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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! 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 · 13/02/2013 18:40

newlook here

decided to look in the cupboards and found a can of batchelors condensed low fat cream of mushroom soup. it is delicious - broken my fast with a bowl of it with added black pepper and coriander - still have another bowl left and the whole thing (makes up to 600ml) comes to only 138cals and is really creamy. also good for a sauce on a fast day given it's low fat and condensed - could go nicely with tuna on a bed of spinach and cabbage maybe.

well done fillybuster Smile

charliegreentea · 13/02/2013 18:44

Hi everyone,

I've just completed my 3rd fasting day and am very happy with the results! Mon (weigh in and fast), Tues (down 500g and normal eating day), Wed (fast day), Thurs (down another 1kg and normal eating day). So that's a loss of 1.5kg in my first week! (I started last Thurs, but didn't weight myself until Sun). I realise this is water loss, but it's a very exciting start :)

Just thought I'd post my progress for anyone who is lurking and contemplating this WOE. I lurked for 2 months before taking the plunge and wish I'd started sooner!

Minimammoth · 13/02/2013 19:15

Swallowed that looks a lovely site. I shall pass on to other meditators, I know.

catsrus · 13/02/2013 19:38

Hi betterlate good to see you on here too Smile

basildonbond · 13/02/2013 19:52

day 2, week 3 here

getting easier and I'm feeling much lighter

I don't know how much I've lost but it's definitely going in the right direction

GiraffesEatPineapples · 13/02/2013 20:01

some lovely posts on here well done betterlate

Thanks new look and minmammoth the book I mentioned reccommends standing on one foot whilst brushing teeth, all very interesting.
Blush my fast went a little pear shaped I think for the following reasons

  1. After excersise I thought maybe I should eat even though I wasn't hungry
  2. I started eating too early
  3. I had lots of sugar free chewing gum
  4. I decided to try and do a double fast by planning to carry on tomorrow and my body obv went into survivor mode!
GiraffesEatPineapples · 13/02/2013 20:02

Oh and 5) I was in the house a lot more than on monday's fast (which was a breeze)

ellenbrody · 13/02/2013 20:09

Just made my packed lunch tomorrow, 2 ryvitas, 1/4 cucumber and a small pot of extra light Philly. Dinner is planned as salmon fillet and salad. The rest of the family will have Cous Cous aswell.
I will have lots of weak sugar free squash/ water, some herbal teas and a couple of black coffees.
I love proper builders tea, so have allowed 150 ml of skimmed (50 cals) for my required 'fix'.
I have a pot of jelly for pudding and will busy myself with a shred when I get home from work. I get in at about 4:30, and from then till dinner at 6ish is 'danger time'!
This will be my 4th fast and I have not exceeded my TDEE, nor been much under and the scales have only moved 1/2 lb, does this sound normal?
I have a normal bmi and as such don't really need to lose, I'm just curious really.

swallowedAfly · 13/02/2013 20:19

well i have made it. that soup has really filled me up, ds is in bed and i'm knackered and it turns out i have more than enough calories left to eat the multi pack size snickers that was in the cupboard Blush not healthy i know but i'm not hungry for more food just for chew and pleasure and the calories are there so should be ok? will come out under 500 still.

looking forward to a good night's sleep and possibly going out for a nice lunch with a friend tomorrow. next fast won't be till monday i think so i'm going to try and not go too mad till then. think i might look at my tdee and try and roughly aim at it each day (not obsessive calorie counting - just guess-timating) and see where that takes me.

thank you for the support and listening to me go on and on today - really needed it and it did help Smile

good luck to those hitting their danger time zones - nearly bedtime and you've come this far so it would be a shame to waste it and remember tomorrow you can eat and not feel guilty x

mamamoomin2 · 13/02/2013 20:20

What are people's thoughts on the points in this article about the body breaking down protein before fat?

m.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/what-you-should-know-before-going-on-a-fast/article8461083/?service=mobile

swallowedAfly · 13/02/2013 20:21

oh and giraffe - i'd say it was probably your mind that went into panic/survivor mode rather than your body. maybe take a day at a time - just get through the fast you're doing rather than project to the next the one or make decisions about the next day?

Itsaboatjack · 13/02/2013 20:21

newlook just set your daily allowance on mfp to your TDEE, which already takes into account how active you are, then you not need to worry about logging exercise and how much you should eat back. Plus imo mfp massively over estimates how many calories you would burn from exercise anyway.

Newlook · 13/02/2013 20:23

Thank you Swallowed - I look forward to exploring that site - looks really lovely. Soup sounds like great staple for cupboard.

survivingwinter · 13/02/2013 20:27

Hi newbie here!

I'm just coming to the end of my first fast day and have to admit it's been an awful struggle. I am so hungry I could cry and have been useless with the kids all day Sad

I'm actually defecting from a low carb diet which has been brilliant for weight loss until recently when I started putting weight back on again really easily. I was almost at my target weight but need to maintain it rather than lose much more but fasting doesn't seem like the way forward to me unless it gets any easier???

Newlook · 13/02/2013 20:29

Thanks itsaboat I have set it to my TDEE so won't allow the extra cals - no point in fooling myself!

Well done swallowed you have been so supportive - cheers!

Thanks everyone for today Thanks - I really found the thread extremely helpful today.

Itsaboatjack · 13/02/2013 20:39

mamamoomin2 wrt to that article,

His concern is that many people are fasting without realizing they may be losing crucial muscle mass. The danger is that as protein in the body breaks down, it could lead to other unwanted side effects, such as altered immunity. In order to fight infections, the body needs to produce antibodies, a type of protein. But when the body is breaking down protein for fuel, it may not send the right signal to make antibodies, Lau said.

Well from a purely personal experience I have had a cold and throat infection whilst following this woe, but it has not been nearly as bad as I usually get them. I am prone to throat infections and when I do get them I get wiped out by them, this one though I've not even taken anything for and been able to carry on with my life as normal, still working, doing school runs etc. But as I said that's purely anecdotal.

nicnac58 · 13/02/2013 20:49

Four weeks in and I have lost 2lbs :((. Keep reminding myself about the health benefits, but really do need to lose more weight, between 21/2 and 3 stone. First week it appears I didn't eat enough, kept to 1200 cals on feast day. Following that increased food intake to between 15/1600 a day. Stayed away from the scales and was hoping for at least 4 or 5lbs but no. Not sure what I am doing wrong, any successful dieters out there who would be willing to give me a run down of how they have been doing things so I can see if there is a pattern out there that I am missing

Gherkinsmummy · 13/02/2013 20:55

mamamoomin2 wrt to that article, short sharp fasts like most of us are doing shouldn't be a concern. Intermittent fasting is nothing new and we aren't starving, merely eating less.

Gherkinsmummy · 13/02/2013 20:56

I'd really recommend combining IF with low carbing if you aren't seeing results.

ErikNorseman · 13/02/2013 20:58

Are you weighing on the same day each week? Do you eat a lot of salty food? Drink plenty of water? I think you should probably try eating a bit more. What is your TDEE? Can you have a week of eating close to it on eating days, and see how you go? It's odd that you are losing so slowly, I'm sure you can tweak it to work.

Dotty342kids · 13/02/2013 21:02

Aw ninac, sorry to hear you're so disheartened. I don't have any specific advice to offer yet as I'm only coming to the end of my fourth fast day and have first weigh in tomorrow morning!
But just wanted to offer my support and encouragement and say that I've seen other people say that their loss was gradual from the offset but that it does continue downwards an, that they feel good on it so maybe stick with it for a while longer....

Gherkinsmummy · 13/02/2013 21:10

Oh yes only weigh after a poo and before eating on the same scales :)

nicnac58 · 13/02/2013 21:15

Thanks ErikNorseman and Dotty342 kids have only weighed myself twice, first time after the 3rd fast day, second time 3 weeks later after the fast day; first thing in the morning. I try and drink at least a litre of water everyday. Don't eat processd foods and don't tend to put salt on my food although I do salt potatoes if I boil them. Not other veg as I steam them. Not too sure about my TDEE but my BMR is 1506,

npg1 · 13/02/2013 21:15

Hi all. Bad day for me today. I had decided on a fast day and had done well until 3.30pm. Had cup a soup and rice for lunch and was going to have weetabix for dinner but I got a migraine and had to eat something. So then had snack a jacks and a pjtta with chicken breast for dinner :( thinking im not cut out to fast. X

frenchfancy · 13/02/2013 21:17

Gerkinsmummy but that article is talking specifically about short term rasting like AF or 5:2.

To my mind it goes against the evidence that many body builders are using AF as part of their routine. Surely if they were losing muscle mass they would stop pretty quickly. I have read elsewhere someone recommending exercise in congunction with 5:2 as (the theroy goes) if you are using your muscles your body knows it can't burn them so if finds something else. But if you are not using your muscles then they are fair game.