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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! 7 is our lucky number...

991 replies

GreenEggsAndNichts · 19/11/2012 12:57

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 2012, 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.

I know a number of people lurk on this thread, as this is currently quite popular. Please just jump in and post if you're new- we won't bite. Well, maybe on a fast day. Wink

Here is a list of links to get you started with this way of eating. Please let us know if you find a new article or some other information online:

First things first, here are links to some of our previous threads: most recent one before that another one etc!

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.

Here is where I would link to the aforementioned Horizon programme, but it appears as if the BBC have finally noticed it on YouTube and have taken it down. If you have another link for this episode, please PM me with it, or post it to the thread and we'll put it up for the next thread.

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 all the links re-copied and back into one post.

Come join us, and tell us about your experiences with this diet!

OP posts:
MoomieAndFreddie · 25/11/2012 11:10

Can I just ask, do you have to fast 2 days in a row?

MadameBoolala · 25/11/2012 11:13

Just marking my place, I've been lurking and I'm starting tomorrow, I'm feeling mega positive about it.

Breadandwine · 25/11/2012 11:33

MummysHappyPills don't forget the Links thread! Smile

MoomieAndFreddie nope - just choose two days that suit you - I do Monday and Wednesday.

MadameBoolala good luck - but you won't need it! Smile

MadameBoolala · 25/11/2012 11:36

Thank you Breadandwine :)

Skinnyeye · 25/11/2012 11:57

Great link thanks B&W lots of interesting reading there and Dr Vs email address Grin

I noticed that there were 13 visitors on that forum - bet they are all MNers lol

TalkinPeace2 · 25/11/2012 13:20

The body reabsorbing fat cells : I've found one paper, am checking for a couple more - it does as part of normal cell renewal - unused cells are destroyed. But they need to have been unused for long enough that the energy of destruction is worth it to the body
upwards of a couple of years
the line about creating all your fat cells at a young age is defeatist and unlikely
Jamie Lee Curtis has splendid middle age spread - not much sign of subcutaneous fat in True Lies though ....

am currently battling with HTML, but will keep researching as a diversion.

ThinkICan · 25/11/2012 15:03

Great links B&W and MHP. Our team is an excellent resource centre. And in the midst of all the gym bunnies on this thread - from someone who has looked into a gym just once and vamoosed 'cos of all the toned, younger bodies: I climbed up and down two hills to a tourist place - 1700 steps up and 1700 down. And have just a slightly distressed pair of ankles to show! I'm sure I couldn't have done this without my healthier eating and weight loss with IF. Imagine how very relieved my ankles will be when I lose more weight. Crossing my fingers and toes! I really understand what you said TiP2 - about how much happier my body will be when I lose the 30 lb still to go to a healthy BMI. I'm going to be stiff tomorrow though.

FlipFlippingFlippers · 25/11/2012 16:04

Tried miso soup and blergh! How do you lot do it?!

Wish I hadn't of bought 3 boxes of the stuff Grin

Ended up with a 40 cal chicken noodle soup instead.

HelgatheHairy · 25/11/2012 16:05

I know the weight loss is the main issue which is why it's still a bit unsure. He had a bout of colitis 2/3 months ago and he did go quite thin but never to the extent he looked like he was starving. And he did put the weight back on. He's currently 24kg which is about right I think.

His poo is identical to a cow pat!!

HelgatheHairy · 25/11/2012 16:06

Sorry - wrong thread!!

TalkinPeace2 · 25/11/2012 16:11

flipflipping
I bought a pot of miso paste
a load of stock cubes
and have walking onion growing in the garden

think of it as a broth between courses and its yum
add pepper and more chopped chives / scallions if needs be

HelgatheHairy · 25/11/2012 16:12

What I meant to post Blush

I lost 1.6 pounds this week Grin have been doing 5:2, thinking I might try 4:3 just in the run up to Christmas. Had also started c25k but have slacked off (was only on week 2!) so will start that again next week.

FlipFlippingFlippers · 25/11/2012 16:14

Oooh thanks for the tip! It tasted very strong so I might try it with more water or less paste next time. Chives sound good.

babbas · 25/11/2012 16:50

Themaltese just thought I'd share my experience. When I started fasting in sept I was doing shred or jillians other workouts at least 6 days a week. I lost nothing for 11 weeks. In fact I felt ill. The workouts were fine, manageable with fasts, but over the weeks I felt dizzy sick nauseous and flu like. I was really poorly in week 10/11 and did 3 days of shred and list my first 2lbs. The last two weeks I have cut right back as still felt a bit woozy and dropped another 1 lb. that's just my experience. I'm back to shred as of today but will do it 4-5 times as I've found over te my
Body just felt ill doing both fasting and exercise. It's my first proper week back on shred so wish me luck!!

MummysHappyPills · 25/11/2012 17:13

The line about having all your fat cells by 16 may be defeatist but it is sadly true, I don't pretend to be an expert, but I am a 4th year medical student and have heard this mentioned by several consultants, especially in paediatrics to stress how important a healthy diet in childhood is.

That is not to say that it is futile to attempt to lose weight once you are overweight in adulthood, as you simply shrink the fat cells you have when you lose weight.

Fat cells don't live forever, they turn over, old ones die and new ones take their place. However the number always remains the same, and this number is set by your late teens. There is currently research going into trying to stop new fat cells being made to replace the old ones, in the hope that this will eventually lead to an overall reduction in the number of fat cells - not sure how far this has gone or what the outcomes have been though.

if you shrink your existing fat cells right down you can still change your body shape drastically though, and in some ways it is good if you have plenty of adipocytes in which to store your fat, because then it is stored in your subcutaneous tissue where it doesn't do much damage, rather than accumulating around your internal organs! Smile

TalkinPeace2 · 25/11/2012 17:26

the number always remains the same
you see that's the bit that does not make sense.
Friends who have never been fat do not have the fat cells - their skin is lean
(Cameron Diaz / Bradley Wiggins / Mo Farah)
and yet when such people get older, some bulk out (Jamie Lee Curtis / Liz Taylor / Koo Stark)
AND the Nature papers I was reading earlier point out that if fat cells remain full for a period of time, more are created
so its not true in one direction - therefore is not true in the other

I'm looking at papers relating to the Dutch Famine and the fact that the balance of white and brown fat altered in those subjected to low calories for a long time

its a case of separating out papers written by obesity doctors - who rarely see "success" stories
from those written by doctors in general cohort studies like the one I've been on for 13 years

Bordercollielover · 25/11/2012 18:09

Flip flipping,miso soup makes me want to throw up.for me the flavour is utterly vile! Miso does have some health benefits though so I have been hiding it in other soups and find it adds a pleasant layer of flavour that way. Just don't put boiling water on it as extreme heat destroys the goodies.

Madhouse2012 · 25/11/2012 18:55

Doing my first 'spread over 2 days' fast day today, had lunch then plan on nothing else until lunch tomorrow, I'm going to see if I prefer it to doing a fasting day morning to morning with a 500 calorie meal. This is only my 4th fast day and I already feel better, have lost a little weight but my tummy feels flatter, so all good so far!

skippyscuffleton · 25/11/2012 19:52

Mhp thanks for the clarification on fat cells. Sounds to me like the number of fat cells you have is irrelevant when it comes to weight loss.
Would also be interested to know how a child can prevent the growth of fat cells, if at all?

Aftereightsaremine · 25/11/2012 20:37

Agree with skippy that would be interesting to know how to prevent fat cell growth in children. Both dds eat fairly healthily but are always hungry & so will gorge on chocolates biscuits crisps etc when given the opportunity. they have dinner around 7-7.30 depending on when dd1 gets home & then desert eg bar of chocolate etc once theyve had fruit.

I've told them they are setting up problems for when they are older but they are both very skinny as they play lots of sport during the week so I haven't fussed too much about it. But told them I'm going to get much stricter ie go back to the evil mum I used to be when treats were for the weekend only. Lets see how long it lasts before dd1 (almost 14) throws a wobbly.....

TalkinPeace2 · 25/11/2012 20:41

And yet look at pictures of Chelsea Clinton - the archetypal puppy fat girl - who has been lean since age 21 .... OK she may not eat much but those fat cells are hiding really really well under her skin if they are still there ten years later

Bordercollielover · 25/11/2012 21:40

How do we know whether or not celebrities have had liposuction?

TalkinPeace2 · 25/11/2012 21:43

fair point - but I don't think many olympic athletes go in for such things ....

Bordercollielover · 25/11/2012 21:52

No but an Olympic athlete has a body which functions at optimum levels of everything, bodies which are not kept at that peak performance level are not likely to behave in the same way, IMHO. But I may be wrong.

TalkinPeace2 · 25/11/2012 21:59

Indeed, but I think that the current prevailing view that all fat cells exist at the age of 16 it just waiting to be fully overturned.
For a start, people who get fat definitely lay down more fat cells.
Ex athletes sometime put on lots of weight - filling up fat cells that they showed no sign of (I knew an ex international waterpolo player who got huge ....)

And those who have managed to lose weight and keep it off for a long time are very poorly studied - mainly because they tend not to go near doctors!

The cohort study I am on has been looking more at DH and I as well as DS (the original study subject) and they have data on me going back to when I was nearly 12 stone before pregnancy.