5:2 Diet Thread! Perfect number 10!

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

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!

[MisoIsMyFriend]

Thanks GreenEggs for the new thread and to theCyclist for the heads-up about DrMM on the radio - will listen in before getting DSs from school.

Fast day here today - snowing heavily and using B&W's 20 minute tip - to have my miso as late on this afternoon as possible

[Frannyfeet]

Fast day today.....could eat my bodyweight in toasted sandwiches, but so far not had anything other than a dash of milk in 1 coffee.

Best thing about fasting days is getting on the scales the morning after.....very encouraging!

Are M&S sugar free mints ok to eat on a fasting day? Sounds a dumb question I know, but they have carbs in even though zero cals!

[Fillybuster]

Week 2 and fast #3 today. As of this morning I was 2lbs up on where I started last week....hardly a flying start :) :)

Bloody hard fasting when its this cold out, especially when I'm wfh and I can smell the lasagne and quiche I made last night coming out of the oven to feed the dcs....

Not sure if this is going to help anyone, but 2 thoughts:

1. I normally drink tea with milk but on fast days have switched to black tea with lemon. It's not the same, but gives the same 'caffeine kick' (so avoids withdrawal headaches), and doesn't make me feel like i'm missing out (which black tea on its own would do).
   

1. I make spelt bread in the breadmaker and it comes out great. First time I got a collapsed top and it was too dense, now its lovely and fluffy, with a great flavour. I can't remember who was interested, but IM me and I'll send the details.
   

Not sure about my food plan for today. 3 cups of black tea so far, and not feeling too hungry. At the moment I'm sticking with shop-bought meals as I find it hard to judge my own cooking (ok, I'm just too damn lazy, and it isn't worth it for 2 days a week!)....so tonight there's an ASDA butternut squash cannelloni (263cals) which I found in the freezer (must have been there for a few months!) and possibly a can of soup. It's odd, as I'm normally a 'cook everything myself from scratch' kind of girl, but I find this much easier as it limits my portion size and forces me to think numbers.

[Laska42]

sarajay how did you get on at weekends on ADF? Family commitments for me (live on my own all week but not weekends) mean that I dont think I could do Saturdays ever.. but I usually do Sunday.. so I think I'll have to stick with my 4:3 Sunday Tuesday Thursday .. I will try and see what cutting down to 350/400 is like this week though... looks like ill have to lose the 2 meals though

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

Thank you for all the lovely everyone! I reckon these threads are moving quickly enough to warrant having a couple of us do the OPs with links etc in case I'm not around (will be on holiday in Feb) so have asked Laska to help out. B&W might also be called in, haven't asked him yet but how could he say no?

It's great to see so many more new faces, it just shows how helpful and supportive people in this thread are. I love that we have a schnauzer (we had one when I was little!) to join our Bordercollie.

Ghanagal logging everything you eat is a good first step in figuring out what's going on. I'd have expected a bit of a loss at 4:3, if only because you should have less food in your system when you weigh in, if that makes sense. Let us know how you get on!

[mumofcrazynamedkids]

laska how much more do you have to lose? I presume not much...didn't you reach target a while ago? forgive me if you have already talked about this, but I've been off board for a week or so and don't have teh time to read back through all the new posts now there are so many of us!

i guess i'm just wondering if you only have minimul weight left to go, then presumably it will take longer to shift, is there an urgency on your part to lose it faster, or do you just think you won't on 5:2 or 4:3?

[mumofcrazynamedkids]

fillybuster don't be disheartened, I gained weight when I first started, I lost the first week, but was then very up and down for a few weeks, but I still felt good overall and found it easy enough to stick at, and then I averaged about 2 pounds every 3 weeks loss.

I reckon if you have a pile of steamed veg with your cannelloni it will be yummier than the tinned soup and not too difficult to calculate teh calories on, but like you despite cooking from scratch most of the time, for fasting purposes I love to buy supermarket soups, the les i have to think about food or cooking on fast days the easier I find them!

[Breadandwine]

GreenEggs If you've got me and Laska on standby, I haven't got a chance!

But, of course, I'd be happy to help.

Good, positive intro re our WOL on R5, although Dr M isn't there yet.

They've already discussed protein - you should have less of it - and the fact that frothy coffee is a no no (too much protein).

[Aftereightsarenolongermine]

Mumsnet have posted about Dr MM live web chat on Wednesday but I cannot do link - am so I really should have a lesson from someone!

[Breadandwine]

Anybody up for ringing R5? Richard Bacon's asking for your questions to Dr M. Be good if someone from here was able to put our successes up to him.

I'd do it myself, but I'm facing a paperwork form-filling exercise deadline. Hate the bloody stuff.

[Bordercollielover]

Bread makers, there is a recipe for an easy looking bread without a bread maker in Hugh FW's River Cottage Veg EveryDay book . Does anyone have an opinion as to whether it could be made using a substitute flour such as almond, coconut or spelt? Never tried bread making but would love to have a go though prefer to avoid wheat ( as I expect I will eat a large amount of it).
RE the sugar free mints query above. Sugar free sweets used to contain a chemical beginning with S whose name I have forgotten, which causes a nasty upset stomach if taken in excess. I doubt it would be very healthy on an empty stomach.

[Lesbeadiva]

Mumsnet is have micheal Mosley on for a webchat

[sarajaynevz]

Laska42-Saturday fasting days have not been a problem for me, but every Sunday we go to my in-laws for a big steak on the grill lunch, and a fasting day with that has been difficult. With the every other day rotation my fasting days hit Sunday every other week, so on those I (sadly) skip the steak and just have a salad. It would be lovely to be able to have both weekend days be normal days and leave fasting days to weekdays :) I'm so close to goal weight that I'm not really interested in weight loss following the 5:2 plan, but if I can use it for maintenance and not gain weight back, then I will be very happy!

[Fillybuster]

mumofcrazynamedkids you have a point. I have a massive bag of purple sprouting broccoli in the fridge....maybe I could do a pile of that steamed or quickly stir fried with some soy sauce, ginger, chili and garlic.....? How much broccoli can I get for 100 cals? (Hoping to squeeze in a gin and tonic tonight too!)

[mumofcrazynamedkids]

filly broccoli stalk 28 cals per 100g and broccoli florets 34 cals per 100g.
1x 30ml shot of gin 74 cals!

i love a g&t but i save for non fast days!

[Laska42]

mumofCMkids Hi there , No im not desperate .. just impatient!!.. I briefly hit 10st 0.5lbs just before Christmas and am now back to 10st 1 now after putting on and losing another 4lbs..
But I would like to get to 9st 10, not because i would look much different.. its just a psychological set point, meaning I would have then lost (wait for it...) 4stone since i started my dieting journey .. This was in 2009 mind and mostly on horrid WW, but the last time I was that weight was when I was Bf my (now) 22yr old!! .....

Of course and quite understandably the weight loss has slowed right down now..and I am thrilled with it so far

BUT I have a (big drinking, 50th birthday, not mine) meet up weekend in Copenhagen planned for Easter with family members .. some that i've not seen for a couple of years ,.. and you know....I'd just love to have been a target weight a little while then ..and also if I can so easily maintain this weight, I reckon I could that .. its sheer vanity .. .

(also my DH who is the same height as me has never been above 9st 10 !! as we get old I'm terrified that we will be the seaside postcard couple - big wife small bloke .. though he has never minded )

[Snowkey]

BCL try this recipe, it's a bit like white soda bread. Otherwise google "muffin in a minute" for bread made with flaxseed and a microwave in you guessed it - a minute!

ALMOND MUFFIN LOAF 
Ingredients 
2 1/2 cups ground almonds
3 eggs
1/4-1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup dry curd cottage cheese, packed (or cream cheese made from homemade yogurt) strain the liquid from the cottage cheese.
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt 

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven 180 deg. C
   

1. Grease a 4 inch x 8 inch loaf pan with butter and coat bottom with almond flour. 
   

1. Use food processor to mix eggs, melted butter, dry curd cottage cheese, baking soda, and salt. Process until thick and resembles butter in texture. 
   

1. Add almond flour and process until mixed thoroughly. If too stiff for processor, remove and knead with wet hands to evenly distribute almond flour. (Mine was wet and it was fine)
   

1. With wet hands, shape dough into loaf and press into greased pan. 
   

1. Bake at (180-200 C) for about 1 hour until lightly browned on top. There will be a crack on the top of the loaf. Check doneness by inserting knife and seeing if it comes out clean. 
   

1. Remove from oven, loosen from sides of pan with spatula. 
   

1. Invert onto rack to cool thoroughly, so it will be firm enough for cutting.

[JK66]

Dr MM is on Radio 5 this afternoon (Richard Bacon show), and will undoubtedly be on the iPlayer later

[virginposter]

You can leave questions in advance for Dr MM - I've asked mine already

[BetsyVanBell]

Looks like Monday is a popular fast day! I'm on my 3rd fast (doing 5:2). Previously I'd eaten breakfast and lunch to keep me going at work but am trying out lunch and supper today which feels like it'll be less torturous what with the family all eating away in the evening! I've made a big batch of low calorie veg and bean soup (my usual satisfying 'diet' food in colder weather) - works out about 120cals per portion so I can eat a poached egg with it at lunch and have a small handful of dried fruits and nuts/seeds over the day if I need it (had 4 dates at breakfast time!).

Good luck all fasters today - this is one of the hardest points for me as I'm about to dish up a big load of after school snacks for the DCs. Already thinking about the crumpets I'm about to toast... sigh

[Snowkey]

Fast day with kids at home...eating nice smelling food and worse having to cook nice food. I am hungry! Might have cup of tea, trying to hold off eating for as long as possible....getting great results atm, so I'm trying to stay focused on new jeans shopping.

[whatkungfuthat]

Thanks sarajay that is a lot, particularly with Christmas in the middle

[TalkinPeace2]

WOW
These threads are so busy, and it's wonderful that new people are joining in all the time.

I got collared in the gym today by a friend of a friend who was wondering if it was worth trying. I convinced her!
Some of the Aqua Water Buffaloes were poo pooing it, but then they would as otherwise they have to skip cakes sometimes.
I've still got three pounds to get back to target - but the food and company and booze at the weekend makes today's fast perfectly easy to cope with.

[Jadean]

Hi - im about to start the 5:2 "way of life" - just a few questions before I start that I really need help with:

On the "non" fast day - is it ok to restrict calories, i.e. 1200?
Ive heard that you need to leave 16 hours before eating after a fast day?
Do you have to eat the 500 cals in one go or can you split them for the day?

This seems to be having great results with people, saw Hugh Fernley Whittingstall and Chris Moyles have both lost quite a bit of weight doing 5:2 and im really keen to get going [SMILE]

[TalkinPeace2]

Jadean

• Think of your weekly calorie count rather than per day.
  

On non fast days aim for your TDEE (link in the OP)

• When to eat the 500 : whatever works for you!
  

The diet "industry" are spitting feathers about 5:2 as there are no classes, books, products they can tag onto it.
EXCELLENT.