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. 
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.
MNHQ have commented on this thread
Fasting / 5:2 diet
5:2 Diet Thread! Perfect number 10!
GreenEggsAndNichts · 20/01/2013 15:24
Hi, I'd love to join in, watched the horizon programme back in August and found it fascinating, I was PG at the time so couldn't start then. Would like to start now but I am breastfeeding my 9 week old DD2 so not sure if I can or not. I had a look on Michael Mosley's website and it doesn't mention breastfeeding women not being able to do it, does anyone on here know or is anyone else on here BFing? sorry if this seems a silly question, I know BFing uses up extra calories but I figured if I have weight to lose (which I do) it might be ok to do this? Any advice much appreciated 
welcome aboard sausages the fasting days definitely get easier. Well done on weight loss so far. Glad you're feeling confident about this. I've been on ww previously for what seems like forever. Am totally converted to this way of living/eating. Spent yesterday cleaning out the cupboards and it felt really +ve to throw out all the old ww stuff (journals, eating out guide etc).
Sorry Snowkey hope you're well but meant to say hope you feel better soon to after8's. Good old home made chicken soup! Hope it perks you up!
Hi Laska , ditto, should be working too but my excuse is that our remote desktop keeps throwing me out
Kissy I seem to be the only one around, ATM...
Here's what literarygeek posted on the 14th Jan:
I am also exclusively bf a 5 month old, and have been doing this since beginning of November. For me, it is working - not super fast but also not too slow.
Other reports I've seen have said that it's absolutely fine to bf whilst fasting.
Oh, and welcome!
I hope your strategy for kick starting the weight loss works laska it's interesting to be so in touch with our bodies that we can do this fine tuning isn't it?
I tried to put some new jeans (charity shop purchase on saturday, skinny 12's 
) into my wardrobe this morning and there was no room. I went through all the trousers/jeans/skirts and put all the size 14's aside for the next charity shop bag. I already did the 16's a few months ago. Our local charity shops are doing very well out of 5:2 from this household!
I think I'm moving more towards the restricted eating window as my 'norm', even for non fast days, as the best way for me to maintain lower weight. That's not to say I won't ever have breakfast or lunch again - I'm sure I will - but as a general rule I find not eating easier as I don't think about food and the hunger is a different kind of hunger - it feels more 'purposeful' if that makes sense? like my body is doing something rather than it being empty. It may well be that this weight is my lowest sensible maintainable weight - but there is still a good wedge of fat around the middle so I hope I can get rid of that!
cats that's interesting..can you expand a bit on the eating window you aim for ? and how you eat on eating days?.. if you are not having breakfast or lunch surely you cant be eating your 1500-1700-ish calories all in one meal? ( or am i being dense?..and reading this wrong )
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