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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.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

5:2 Diet Thread! Perfect number 10!

999 replies

GreenEggsAndNichts · 20/01/2013 15:24

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.

Michael Mosley has recently unveiled a new website to accompany his new book on the subject. Please go check them out, as he's the whole reason most of us are here!

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:
mobileshopgirl · 22/01/2013 21:05

Glassworld
Sorry please can you explain MFP and TDEE. There are quite a few like this on here and I'm getting a bit lost by them. Thank you.

TalkinPeace2 · 22/01/2013 21:07

LInks and acronyms in opening post (plus explanations of why we keep referring to them)

skippyscuffleton · 22/01/2013 21:16

Tip2
The animal research is not irrelevant, it provides the basis for the direction of the all important human research, wich as you and many others have pointed out is very much lacking at present. No one looks at the animal studies and thinks that must also be equally applicable to humans but they do highlight areas for future studies on humans. My view is that this study is of value which is why I posted the link.
I would be grateful if you could please poste/paste what the new scientist said about it.

Frannyfeet · 22/01/2013 21:17

Just worked out using MFP that I averaged 960 cals a day over the last 7.....strange thing is that I feel like ive eaten really well and certainly more than that!

frenchfancy · 22/01/2013 21:21

mobile MFP = my fitness plan, some people use it to log calories, but there are other sites as well. TDEE = Total daily energy expediture. How many calories you need each day to stay the same weight.

TalkinPeace2 · 22/01/2013 21:22

somewhere in thread 6 ... and i'm not on my computer with the link to the New Scientist full articles ....

Franny
that sounds very low - how many days were you fasting? are you being cautious in your portion assessments?

BetsyVanBell · 22/01/2013 21:23

Hi mobileshopgirl, TDEE is explained in the opening post with a link to work out what yours is (total daily energy expenditure - the number of calories you use per day) and MFP is My Fitness Pal - an app for working out calories in your foods.

sausages51 · 22/01/2013 21:31

Fast 1 4lbs lost seems good - next fast weds eve - fri morning being a full on work day though.......

Frannyfeet · 22/01/2013 21:35

talkinpeace2 2 days and my portions have been controlled....in fact my whole intake has been so much better than normal.

GreenEggsAndNichts · 22/01/2013 21:36

Yes, we should probably add MFP to the OP next time, just for clarification. So many people use it to help get an idea what their TDEE looks like.

OP posts:
skippyscuffleton · 22/01/2013 21:46

Tip2
The new scientist article to which I think you are referring came out when we were on thread 7. We couldn't access without a subscription but someone pasted it on their blog:
drysdaleosteopathy.wordpress.com/2012/11/18/intermittent-fasting-by-emma-young/#more-897

I see no reference to the adf'ing rats, I guess I'm looking in the wrong place?

GiraffesEatPineapples · 22/01/2013 21:47

Logically this woe could put a strain on people's hearts if done incorrectly, it might be in our dna to have periods of feast and famine but the feasts would have been from natural food whereas my non fast days include lots of toast and chocolate! So is my body getting a break and restoring itself or just totally confused? Has to be better being slimmer than being overweight and eating badly all the time!

GiraffesEatPineapples · 22/01/2013 21:54

I went 300 over my planned calories for today (not really a fast day though) that hunger switch b&W refers to got well and truly switched on - the donughts that I had no interest in earlier when my tummy was empty suddely became all I could think about this evening!

Goldchilled7up · 22/01/2013 22:01

Hi everyone, how effective is this diet, does it really work?

I'm sure that over all the threads and posts you must have been posting your progress, but it's just too much to read Smile

GiraffesEatPineapples · 22/01/2013 22:10

Hi gold you just have to try it - a fair few people lost about 20lb in 4 months I lost about 10lb without trying too hard other people haven't lost much weight.

stickygingerbread · 22/01/2013 22:12

yikes BreadandWine I am freaked out by the information on milk raising insulin in your link to the IGF-1 and protein discussion at the 52fastdiet forum.

Thank goodness cheese is safe.

GreenEggsAndNichts · 22/01/2013 22:13

Goldchilled It works, hence all the posts. I think we'd have died out in one thread if it didn't work. :) You can just skim a bit and see some of the stories of progress. Have a look at one or two of the articles in the OP if you need a brief summary.

Giraffes I think that's a very good point, which is made from time to time in these threads. If a person is obese, or borderline obese, surely losing weight would be better for their heart than continuing to carry it around. If this is the only "diet" that person can manage to do in the long term, then I would think the benefits (weight loss, unclogged arteries and general strain on the heart) would outweigh the potential risks.

Until more studies have been done on humans, we won't know. But I've weighed the risks, taking into consideration the studies I've read, and decided to continue with this WOE for now. I've lost 18 pounds so far.

OP posts:
GreenEggsAndNichts · 22/01/2013 22:19

And also, honestly the strain on other parts of my body worries me as well. I don't want to turn 40 and need knee replacement surgery. I've known others who have. (I am not quite their size but the point is the same- extra weight means an extra strain on my body, I can't ignore this fact when I see it playing out on older friends and family)

OP posts:
timetogetagrip · 22/01/2013 22:40

Cyclistist- you certainly know your stuff. Many thanks for the info. I can't believe how quick the pages add up. I'm losing track of who says what but it is all so interesting, helpful and encouraging. Keep it up everyone.

Skinnyeye · 22/01/2013 22:52

Today has been an excellent day -
An easy fast day even though it was a free lunch day at work I didn't have any of it Grin
I had nothing all day and healthy egg and chips from good food with some bacon medallions and cherry tomatoes followed by some melon for dinner Grin Grin
Started C25K tonight something I never ever thought I would do. Grin Grin Grin

Who am I? I really don't know!

Old me would never have done any of this but new me seems to be enjoying it Shock

GiraffesEatPineapples · 22/01/2013 22:54

Defo GreenEggs if i hadn't taken action i probably would have gained 10 lbs by now and moved into the obese category so I must be healthier now I also feel like I am learning about my body doing this.

I have been questioning about milk in tea and drip drip insulin so will check that thread with interest thanks B&W Grin

Aftereightsarenolongermine · 22/01/2013 22:58

Evening all! Eaten so much today that have that full feeling keeping me awake! Very much looking forward to fast day tomorrow.

Can't remember who asked question about whether to tell dcs about this WOE but dh & I have told them this is for adults only & that its been sanctioned by both my specialists. Since I'm checked every 2 months I would assume any adverse affects would show up fairly quickly & nothing has so far.

Breadandwine · 22/01/2013 23:05

the strain on other parts of my body worries me as well. I don't want to turn 40 and need knee replacement surgery.

That's a timely quote, GreenEggs - I've just come across this YouTube video by Dr Joseph Mercola,

who says, among other things, that allowing the body to repair itself, by practicing IF, helps prevent muscle injury. He says that, '[IFing] develops the ability to resist injury."

Haven't watched it all (I'm a Newsnight junkie!) but looks well worth watching.

GiraffesEatPineapples · 22/01/2013 23:07

Wow it seems like some of the post christmas barrier has shifted this week several of us have good fasts!

skinnyeye Grin

mamarun · 22/01/2013 23:20

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/jan/18/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall-fast-diet

Came across this and thought it might be of interest. Apologies if it has already been posted. Was interested in any celebrities doing this. Someone earlier in the thread mentioned a could of names.

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