5:2 Diet Thread! Number 8, fast away fast away fast away all!

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

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. You'll find a lot of support here.

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. Here is a link to the programme's page on iPlayer, which features a couple of clips, and might have updates eventually. Let us know if you find another site hosting it.

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. (This is a new calculator to previous threads, this one seems to give me approximately the same results the last one did, but without the virus warnings on my browser!)

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!

I'm back home on my own computer.
DH and I have both decided not to fast on Monday - we are just too tired after the flight delays (including our luggage arriving at Heathrow when we landed at Birmingham).

Looking forward to getting back into the swing of it - I'll feel like a newbie having not fasted for over two weeks.

mojo completely agree with you. The beauty about this WOE is that it is so simple and you can deviate without feeling guilty. Anything a little more complicated as suggested by Patrick Holford would put me off too. I have started shifting weight when I didn't think anything would. This has been already the most transformational thing I have done for myself and I only started beginning of December. Thanks to this board for keeping me and DH going strong.

Btw DH has annual medical checks and has been told to lose a little weight and was told that he was borderline to having high BP. He has had to stop drinking caffeine to control this to avoid going on meds. He is only 39. It will be really interesting to see what his medical says next time.

Welcome Back TIP2!

Welcome back TIP2 - and thanks laska (preens at making the tips thread)

Hi peeps, well managed to put on 7lbs over Christmas and started back fasting last Sunday, am sooooo chuffed because I've lost 6.25 lbs and that includes throwing caution to the wind on NYE. Have tried 4:3 this week for the first time and like some of you will do this for Jan and then review to see if I want to drop to 5:2. Haven't found the fasting hard but did notice that last night I was really tired/sore throat and was wanting to nibble after my meal. So took myself off to bed early and woke up feeling more energetic than ever. Been to an hours spin class this morning and loved it. Haven't found exercising a problem on fast days, I thought I'd be all dithery etc but have been absolutely fine. Laska enjoy the vino, have decided to have a dry Jan and so far so good.

I managed to get to sleep last night in the end at about 5am, but only after eating a boiled egg. DCs woke up at 6.30am so am feeling fragile. I strongly suspect that fasting and PMT are incompatible for me, not entirely sure how I will solve that as I can't afford too many sleepless nights.

I am finding that very high fibre foods generally help me to cope on fasting days - I have blended wheatbran/oat bran into low cal soups and that helps. I am going to search out the Greek lentil soup recipe my godmother used to make and will post that on recipe thread when I find it. It is lovely and filling and quite low calorie. She also used to make a rice and spinach dish flavoured with dill and lemon which is mainly spinach and (eliminating the olive oil) very low calorie. Will search them out.

I agree on the facebook idea - I avoid it like the plague these days and wouldn't feel comfortable being in a facebook group.

on my second fast day today having decided to try the 4:3 to kickstart my weight loss. I have preordered the book by Dr M for downloading to my kindle on the 10th.
Today l did a big shop for me in Tesco- bought lots of frozen veg as well as fresh veg--quite a few weight watchers meals and quorn sausages in the freezer.
I found that as l work from 7.45am to 5.30pm 3 x per week l can fast easily during the day but tend to be very hungry as l am cooking dinner and pick at anything edible to hand while waiting. So if my fast days is a working day l will bung a meal in the microwave with veg and that should do. However l will eat fresh fish/meat on non working fast days.
My DD of 17 really needs to loose about 18lbs she is still at school--l wonder if this would be suitable for her to do?

Doha Dr M has answered this question a couple of times on his Twitter feed - I expect it'll come up on his website when it's up and running.

" I'd like to know what age you think safe to start - is it OK for 16 yr boy?"

Dr M: I think best to wait till def stopped growing

And:

"any age restrictions?"

Dr M: I think best to wait till you stopped growing tho my experts say post puberty ok

doha what about your dd doing a semi fast of say 1200 calories if its simply to lose weight a couple of days a week, & cut down . On sugary snacks at other times?

I am no expert, but surely lots of 17 year old girls skip meals, this isn't really any different, just more managed.

To my mind a 17 year old with 18lbs to lose risks more to her health by not doing it and potentially getting bigger than she does by doing it.

But as I say I am no expert, simply voicing my opinion and what I would do if it were my DD.

I'm very encouraged by everything I have read so far about the 5:2 diet, I am beginning on Monday, I have 1 st to lose and hope I can do it ok. Even though I want to lose weight, I am also interested to see what the health benefits are, my husband is going to join me and he has raised cholesterol. I am feeling very sluggish after total indulgence over Christmas, and can't wait to stray feeling good again, hopefully :)

*start!

Had a long chat (and a huge bit of bribery) with DD. Her weight started to creep on when she started working at that "fast food chain that will not be mentioned" but has increased dramatically over xmas period.
She does want to lose weight so a bit of bribery has resulted in she will do a modified FAST day x 2 weekly and stop all junk food and chocolate. She will use the x trainer for 10 minutes per night (well as close as she can) She will be 18 in April and l have bet her £100 if she looses 12lbs by 3rd April.
Am l putting too much pressure on her???

Hello everyone! I have been doing this since last Sept, a bit half heartedly - only doing 6-1 and not fasting at all some weeks. Also, I have been doing the version from EatStopEat which doesn't specify 500 cals, but just a 24 hour fast from dinner to dinner. I have been eating a normal, non calorie counted meal (but not to excess!) and I have lost 8lb doing this. Carried on the 6-1 over the Christmas period and did not gain any weight.

However, I do now really want to lose ALL the weight I need to, so I am increasing to 5-2 and going to follow the 500 cal regime.

I have had black coffee for breakfast, a sachet of miso soup around lunch time, and just now a cup of tea with a dash of milk in - I will have nothing else apart from water until 6pm. Then I am having chicken and veg soup, salad with vinaigrette, calamari rings and either a wholemeal roll or a yogurt, or a bit of fruit - depending on how I feel. Total of just over 500 for the day.

I don't mind being hungry so much - it's the jitteriness and anxiety that I don't like. That is the reason why I have been fasting on Saturdays only, because I can just veg out and not have to be on the ball so much. However, I am sure I will get used to it.

Hi Doha

I think you're showing how concerned you are and how important being not only slimmer but healthier too. This 5.2 WOE seems to promote both. However, only she can do it, but with the incentive of the £100 I bet she tries. Hell! I would do it for £100. LOL. Good luck and I feel your pain, as you not only have to do it yourself, but you have to encourage her too.

Doha honestly? I don't think it's too much pressure, but I'd be surprised if it results in long-term weight loss. I was never successful with it until I honestly wanted it for myself. That's just my personal experience, though! £100 is a good incentive, anyway.

wildstrawberry you might well get used to it. My first few fast days were tough, but I don't find them difficult at all now.

Am curious to know if anyone has any success on this. I struggle badly to lose weight now that I am a bit older. Gets to the point where I lose the will when the scales don't shift for days on end. I need to lose a stone and a half. Am only little at 5'1

absolute80s lots of us have.... I've lost 21lbs since August, am 55 and not hugely active.. Jump in! .. There are lots of new people joining us each day , so its good to read the hints and tips thread highlighted above , where we have put lot of info ..but do ask if there is anything you need to know not there
(I wont be around for the rest of today , but someone will be along soon I'm sure )

good luck

Absolute
I'm 47. Before my New York Christmas eat fest, I comfortably lost a stone in two months and kept it off for a couple of weeks.
And the strangest bit about this diet is that I am actively looking forward to restarting fasts when the jetlag wears off
(as my tummy currently thinks its midnight yesterday and my eyes think its 1am tomorrow)
DH and I averaged 1.5 lb a week - despite pizza, wine and roasts at the weekend

Sounds encouraging. I watched the doc about it and I was interested to find out if it has worked. I want to start this so please forgive any dumb sounding questions. Out of curiosity, does it matter when you do the two days or should they be done one after the other? Do people tend to have their calories throughout the day of just a the end?

In my land it's
Blowout sunday roast lunch. No supper
Monday - tea at breakfast, tea and miso soup at lunch, supper involves beans, eggs and vegetables
tuesday, normal no brekky, small sarnie lunch, family supper
weds, tea brekky, small sarnie lunch, family supper
THURSDAY - same as monday
Friday same as Weds, except that supper is pizza and wine
Saturday = brunch and supper
Sunday = brekky and roast
ad infinitum till you hit lean weight

Hi all. I haven't read the whole thread but have been considering 5:2 to knock off the christmas pounds. I lost a lot of weight last year but have put on a few pounds over Christmas. Is it still effective to do the 5:2 when you are in healthy BMI (I'm in the middle bit still have about half a stone to lose before I'm where I want to be).
Also, on Fast days do you eat 2 tiny meals? Or 5 100 cal snacks?
Thanks.

musttidy a number people here are within healthy BMI range and doing it either for health benefits or to lose those last few pounds. If you're worried about it too much you could drop to 6:1, Michael Mosley did this for a while according to his Twitter, when he felt he was losing too much. I think he's doing 5:2 again, though. That's the nice thing; it's very flexible.

Many of us who have been doing this a while tend to go for most of our calories in the evening. Hot drinks during the day (count your milk calories!) and an evening meal. You could split calories between two meals, but I'd recommend against trying to drag it out 100 calories at a time. That sounds very difficult. (However, I do always suggest people just give it a go, whatever it is they're thinking. You might not have the same reaction I do. If I ate 100 cals here and 100 cals there, I'd never stop wanting more food. Whereas saving it mostly for a decent meal in the evening works very well for me)

There is also the idea of the 16 hour fast, if you're wanting the health benefits you want to push for a long period of no food. Works best to count time from dinner the night before up through mid-afternoon the next day.

Thanks for your advice. I know I will find it incredibly hard to miss out on breakfast (porridge usually) do you get used to this? Are you not cranky and lightheaded without food?

Absoluteeightiesgirl, I am 58 at the end of this month. This time last year I felt, and looked, old, obese, tired, unhealthy and just plain fed up with lugging around nearly 4 extra stones of fat which have stuck to me for 16 years. I had tried every punishing diet and exercise regime I could find. I had given up every fun activity I ever enjoyed. Then I watched Horizon last August.......
This year my weight is lower than it has been for 16 years. I have about 2.5 stones left to go and I feel great. Full of energy and enthusiasm for life and not a care in the world regarding food or weight because I know that if I just carry on with this WOL the fat will slowly disappear.
I am vegetarian and only eat dairy if I have to when out so largely vegan at home. Everything that Catsrus said a page or two back has been true for me too. It really is the best thing I have ever learned in my whole life.
Personally I don't weigh myself and never count any calories on any days. I do 4:3 most weeks. On my eating days I have whatever I like though my lifelong urge to eat too much sugar and starch has gradually reduced without conscious effort on my part. On fasting days i have black tea, veg stock cube in hot water, one coffee with coconut milk until the evening when i eat a huge salad, or 2 big bowls of vegetable soup. That means i fast for 24 hours then eat what i guess to be around 500 calories then resume eating normally as late as possible the next morning. don't exercise beyond walking the dog.
Sorry for such a long post, just felt the need to share the miracle with others!!