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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! 13! Now, the baker's dozen!

991 replies

GreenEggsAndNichts · 19/02/2013 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!

If you've been at this a while and are moving on to maintaining your goal weight, there is a thread here to discuss that.

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.

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:
holmessweetholmes · 22/02/2013 21:14

Well, steady progress is good Dotty. No way my dh would do this. In fact he'll probably think I'm crazy for doing it. He's been out on the evenings of both my first two fast days, and I haven't told him I'm doing it yet!

stickygingerbread · 22/02/2013 21:53

So many new people have posted that I would need pen and paper to record each name to greet here. Welcome everybody and keep posting!

I am finishing week 7 of ADF. I thought I was further on but review of the calendar shows it was less than believed. Had 2 fasting blood sugar checks, last week and this week, and am in the normal range (85-90). I was hoping to bring it lower, but will probably need to add exercise to do it and that is very challenging as a mom of preschoolers working full time. Blood sugar, pressure and long term health are my prime concerns. As I have pcos, may I also note that ovulation has been fully on track since starting.

I was also weighed and have lost a full stone since Christmas. It might really be 11-12 lbs due to the timing and circumstances of each weigh, but we are rounding up. Grin This is incredible - first successful loss in 6 years. Huge difference at the waist, and my face looks much less puffy. 2 more stone to go.

Thank you GreenEggs for keeping these threads rolling at the blistering posting pace these days. Also thank you for the links and references in the starting post. Finally recently had time to watch the MM horizon program and very much enjoyed it.

My top tip relates to the interview with the ADF researcher Dr. Varady linked in GreenEggs initial post above. She says "insulin is lipogenic." Insulin encourages fat storage so if you eat things that raise your insulin levels, the insulin will work to store the calories as fat. If you are not losing, try dropping or otherwise limiting refined carbs, such as eating the carbs last after protein and fat to slow the carbs entry to the bloodstream.

Welcome back talkinpeace - I missed your straight up posts and terrific information.

Talkinpeace · 22/02/2013 21:56
Grin the exile has been spent constructively - I'll post some considered thoughts onto tips and hints over the weekend as there are lots of people who are now doing 5:2 on the basis of books and newspaper articles who never saw the horizon programme

and I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to products and articles

Aftereightsarenolongermine · 22/02/2013 22:01

Said it on maintenance thread & want to shout it out loud here, welcome back TiP. For those of you who don't know TiP is great to go to for advice on this WOE.

Talkinpeace · 22/02/2013 22:05
Blush tis good to be back and i've used my exile well - learning about other forums and articles - so I'm even more opinionated than I was before

and a few pounds heavier so back in the proper fasting crew Grin

Sutinder · 22/02/2013 22:14

Hi dines I weigh 10.2. Want to get down to 9.5ish. I love the concept of this diet or should I say way of eating. I have yo yo'd all my life and its been quite depressing. I am 50 and should know better I really am determined and am looking forward to my fast tomorrow....thanks Betsy I have read all the threads and am very excited

stickygingerbread · 22/02/2013 22:16

TiP I am sure you had to gain the pounds to join us in the interests of science. Grin Looking forward to the information you have gathered.

amidaiwish · 22/02/2013 23:57

Spent today reading MM book and will start fast on Monday!
Mimi talks about doing the fast 2pm-2pm if that suits you better.... Think it might but trying to work out the optimum eating times, any ideas?

wildwater · 23/02/2013 01:51

Can somebody tell me how to use Smiley's list? There doesn't seem to be a link to them...(the 'hand' doesn't appear!). Thanks!

Northstarmum · 23/02/2013 07:02

Tip is that you? Welcome back , we've missed you!

catsrus · 23/02/2013 07:49

wildwater you have to type in the brackets and words after the smiley so to get Smile you type [ then the word smile then the ] - with no spaces.

swallowedAfly · 23/02/2013 08:13

just a quick vent - i've done 3 fasts this week - mon, weds, fri - and stayed really active every day and the scales say more than they did before. i don't even see how that is possible and i'm eyeing my scales suspiciously but it's very frustrating.

i'm trying to remind myself that i'm at a different point in my cycle and that maybe there'll be a big shift again soon but grrrr! 3 good fasts and nothing!

someone encourage me please.

ErikNorseman · 23/02/2013 08:19

Swallowed - I weighed on Thursday after 2nd fast of the week and it showed 1lb drop (as expecting by end of this week) weighed again today after 3rd fast and I'm 2lb up from Thursday. I'm due on which is why but I feel your frustration! It's annoying to see the scales go up. Rest assured, you cannot gain weight on this diet, it would be impossible (unless you ate 3 dominos pizzas and a bucket of ice cream on your eating days!) so it must be water weight. No other explanation.

swallowedAfly · 23/02/2013 08:25

i hope you're right erik! thanks.

Northstarmum · 23/02/2013 08:35

swallowed maybe it's worth getting the tape measure out and seeing if there is movement in the right trajectory there? Many people have seen waistlines reducing when the scales haven't moved. If you're toning up as well as fasting you may find you have a better figure even when the scales aren't showing it?

Slumberparty · 23/02/2013 08:47

Hi all , I'm new to the thread and thought is share my experiences of 5:2 so far..
3 weeks ago I decided to do something about my weight so started Slimming world (didn't join a club). Obsessively meal planned and thought about food all week and lost 3 lbs Smile
2nd week I thought I'd throw in 2 fast days too as someone I know is following 5:2. That week was harder with obsessing about food and I lost 1.5 lbs.
This week I decided to just 5:2 exclusively and have enjoyed chocolate and wine. Weighed in this morning and I've lost 2 lbs this week Grin
I'm so happy as it seems such an easier WOL. On feed days I ate what I wanted, and tracked everything in MFP and was interested to see that over the week my calories have averaged out at 1200 a day, which is what MFP says I need to eat to lose 2lbs a week. I've tried that before and found it impossible to stick to, but by fasting 2 days, it is easy! I'm feeling very motivated!

headintheclouds · 23/02/2013 08:50

swallowed ive been doing the WOE for 1 month and 8 fasts,and feel very frustrated and want to vent! i seem to be stuck already .im definately doing it properly ,have at least a 16/ 18 hr total fast before consuming the 500 .my progress so far week 1 2 lbs off
week 2 1/2 lb off
week 3 1.5 lb off
week 4 nada,nothing, zero
i just feel annoyed after so much effort that the scales havent moved this week and surely I cant have hit aplateau already?.but from what Im reading on here that is not uncommon and I just have to stick with it and stop whinging because its ONLY been 4 weeks...
Id also like to say welcome back TIP because I loved your no- nonsense posts on here when I first started.I missed you and even stalkedfollowed you onto another forum but that ones not the same! Grin

swallowedAfly · 23/02/2013 08:53

thanks northstar. i have done and my waist is still reducing. just time i guess. wait and see what happens next.

ellenbrody · 23/02/2013 09:18

Swallowed - me too! Have done 3 weeks of this (6 fasts), stuck religiously to my TDEE on non fast days, after 2 weeks, I'd lost 1lb and today I'd put it back on!
I've done 4 shreds a week aswell. So... what have I got to show for it? A metallic taste in my mouth and constipation - happy days! Might give up Sad.
I only want to shift a couple of pounds to be honest. I find losing weight by calorie counting quite straightforward, unfortunately the flip side is that I gain it quite quickly too. This WOL appealed as I thought I would be able to try and gain a normal relationship with food, instead of noting every bloody morsel that passes my lips!
I will share a screaming session with you Shock Shock Shock Shock - thats better.

Slumberparty · 23/02/2013 09:26

Ellen brody I would imagine the exercise has a lot to do with it. Although you are probably losing fat you are likely gaining muscle which is why the scales aren't changing much. Although you don't weigh less you probably are getting trimmer and toning up. For what it's worth, I know a few people who have done the shred and never lost weight but 'looked' a lot slimmer.

Slumberparty · 23/02/2013 09:28

Sorry just saw I'd repeated what Northstar said!

greenfig · 23/02/2013 09:34

Saf so disheartening I know but I read somewhere it is impossible to put lbs of fat on in a short space of time. You need to eat ridiculous amounts of cals to add on a lb, just not poss in a few days. It will be water, food in transit or (yuk) foecal retention due to tom. Your waist is reducing, that's fantastic! We are so focused on the scales & seeing a new number, you will probably get the drop you want to see in a week or 10 days, but don't give in & get disheartenedSmile
ellen I did the same when I started shredding! I thought I'd shift the last few lbs & put 3 back onGrin I did however fitten & tone up & people asked if I'd lost weight. Perhaps it is that the same volume of muscle weighs more than the same volume of fat thingymajig!
Not wishy to gloat but am v pleased that I have lost 4lbs this week & am back to pre hols weight - hurrah! Have found it easy too, thanks to all for help & support. Now it will get tough to lose the final lbs.....

Anja1Cam · 23/02/2013 09:43

Good morning everyone, just had to share!

Yay! Two lb LOST in the last fortnight: I last weighed in two weeks ago, then had a ?generous? half term week with pancake day, birthday meal and cake, meals out with the kids etc....
So positive outcome after all! I can report that I have lost a notch off my belt in this first fasting week, but that was probably just the ?carb bloat? going down from the previous week, as I had been low carbing since the start of Jan up to that point at the start of half term on the 8th of Feb (and lost ~3kg up to then).

Have a good weekend!

Aftereightsarenolongermine · 23/02/2013 09:47

I've said it before & ill say it again. Do not despair if you haven't lost weight or if you've gained. I'm a permanent bouncer on this WOE & have been since Christmas I put on, then I lose & then put on again & lose again.

But the trend is downwards. I was occasionally like that before Christmas but not as much.

Focus on the bigger picture & the health benefits. Weight loss will come eventually unless you are going way over your tdees on non fast days.

dines · 23/02/2013 10:39

Is 4:3 more effective?

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