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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:
Breadandwine · 09/12/2012 18:22

"THE COOLEST DIET EVER :-)"

TiP2 It's not a diet Shock [horror!]

It's a WOE or a WOL!

For EN - I endorse everything said about IF - but the weightloss is a side effect - would that all side effects are as beneficial!

mamarun I'd just go for it - try the 2 days back to back, and if it doesn't work out, you can always go to plan B! Smile

Just about to tuck in to a gorgeous roast dinner - with stuffed mushrooms - and apple crumble and custard to follow!

Laska42 · 09/12/2012 18:24

oh sorry some of that above is total nonsense ..should have hit 'preview' it should read

Like TIP2 I regularly miss breakfast and /r lunch, on eating days if i know i'm going out for a blowout

Bordercollielover · 09/12/2012 18:29

I am trying an experiment today after reading Briffa's latest blog in which he looks at satiety Vs volume. Instead of mu usual fasting day bucket of salad or green veg I had 65g of nuts and pumpkin seeds. They took a good long time to eat and I am hoping the oil in them will keep me from being hungry. Plus I won't be going to bed overstuffed.
B&W do you have any vegan thoughts on fasting day foods which satiate rather than fill up temporarily with huge volume?

TalkinPeace2 · 09/12/2012 19:11

what is the smiley for slapping self on wrist?

B&W is so right - many of us happen to be losing weight under this system
but that is a side effect of the health benefits of long term regular fasting
I'm assuming I'll have to be disciplined in January, but then will have no more healthy weight to lose, but will stick with 5:2 for the other benefits ....

pip895 · 09/12/2012 19:38

mamarun - I have always done 2 in a row - have never fond it a problem. Smile

My weight loss after being excelent for about 8 weeks ~1.5lb a week - every week - has virtualy stopped. Last 5 weeks nothing - I have just started 4:3 - done two weeks but still no weight loss - not too sure what is going on Hmm

mamarun · 09/12/2012 20:02

Thanks all. Think I'm going to go for th Monday and Tuesday fast and if I struggle then certainly look to skip meals on going out days and if not that then weekend it will be. I actually have 3 festive time meals on Wednesday (long story) so will definitely need to compensate on the other days.

mamarun · 09/12/2012 20:04

"Pip" have you thought about varying which day of the week you do your fast on. Sure I read that somewhere - that somebody tried that and then it got the weight moving.

Breadandwine · 09/12/2012 20:35

"B&W do you have any vegan thoughts on fasting day foods which satiate rather than fill up temporarily with huge volume?"

Hi BCL

On a fasting day I don't have breakfast or lunch, but for dinner I have a veg curry or chilli non carne (250-300 cals), with a microwaved potato (72) or wedges (90-95) and broccoli (15-20).

I fill up a side plate and I'm often stuffed after eating it. I eat small forkfuls and chew slowly, so it might take me 20-25 minutes to eat the meal.

That satisfies me, and I don't need anything else (although I have been known to use up my calories on a small pud).

This is on the recipe thread, about halfway down - Oct 3rd. The 171 calories I mention is the whole pot I made (400 calories) divided by 7 serving spoons (57), then multiplied by three (171), since that's how much I was able to fit on the plate. And I've since found that r-k-beans are 127cals/100g.

It's very filling - and very flexible. You can easily fit in some wine, or some pudding around the meal, whatever floats your boat!

If you're on 5:2, the recipe is enough for two meals - and then some!

Good luck!

Breadandwine · 09/12/2012 20:40

"what is the smiley for slapping self on wrist?

B&W is so right - many of us happen to be losing weight under this system
but that is a side effect of the health benefits of long term regular fasting
I'm assuming I'll have to be disciplined in January..."

I'm not into discipline, TiP2! But if I was I wouldn't wait until January! Grin

I think I'll just leave it to your conscience! Wink

TalkinPeace2 · 09/12/2012 20:47

B&W : I've got two weeks in New York over Christmas : bugger all chance of dietary control there !
So I'm working on being good for the next two weeks and then good again in January :-)

Bordercollielover · 09/12/2012 21:33

Thanks B&W, I will try your chilli later in the week, it looks good.

Breadandwine · 09/12/2012 22:38

Sorry, TiP, I was trying to make a laborious joke about you thinking you needed disciplining for the 5:2 diet comment. :(

I'll get me coat!

But, hey, the NY trip sounds amazing! Especially since you know you can handle any excess when you get back here, in the NY! Grin

TalkinPeace2 · 09/12/2012 22:40

Tee Hee!
But isn't that the BEST bit about this WOE : stop and start again. No 'off the wagon' carp
Just have to take a stack of decent teabags with me ....

NatashaMousse · 10/12/2012 01:32

BCL, you asked about "vegan thoughts on fasting day foods which satiate rather than fill up temporarily with huge volume". I may have something for you, although it's a drink rather than food. I made this once, drank it after a light dinner and felt so satisfied that I couldn't have eaten another bite unless forced at gunpoint. I think it's the coconut oil that did it. This is something of my own devising, so other proportions might work just as well or better.

Hot Chocolate
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 rounded teaspoon good cocoa powder
sweetener of your choice (I used a combination of coconut crystals and Splenda)
pinch of salt
scant cup of water (6-7 ounces?)

Heat it all up in a pan or add hot water to the other ingredients, and then blend.

I'm not a fan of coconut flavor, but I found this quite palatable - rich and smooth. Didn't miss having milk or cream. And, as I said, it banished all desire for anything else for the rest of the day.

catsrus · 10/12/2012 08:16

Ok - so didn't manage to grab anything very low cal on my way to the tea party - so got some strong smelly Brie and those thin little crispy biscuits. I ate a ton of cheese with red Wine as everything else was party nibbles (pastry - not a fan of pastry anyway ) and sandwiches. Felt. A bit bleugh about not having manged one proper fast (500 cals) day this week.

This morning I was down another 2lb Xmas Shock

What I have done is manage to hold off eating until the evening on most days (apart from office Xmas lunch of course ) so possibly even though I've gone off course the net cals are still under my daily requirement(?) - or the large non eating period really is shocking my system into repair not build ? I am still having tea with milk during the day - so its not total calorie free either.

I am determinedly not counting calories so can't really say which is more likely. So now it's 22lb lost since August down to 9st 10lb from 11st 4lb. Xmas Grin.

Re Brighton meet up - theres a great "eat what you like" buffet place near the pier called "Days" - set price, very wide food choices so possible to be healthy while those around you are piling on the pasta! Just throwing it into the mix.

Laska42 · 10/12/2012 09:56

wow Catsrus thats amazing.. you must be so thrilled , I haven't lost any more now for about 3 weeks, which is quite odd as I'm not doing anything much different,and in fact (like today) have done some much longer fasts Sundays and Mondays back to back. But I'm not fretting , it would have been nice to be 10st by now but its staying like this through the festive season which is really my primary concern Xmas Smile..

What I'm not doing though is exercising (OK I admit it Blush.)..AT ALL ,, not even been on a walk or got me bike out in the last few weeks .. I'm a pretty natural sloth , but I do enjoy it when I get into an exercise routine so i think that this is 'kick up the bum time' for me if i want to get any lower weight..

I have though about the Wii option but again probably wouldn't use it (I don't ever even turn the telly on these days and we only have one of those tiny portables , ) So I know what I need to do .. get my running shoes out again and get out there back to week one on C25kK I only got to about wk 4 before!! lol , but that was because I started getting massive and really painful back spasms - unrelated I think because they started when I was on holiday ..

Strangely the back spasms have got completely better since i've been doing this WOE as well.. I know they are due to blood flow issues (and stress) sometimes and although there's no science its odd how i've suffered with them for about18months and now .. since about August nothing at all ...they've completely gone Smile). Having said that I still get the Reyauds -type thing in my fingers , but even that hasn't been quite so bad so far this winter ..

unrelated? .. who knows ?. ill take it anyway .. god they were awful . used to completely fell me and I hadn't injured my self at all . they started and went just like that Grin.

Cats Loads of nice places to eat in Brighton, so lets get the next few weeks out of the way and see if we can give it a go in the new year the GWTMH is here too? ..

mollysfolly · 10/12/2012 10:36

What an exciting week on this thread! Photos and plans to meet up! On the latter, I wouldn't be able to get to Brighton as I live in Derbyshire, but could possibly manage London. I'm hoping to go down in January to see the movie costume exhibition in the V&A.

I'm still hovering around the 12lbs loss, but on Saturday night had a significant triumph (an NSV Laska?) - I wore my wedding dress!! Before you get visions of a white meringue-like creation, when I re-married in December 1997 I wore a simple plain red shift dress poshed-up with a smart black jacket. Well, on Saturday I received so many lovely compliments (including from DH Xmas Wink) that I'm wearing it again tonight for a Christmas do and will get a photo. Don't know if I'm up to the technical wizardry required to upload to my profile page but will try... I enjoyed seeing your photos and putting faces to MN names (where faces visible!). I bet you felt a million dollars in your lovely frock Laska - well done!!

mumofcrazynamedkids · 10/12/2012 10:44

Morning all, lovely weekend although felt shorter than usual as I worked Friday last week, so i'm looking forward to tomorow and getting a bit organised for Christmas.

The kids and I went and bought a tree from the flower Market yesterday, I had every intention of going for a bacon sandwich, but once I'd bought the kids croissants and me a coffee I realised I only had enough cash for tree, so ended up having a slice of cheesecake for brunch at 10 and then, nothing more til late lunch of roast chicken boulangere potatoes and red cabbage at 4pm, and then I ended up with a very trashy crisp sandwich at 8pm, as well as 3 glasses of Wine over the afternoon. But it was an eating day, just not quite the over-indulgent day I was expecting.

Today is a fast day, and as usual i am grateful for it, feels like I get things back in control on a Monday!

wishing everyone a good start to the week!

Laska42 · 10/12/2012 10:57

Certainly a NSV mollysfolly brilliant! . My wedding dress (in the first photo of me) is huge on me now (was a sz 18) but as its a simple style and falls from the bust it still looks OK ...if now almost floor length instead of calf length knee Grin but I am thinking of getting it altered so I can wear it again in the summer ..

GreenEggsAndNichts · 10/12/2012 12:47

Hello 5:2ers! The closer we get to Christmas, the less I want to weigh myself. Xmas Grin Like Laska I've done a bit of hibernating lately, but I do still get in a good amount of walking on the days I take my DS to pre-school. I think these next few weeks might just be a case of shutting my eyes, continuing with fast days as usual, and hoping for the best!

I'm fine with a meet-up if we can do London, Brighton might be a bit far. I'm in Leicestershire with a decent train connection to London. I don't yet have a UK driving licence, just a US one which I can't drive on over here.

I will see if I have a pic to put up, but none of mine are really full body shots. As some of you might understand, I'm rarely keen to have those kind of pictures taken! I'll put a pic up briefly today so you've got the general idea of what I look like, though. Xmas Smile

OP posts:
pookey · 10/12/2012 13:31

Hi Greeneggs sounds like a good plan, like you may be doing I intend to enjoy some guilt free christmas baking over the next few weeks.

Laska wii is fun and good for parties but I found excerise dvds gave a better workout and were quicker to put on.

well done cats!

1lb loss this month - dissapointing, this woe doesn't seem to do much for me on a weightloss front. 10lbs since I started (sep); still another 1lb over dec would be quite a good result really so that's my plan! Looks like NY I will be doing the usual healthy eating, excersie and calorie counting if I plan to lose weight but with 5:2 added to the mix (bit yawnsville but makes sense!). chaining tea and coffee with milk today wish I could manage a water fast!

GreenEggsAndNichts · 10/12/2012 14:26

right there's a pic of me from my phone, in a santa hat. I've no idea why it's sideways and I can't find a rotate function. Xmas Grin Won't leave it up forever though as I prefer to post in peace and anonymity.

OP posts:
mumrunner · 10/12/2012 14:29

De-lurking here, I've been following advice and development on this thread since I started this WOE on start of term on September. I like this WOE, it works for me!!! OK it wasn't easy in fact at the start I only lose 3lb (3 weeks) then I stalled for 3 weeks but this thread helps me to keep at it and my total weightloss so far is 17lb. I am lighter than before I had my little girl and that was 6 years ago. I'm training for the marathon so I'm running a lot. So far I can run 6 miles on fast days but I haven't gone beyond that on fast days. Thanks for everyone on this thread, you really motivate me to keep on this WOE!!

pookey · 10/12/2012 14:49

well done mumrunner and more proof that excersie works well with woe, rats! :)

literarygeek · 10/12/2012 15:06

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