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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.

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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:
tomorrowweeat · 26/01/2013 17:07

I am considering eating low carb on my nonfasting days for health benefits and to speed up weight loss. Any thoughts/advice on this from anyone?

BlackMaryJanes · 26/01/2013 17:14

Well done meetmeinthebathroom 7 pounds in 7 weeks!! That's healthy weight loss.

Out of interest, how much do you have left to loose?

Iwearblack · 26/01/2013 17:17

bmj Batchelors slimasoup chicken and leek/ chicken noodle/ tomato are surprisingly nice. I had these for lunch until I weaned myself off eating lunch on fast days. They are only 50 kcal but do contain glucose syrup Blush.
I got them from Icelands or BandM stores so v cheap!
Now I make my own soup as even tastier and no crap in them ...

parrotsandcarsnips · 26/01/2013 17:24

Hi newbie here. I have just started today and it is going better than expected.Can someone tell me if I fast 16 hours from the night before until I eat breakfast the next day, how long should my fast be between breakfast and tea? I'm planning tea at 7pm and had breakfast at 11am is this long enough?

meetmeinthebathroom · 26/01/2013 17:24

Thanks virginposterGrin!

I love this WOE - so liberating and, as so many posters on here say, it gives you back control over your weight and your lifestyle. Must admit I pigged out on eating days when I first started (just because I 'was allowed'), and then there was Christmas (!) but now I'm more aware of what I'm eating on eating days, and I think it's because of the fasting days, if that makes sense?

GreenEggsAndNichts · 26/01/2013 17:32

parrots you aren't required to have a 16 hour fast or anything specific, as long as you're sticking to 500 calories over the course of the day. If you are wanting the other health benefits, then yes, fitting in at least one period of 16 hours fasting is meant to be best.

So.. a more direct answer would be, those eating times during the day won't matter much, it's more about the sleeping times. The 16 hour fast before your breakfast/lunch, and then the other potential 16 hour fast after your dinner and before breakfast the next day. Does that make sense? :)

OP posts:
whitewino · 26/01/2013 17:32

Hi parrotsandcarsnips. I'm a newbie too having just completed 2 fast free days this week and lost 1.5lb. What I did is
Sunday - big lunch
Sunday Eve - full from lunch
Monday AM - green tea
Lunch - green tea
6pm- Waitrose count on me 400 cal meal.
Same thing again on Wednesdat.
Hope this helps

parrotsandcarsnips · 26/01/2013 17:40

Hi thanks green eggs and whitewino that makes sense. It is the health benefits I'm after TBH. Dh and I are doing it together (his is for weight loss, mine for cholesterol) this thread is great and has been very motivating-big thanks

meetmeinthebathroom · 26/01/2013 17:43

Hi BMJ I'm looking to lose another stone - would like to be around 10 stone - I'm 5'6 btw - BMI has me waivering at the bottom end overweight/top end healthy range. Mind you, a lot seems to depend on which calculator you use?

Having said 7lb in 7 weeks, it hasn't been a nice steady 1lb off the scale every Saturday morning weigh-in. Same as a lot of posters I think, it's sporadic and at times frustrating (being 1.5lb heavier after second fasting day of week Hmm) but overall the trend is downwards for most, so happy days! Do you have a weight target or are you in it mainly for health benefits? I'm hoping for both!

BlackMaryJanes · 26/01/2013 17:48

it gives you back control over your weight and your lifestyle

It certainly appears to (I'm only on day 1 so can't say). I wish I'd found it earlier. I could have had a guilt-free Christmas.

I'm feeling terribly light-headed now. But I sort of like it, because it reminds me that my body is repairing itself.

Still haven't ate yet. I'm holding out for supper so I can go to bed feeling full.

BlackMaryJanes · 26/01/2013 17:50

meetmeinthebathroom I also have a stone to lose. I'd be very happy with your 1lb per week.

meetmeinthebathroom · 26/01/2013 18:10

Well done BMJ for going hardcore on your first day! You will so enjoy every bite of your supper!

You've found the right place here for support and advice. Only my first posts here today, but don't think I'd have been able to stick with it early on if it hadn't been for all the lovely folks on here. Reading these threads seems to give you a boost so you can re-focus on your aims, rather than just thinking, 'I'm huuuungry!' For me at any rate -Smile

Snowkey · 26/01/2013 18:26

tomorrowweeat there are a few of us that low carb and fast, they are compatible, it just depends on whether you can implement both at the same time. I ate low carb before I fasted. I think I'd either chose either to low carb first and then made the move from there or 5:2 first and cut back on carbs gradually, not sure I could have started both together. Low carbing requires effort you have to learn a whole new approach to eating otherwise the food will bore you rigid, it's not hard but your default recipes will probably need an overhaul - have a look at the bootcamp recipes for some inspiration.

ErikNorseman · 26/01/2013 18:42

Sorry BMJ I should have read to the end! Just went Shock Confused after seeing your name previously on this thread!

PoshVoice · 26/01/2013 18:55

Hello mumsnetters.

I'm a newbie and thought It was time I stopped lurking. I was a bit hesitant about posting as I'm a bloke, but looking through this thread it does appear that male posters are tolerated Wink.

I've found this thread to be a very useful source of information, so I wanted to say thanks and contribute a little , I posted a recipie over on the 5:2 Fast day recipe ideas page that I hope you guys like.

Speak soon
ps I'm not really posh, just sound it a bit Grin

BlackMaryJanes · 26/01/2013 19:39

meetmeinthebathroom Just had a cup of tea all day so far (about 50 cals with the skimmed milk). Can't wait for supper! Cuppa soup, jelly, and rice cakes! Random but I like it.

I'm kinda getting used to feeling 'hungry' and it feels bizarrely comfortable. Not like I expected it would. Maybe this is because I've spent most of the law sitting down?

PoshVoice Yes we do tolerate a bit of XY over here.

BlackMaryJanes · 26/01/2013 19:40

law = day.

my brain is fuzzy haha

meetmeinthebathroom · 26/01/2013 20:03

BMJ Your supper doesn't sound like 500 cals? Have you checked out the recipes thread, started by frenchfancy's giving load of yum-sounding, nutritionally-fab ideas for around 500 cals? Link's in the OP (thanks to GreenEggs for keeping it going - from a grateful ex-lurker! Thanks).

These threads have also converted me to fruity and herbal etc teas - which I never imagined myself enjoying EVER, being a 'can't leave the house without caffeine' type. Most of them are cal free and really take the edge of any hunger waves that may wash over you, helps with possible dehydration/headache issues too.

Just read this back - I sound like some Evangelical Type that you don't answer the door to - sorry!!!

Yes we do tolerate a bit of XY over here. Grin , hi PoshVoice!

Alaska77 · 26/01/2013 20:17

Hi All, just a quick post. Well done to all the tasters and losers and hi to all the newbies Smile

On the subject of pizza I went to Pizza Express at lunchtime and had a leggera pizza (with the hole in the middle). Usually choosing a healthy option makes me feel hard done by but I really enjoyed it and listened to my tummy and stopped when I felt satisfied, rather than full. So proud of myself and continuing to love this WOE.

I bought Dr Moseley's book the other day and have now passed it on to my DM who is also now starting the WOE.

Thanks for all the inspiring posts and continued support Thanks

Alaska77 · 26/01/2013 20:18

Tasters? I meant FASTERS! Blinkin' predictive text.....

Breadandwine · 26/01/2013 20:28

Hi Posh - welcome to the thread!

Great way to introduce yourself - that's a recipe I'll try soon (albeit with vegan cheese! Smile)

There are one or two of us on here - somehow we manage to make ourselves heard! Smile

Bordercollielover · 26/01/2013 20:42

I looked at the thread ErikNorseman posted a link to this afternoon. Why do the people on there feel so threatened by IF? Ae they being coerced into trying it? A lot of foul language and ill considered opinions too, glad we don't go in for that!

gonepearshaped · 26/01/2013 20:49

Evening all,

Would really appreciate a bit of advice here, am in my first week of 5:2 and done 2 fasts, they were fine but both times I've ended up eating way too much on the day after. Anyone else had this problem?

It seems strange that I quite enjoy the fast days and start off on the feed day doing fine, even finding a couple of slices of toast to be more than enough for breakfast. Then as the day goes on I get overtaken with the idea that I can eat what I like and suddenly I've eaten the bread bin Shock

I really like this WOE but at this rate its not going to do me any good at all.

frenchfancy · 26/01/2013 20:55

Don't worry gonepearshaped it is perfectly normal. Give your body a couple of weeks to get used to it and the urges will die down.

Welcome to the group poshvoice that recipe sounds great, I would eat it happily on a feed day let alone a fast day.