Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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! Going up to 11!

999 replies

GreenEggsAndNichts · 29/01/2013 13:17

The continuing thread for those of us following either the 5:2 diet or the alternate-day fasting diet.

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, or approximately your TDEE (see explanation below). 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 for a woman, 600 for a man, on those days.

You'll find on these threads we use a number of acronyms. If you're new to the threads, or Mumsnet in general, they might not make much sense.

WOE/WOL = Way Of Eating/Way Of Life. We use this term instead of "diet" as many of us see this as something to do in the long term.

MFP = My Fitness Pal, a website many use for keeping track of the number of calories they're eating.

TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure, 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.

ADF = Alternate-day Fasting, as it says on the tin, fasting every other day rather than 5:2.

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!

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%).")

Something to consider 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.

Another food link, here is a link to the BBC Good Food site, with a list of low-calorie soups.

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:
Bordercollielover · 31/01/2013 20:20

PS tomorrow, just RE read your post. Lots of people say that 16 hours is enough to bring all the benefits anyway!

Bordercollielover · 31/01/2013 20:23

Oops x posted with Laska, it all moves too fast!

TheCatInTheHairnet · 31/01/2013 20:23

Has anyone felt nauseous after and during their fast days? I fasted on Tuesday, spent most of yesterday feeling queasy and am fasting again today. I was going to wait until tomorrow but seeing as I still felt nauseous, I figured I would capitalise on that!

Just not sure if it's related to the WOE or if I just happen to have an upset stomach.

frenchfancy · 31/01/2013 20:30

orangesandlemons Don't worry about the odd blip on the scales. Give your body time to get used to the fasting. If you weight regularly you won't necessarily see a loss every time you step on scales, but you will get a downward trend. Keep with it.

Laska42 · 31/01/2013 20:36

Yeah oranges i've found it goes up and down and even sometimes after fast days its up ..but its been consistently down, although recently i've plateaued at about 21lbs off , - id like another 7 off to get to my 'ideal in my head weight' but hey, 21lbs is just great anyway) ... but I certainly wont getting on the scales tomorrow after all that cheesecake!!Grin

Laska42 · 31/01/2013 20:37

catinthehat no never.... I hope you dont have something..

JingleUpTheHighway · 31/01/2013 21:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

whethergirl · 31/01/2013 21:31

The diets I've tried before all stress how important breakfast is, and if I don't eat as soon as I get up my metabolism rate will slow down. Am I right in thinking that this is also a myth? In which case, I'm wondering if I could skip breakfast anyway on my non fast days as I always find that if I have breakfast, I'm likely to eat much more during the rest of the day.

Aftereightsarenolongermine · 31/01/2013 21:33

cat I occasionally felt nauseous after 3rd fast day of the week but mine was due to medication I take, since I've dropped to 5:2 no longer have nausea.

I've done a semi fast today around 800 calories to ease me back into fasting as doc didn't really want me doing a proper fast this week. But I've felt so sluggish after my op that I wanted something to make me feel more alert & it's worked! Yay. I know I've gone 300 calories over but i don't think that's too bad in the circumstances.

mum take it easy it's hard when you come across stressful situations & I hope things get easier.

speckers · 31/01/2013 21:52

Hi orangeandlemons I don't have any answers I'm afraid, just wanted to say I'm having exactly the same problem...lost 3lb then put on 6lb all in the space of a week! I am at the end of week 2 now and back to my original weight. Fingers crossed I am just adjusting! I feel good on the fast days and eat healthily on normal days so it feels manageable...will keep going and hope to see some results soon! Good luck.

TalkinPeace2 · 31/01/2013 21:56

Jinglealltheway
have a look at the tips and links thread ....
its a way of eating that has a side effect of bringing you down to a healthy weight, steadily,
quite quick if you've been overeating before, slow if you've not.
in my case just over 1lb a week ....

whether
YUP, its a myth.

Laska42 · 31/01/2013 21:57

Mumofcrazynamedkids its good to see you back.. sorry you are going through a tough time , but keep strong ((hug)) and post when you can..

Laska42 · 31/01/2013 22:04

Jinglelook at at the hints and tips thread. Buy the book

Eat 500 calories twice a week..and dont overeat on the other 5 days look up your Total daily energy expenditure TDEE

Fast or slow? depends if you follow it or not.. was quite fast for me... 21lbs in about 4 months

Laska42 · 31/01/2013 22:05

evening TIP2 I got over it.. sort ofWink.

TalkinPeace2 · 31/01/2013 22:26

Grin Laska - I limit myself to two visits a day.

Ezzza · 01/02/2013 04:37

lottie63 on my fast days I tend to just eat biscuits. I?m not recommending it as it?s rather nutritionally vacant but I?m kinda forced by circumstances to do this at the moment. Next to nothing is calorie counted here, I have no access to an acceptable kitchen to cook for myself and I couldn?t even hazard a guess at what goes into the food I buy in the canteens and restaurants (dripping in oil so I probably don?t even want to know), so at the moment biscuits are the only things I can find to survive on on fast days that I can get an accurate calorie count for.

I?d actually prefer not to eat at all on fast days if I could as I find I?m never hungry on fast days. As others have found, once I start eating the hunger switch is turned on and I?m suddenly ravenous, so not eating anything is preferable for me to a teeny portion of real food. Sadly, my stomach rebels and won?t allow me to fast completely. I think my stomach must be staffed by mischievous imps or something because if I ignore any (rather half-hearted I must say) hunger signals coming from it the hunger passes quickly, sometimes to be replaced by much more insistent waves of nausea. Angry The naughty imps know I can ignore a little hunger but that I?m afraid of the nausea. (Maybe this partly answers your question too CatInTheHairnet.) This isn?t caused by this WOE in my case though as for the last maybe half dozen years mornings have been dominated by making sure I have some food with me so that I can eat something in the short window between tummy waking up and nausea starting. So I guess I see the biscuits less as food and more as non-drug anti-emetics IYSWIM.

Actually, this WOE has been helping with this problem, as the window between me waking up and needing to eat something to avoid nausea is getting longer. I can now usually get to noon before I need to eat anything. I think this WOE has been teaching my tummy not to send danger signals to my brain just because it?s been empty for a couple of hours! I?m hoping soon I?ll be able to go until dinner time. If so, I might start having something more nutritious for my 400 kcal, like a proper dinner. Over the years I?ve collected quite a few satisfying dinner recipes for under 400 kcal so that?s an option I might be able to explore once I get home to my kitchen.

If not, I do have a few very low cal dinner option recipes up my sleeve. I?ve posted my 250 kcal per portion broccoli and leek bake recipe on the recipe thread. I have others too, but my cooking style is more ?bit o? this, bit o? that, smack it in the oven/chuck it on the hob and count up the calories while it?s cooking?, so I have no clue how to estimate a calorie count for my other recipes from here.

Oops, sorry, long post there. Probably because I don?t like anyone to think I recommend only eating biscuits on fast days, because it?s not a particularly nutritious way to go, so I feel I need to explain myself a bit. Blush

Ezzza · 01/02/2013 04:46

BestyVanBell, I have a cold at the moment, came down with it Tuesday evening. Yesterday was a fast day and I muddled through it ok, but then it?s only a bit of a head cold. I?m not really suffering, just a minor annoyance so I?m carrying on as normal. I think I?d try and stick to my routine where possible when I?m ill, fasts included, but at the same time there?s no need to be a martyr.

Two of the great things about this WOE are the flexibility and that it doesn?t seem like a chore, so on days I really can?t stick to a fast I just chalk it up to experience and try again next time. You wouldn?t usually lie in bed all day instead of going into work, but if you got the flu you wouldn?t feel guilty (I hope) about doing just that. By the same token, you wouldn?t usually skip a fast day for no reason, but if you get really sick there?s no need to feel guilty about not fasting if you need to eat.

I?d say see how you feel on the fast day. If you can do it: great. If not: don?t worry, try again when you?re better.

That said, I am a bit hungrier today (non-fast day) because of my cold and am eating a bit more than I normally would. Just wolfed the Chinese equivalent of a six pack of hot cross buns. Blush Never mind.

Ezzza · 01/02/2013 04:50

spongebobsquareeyes, that?s exactly what I?ve found. I have willpower made of tempered steel. The only thing that can erode it is time. In the past I?ve gone on daily calorie restriction plans to lose weight, which has worked great for the first few weeks, but then time has done a number on my willpower and I cave into cravings. Then of course I feel like ?I?ve failed now, I may as well stuff my face with all the things I haven?t been allowed before I try again? and before you know it I put on a few pounds and either feel like a failure and give up or if I do start again I feel despondent because I?ve got to re-lose those pounds before I get back to where I was before I caved and my willpower isn?t then quite as strong as it was before.

This WOE has been completely different. I?m allowed to eat anything I want on non-fast days anyway so I don?t have weeks of built up cravings to satisfy and I don?t feel guilty about anything I eat on those days. Even if I have a less successful fast day I can shrug it off much more easily than I could a naughty day on daily calorie restriction. Because of this, and because one day isn?t long enough to erode my willpower when fasting, my motivation and enthusiasm for this WOE is just as high now as it was when I first started 5 months ago, possibly even higher actually as I now believe I?ll still be doing it months from now, something I found hard to believe when I started out in September.

stickygingerbread · 01/02/2013 07:48

everything has been going well, but suddenly awoke in the night with serious leg cramp. iirc this is a sign of potassium deficiency, but no bananas in the house. have others experienced this?

turns out my multi does not offer much potassium. oops.

BetsyVanBell · 01/02/2013 08:31

Cold has really set in today (as predicted), I'm not going to fast exactly (already had a small porridge breakfast) but my next meals will be soup and more soup so it'll still be a calorie restricted day. I've had no sleep, have a poorly DS to look after this morning and work this afternoon so can't quite manage my usual fast routine. But as Ezzza says - this is a flexible WOL and there's no point suffering unduly.

Tailtwister · 01/02/2013 09:03

Can I join?

I started on tues and did one fast then and another yesterday (thurs). I haven't found it easy, but not massively difficult either. The worst bit for me is having to prepare food for the children and watching them eat it! I like to sit with them when they eat and have had to make do with black tea when they're tucking into casserole.

I weighed myself this morning and appear to have lost 2kg, but don't know how variable that is. I'm mostly looking forward to feeling more comfortable in clothes and have around 3 stone to lose to get back to my pre-child (and pre-IVF) weight of 9.5 stone. I tend to hold onto weight whilst bf and hope to be finished with that sometime this year once DS2 turns 3.

I was wondering how much fasting for 2 days affects people's eating patterns for the rest of the week. I know it's very early days for me, but I'm finding myself to be more mindful of what goes into my mouth even on the normal eating days. I was actually quite shocked at how many times I found myself about to put food in my mouth without realising. I'm terrible for picking bits off the children's plates after they've finished Blush

BsshBossh · 01/02/2013 09:19

Lost a lb this week on one day of fasting (Wednesday) so am happy with this as I "only" have 18lbs left to goal weight. It's my second fast day of this week today. Am strangely looking forward to giving my digestion a break! Hope to wait until dinner to eat again but I won't beat myself up if I can't wait that long.

BsshBossh · 01/02/2013 09:21

Tailtwister, I've only been fasting a week but the day after my first fast I noticed I ate less junk and also couldn't face eating loads. Perhaps our stomachs shrink a little after a day of little food? Or our bodies become more conscious of what fuels it? I have no idea and time will tell if this continues for me but it's really interesting how I didn't feel the need to binge.

lirael · 01/02/2013 09:45

Yes, I've found this too (am in my second week) - biscuits taste much much sweeter than usual and I'm not in my usual carb-craving frame of mind at all. On the evening of my fast day I'm imagining all the delicious things I can eat the next day, but when it comes to it I'm happy to just eat normally. Am finding MFP a godsend - has really made me focus on how much / what I'm eating.

I am wondering whether this WOE breaks the addiction to certain types of food?

Madeyemoodysmum · 01/02/2013 10:06

Morning. 2nd fast for me today. Still suffering with cold but not hungry. Just done l2 shred and was starving before so maybe a bit of exercise on fast days works. Plan to eat at 12.30 and 7pm.

Really looking forward to sat / sun and will fast again Monday/Thurs
Going to a friends later so praying she hasn't baked. Will need wil of steel if she has. There is a group of us so hasn't just baked for me.

Swipe left for the next trending thread