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. This might be a good place to catch up with us if you're feeling a bit lost!
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.
B&W has found a new link to the aforementioned Horizon programme here. If you're keen to see it, watch it soon, because BBC has been quick to find these copies and shut them down online. We're hoping they'll re-play it again soon. I know these threads are popular, maybe they'll read my request.
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!
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! Number 9, welcoming the new year...
GreenEggsAndNichts · 10/01/2013 00:14
Is 'Eleanor D' TalkinPeace2?!
My over-60 health check went well - BP, heart, cholesterol, & BMI all fine 
MumofCNkids thank you for your lovely response to my yesterdays? rant. I know you are going through your own tough time right now (and much more than my little tantrum). i Hope things are not too stressful and you are keeping strong.
Yes I do need to conquer the exercise devil .. its better when the evenings are lighter and I can do my preferred exercise of getting out on my bike or a fast walk/run . . I will try the latter again though, you do have to watch out for potholes in the unlit roads round here ( no pavements except in the village).
I almost bought a 2nd hand Wii and Wii fit from someone at work today ,was nearly persuaded ..but when I went into the game shop to look at what was available to use on it .. it all looked so complicated with all the bits and add-ons (and games v expensive! )and seemed to me like yet more of the same sort of things I wouldn?t use (not to mention like most of the stuff i have purchased over the years) that I decided , that I should save my money and just dust off my mini tramp and step (which are the only two things i?ve ever used at home ) and unwrap some of those dvds instead .. (or go for the blogolates literarygeek recommended after all ..).. You know in my time ive been a serial non-user of the fitness things ive purchased ... The stationary bike and a water rower both made fine clothes horses.. though sometimes I wish id kept the rower .. actually the only other piece of equipment I did use when i was last slim was a Concept11 rower (this was when I was working at a university and could use the student gym for free..)
Agree, great on here. Just eaten feel strangely v full AND hungry at the same time...
ariel i've been fine at work up to this week , but then starting this WOE and my weight loss journey coincided with me being seconded out to another job where I had a little room all to myself since August when I started. Now I'm back with the others i've found that its harder working on fast days they eat in the office all the time not just at lunch (and quite a few are overweight as you can imagine ! .. Its not the food itself but the smell of food that's making it harder .. and in both fasts this week i've resorted to a small cup of soup during the day where I was managing with nothing between breakfast and dinner..
I'm hoping as i get back into the routine to be ok again .. .
I like the layout of Dr M and Mimi S's site, there's not much on it yet but its bound to grow as more science becomes available and more people contribute.. I hope that they will add more articles to it. What would be good is if we could download or get a DVD of the programme.. I watched some of it again earlier and as i've been feeling a bit 'bluesy' this week it was good to remind myself of how I felt when I first thought this could be for and also how far I've come..
On another note re: feeling 'blue'... its just occurred to me.. being back at work i've not really been seeing much daylight. and when I was off the terrible weather also meant we didn't see much sun or good daylight really . I've never had SAD before , but I wonder if i have this year ? .. Has anyone else noticed anything like this ? ( if so hope its not a side affect of fasting!!
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This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
May I join you? Today is 3rd fasting day on alternate-day fasting plan. so far it is going well.
My dh has practiced adf since late spring/early summer which has been good pathbreaking. He first dropped subtantial weight low-carbing, then added adf for the health improving properties.
I was recently diagnosed insulin resistant/pcos and so am motivated. I am low carbing on the food days with a focus to limit high carbs (flour, rice, potatoes) - but for special exceptions such as cake.
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hi, im new, and planning on starting 5 2 asap, just ordered a book from amazon and researching online. i have 6 stone to loose (eeeek) and this sounds like a plan i could stick to. what kind of weight losses have people had? i assume i would loose quite quickly with having lots to loose? thank you in advance lovely people 
x
Hi Losers been a bit poorly for the last few days but getting slowly back to normal. Welcome to all our new members
I'm finding fasting a lot harder after my Christmas break. The days are ok but the evenings are long and hungry. I tried fasting a couple of times over the holiday but ended up giving in to cheese and 
at night. I'm interested to hear that some of you feel your eating habits and taste in food has changed since starting this WOE. I so wish my tastes have changed and my weigh gain over Christmas has shown me that my attitude towards food hasn't really changed at all. I will still overeat and make bad choices if given the opportunity.
Going to bed before I eat something
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