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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:
NatashaMousse · 22/11/2012 13:54

To all those who have felt unwell and fallen off the 5:2 wagon as result, let me suggest that taking things in the opposite direction - not eating at all - might be the way to go. While researching the 5:2 concept, I did a lot of reading about fasting in general. As a number of people have already pointed out, it's a time-honoured practice with a history of benefits, physical and otherwise. What was new to me was the amount of evidence, old and recent, that extended fasts have cured intractable conditions. That it takes 16 hours without food for the body to move into repair mode is not a new discovery by any means. The ancient Greeks prescribed fasting as a reliable, effective treatment for physical ailments.

After one 500-calorie day, I switched to 6:1, doing a 30-36-hour complete fast on that one day. (I've been taking care not to lose weight, so I can't say how well that scheme would work for weight loss.) When I started the first of the complete fasts (water and green tea only), my stomach had been feeling off for a while - hard to describe, not really nauseous, but icky - and bicarb and few other standard remedies weren't helping. Going without food seemed to take care of the problem. A food-less day left me feeling good, hungry but clear and energetic. That was enough to keep doing it. With three complete fasts under my belt, I intend to stick with it, although I'm open to modifying the plan if I can find information about more effective arrangements for obtaining the health benefits that Mosley's presentation dangled before us. Like everyone else here, I long for more applicable data.

I'm just another guinea pig (although preceded by countless folks who've used water fasts to restore health), but I wanted to toss out the idea that being ill might be an opportunity to intensify 5:2 efforts rather than a reason to ease up. As good as comfort food may feel, it may be counterproductive, not just to the new WOE but to recovery.

HelgatheHairy · 22/11/2012 13:56

Had my hardest ever fasting day yesterday. It had been 5 days since my previous fast day and I spend most of the day sooo hungry in a way that's NEVER happended before. I'd been away for the weekend and eaten and drank lots so think my body had gotten used to expecting food. And it complained a lot when it wasn't getting any! Ended up eating dinner at 3 (usually make it till 5 or 6) and a cup a soup at 8. Was tempted so many times to just throw in the towel but I didn't.

Out of curiosity I weighed myself this morning and it looks like I've broken through my 3 week plateau of 11 3ish. Was 11 1.4 with another fast day to go!

Next week I'm going to try 4:3 Monday, Wednesday & Friday. See how much I can shift in the run up to Christmas.

NatashaMousse · 22/11/2012 14:00

ceebee, what I've discovered is that hunger is just a sensation. And, as sensations go, it beats feeling stuffed. Sometimes it comes and goes, sometimes it's a steady non-stop kind of thing. But in other respects I feel good enough on foodless days - clear, calm, with plenty of energy for doing whatever I want - that I don't care to jeopardize it by eating.

TellMeLater · 22/11/2012 15:01

talkinpeace you've done really well on your weightloss, when will you start eating normal amounts? i read on the other thread that you were only eating 1300kcal on feed days with 1800kcal at weekends - what are your plans for maintenance, do you intend to continue calorie counting?

Poppy1234 · 22/11/2012 15:27

Woop first eating day after 3 fast days, hoping to keep it as an intermediate day before relaxing at the weekend, I didn't eat breakfast as I really wasn't hungry and had some left over fast day soup for lunch but I pimped it up with feta cheese and lots of yoghurt and it was absolutely gorgeous.

For those who are starting or planning to start next week, this has been my first week but I agree it has been so much easier to save calories and have 1 larger meal at the end of the day. I think this approach works so well as appetite isn't triggered and I think it helps with not thinking about food all day too.

Laska42 · 22/11/2012 15:37

Did some measuring today . .only about an inch off the boobs since starting this WOE but waist has gone down 4 inches since August to 30 .. but lost 3 off my my hips and at 34 they are now the same as my waist was in August!

Well its my shape I suppose.. am top heavy and so its always going to be like this whatever weight I am , trouble is my new size 10 jeans are a bit baggy in the bum now..Sad

Was 18 lbs down on WI this morning (though will still do my 'official' Friday WI tomorrow as usual) .. though of course some of that could easily be the tummy bug .. Not eating today ... but also feeling much better today and hopefully a day without food will get rid of this stomach bug once and for all..

good luck all fasters today ..

Mintyy · 22/11/2012 15:39

I prefer to eat two small meals on fast days. I get hungry to the point of nausea by 1pm.

Had New Covent Garden pea & ham soup today - lovely for 156 calories.

Laska42 · 22/11/2012 15:43

I love pea and ham soup mintyy and the thought of that hasmade me feel hungry for the first time this week.. May have to go down the shop and see if they have any..

tiggy114 · 22/11/2012 15:57

Marking my place. Think i might give this a go :)

gregssausageroll · 22/11/2012 15:59

Me too. Can I just confirm that the best way is 5 days normal and 2 fasting. On the 2 fasting days eat one 500 cal meal in the evening?

Breadandwine · 22/11/2012 16:11

That's it in a nutshell, sausage!

catsrus · 22/11/2012 16:19

Well yesterday was supposed to be a fast day - but the corporate lunch was a different caterer... and I was hungry after drinking Wine the night before (yes I know I had already identified that as an issue!!!) so I turned it into a non fast day and have fasted today instead.

For newbies - I find if I am out of the house and busy I can go all day just on tea (with milk) and black coffee then eat one meal when I get home. If I'm around the house (day off today) then I can't manage that and make a pot of something veggie and soupy/stewy/curry-ish. So today I had a couple of ounces of cottage cheese at lunch and a soup bowl full of a veggie curry (made with squash, marrow, celery, carrot, swede, apple and a can of tomatoes). I will eat the same thing for supper and freeze the rest in portions for other fast days. Keeping a good supply of portion sized healthy meals has been important for me. 18lbs lost since August, very healthy BMI but need to get my waist measurement down to below 32 Blush.

I would say don't be afraid to experiment with what works for you - it seems it can be flexible, different people have done different things and have lost weight, others (like me) mix up their own practice and have lost weight. I do a minimum of 5:2 but aim for 4:3 - and I generally do manage 3 fast days.

Someone mentioned not liking hunger pangs - some of us have found we like the feeling! Talking to my skinny friend about this over Wine she said she'd never thought about it before [duh emoticon] but she often doesn't eat until the evening and does eat a lot less the day after a meal out - oh and yes, actually she does quite like that slight feeling of hunger. This does seem to be how some 'naturally thin' people stay thin but still enjoy their food.

catsrus · 22/11/2012 16:21

I do find the days when I don't eat until the evening are more satisfying though - I don't think of food and I know that my body is in repair mode so good things are happening "behind the scenes".

Madhouse2012 · 22/11/2012 17:09

I started this a week ago, weighed myself today and have lost 3lb and 1.5% body fat, woop woop!!

ThinkICan · 22/11/2012 17:30

Thank you Cyclistist for clarifying about rat vs human life spans. Makes a lot of sense. And yes, sunshine is best and supplements work when you can't get the real thing. Also, as TiP2 puts it, it's so much better to work at this than carry a gargantuan 50 lbs extra. I was doing that till I started on this WOL. Further, I've discovered so many healthy veggies that I'd never bothered about. The blood test showed that 6 weeks of healthy eating had done wonders for all the assorted minerals, sugar levels and what not. So, those who are struggling, just keep at it. It's worth it, whether you lose weight or not.

Helga - here's what I saw on one of my internet rambles: "People holding at a plateau weight using Fast-5 have reported having increased hunger just before the weight loss begins, so try to think of increasing hunger as a good thing." So grit your teeth and get through the pangs of hunger and you'll see the weight loss speeding up again!

ThinkICan · 22/11/2012 17:33

I think I'm addicted to our group and the posts by so many inspiring people. I can't wait to get to the computer when I return home to see what else is new, how everyone's faring, what someone has dug up that will help all of us Grin

HelgatheHairy · 22/11/2012 17:55

thinkican that's really interesting. Thanks for that.

frenchfancy · 22/11/2012 18:00

ThinkICan Me too. I check this thread before I check my e-mails Blush.

Fasting today, decided to have soup at lunch today even though I've done 24 hours for the last couple of fasts. I wasn't actually hungry at lunchtime, but i had the soup anyway as today's dinner is only 300 cals (butternut squash casserole - yum). Doing a couple of 24 hours seems to have made a "normal" fast day even easier. For the vast majority of today I forgot I was fasting and just got on with work. I've been finding fasting easier and easier, but this is the first time I genuinely haven't thought about it all day.

ceebeegeebies · 22/11/2012 19:31

Thanks for all the responses and encouragement - I am starting tomorrow with a 'fast' day Smile One last question (I promise) - what can you drink on fast days? I am not a tea or coffee drinker but I do drink diet coke but I assume all the crap artificial sweeteners in there will not be acceptable. Can you drink low-calorie squash or will I have to stick to water??

TalkinPeace2 · 22/11/2012 19:35

Tellmelater
I'm a very light build and not heavy so my TDEE is under 2000 a day even allowing for the amount I go to the gym. BUT I love to have a drink at the weekend. So will stick with 5:2 and light meals in the week and gastronomic weekends for the forseeable future. Also DH has a ways to go so I'll keep him company.

Tonight's supper was a 2 egg mushroom and red onion omelette with a sprinkling of coarse grated parmesan and then a banana. Am now stuffed.

Skinnyeye · 22/11/2012 19:39

After weeks of very easy 24 hour fasts I struggled at times today. Really hungry but made it through the 3rd fast of the week - even though my meal ended up at 540 cals. I didn't take my specs to the shop and can't read nutritional info without them. I could have left a little but...

Bordercollielover · 22/11/2012 19:40

Ceebeegeebies: there are no definitive rules on this. Some people count the calories in their drinks,others are more concerned with avoiding triggering a release of insulin. Caffeine and the lactic acid in milk cause an insulin response as well as the more obvious sugars and starches.

TalkinPeace2 · 22/11/2012 19:42

if you can face herbal teas they suit many people
I am very anti 'diet' drinks but they suit others
have you tried warm squash - surprisingly nice on a cold day

gregssausageroll · 22/11/2012 19:43

Can I ask what you do if you get to the shakey hunger stage?

TalkinPeace2 · 22/11/2012 19:49

gregs
pint of water or mug of black coffee or a raw carrot slowly munched (whole) and wait for it to pass - which it will surprisingly fast as your body clicks onto another source of energy

In the New Scientist article it talks about energy usage
First - the sugars and fats in the bloodstream - they last about 12 hours after food
Second - the easy sugars and fats from the liver - an hour or so
Third - stripping fat out of long term store (ie muffin top)
so in this WOE, every fast day you are telling your body to use, and get in the habit of using, that long term store
which may well be why people are getting size loss quicker than weight loss - because the fat cells are shrinking but not being absorbed just yet.