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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.

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:
Rootvegetables · 05/02/2013 12:04

Hello all, I'm new here too. Ive been feeling fat for a couple of years and eating too much. I started a diet about a month ago which was hard then I read about this and so far I've done 4 fast days and lost 11lb! I'm shocked, I've been eating normal food on my free days but feel like I want to eat healthy things and don't really fancy binging. Before I'd eat a packet of biscuits regularly. If I get under 14 stone it will be the first time since I was pregnant 3 years ago. Should I just enjoy the weight loss or sm I doing something wrong?!

Betterlatethan · 05/02/2013 12:09

Stalled again :(. No change in scales now for quite a while. Not gaining, but not losing either. Tbh, I'd be surprised if I had gained because my diet looks pretty perfect even on my normal days....I'm not too fussed, (despite my continual moaning on here!), because I'm getting such healthy benefits instead of the weightloss, however, it is really perplexing me and I hate not knowing the reason for things.
So, without writing an essay, I just want to see if any of you kind folk think? Firstly on a fast day I eat all my 500 cals in the evening around 6pm. Nothing before and nothing after. During the day I make sure I stay hydrated with various herbal teas and sparkling water. I also make sure my meal isn't carb heavy ( usually a chicken or fish stir fry...last night it was the lovely chilli eggs that someone had put on the recipe thread, which were delicious!)
On my normal days, it's usually porridge around 8pm, lots of herbal teas, lunch around 1pm, then dinner around 7pm. No snacking, no fruit juice, no caffeine ( gave that up years ago). Plenty of water, only drink alcohol at the weekends. I'm moderately active, not excessively so it can't be the cortisone effect....
The only possibility as far as I can see it is that my normal days could be more protein based. But I am reading that from the fast diet website and it tells you to read the book to find out why that might help. Without purchasing it, does anyone know why this is?
It's certainly stumping me...(she says scratching head)

Ezzza · 05/02/2013 12:34

Rootvegetables, wow! 11lbs is an amazing start!

Weight loss is often rapid in the first few weeks due to water loss as well as fat, especially for people with a lot to lose. Your rate of loss will likely slow to 1 or 2 pounds a week in the next few weeks. Don't be despondent when it does, you're not going to lose 11lbs every two weeks! 1 or 2 lbs a week is a really nice rate of loss. Also, don't be despondent if in the coming couple of weeks you stall or gain weight. That won't necessarily happen, but if it does it could be your body taking back some of the water you lost in the first few weeks.

Sounds to me like you've been doing it right, so enjoy the weight loss and keep going!

Itsaboatjack · 05/02/2013 12:47

Well I didn't have cake for breakfast in the end. I did have a small slice with a cup of coffee around 11am. I'm so glad I was able to listen to the 'you can have it tomorrow' voice, if I had of caved last night I know I would have then probably had the kind of well I've blown it now attitude and just carried on eating. As it was a small slice was just enough today and no guilty feelings after. That would never have happened even just a few weeks ago. Never!

Breadandwine · 05/02/2013 13:07

ManVsFoodRocks Oops! Blush

Well, it's very nice to meet you anyway!

Betterlatethan I came across this post on TheFastDiet forum - well worth a browse, folks, if you haven't come across it yet - I thought would be of interest to you:

www.52fastdiet.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=583

And, nice one, Itsaboatjack!

Dotty342kids · 05/02/2013 13:28

itsaboatjack, well done for lasting till 11.00! Very impressive. I'm finding I'm having a relatively normal day of eating, rather than the gorging I thought I would do.
It's a bit of a change in mindset not to feel guilty about the choc bar I ate as a mid morning snack - really hoping this works for me in the way it clearly has for lots of you. I can see how sustainable it will be if it does!

uptight · 05/02/2013 13:33

just getting back into this after starting mid November, losing 6lbs before xmas (yay) and then stopping and putting it all back on again (boo hiss). have just read the book and doing first fast today where actually splitting the 500 into 2 meals and not nibbling all day. My question is about diet coke - oh so tempting to have some to distract my palate but wondered what other people think about it?

BsshBossh · 05/02/2013 13:45

One thing I've realised today: I must keep up the drinking fluids habit - especially water - on a non-fast day because at least 50% of the hunger I experience on a non-fast day is thirst. I always drink loads on a fast day so don't know why I forget on the non-fast day. But remembering to continue to drink loads on fast days means I'm less likely to eat for the sake of it.

TalkinPeace2 · 05/02/2013 13:48

))))))))DIET COKE(((((((((
And all other diet fizzy drinks.
Am utterly anti them as they are designed to lie to your system - they taste sweet and your body gears up to digest sugars and is then confused.
Not a good way to be.

And try your very so ever so hardest not to nibble.
The whole point of fasting is to give your digestion a complete break for a while.
Go for as long as you can between food on fast days - I routinely do 24 hours.
Snacking is not good for you. It was invented by the food industry to sell more.

MWOW1 · 05/02/2013 13:49

Hi *Artemis" we seem to have similar goals. I gained about 8 lbs over the last 18 mths and nothing was shifting it. I have always exercised regularly. I started 5:2 just over three weeks ago and am on my 8th fast day today . I have lost 6 lbs with 2 to go! When I get to my target weight I do plan to stick to this WOL because I have so much energy, sleeping better.

Good luck and keep posting on your progress! This website is very motivational as is MyfitnessPal app!

LoubyLouLondon · 05/02/2013 13:49

Hi, I, half way through my first fast day on this diet. Hello! My second baby is 6 months old now and I've found it really hard to shift the baby weight this time round. I only have a 18m gap so I don't think I got rid of all the first lot before getting knocked up again! I'm finding it ok so far, just looking forward to my tea tonight.
Is it ok to have had porridge at 9.30am then I will try and have my dinner around 7.30 and then not eat again till tomorrow morning around 8?
Fizzy water has kept me going so far - and getting through the ironing!

Breadandwine · 05/02/2013 14:00

uptight Re diet coke (colas) specifically, check out this video:

www.disclose.tv/action/viewvideo/92129/Hungry_For_Change/

About 20 minutes in, Dr Christiane Northrup describes how brain cells are affected (read 'killed') when aspartame and caffeine are combined. The film then goes on to detail the myriad harmful affects of artificial sweeteners.

LoubyLouLondon I'd try and avoid carbs for breakfast - it'll give you more calories for your evening meal for starters - and lots of posters say they feel hungrier after eating carbs.

Cheers, B&W

virginposter · 05/02/2013 14:07

MrsJolene I've sent you a private message. Should be in your inbox now Smile

uptight · 05/02/2013 14:08

hmm as I suspected - thanks for the hard evidence Smile

64zoolane · 05/02/2013 14:30

Hi everyone. 3rd fast day. Not as horrendous as my second, but still not easy. Can I ask, is there any evidence, even anecdotal, whether splitting up the 500 calories between two meals is better for weight loss than splitting them up into more meals? I understand that the long periods of fasting are better for hormesis (sp?). I ask because today I have had a very small breakfast (114 cals), a very small 'lunch' (82 cals) and plan to have the rest of my calories for dinner. I know there are lots of different ways of doing this but I'm wondering what the impact is on weight loss, specifically. Thank you.

Leaveitbabe · 05/02/2013 14:36

@64zoolane

I tend to split mine and eat as follows:

11.00hrs (40 - 80 cals) hartleys jelly or 2 rice cake or all!
13.00 hrs (120 cals) soup or half a ready meal
1930 (320 cals) other half of ready meal

Betterlatethan · 05/02/2013 14:41

breadandwine thanks! Methinks I am looking a little bit too much into this, rather than just going with the flow and concentrating on what I can do rather than what I can't! I am banishing the scales for a month....
....I feel like I've just lost my right arm! Grin

Snowkey · 05/02/2013 14:59

64zoolane I don't think anyone knows the impact of splitting your calories up on weight loss. People do lose weight splitting them - whether they'd lose more is really hard for one person to know, after all we can't readily explain plateaus can we? People have a good guess but that's all it is! You should do what ever is easiest for you - most people split in the beginning but as they gain confidence in fasting they often find one meal in the evening is easier....my dh is a real breakfast person and even he agreed after 4 months of fasting by splitting meals, that one meal a day was easier. Good luck and to begin with just think about doing it easy, then play around and find out what suits you best.

TheCatInTheHairnet · 05/02/2013 15:10

I prefer to split the meals. I have a late breakfast/early lunch and then dinner. I tend to do 200 calories for the earlier meal and 300 for dinner. I can't see me ever going to just an evening meal because I would be flagging by the time the kids all came home from school and the really busy part of my day starts. I imagine anyway. I'm only on week 4 so it's still early days!!

Uptight, I do drink diet coke. I know it's bad for me but I kind of think I've cut out all but the very occasional alcoholic drink, I exercise daily, I'm eating really healthily, I don't smoke. Dammit, I want a bit of unhealthy in my life!! Grin

fionafi53 · 05/02/2013 15:14

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

GiraffesEatPineapples · 05/02/2013 15:16

betterlate I don't know about the fast day but I do know there its a theory that calories in protein are not equal to calories in other food so eating the same amount of calories but with more coming from meat or fish say would effectively be the same as reducing your calories.

Exercise seems to speed up weight loss on this woe, tip knows more about this.

Some people have found changing their fast days can help toi.e.

Are you using mfp, have just discovered the weekly tab which is great fir working out if your calories over the course of a week are low .

A few of the older posters have started losing weight again so fingers crossed you will too.

Snowkey · 05/02/2013 15:47

Fionafi53 Is that your fast book that you have been promoting or are you connected to the publisher?

64zoolane · 05/02/2013 15:53

Thank you all.

mummyof2girlsx · 05/02/2013 16:01

I find it much easier to fast on work days. I like to save my calories for one meal at around 6pm, I work until 8pm so have my dinner at work. I tend to be eating the same things on fast days; soups or salads.
Has anyone got any suggestions for easy fast day foods to take to work? Need some new ideas Grin

MrsJolene · 05/02/2013 16:03

Vergin poster, thanks for your advice :) ezzza thank, It's a big long blog sodding want to clog this page up. Basically I failed my diet on my first attempt lost nothing, drank way to much alcohol. Took laxatives, binge ate after alcohol, feeling depressed etc.... I gave myself another chance and successfully completed a day eating healthy, far apart, and zero lax or red wine! I just love the taste of red wine but after not eating I was drink 300cals per glass. The binging feeling bad, then lax abuse to correct... Doesn't quiet work like that I know, so yesterday I did we'll and iv not eaten since 7pm yesterday and zero calories since 3am my 40cal hot chocolate drink xx