

My husband has lost a stone plus! He looks great.

MakeHayNotStraw · 07/11/2012 22:13

Oh, ok.....mis-communication!

The link is here. It quotes studies that have shown that the female metabolism can suffer through IF - most worryingly through Increased sensitivity to glucose, as well as the hormones being affected (female rats, for example, masculinise) and fertility is reduced. There's a lot more in there, too.

I know no-one is an expert, I just wondered what the combined research power of Mumsnet had come up with so far! Grin

Breadandwine · 07/11/2012 22:15

Hi MakeHayNotStraw Don't you go anywhere!

You mustn't take things, personally - I'm certain Laskas post wasn't intended for you! She's generalising about posts over the past few days, for one thing.

I was going to thank you for that link - it looks like it's really useful. I'll post it on the Tips and Links thread.

And your question deserves a serious answer. I can't answer it, but someone will - if they haven't already whilst I've been composing this.

TalkinPeace2 · 07/11/2012 22:20

Hmmmm
I just skim read that link - and followed some of its links.
The writer is NOT a scientist.
She has misrepresented the second link and the first one is behind a paywall.
Not in demolition mode (am mid way through a tax return) but she seems to be overegging the case against 5:2 - I suspect mainly because it threatens her book sales.

MakeHayNotStraw · 07/11/2012 22:22

I'll stick around then - cheers! Wine (assuming it's not a fast day....)

I clearly do need to read the thread(s) but sleep is winning right now. I may look further into 6:1, with a full fast instead of low-cal, as I don't think I need to lose much weight, and the one time I did manage to do a proper 500cal day I felt very energetic and much better than I expected. I just have rubbish will-power and have failed most of the other times I have tried. I think possibly because I have worries and am not fully committed because of this.

Mintyy · 07/11/2012 22:23

I'd be grateful if we could stop saying that weight will definitely be lost on this woe. It is not proving to be the case for me (started 5:2 on 1st September and have bmi of 29ish). And there are others on the thread who have had the same experience.

MakeHayNotStraw · 07/11/2012 22:24

talkinpeace thank you - always good to get another eyeballing of the page. Demolition mode would be great if it deserves to be demolished, I am so interested in the health benefits of this that I would love to ditch the concerns.

MakeHayNotStraw · 07/11/2012 22:27

Sorry mintyy, Didn't mean to imply it was a definite outcome.

Wow, I'm really sticking the hobnailed boots in - not a great intro to the thread. Blush.

To bed, I think. I'll be more tactful/discreet next time I'm around, promise.

MummysHappyPills · 07/11/2012 22:30

Just to add some info into the mix, I have a mirena coil that I have had since may and haven't had a proper period since, but I have had some bleeding spotting, and some quite heavy bleeding today, which tends to happen on fast days. Ironically I really would prefer not to get periods at all as I have endometriosis. I am also keen to see how this woe affects my condition and pain levels, it is a bit hard to tell so far as the pain comes and goes and tends to be associated with bleeding (though not always) so I'll have to give it a bit longer to see if the bleeding settles. I'm hoping it may help as the condition responds to oestrogen and lower levels of body fat will mean I will have less circulating oestrogen, though I am only just over a BMI of 25 so not actually obese anyway.

I have been getting a bit of pain recently, though this could be because I have been a bit constipated which aggravates it. So far this woe may be making my constipation worse as I have been eating big portions of crap food on eating days followed by nothing at all which hasn't exactly done wonders for my gut transit! But I am hoping as the novelty wears off I will start making healthier choices on eating days! Grin

However I do feel great and very liberated. And I plan to cut fast days right down (currently ADF) as soon as I am in normal weight category (got about a pound to lose) so hopefully any adverse effects will be minimal once I do this.

GreenEggsAndNichts · 07/11/2012 22:34

MakeHay she could also be referring to my post. She's right, I didn't mean to assume weight loss. I did, however, mean to stress that I've no idea the effect on reproductive issues. :)

OP posts:
NatashaMousse · 08/11/2012 00:54

Having read through the last couple of pages of posts at once, I'd say that everyone is right. The effects of 5:2 (or any other eating program) on women is something that needs to be taken into serious consideration. Reproductive health is indisputably important. Does 5:2 really lower IGF1 for most people and, if so, does that lead to osteoporosis? Unfortunately, there isn't conclusive information and, of course, individual variations in body chemistry may have to be factored in.

But if you're overweight and don't have serious health problems of the sort that require frequent medical monitoring when dieting, the 5:2 plan looks quite safe. If done properly (follow the simple "rules" and don't pig out on junk on too many feast days), you'll lose weight and gain various health benefits. The composition of what you eat is probably not so critical at this stage, because the body has a store of nutrients that it can draw on. As you get to your ideal weight and BMI, however, those reserves may have dropped and for sure calorie needs fall. That means that you have to keep reducing the amount you eat on feast days and get all your nutrients from decreasing amounts of food. If what you're eating doesn't supply them, health issues could crop up eventually (months, years later maybe). If adjustments are made to ensure decent nutrition, there shouldn't be a problem.

BCL, I'm the one who mentioned Joel Fuhrman. While I've found myself arguing with a few points in his books (and I don't imagine I'd enjoy meeting him in real life), I think he's got the basics right, particularly about nutrition density. A few people I know started following his "eat to live" program. They lost weight, feel great and have stuck with it as a WOL, albeit not strictly. That made me curious enough that I read the book. It made a lot of sense and I tried (still trying) to work the principles into my eating without making myself crazy in the process or feeling deprived. Like you, I've found myself paying more and more attention to the nutrition:calorie ratio. And now with 5:2 (or whatever I wind up with), that's becoming even more important to me.

At this point I'm a bit confounded. There's a large dark chocolate cake covered with melted Valhrona sitting in my freezer. With all this health talk I haven't been able to touch it for weeks. Confused

Swipe left for the next trending thread