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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:
TellMeLater · 27/11/2012 12:23

I really don't struggle with eating the day after a fast. I don't wake up hungry but I do feel hungrier when it does hit me - I exercise most days which increases my appetite. I've just finished an exercise session and then lunch - I've probably eaten 1000kcals already, my body was screaming for it!

B&W some very familiar people in those forums - a real blast from the past, thank you!

TroublesomeEx · 27/11/2012 12:48

Tiggy I think this 5:2 malarky is one of the few occasions when the mantra "if it seems too good to be true it probably is" doesn't apply!

TalkinPeace2 · 27/11/2012 13:34

tiggy
I keep waking up wondering which bit I've missed.
But having lost a stone and still having boozy party weekends, it really seems to work.
Because the calories deficit is so extreme on those two days it suppresses your appetite for over half the week, and yet when treats come along you can have them.

kittykarate · 27/11/2012 14:08

I went to the chinese supermarket and got 2 types of 'zero' noodles, the traditional type and macaroni (34 cals). Tried the macaroni last night - the water they are packaged in smells really weird, like rock pools at the beach. They were pretty tasteless with a weird texture, though pretty bulky. I think I'd rather do without the fake pasta than fool myself eating those.

tiggy114 · 27/11/2012 14:19

For those of you who don't like miso, the chinese supermarket near me sells a barand called kikkoman. They're like cuppa soups and are delicious. Lots better than the paste sachet type you get in asda.

pip895 · 27/11/2012 15:50

Part of the attraction of this WOE for me, is ensuring I never have to eat stuff like that - or anything else I would only eat beause Im on a diet. Wink

tiggy114 · 27/11/2012 15:57

But it's yummy pip Wink and i was thinking of fast day not normal days. Although i'd eat it with tofu and noodles in on any day Grin

BoraBora · 27/11/2012 15:59

Is it possible to do this whilst breastfeeding?

literarygeek · 27/11/2012 16:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FlipFlippingFlippers · 27/11/2012 17:00

Thanks for that tiggy I'll keep an eye out. Miso soup is grim!

catsrus · 27/11/2012 17:33

Lol another miso soup lover here - and I certainly don't associate it with dieting as I happily ate it when I was putting on weight Blush

Laska42 · 27/11/2012 17:58

I love miso soup also .. when I first started fasting id have some every fast day .. not now though its just so much easier as you go on..

BTW catsrus thanks for your mention. i'm impressed that you've got down to 9.12 now ( id like some of that ..) Smile

NotWilliamBoyd · 27/11/2012 18:56

DH now trying this WOE for a couple of weeks, so I guess he's impressed with it!

Weighed myself this morning and I've lost just over 12lbs since the beginning of October - am also doing the C25K running programme, this is real significant stuff for me!

Still noone commenting unless I say something first, I guess perople are afraid of saying the wrong thing?? Weight can be such a sensitive area.

Skinnyeye · 27/11/2012 18:59

I must say you are looking great notwill have you lost weight? See someone did notice Grin

Poppy1234 · 27/11/2012 19:48

Another miso fan here. I am loving saving my calories for a larger evening meal rather than snacks throughout the day. I had a fabulous dinner of haddock with chilli pesto and parmesan, white bean mash and tonnes of cabbage stir fried with fennel seeds. I have become a huge cabbage fan after never eating it, the bags of shredded cabbage have so few calories and are gorgeous stir fried.

In my adventures in daily weighing I lost 2.5lbs over night after a 5lb weekend gain, it's quite fascinating to see the fluctuations.

NotWilliamBoyd · 27/11/2012 20:28

Why thank you Skinnyeye, how kind of you to notice! Grin

SarahWithAFringeOnTop · 27/11/2012 21:57

How is the C25K going notwill? I am still battling on but finding it tough... obviously more unfit than I thought. Also, there isn't really anywhere much to run round where I live (especially when some of it is under water Sad) But I am persevering and pounding the pavements in small circuits... though I think it might take me a lot more than 10 weeks to get to the 5K.
Have lost half a stone on 5:2 though, so generally feeling positive overall Smile

aimingtobeaperfectionist · 27/11/2012 23:39

Hi, can I just ask- can you do this if you're breastfeeding? If you can, is ADF or 5:2 better? Thanks.

Breadandwine · 28/11/2012 00:09

Hi aiming

I may be the only one around ATM, so I'll try and be of help.

There's been several discussions around this subject on this very thread, so if you search for (Ctl F then Ctl G) "breastfeeding" or "bf" you should find what you're looking for.

For what it's worth, several mothers on here are breastfeeding successfully - I think they're doing 5:2 rather than ADF.

Best wishes, B&W

aimingtobeaperfectionist · 28/11/2012 00:12

Thank you! I'll have a look tomorrow as I'm on my phone now. Now DD is 6 months I need to shift some weight and this seems like a good idea. Just don't want to jeopardise breastfeeding. Thanks again Thanks

Breadandwine · 28/11/2012 00:18

That was quick!

I found this on the last thread:

myjoy Sat 27-Oct-12 07:10:42
"Hiya,

after asking last week about breastfeeding (thanks to those who responded) and IF and then doing my own research I decided to just give it a go. So far, it's been brilliant. I am feeling really well, not weak or light headed, baby is well and milk supply not affected. Even with broken sleep I have more energy than I've had in ages and my mind feels alert.

My first 2 fast days were so do-able that I decided to add a third and though it's early days I feel like this could definitely be a permanent way of life. Since I've gained weight steadily with 2 pregnancies I have 6 stone to lose, but for the first time it doesn't feel daunting to get back to health."

Looks like you can start tomorrow! Wink

aimingtobeaperfectionist · 28/11/2012 00:26

Ooh, maybe this is it- thinness awaits me! I'll report back and let you know but thanks again for finding that for me Grin

ceebeegeebies · 28/11/2012 08:06

Morning everyone

I did my second 'fast' yesterday and it was slightly better than Friday so maybe I will get to the point you are all at of actually looking forward to it Grin

I went to bed at 9.30 though so DH is grumbling about this diet as it makes me very anti-social Hmm

Am off shopping today with some friends and can now have a guilt-free lunch Smile

FlipFlippingFlippers · 28/11/2012 09:40

So I had 2 feed days in a row and today (a fast day) I'm paying for it! I'm soooooo hungry its ridiculous. It's not even 10 am yet and I'm on the night shift later

Any tips on getting through today?

pip895 · 28/11/2012 10:06

FFF -It usually passes - try and be busy - if you are really struggling/feeling light headed have a little something- raw carrots are a favourite of mine - although its better to keep to one meal a day plenty of us on here are splitting our 500 cal. Smile

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