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. 
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!
Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.
Fasting / 5:2 diet
5:2 Diet Thread! 7 is our lucky number...
GreenEggsAndNichts · 19/11/2012 12:57
Thanks for that TP2 - I usually buy New Scientist to read when travelling - I'll look out for this one.
On a fast day today, and making a big pot of vegetable broth. I find it's a great standby for miserable weather days like today.
Weighed myself this morning and was down another 1lb, making 16 in all. 
I tend to weigh myself around once a week, but not always. And even then sometimes the weight bounces up a bit, but I've learned not to worry about that.
A slow downward trend over many weeks is what I'm looking for. I don't want to lose weight too fast as I find post-menopausal skin takes time to adjust to covering a smaller amount of fat!
Saving money on food is all very well, but I'm spending more on body lotion. 
As for people who lurk and sometimes post that they'd like to do this WOE but don't want to set bad examples for their children: My 3yo DS has just demanded salad.
(yes he had a normal lunch but he saw me eating salad again and was keen)
Non-fast day here, btw. I think it will be spag bol tonight. I'll be out in the late evening so I'd like something quick which will use some of the mince Ocado had on offer. :)
ThinkIcan
I am a New Scientist subscriber - if its covered I'll find it :-)
Or in the Economist - who will cover such things because of the impact on the costs of health care
Or in Private Eye - because of quack medical columns
or just because I'm rather a news / data hound
greeneggs
my kids won't eat "salad" but they will eat "crudites" tee hee
Yeah TIC / TIP2 read that study a while back and it concerned me too. I cycle between 25-40 miles now most weekdays whether fasting or not. On the bike can't say I find any kind of a problem, in fact if I cycle after 3 days of normal eating I usualy feel less good than the day after a fast, but I have been noticing some issues around circulation in my feet and hands afterwards on occasions. Not scientific at all and might be related to other things. My blood pressure is markedly lower as well, sometimes as low as 110/60 and for someone who hit around 165/80 a year or two back that's some change.
The study on rats was indeed concerning/interesting but it has to be taken into consideration that 6 months in rats corresponds to nearly a decade in humans - I hope anyway.
So it does concern me, that and my low protien intake considering the physical activity I do. The problem with being involved with something like this at such an early stage is that there's still so much we need to know and the studies have not been done in sufficient number to give clear answers.
All I know is that I feel A LOT healthier, leaner, lighter and energetic now than I have done for many decades - But I also realise that there is a lot more research that needs to be done before we know the full impact on human male and female health
Happy fasting/feeding all
TheCyclistist
In the side article in New Scientist they mentioned the benefits of not too much protein ....
and low blood pressure - my record, after running up three flights of stairs with a toddler on my hip and hugely pregnant was 80/50 the nurses were 
- it has now stabilised at around 100/60
and my Raynauds is unaffected by what I eat and drink ...
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80/50
Yep Raynauds is a possibility, I do have problems with my hands in the cold, meaning they bloody hurt.
The numbness and pins in needles in the feet though is new and my hands seem to be worse now than before. I have never been a fan of 'low caaaaarb' diets, low GI yes but low carb has always seemed to make no sense and been based on dodgy pseudo science. However my protien intake on fast days can't be much higher than 30-40 grams something that can't be good after cyclyng 30 miles up and down hills. I'll have a look at the New Scientist and check out the low protien article. Cheers
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