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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! Number 9, welcoming the new year...

999 replies

GreenEggsAndNichts · 10/01/2013 00:14

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 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. Wink

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!

OP posts:
Skinnyeye · 11/01/2013 22:08

Another question for you all -
Does anyone else suffer from eczema? I have sporadic outbreaks from time to time (but not since starting fasting) and am currently having the mother of all flare ups (after a 4 week fast break). I'm starting to wonder if the 2 things may be related. Regular treatments are not touching it and I will have to go and see the doc about it. Has anyone else noticed a fasting impact on skin conditions?

duchesse · 11/01/2013 22:15

Sooooo, has anybody else found they've gained weight doing this? I started 5:2 a fortnight ago (I've done it 4 times, 5 times if you count today/tomorrow) and have GAINED 1.7 kg in that time, even though my trousers feel less tight around the waist. I think I might have a very very weird metabolism.

timetogetagrip · 11/01/2013 23:17

Well I'll go to the bottom of our stairs!! Today is my third fast day since starting this last Sunday. I caught a cold off my mother and as I am a heavy smoker it has gone straight to my chest (usually turns into bronchitis) and today I've been quite ill. Usually I take the addage "feed a cold" to its full meaning and eat constantly, however today, just half a dozen coffees, three hot ribena and at 7 p.m. bowl of tomatoe soup. Just off to bed (not that I'll sleep as cough will keep me up) but wanted to share how proud of myself I am. I am going to weight myself in the morning.

Aftereightsarenolongermine · 11/01/2013 23:23

No wisdom or help to impart tonight but wanted to say thanks greeneggs loved the chai tea. & I've eaten far more sensibly today. Think it's because dh has been away , I always eat erratically when he is. Not a good thing as he is going to be away a lot over the coming months.

Iwearblack · 11/01/2013 23:29

Well done ttgag! Fasting when poorly is def to be applauded. Have a better Saturday!

nminx · 11/01/2013 23:32

InterestingIan I started this WOE on Aug 12 after watching the programme. My weightloss was 7 pounds in the first 3 weeks. Then another 3, then nothing for ten weeks. It would go up or down by 2-4 pounds but hovered around the 10 pound lost mark for ever! Then I had to change my fasting days from Mon & Wed to tues and thurs and 4 pounds fell off me. That was all I changed, just the days that I fasted!
The 4 went back on over Xmas. I have done a back to back 2 day fast and a 4:3 since jan 1st. The 4 pounds has gone.
I shall mostly be doing mon and weds again this year, but shaking it up every now and then.

Sleep- I need less sleep on a fast day and often wake for a few hours during the night when fasting. Normally that would leave me grumpy and rough the next day but not with this WOE.

It should be noted that I've been doing Transcendental Meditation since October and that has also given me much more energy.

Fazerina · 11/01/2013 23:36

Hello all! Wau these threads are moving forward so quickly I can't keep up! Today was a fast day and after only a week I feel like I've become used to it already. I didn't feel hungry at all and drank bucket of water and hot rooibos tea, but that could be because I've got a cold at the moment and a cactus in my throat:(.. Also weighed myself in the morning and have lost 2.8lbs in a week, which is massive for me, as I'm a classic yoyo-dieter and can never seem to be able to shift the weight, even during the fist week into a new diet.. I really hope the weight will finally start coming off steadily, as I'm so motivated and actually don't find this WOE too difficult at all. Have a great weekend all!

Skinnyeye · 11/01/2013 23:47

Duchese the only times I have gained weight is when I have eaten "normally" on non fast days (normally WTF do I know about normal eating?? I mean the type old type of normal eating, the over eating that got me into this mess!! Responding to mouth hunger and not knowing what tummy hunger feels like, that sort of eating Grin

Are you sticking to TDEE on non fast days? If so then you may be right and your body is responding in it's own way to the new WOE. I had no idea what calories or portions looked like so used my own liberal interpretations. Initially i weighed and counted all food until I retrained my portion control and learned the calorific values of foods. Recently I fell off the wagon and went back to old habits. I have now returned to measuring all food as a short term measure to retrain my appetite and reset my attitude towards food.

I also suspect, although have no evidence that I seem to lose weight and inches at different times and perhaps you are the same. It took me time to get to know my "hungry body" as I had never met her before. Over the last 4 months I have figured out what works for me and how my body responds to fasting, as you will too.

I think you need to give it more time and give your body time to adapt to the new regime and don't get hung up on the numbers. As many other wise losers have said we are doing this because we want to look and feel better and get the health benefits in the longer term. It isn't a short term fix but a new way of life. We are at the start of a very long journey, undoing too many years of bad habits, misinformation and can't be arsedness botheredness. Sorry for the long post stay with us and good luck

pookey · 12/01/2013 00:17

Welcome DeucesRWild - I can't recall anyone mentioning PCOS but its possible there is someone. A couple of people have mentioned it does affect the length of cycle slightly so this is probably something to monitor.

Breadandwine · 12/01/2013 01:16

There's a new 5:2 forum, which I suspect is linked to The Fast Diet site - it's

www.52Fastdiet.co.uk which looks very interesting.

Just as we have done with our Tips and Links thread, they have set up a thread simply called 'Science watch', where any research can be reported.

I've already spotted some stuff on there I don't recall seeing before.

Here's a link to the thread so that we can keep an eye on it:

www.52fastdiet.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27

I'm awaiting registration on that forum, and, when I'm allowed, I'll place a link back to our Tips and Links on it. Seems only fair!

Welcome to all the new members - especially the blokes coming on board. I think there's about 5 of us now.

And bobshouse said it felt funny being on Mumsnet because she's a grandmother twice over. Well, I'm a grandfather three times over - and I'm accustomed to being ignored taken serious note of! Grin

And I feel very comfortable on here - as I'm sure you soon will!

AfterEights glad to see the new caring, sharing nickname! Grin

Salbertina · 12/01/2013 06:06

Definitely find 5:2/low carbing lengthens my cycle by up to 2-3 days (and have always been 28-29days like clockwork!) not much research on this or on women and fasting ( that I've seen) other than that we may need to go a little shorter than men so say 16hrs not 18 etc etc

Bordercollielover · 12/01/2013 07:16

Duchess are sure that you didn't weigh at different times in relation to your fasting? Weighing daily for a while would reveal the individual ups and downs, or weighing monthly would show a trend. Weighing weekly is dodgy because you might record yourself at the maximum loss point one week and the maximum gain point the next, ifswim

ErikNorseman · 12/01/2013 09:08

Marking place...I've now got back to where I was after the initial weightloss in December (having shed Christmas lbs) and I'm hoping to get under 12st by mid feb. at 4lb a month average loss I could be 10 st by the summer!

bettybigballs · 12/01/2013 09:30

Skinnyeye you've got me thinking, my eczema has all but cleared up. Hadn't realised the link before. I had two weeks of no fasting over Xmas and my hands and arms went wild with eczema. Horrid, bleeding, scabby itchy crapness. It's cleared up again though, since I've been fasting.

It could be that I'm not eating so much fat, dairy and sugar. I wonder... Will you keep me posted? This is fascinating.

Salbertina · 12/01/2013 09:46

Betty, thats great! Could well be related.

Duchess, also time of the month makes big difference in weight- water retention etc

duchesse · 12/01/2013 09:59

Well people you were right- my period was due. Random periods seem to be one of the joys of being nearly 45. Hmm Am now back to the same weight as before. I hadn't weighed myself at all since starting until 2 days ago although I was weighed just before Christmas as part of a hospital pre-op appointment.

virginposter · 12/01/2013 10:10

DeucesRWild
Stickygingerbread has mentioned that she has pcos (page 4 on thread 9) but I don't think she has been doing IF for long. Perhaps you could send her a personal message or become 'diet' buddies?

Breadandwine · 12/01/2013 10:47

DeucesRWild If you google 'pcos and fasting' you get a load of results. There's a lot of interest in the subject out there.

Snowkey · 12/01/2013 11:22

bettybigballs fat is essential for skin health, although it does depend on the quality of fats - if you have reduced the amount of transfer fats your body will thank you.

Have noticed any different in my eczema - have been fasting now for 5 months....but that of course doesn't mean others won't - just not me Sad

On the plus side my Christmas weight has now completely gone - I am now weighting in at 5lbs lighter. Dh has lost his too!

GreenEggsAndNichts · 12/01/2013 11:28

aftereights I'm really glad you're enjoying it! I quite like it as a change from regular tea/coffee.

I've not decided if I'm fasting today or not. I've had to clean the house again for a viewing, DH is out with DS. I'll ask him if he's fasting today or what. I fasted Thurs so I'd be fine either way, it just depends on if he wants to go out for lunch tomorrow or not.

This really is a WOE for me. I haven't even weighed myself recently, I'm just getting on with fast days and things I need to get done with the house. I'm getting some more exercise in now that the days are a wee bit brighter; I really was down for a while there, and as usual I didn't even notice while it was happening. I only can see now that it's getting better. I come from sunnier climes, and I think I really feel the darkness in the winter here!

B&W thanks for the link! I've checked it out. I think I need a lot more free time if I'm going to try to keep up with all of these new sites springing up. :)

OP posts:
Elegantlywasted · 12/01/2013 12:14

Just weighed myself after first full week on 5:2 and am chuffed with a 3.5lb loss. I know that it's always a large drop in the first week or so but it does give me the spur to keep going. Am combining this with 5 days a week of Jillian Michaels DVDs, haven't been brave enough to attempt one on fast days yet though!

Absoluteeightiesgirl · 12/01/2013 12:16

Well.... I fell off the wagon in spectacular style. I weighed myself this morning even though I knew it would hurt... And it did. Have gained three more pounds. I have two choices now. Stop bloody whinging and been weak and flaky and crack on or stay unhappy and full of self loathing because I can't seem to stop eating crap.

Starting again......Fast day today then will do Monday, Wednesday and Friday next week.
I have so much self control in many areas of my life but when it comes to food I really struggle.
Onwards and upwards

Skinnyeye · 12/01/2013 12:28

Absolute I felt the same way but after a successful fast day it all fell into place again and hopefully it will for you. Try to stop beating yourself up and you will start to feel more positive ans regain control good luck Grin

mamarun · 12/01/2013 13:05

absolute stay strong. The good thing about this is that you can always start again. Start another day and take it one day at a time. Weight really fluctuates and mine also went really up and down and progress has really slowed. But I tell myself that if I make this difficult for myself there is less chance of me sticking with this. And I want to stick with this for the long run - yes for he weight loss but also for all the health benefits. Keep with it and this forum will be here to support you all the way.

InterestingIan · 12/01/2013 13:24

@bubbles1231

No idea if the pepsi max could be a problem. I think the research is kinda mixed? But worth stop drinking it on fast days to see what happens. I'll drink even more coffee instead.

Only 17 walnuts to eat today!

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