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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:
phlebas · 30/10/2012 09:43

Didn't manage to get on yesterday but I weighed in at 84.9kg, which is 1.kg lost last week (I did straight forward 5:2). Planning 4:3 this week with fasts today, Thursday & Saturday. I really want to be under 80kg for Christmas (preferably heading towards 75kg which will give me a BMI of 29). Total weight lost is now 16.1kg & down from a size 24 to a lose 18.

dd2 was ill last night & dh took her to A&E :( as a result I'm already on my third coffee today!

Aboutlastnight · 30/10/2012 09:52

No fasting this week as am nightshift and I am moving house with three children, plus Halloween seems to have become the new Christmas. I need chocolate this week so will be back on the wagon next week.

Hope then I will fast until Christmas a lose 3/4 pounds, that would be great.

MummysHappyPills · 30/10/2012 09:56

So sorry to hear about your dd phlebas. Sad Is she ok now? Poor love.

phlebas · 30/10/2012 09:57

shows how tired I am Hmm '1.1kg' & 'loose'

I just eat in the evening on fast days. DH has had to stop for now because he's lost too much weight ... ideal is 75kg (he was about 77kg) & went down to 72kg & looked ill ... he needs to find some way of increasing his calories on non fast days so he isn't losing weight (he was doing it due to increased dementia risk).

My SIL & mum have also started :) (both only have half a stone or so to lose).

phlebas · 30/10/2012 10:02

she seems okay today :) - has ongoing issue that seemed to be much worse last night but resolved pretty much as soon as they got into hospital. Bloody scary though :(

hoops997 · 30/10/2012 11:18

Weighed in this morning, I've hit my first stone Grin

Woo hoo a stone in 8 weeks, I love this WOE. Fasting today, will be eating at around 5pm.

Laska42 · 30/10/2012 11:38

Well Southampton Solent Uni tell me i can get tested on the Bod Pod for £50 ... Shall i go for it? what do you think? Of course I had no idea what I was at the Lost almost a stone on this now but i still have muffin top fat ..

TalkinPeace2 · 30/10/2012 11:54

Laska Excellent idea.

MoJoRegained · 30/10/2012 12:04

Laska you could do that - it would probably give you a very accurate assessment. On the other hand, Amazon are selling the Omron BF511 Body Composition Monitor that virginposter mentioned for £39.95 (thanks virginposter ). I guess it depends on whether you want really accurate for one shot, or a 'less' accurate measure ongoing to track progress.

I'm contemplating buying the Omron Monitor - my current scales are fairly old and probably inaccurate - and we have just renovated the bathroom so they look a bit tatty - good excuse to upgrade methinks! [hwink]

Just finished a fast day yesterday and weighed myself (could not resist - know that not having much to eat yesterday will skew the results and inaccurate scales make it a bit hit and miss) - am down another 2 pounds - 16 in all! Yey!

For those who have reached a plateau - keep with it - I was at the same weight or 1 pound up and down for about 3 weeks while still doing 5:2. Then 3 or 4 pounds came off all at once. I have noticed that my weight goes up and down over the weeks, but the general trend is downwards. So I try not to weigh too often.

Looking forward to homemade lasagne tonight when DH gets home. Loving that I can have favourite dishes when not fasting!

MoJoRegained · 30/10/2012 12:09

hoops Great that you reached a stone Thanks - I was so pleased when I did but it took me rather longer than you. I think it must have been about 12 or 13 weeks.

To all those fasting today - it is worth it - stick with it, and think of nice food to have tomorrow.

MoJoRegained · 30/10/2012 12:31

One other thing for those on the UK who are also keeping an eye on calories, or just trying to sort out foods to eat on fast days.

I've always found the mySupermarket site handy for the nutrition values. The site compares items across Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose, and Asda. If you click on an item, it will show you the detail with the price comparison by default. Just above the price comparison, there is usually a Nutrition tab which gives you calories, Fat, Sat Fat, Sugar and Salt. Not all items have the nutrition tab, but a large number do.

I used this a lot when DH and I were changing our diets to cut down salt because of his high blood pressure, but I've found it helpful again on this WOE to work out things we can have when I don't have time to cook.

mollysfolly · 30/10/2012 12:55

Go for it laska! If you tell them what important research you're doing they may give you a discount!

mumofcrazynamedkids · 30/10/2012 14:49

hi all....wow, well I've been reading the new 9 pages of the new thread since this morning and have finally caught up!

Thanks Thanks to greeneggs for starting the new thread and inviting all the lurkers so cunningly, lovely to see all the new people, and hear their stories.

a huge well done to laska you deserve a Wine for reaching target, and I think you should go for teh bodyscan, but as others have said, you may then want to get another one at some point in the future?

I laughed to hear breadandwines's story of a weekend of excess, slightly mirrors my weekend of actual 40th party(as opposed to on the day celebrations a few weeks ago) on Friday night (lots of cocktails and home made bread and cheese) and friends staying for the weekend , so a delicious trip down to Broadway market, to indulge in samosa's/bhaji/portuguese custard tarts/hog roast/chips/crabbies, followed by sweets and more cheese and biscuits later!) no to mention the drinking of leftover cocktails for breakfast on Sunday morning.....bucks fizz and sex on the beach is a great way to start a sunday, if a little tipsy!

anyway, all back on track today, fast day which i've been looking forward to, soup for lunch at 1pm, chicken in tomato sauce with broccoli and mushrooms for dinner later, I have cupboards at home stuffed with bottles of leftover champagne and halloween sweets for trick or treaters, but I am going to enjoy ignoring and getting back on track....not that i've missed any fasts, but after 5 days of non fasting/overindulging I know this weeks weigh in is likely to show a gain.

But one lovely thing was seeing my bf after 3 weeks apart at the weekend and him commenting a little enviously on my rapidly disappearing tummy, his seems to have expanded, so I'm hoping to entice him back onto this WOE soon.

have a good evening all.

ToffeeChops · 30/10/2012 15:06

Congratulations Hoops - a stone in 8 weeks is a fantastic achievement (well a stone off in any time-frame is brilliant, actually)

Catsrus, I do 16 hour fasts on my non-fast days (all except Saturday, which is a true FEASTING day.) I wait until 1.00pm to eat and make sure I finish eating by 9.00pm.

I don't feel deprived, I eat what I want during the 'eating window' but like you, I wanted to maximise the health benefits......... plus give the weight loss a little extra help. I like it because I didn't feel I could commit to 4:3 but am certain this gives me a bit of an extra push in the right direction Smile

I'd say why not give it a try and see how you get on? You can always go back to straight 5:2 if it doesn't suit you.

Liberty132 · 30/10/2012 15:37

Afternoon.

I did my first official fast day yesterday. I say official as i did a practice one last week and had to be nil by mouth the week before.

It wasnt too bad. I last ate 8pm the night before and ate nothing until 1.30pm on the day of the fast. I had a big bowl of home made soup and an apple (think I could have left it even later to eat if I had to). For dinner I had salmon and broc and peas and some strawberries and grapes. I then went for a swim and had a tin of WW tom soup. Ended up on around 470 cal.

I do like the control. Its easier to say I'm not eating than weigh and measure and faf on trying to stay within 1500 cal and 50g of fat etc etc.

My next fast day is Thursday. Being half term I am off so i hope its as straight forward when at work. Wasnt bursting with energy but managed to do all the housework on an empty tum.

I am fascinated by how little I need to eat. Like many of you I never allow myself to get hungry. Cant honestly remember the last time my tum rumbled before I fasted. Interestingly a rumbly tum isnt the end of the world!.

Today I have not eaten well but apparantly I can eat what I like. I had porridge for breakfast, followed by two choc bars, a tube of sweets, a low fat pkt of crisps and a sausage roll. At 3pm I just ate a sarnie. So not mega bad. I am though aware of what I am eating. I am considering it. Still popping it in my mouth, but thought about it first!

Looking forward to Thursday (weird eh?).

I know its to early to say, but off the back of 36 hrs nil by mouth two weeks ago, last Thursday being a fast and again yesterday - I swear by tum is much flatter! I am awaiting a confirmed diagnosis for IBS so it hasnt felt flat in a while.

Loving the forum - really great to hear everyone elses tips. I watched the horizon prog again last night. Is there any clincal trials going on anywhere. I would love some more prescriptive rules to follow.

Laters x

Spinme307 · 30/10/2012 17:17

today is my first fast day and I'm surprised to say all has gone well. I had lunch at 1pm of salad, pepper, mushrooms, a boiled egg and a babybel. Tea is in the oven salmon & broccoli.....grand total of 442cals for today.

I am so surprised not to be absolutely ravenous by now but I feel really good about my first fast day. Next one is Thursday and I'll be at college for most of the day so will be kept nice & busy.

ManOnBoard · 30/10/2012 17:28

Has anyone ever noticed that when grocery shopping on an empty stomach you tend to buy a lot of instant sweet foods, well I do anyway. The other morning after a fast day I needed to shop and as I had run out of milk had had no breakfast. As it was about 11am and as I was on a feast day I could have anything that caught my eye. It did not occur to me until later that I had bought nothing sugary whatsoever and I really feel this WOE has affected my sweet tooth.

As far as some of the beneficial effects of this WOE within 3/4 weeks, now on week 12, a frequently returning rash on my chest has gone (less sugar?) and the weight loss (24lbs) has meant my previously dodgy knee now gives me hardly any trouble. Another thing I have noticed is that my gums bleed less often. I am not saying that this is as a result of this WOE but it might be.

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 30/10/2012 17:48

Catching up and checking in - huge fail on my fast on Sunday - managed all day really well keeping within calories then my best friend bought gin, wasabi peas and Reese's pieces. Needless to say I gorged myself Blush then ate far too much yesterday, felt uncomfortably full all day. Fasting today but not mentioning it in the hope it makes it easier to stick to. Best friend is a bit Hmm about it but ears pricked up when I talked about it as a WOL, breaking the binging/dieting cycle forever more

Really well done phelbas on going from size 24 to 18 - that's brilliant!!!

And looks like everyone's on a good loss streak at the moment, well done!!

Prob check in again after the weekend - wont beat myself up if I end up indulging all this week with best friend, can just do ADF next week to make it up

zebrafinch · 30/10/2012 19:16

Can I join in?I have been lurking and thinking about it but after eating all the Halloween treats I bought in for the kids I have decided that now is the time to get off the shelf. I have never watched what I have eaten but always put on a little weight year on year . I need to lose 10kg. Starting tomorrow..... Scary!

frenchfancy · 30/10/2012 19:28

Of course you can zebra.

I had 10kg to lose, 4kg gone so only 6kg left to go :).

It is only scary at first, after a couple of weeks you realise that it isn't scary to be hungry, then you realise you are not even all that hungry most of the time.

Thelittlestranger · 30/10/2012 19:57

Another here who had an indulgent weekend that went through to Monday as I was a bridesmaid at a wedding on Sunday. Had my typical hungover binge yesterday, otherwise I don't think I would have done too bad...if I can maintain this week, I'll be happy.

So, first fast day of the week today when it is usually Monday. Had a couple of slices of ham and a tomato for lunch, and have just eaten an omelette for dinner. Enough left over for Greek yoghurt and blackberries for pudding...

I also went and did body attack at the gym, and struggled. Usually I do aerobics on a fast day, but I think body attack was one step too far

Congratulations to the losers...

Breadandwine · 30/10/2012 20:38

I'm happy to report that after a normal day yesterday, I reclaimed my missing belt notch this morning! Grin

And then I found I'd lost two of the four pounds I'd gained - result! Grin

I've fasted all day today - only had half a mug of warm water up until lunchtime when I had a coffee, and felt no ill-effects - and I was working!

This afternoon, still with only a couple of coffees inside me, I did my daily 15 minutes of vigorous exercise, feeling great!

I did the full 16 hours plus before the evening meal - and I ate very well (but still less than I used to eat prior 5:2). I've just had a sweet - strawberries and grapes with some soya milk - and I'm now absolutely stuffed.

Tomorrow I'll do a proper fast day and I expect to be back to where I was before the weekend! Smile

The next few hours is the danger period for me - my appetite switch is full on, ATM, and I'm susceptible to the remains of the curry on the stove - plus all the goodies I have to hand.

Made a huge (1.2kg) semi-focaccia last night, with toasted sesame seeds, and I've got tomorrow's chunk in the breadbin which I can't stop thinking about...

dandycandyjellybean · 30/10/2012 20:41

Well done first timers, and all you other brill losers iyswim Grin.

This is 13th fast in 11 weeks. As said in prev posts, it's a difficult time with fairly major stuff going on in my life (Dad's cancer, fighting for dh disability bens and other stuff) and I have crashed and burned on my second fast of the week for the last 3 weeks. I found today harder than I imagined, but am ragingly hormonal, and am really anxious about my Dad as he gets his treatment prognosis tomorrow, so perhaps not surprising.

Not to mention that I had to take dh and his mate somewhere at lunchtime which was just round the corner from Costco and they insisted on going in and having one of their huge slices of lush pizza (dh had two the gobshite!!!). I sat and drank a coffee - halo please Grin.

Noticed someone else was doing the 16 hour thing on non fast days I was wondering about this, or even eating one meal in the evening (and perhaps a Wine or two). Was worried that body might do the famine-must hang on to the calories-thing. What do you guys reckon? It's just that I'm never hungry for breakfast and on my 3 nonfast gym mornings, I'm not usually hungry for lunch either. It certainly wouldn't be a hardship to do it at least a couple of times a week on top of my fasts, and it might help out on the weeks when I struggle to do 2 fasts. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for this thread and all who post, such a lifesaver.

TalkinPeace2 · 30/10/2012 20:44

If you are not hungry, don't eat.
Better to avoid alcohol and stick to healthy calories at least a couple of days a week - even with your sky high reasons for stress
But, if you find it an easy way to restrict the calories while keeping the balance right and not losing too much weight too fast, why not.

Breadandwine · 30/10/2012 21:08

Hi sexbombbikerchick

I reckon you deserve a hug, girl! [hug]

As you may have seen, I had a real binge over the weekend, so, to make up for it, I fasted today - 16 hours up until dinner time. But then I had a good meal to avoid any chance of going into famine mode. I'll do my regular fast tomorrow (I'm only on 6:1) and then carry on as normal.

Personally, I think a 16 hour fast several times a week - providing you make sure you don't under eat later - is a good idea.

Agree with TP2, basically.