Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

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! 12! Cheaper by the dozen!

999 replies

GreenEggsAndNichts · 08/02/2013 10:09

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:
swallowedAfly · 11/02/2013 07:15

thank you - i actually had a little dance in the kitchen singing, 'i'm gonna be thin again' Grin

Aftereightsarenolongermine · 11/02/2013 07:22

Well done swallowed :o

Newlook · 11/02/2013 07:27

Great results swallowedAfly and thanks for boiled egg tip, I will keep this in mind. I am fasting today - first time - have decided that I cannot do this without my cups of tea - probably about 3 - 4 so will have to calc the cals in the milk I guess. Can handle black coffee, the odd herbal and some miso type soup but tea needs milk!! good luck to everyone today - one step at at time Smile

swallowedAfly · 11/02/2013 07:45

maybe we should remind ourselves why we are doing this.

personally i hate being fat - i don't feel healthy, my digestion feels sluggish and i feel bloated and bleurgh all the time. i am coming up for middle age and don't want to be fat now let alone head into menopause already overweight and then find it even harder to lose. i like wearing really simple lines in clothes - hipster cut trousers/jeans and hip length tops were my staples. forget that when you're fat and constantly searching for long enough, loose enough tops that don't emphasise your middle.

i feel healthier and more energetic when i'm slim. my knee hurts more when i'm fat and my posture is awful. i like being able to bend down and do my shoes up without my stomach getting in the way and having to do some odd sideways twist to navigate to my feet. i like buying the clothes i actually want to wear instead of thinking oh that would look lovely on someone else.

i want to look in the mirror and see me not look and think who the hell is that. i want to not feel weak and crappy and out of control.

but i want all of this without having to calorie count on a daily basis, obsess and veer towards eating disorder type territory and bore everyone around me with the details of everything i have or haven't eaten that day (dieters really are soooo boring!). and i want all this without having to use up hours a week in a boring gym doing mindnumbingly dull repetitive exercise only to discover i've burnt off the equivalent of a digestive biscuit.

so if this woe continues to work then i am a very happy bunny.

MrsHelsBels74 · 11/02/2013 07:51

Is it ok to miss the occasional fast day? I'm so tired today & the thought of fasting makes we want to cry. I can't really do it any other days so might give it a miss today, it won't do too much harm will it?

literarygeek · 11/02/2013 08:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

literarygeek · 11/02/2013 08:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ezzza · 11/02/2013 08:25

Thanks ThinkICan. I decided to see if I could get away with charging up the laptop in Starbucks before going home in a sulk. I usually avoid the place because I don't like coffee, their tea is disgusting, and most drinks cost 30 yuan Shock. The cheapest drink is 17 yuan. Given that I'm living on a weekly budget of 200 yuan for food, drinks, toiletries and cleaning products I'm not willing to spend that kind of money on something I really don't want. But I begrudgingly bought the cheapest cakey thing they had (still 12 yuan but at least it was nice) and went to eat it in the corner while my laptop charged up. I then discovered there's wifi in here too and it's actually an ok speed. So I have now nested (put two scoopy type armchairs front to front and am snuggled in the middle with my coat and laptop on my knees) and will probably stay here until I get hungry again this evening and have to go on another food hunt.

MrsHels, if you really can't face it then don't worry about today. No big deal. I like to think about this long term, so if one week I really can't do it I won't. That way I know I'll still be doing this in 6 month's time, by which time I'm sure I will have lost more weight and will still be getting all the health benefits that come with, it instead of having given up because I found it too much of a mental struggle. This isn't like a diet where one slip can completely derail you. This is a sustainable way of eating. Tomorrow is another day. If you can fit another fast in this week then great. But if not, never mind, just carry on on your next planned fast day. You never know, another week you might be feeling really up for it and decide to slip another fast day in.

Glad to hear things are going better for you Frannyfeet! Smile

BetsyVanBell · 11/02/2013 08:35

Swallowed Fab news well done Grin!

MrsHels Of course you can skip today if you're not up for it, there's always tomorrow :)

This is going to be a tough fast day - half term and now one of the DSs is poorly with a high temp and sick bucket on standby, so will be trapped in the house all day. Mind you, it is now snowing so I'm not that upset! And at least the usually hungriest child's appetite is now curtailed. There's going to be a distinct lack of exercise though, maybe me and the elder child can do some wii zumba to amuse the ill one...

virginposter · 11/02/2013 08:48

em2905 the losing inches with no weight loss is common on this WOE as it was the first thing that I noticed and I'm still noticing it now after 6 months. Today had W.I. And have lost another 2lbs and my visceral fat has dropped again by 1 point so I am especially happy.

swallowed Good post! I think you've summed up nicely what a lot of us feel now that we have finally found a way to cast off the old life of battling with our weight constantly and can now live life properly and be slim and happy Grin

Woopsiedaisy · 11/02/2013 09:22

Delurking to ask if anyone here can give me some advice.

I am so impressed with all your achievements and have been 5:2 ing for the last three weeks (6 fasts in total).

I love this WOE but have found that I am triggering Migraines. i have had 5 over that period, usually starting the evening after my fast day.

What I am wondering is if anyone else has had this experience. If so did you manage to overcome it ?

Also has anyone tried 8:16. i.e 8 hours eating, 16 hours fasting every day? Did it work for you?

I am assuming that 8:16 might help me to keep my blood sugar stable (always a trigger for my migraine) but don't know anyone else who has tried this variant of IF.

Would really appreciate any advice !!!

literarygeek · 11/02/2013 09:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

artemis17 · 11/02/2013 09:39

Morning all..3rd fast day today, and hoping for some weight/inch loss this week, did get a bit despondent not losing anything but new week new game :).

Finding i am really enjoying hot water and lemon Shock not sure what to eat later most likely prawns. As i fast on my exercise days ive realised I cant leave it til 8pm like i did last week as i felt a bit lightheaded at combat, so will try to have something about 4pm then a little something afterwards.
And then its pancake day tomorrow so no danger of not eating my TDEE yum yum!!.

silverbeetle · 11/02/2013 09:54

Hi I've taken the plunge and started he diet today - glup!

I've been lurking in the background for about a week and finally plucked up the courage to join the forum as everyone seems so supportive and I can really empathise with some of the posters FrannyFeet (so glad things are now moving in the right direction).

However, I feel really nervous about it actually working - I've read loads of threads (they are all truly inspirational) and I understand the science behind it but still can't quite believe it may help shed the post baby pounds which have stuck with me for 15 years and believe me I've tried before with mixed results. I've got about 12-14lbs to lose so not a massive amount but it's very stubborn and enough to make you feel uncomfortable and crappy and I'm fed up with feeling like this.

I'll be 47 in a few weeks and have felt the spare tyre round my middle steadily growing - not a good feeling, plus blood pressure has gone right up. So I really feel it's time to make some changes to my lifestyle before it really starts to effect my health. After a lifetime of diets this WOE seems so much more practical and managable.

Anyway I'm rambling now, it's my first Fast day today. So far so good, will take the dog out later and do the housework. Trying to last to 8pm and have all cals as dinner, will see how it goes.

I know I will dread the first weigh-in, not sure if I should weigh myself every day, once a week or every two weeks? Any suggestions?

swallowedAfly · 11/02/2013 09:59

on the fast days are you eating small and often or saving them all up for one meal woopsie ?

and then the day after how are you eating?

i'm also trying to remember what supplements i take that claim to help keep blood sugar level - i think one is chromium but there's another one - will have a look and get back to you.

i don't know if 8/16 would work for you. in reality my regular eating has tended to be eating bugger all all day long then eating all evening and it certainly didn't help me have stable blood sugar or lose weight. can't advise on that one i'm afraid.

Woopsiedaisy · 11/02/2013 10:12

swallowed eating two meals, lunch at 12 and then supper around 6pm. Because I am aware of blood sugar issues they are sensible meals based on veg / protien.

I did try breakfast / supper for the first week but ended up with awful mid day headaches, so decided lunch / supper would work better.

Also sensible the next day. Breakfast porridge followed by protien, fruit, veg mix.

I an not normally this angelic (have a real weakness for chocolate) but feel that this is my chance to resolve life long weight issues and I am determined not to wreck it. I am not massively overweight but at 154lb could definitely be described as solid.

My food choices are often dictated by the fact that I am a coeliac, so cant eat grains. That rules out bread, pasta, cake etc !!

BetsyVanBell · 11/02/2013 10:12

Welcome silverbeetle :). It might be helpful to take some before measurements & a weigh-in, I know totally depressing in the first instance but I really wished I had - it's very motivating when you realise inches are reducing as well as pounds. Otherwise I really try to only weigh myself after a fast day but I know I should only do it once a week or less (I can't help myself!)

If you find you do need to split your calories (I always have 2 meals and when I started I had to have an apple or carrot mid morning too) then do so - 8pm sounds like a long way away and if you're eating soup or something with loads of veg you can have 2 really quite substantial meals. Anyway, you probably know all this so good luck with your first fast.

silverbeetle · 11/02/2013 10:40

Thanks BetsyVB I'll measure my wobbly bits and try not to get too depressed Blush

I'm off to get some Miso soup to help stave off any hunger pangs. I'm just worried if I do start to eat something I'll get really hungry and be miserable. I'm a sort of all or nothing sort of girl. However this week is an experiment so I'll see how it goes.

Dotty342kids · 11/02/2013 10:45

franny that's so lovely to read after your despair the other day! Great news and so reassuring for anyone else having similar "moments".
Week 2, and fast day no 3 for me and I'm feeling simulataneously motivated, energetic and hungry. But I'm ok with the hunger knowing that I have a snack lined up for 2.00 ish and a nice dinner already prepared for tonight Grin

Newlook · 11/02/2013 10:47

Hi Silverbeetle - your entry strikes lots of chords with me! I am 45, been on many a diet, started first fast today - so welcome Smile; I feel v positive about what I saw on Horizon and reading the thread - as you say, so motivating and supportive. I have about 2 stone to lose and am determined to do this. I am trying to focus on the health benefits as this should keep me on track - it's a no brainer really but we all have good and "bad" days; that's why this 5:2 seems so marvellous. I love it and it's only day 1!!!
Good luck with the fast - I had cup of tea at 7am and have just had a late breakfast (am currently not working so can be flexible) of porridge and blueberries - 200 cals - delicious! wouldn't be able to wait until this evening but we're all different. Plan to drink water, tea, coffee and emergency cuppa soup if desperate before having either sweet pot soup or tuna and beans. Have kiev for rest of family though they will probably want what I'm having too!
Question for all of you out there - does anyone know whether it's ok to eat chewing gum on a fast day? I think it's probably best not to as it might create a feelilng of hunger, but I do love it...

BetsyVanBell · 11/02/2013 10:48

silver I am on my second pot of herbal tea - plenty of liquid staves off hunger pangs! You'll be surprised, the hunger really doesn't get worse, it comes and goes - you can just push through it, do something to distract you, come on here and moan talk about it, put the kettle on, fantasise about what you could be eating and remember - you can eat it tomorrow.

Dotty342kids · 11/02/2013 10:49

And welcome to silverbeetle. There are quite a few of us who are relatively new to this and also quite a few amazing long termers who really do help to keep us motivated and informed about this all.
Good luck today and yes, agree about weigh in and measure. I'm an apple shape so was aware my middle area measurements were going to be pretty dreadful so I'm really hoping that after a couple of weeks I see a bit of movement.
I vowed not to get on the scales for the first two weeks but have ignored my own advice and keep getting on for a wee peek. However, I'm not really taking much notice of what they say! Friday is going to be my official weigh day!

nearlyniftyfifty · 11/02/2013 10:55

Swallowed..I couldn't agree more..altho I'm still at the trying to find my feet stage Envy
On some of the fantastic weight losses after 10 days fasting..well done but am I the only one to be a true steady eddie?? One month in, 6lbs down Grin
Fasting today, half term and starving teens...oh dear, bouillon beckons!

tomorrowweeat · 11/02/2013 11:05

I find it really interesting to weigh every morning to see the effects of fasting. Leads to a very spikey type graph but shows overall downward trend. (12 lbs in 12 weeks)

Maditun · 11/02/2013 11:56

Did you weigh yourself at boots before you started and was it at the same time of day and wearing the same? I can easily weigh 4lb more at the end of the day. But usually because I'm fully clothed and eaten. Go again to boots and wear the same clothes, go the same day and at the same time of day and see if it makes a difference. X