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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:
TalkinPeace2 · 09/11/2012 18:11

INTERESTING
compare this www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
with the link in the OP
it sets my maintenance 200 calories lower !

Laska42 · 09/11/2012 18:18

TIP mine are 100 down on this ( but about what I have been doing), but my losing cals are slightly up to 1220..

Laska42 · 09/11/2012 18:27

Well people..... my lunch with ex teenage boyfriend (he said it was 36 years since we'd last met) was interesting and nice (and non scary or worrying to any marriages status quo) ..

Strangely, he hasn't changed much , and sweetly he also said I hadn't either (of course I didn't mention the 3+stone I've lost over the last few years!)

B&W re Lindor ...told you so! (we know a woman s heart round here.. let us know when its her birthday!!)

BTW your blog sounds interesting . Have you posted link? Don't forget to include the avocado choc mousse on it! I'm planning on giving it a go this weekend.
right now I'm having a well deserved glass of white before dinner...(first Wine this week.. oh I'm just SO saintly these days.. ) Grin

TalkinPeace2 · 09/11/2012 18:29

Laska
I had one of those in January. It was great fun but his wife had a fit afterwards!

Manhattan here, while writing report. Wine to follow :-)

Piebaldrider · 09/11/2012 18:34

I have had a strange day , i have been very busy all day ( at work ) and not had time for a break . I didn't mind as I'm fasting and it made it easier. Late afternoon my stomach was feeling very tight and pulled up, i reaslised i have only had 1 cup of coffee and half a mug of cuppa soup all day. My stomach is now so tight it feels like i wont be able to keep anything down. I have slowly managed to drink a pint of squash and it is staying down but i know i need more. This is not how its meant to be and i just want everyone to remember to drink plenty on a fast day as I'm sure i haven't done myself any favors today and it cant be good for me. Blush

TalkinPeace2 · 09/11/2012 18:41

piebald
TOO RIGHT
check the colour of your wee - if its too dark you are dehydrated
and as has been proven with schoolkids, dehydration makes you thick

frenchfancy · 09/11/2012 19:14

Babbas I hadn't noticed it until your post, but I think you may be right. I've had a pretty physical day, didn't shower this morning (bath before bed) but on checking the armpits, everything is sweet smelling. I will keep an eye (or rather nose) on that.

Eating day here today. My scone habit is getting out of hand, cheese and bacon today [yum]. DH did meatballs for dinner :) So much nicer when it is guilt free. My portion sizes are definately smaller, yet I am enjoying it all more.

MummysHappyPills · 09/11/2012 19:22

Babbas I have noticed this! Our washing pile is always massive, and I try and stretch out clothes as long as I can by giving them a sniff (I'm a slattern I know)! Usually a top will last a day, 2 days at the most, but they are lasting 3 days now! Definitely less whiffy!Grin

lilacbluebell · 09/11/2012 20:11

just checking in. I haven't eaten yet as I've been so busy with the kitchen (3 damned coats of paint on the ceiling), will have my meal when the DC are in bed.

glad your DW liked the choccies B&W, I think I must be the only MNetter who doesn't like lindorShock

I have a twinings orange and lotus flower green tea which isn't to bad. Like the sound of ginger tea tho

TalkinPeace2 · 09/11/2012 20:16

lilac
I'm allergic to chocolate ..................

Snowy27 · 09/11/2012 20:26

Hi
I've been lurking around for a while, and tried my first fast day yesterday! it went OK, i ate slightly over 500 cals, but I'm still bf my six month old so when I felt really light headed I had an apple and a big glass of water which seemed to sort it out! I actually really enjoyed it!

Today has been rubbish (poorly baby!) but I think having been so good yesterday made me not want to undo everything my being really bad, if you know what I mean?

I'm really hoping this will help me loose that last stone and a half of baby weight (whoever said BF will make if drop off you was fibbing!)

babbas · 09/11/2012 22:23

Another thing - on fast days I find I wake in the middle of the night. Just wide awake. For a few hours. This doesn't happen on eating days. When awake I seem to be starving despite not going to bed starving or Waking up starving the next morn.

This week I have also suffered with real bloating and an uncomfortable tummy.

The best thing though is that my premenstrual headaches have reduced significantly although my periods are probably three times as heavy.

So happy (in a silly kind of way) that others have noticed the erm new fragrant benefits!!

TalkinPeace2 · 09/11/2012 22:30

babbs
so does DH
more fluids - to try to stop it happening, drink as much water as you can before bed
if you do wake up, drink as much as you can face
fast dehydration has the same impact on the brain as a killer hangover
keep that urine paler than lemon juice ....

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 10/11/2012 03:22

Checking in - good job on the chocolates b&w, so nice to get a random treat like that occasionally and also to get one's OH support. DH has been really supportive, explaining it to friends who've been a bit Hmm and not tempting me on fast days, then a day like today - kind of fasting and hiding it - made a big plate of veggies for lunch then we ended up going for pizza with some friends, I just didn't order anything, had a bite or two of DD's chicken meatballs, manicness of kids running round and DH changing the subject whenever someone offered me something to eat was so helpful. Only "hiding" it because I want my neither to have been here a few days before I tell him, so he can see I am eating normally.

Not noticed fragrance to be honest! But I do wonder it sense if smell has heightened - sense of taste definitely has.

That calculator is interesting - 200cals down on maintenance but 100cals up on weightloss....

Piebaldrider · 10/11/2012 07:10

Babbas on fast days i am regularly wide awake for hours during the night , i am not hungry and i do drink a pint of squash during the night. My main problem at night is the restless legs or the sometimes very uncomfortable mini cramps in my calves and i am unable to get comfortable for long. However i am never tired the next day or feel that i am missing any sleep, in fact as time goes on i am starting to think i need less sleep and i have more energy . The energy thing is improving rapidly and i can measure it by how much i can do at the gym. In just two weeks my ability to do cardio workouts has increased in leaps and bounds. I have had gym memberships before but i have never found my fitness to increase so quickly. The whole experience is wonderful and almost addictive rather like the fasting. For me doing the two things hand in hand is changing my body weight, shape and along with that both my self esteem and confidence are also rising and this is as much a result of the control we now have over ourselves in a healthy and uplifting way.

The experience is also making me more aware and bringing more thoughts to the surface about others not so lucky as myself so the whole experience is a voyage of self discovery in many ways.

Just to be different last night i slept like a baby , it was a fast day and stupidly although accidently i had practically dehydrated myself and i felt very sleepy and was falling asleep on the sofa at 8pm , i went to bed and suffered no sleeplessness or aches and pains.

I am baking bread now as i only really eat bread at weekends now and i will really enjoy every mouthful.

Breadandwine · 10/11/2012 09:59

Thanks, folks! I have to report that so far, the chocs remain untouched. My wife's appetite for chocolate - and sweet things generally - seems to have diminished quite significantly!

Having said that, planning tomorrow's roast dinner*, we've decided we should have apple crumble for afters - another benchmark on the road to 'normality' - we never have a pud together. (Q. What is 'normality'?)

*Field mushroom for me, spread with mushroom pate (Pateole - in my local healthfood shop [HFS]) and vegan pesto. I know I'm biased, but this is far tastier than the chicken breast my wife will have. I may even have it en croute in a bread wrap.

"B&W re Lindor ...told you so! (we know a woman s heart round here.. let us know when its her birthday!!) "
I certainly will, Laska, not until next June - but Christmas is coming up! Smile

"BTW your blog sounds interesting . Have you posted link? Don't forget to include the avocado choc mousse on it! I'm planning on giving it a go this weekend."

My blog has been accepted on Mumsnet Blogger, but I'm uncertain about the protocol of linking to it on here. After I asked LiteraryGeek to create a profile, I remembered I'd included the link on my proflle - so it's available there. I haven't got round to posting about the mousse yet, but I will.

Love your posts, Piebald, and many similar ones. The word journey is much over-worked these days, but that describes what a lot of posters have experienced - and are experiencing - over the past few week and months.

I've mentioned 'control' on here before, and how this WOL is giving people back control that was missing heretofore - and with that control comes the rising self-esteem and confidence mentioned by Piebald.

Great stuff!

MakeHayNotStraw · 10/11/2012 10:04

It's so interesting to read everyone's experiences, it really makes sense that this, as a way of life, is about being very in tune with your body and adjusting things to maximise positive feelings. Like the poster upthread who said "it's not meant to be like this" and it made her realise it was due to not drinking enough.

I completed my fast yesterday - I think for me, a complete fast until the evening is more doable than snacking on tiny things, which just makes me want more. I had a massive plate of stir fry for supper, which had so many veggies in (and a bit of chicken but no noodles), with a chinese sauce, and that still came to under 300 cals according to myfitnesspal. I couldn't even finish it all and was not hungry going to bed or waking up. (Not much sleep, but that's down to DCs!). I felt fine, hungry at times (don't go food shopping on a fast day!), a bit obsessed with food, but I had expected to feel light-headed as generally I get woolly very easily if I go too long between meals on non-fast days. Makes me think that perhaps that is psychological, then. I only did once but a cuppa and jaffa cake sorted it out. Apple probably better though....!

Dd and I made rainbow pancakes this morning as a more exciting breakfast. I think I may do that on post-fast-day days (even she ate some, unheard of! The lure of a pink/purple glittery pancake...).

Breadandwine · 10/11/2012 10:27

Loved your 'rainbow' pancakes, MakeHay! Next time you make them, just use self-raising flour and water - works just as well as those made with eggs and milk. Promise!

Skinnyeye · 10/11/2012 10:45

Hi all and happy weekend Grin

Finally managed to catch up with the thread after my weekend away and a very busy week. My weight loss seems to have stalled and have been going up and down a pound or 2 since mid October. I have lost about a stone in all and have another 1 to go. I am sure that I am losing inches and toning up but it's not reflected on the scales. Time to mix it up a little again! Hoping to switch to 4:3 next week but reluctant to do weekend fasts (although I know that weekends are my danger times for over eating Blush)

Great to see all the new posters and good luck to all the weekend fasters

Amumsim · 10/11/2012 13:45

Hello all. Sorry HUGE post coming up. I thought I'd add my experience to the mix for all newbies that might be feeling the same. This thread is so positive which is great and definitely helping me stick to it but also makes me feel a bit "what am I doing wrong".

I've done just 2 weeks of 5:2 so early days. My first week I fasted on 2 consecutive days, the first day having a small breakfast and the rest of my calories for dinner, the 2nd day nothing until late lunch time to ensure at least 16 hrs of fasting, then a small lunch and the rest at dinner. The hunger was cope-able, I was feeling very tired and and headachey by the end of the 2nd day, I had to take some neurofen. Other than that it was fine. The following feed days I went a bit crazy I think, I took "eat normally" literally and ate normally for me. Too much. I felt really hungry all week and felt a need to reward or treat myself. I forgot to weigh myself before I started and remembered half way through my first fast day, by the end of the week I had put on a lb !!

My 2nd week I fasted on 2 consecutive days again but on both I ate nothing until the evening, which I prefer, I find that I can keep going but if I eat something I just feel like I need more. I felt very drained, really tired not in a great mood (poor toddler DS suffered a little from a tired grumpy mum I'm afraid). I changed when I weighed myself to the morning after my fast days (thought that it would be the best time to get a loss and therefore psychologically better!) I had lost 2 1/2 lbs which is great.

I now have feed days ahead of me and I'm feeling like I have to carefully count calories to make sure I don't go crazy again. I'm feeling hungry and would just like to eat what I want and am hating feeling like I'm DIETING, I hoped that this WOE would feel natural and not diety. At the moment I do feel like I'm on a diet. I'm hoping that once I'm in the swing it will be better.

I know that I have to change the way I eat apart from fasting because it's clearly not eating normally or I wouldn't be over weight, but its the change that's difficult isn't it.

Anyway, I'll keep keeping at it, keep reading the thread and hopefully report better feelings soon. Good luck all feeders and fasters and have a great weekend.

mollysfolly · 10/11/2012 13:46

!poohw - being whoop! backwards, like my weight loss. Up a pound this week, not much, but I'm surprised because the fast days went well. A bit panicky too, as I don't know what to do next. Know I'd really struggle with 4:3 so I think I'll have to restrict calories more on eating days. I'm already keeping to my TDEE so, like someone said earlier, it will be like a good old fashioned low calorie diet Sad

frenchfancy · 10/11/2012 15:26

Amumsim If I were you I would try to fast on 2 NON consecutive days. Even if you can cope with the consecutive. I think it helps your body get used to the fast-feed scenario and reduces your appetite more effectively.

I think by doing 2 consecutive days your body is getting into panic mode (for want of a better word) so when food is around you are getting hungrier.

Keep it up, it is early days yet. I don't feel like I am on a diet any more, but did for the first couple of weeks or so.

pookey · 10/11/2012 15:37

Hi all I have been doing 3:4 for a month or so on alternating days (mon-wed-fri) and it seems to work better than 2:5. I def over eat on feed days something I need to work on. Will weigh myself in a day or 2 but think overall I am losing a lb or 2 a fortnight so prob the slowest weightloss I have had on an eating plan but that's ok.

Dp was talking about this woe with a work colleague who told them a nutritionist friend of hers thinks it would be classified as bullemia. I felt quite angry and defended the diet and its health benefits but maybe I protested too much! Do people feel healthier? Less smelly sounds like a bonus though! I do feel more in control Breadandwine and overall I like that feeling but is that a bit eating disorderish in itself?

starlady · 10/11/2012 16:08

Pookey I've just started doing 5/2 just a week, but I absolutely, definitely feel healthier. I am 5ft 11 and weigh about 12 stone - I used to be super-skinny at seven and a half stone in late teens/ early and hated it. Weight loss is not my main motivation.

I always loved the feeling of fullness from eating heavily, and swallowed all the Dawn French stuff about thin girls looking ugly. I have never done a diet before, apart from half-heartedly cutting out wheat for about a day and a half for spotty skin.

Over the last few years I developed asthma, joint pain, sleep aponea, extreme fatigue from my tuna panini, pret sandwich/ steak and chips diet. I supplemented this with plenty of fruit and veg, but still felt bloated and sick.

Since I've started 5/2 I am sleeping better than for years, not aching. I had started to panic that I was in early stages of alzheimer, but my head is super-clear - even after a week. My body is thanking me for this!

I do wonder whether nutritionists as a breed feel a bit peeved off. Also - this is anecdotal and an unscientific observation - a lot of them seem to have had issues with eating disorders in the past, and can be a bit obsessed with other people having issues.

starlady · 10/11/2012 16:09

I mean to say nutritionist feel a bit peed off by people taking control of their own eating, and not needing them.

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