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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:
Sutinder · 24/02/2013 16:28

How would I know if there is a new thread started...sorry don't want to miss anything x

dines · 24/02/2013 16:33

How much weight did all of you have to lose from the beginning?

ELR · 24/02/2013 16:53

Not a fast day for me today, I am eating loads and was the same yesterday went over tdee yesterday by about 200 calories and today will prob be about tdee. But due on in a few days so maybe that's why!
Can't wait for fast day tomorrow! Just been to M&S and bought a bean salad which is 250 calories and got two lovely pieces of cod for dinner to have with loads of veg for dinner.
Tomorrow will be my 3rd fast day, I have not weighed myself yet, I am waiting till day after my 5th fast which will be next Tuesday morning, just don't want to be disappointed if I haven't lost.

ArtemisatBrauron · 24/02/2013 17:05

This is really a question for talkinpeace - is snacking really so bad? I have quite a small appetite and can't eat a huge amount at one sitting so usually have fruit or crackers or even a cup of miso soup to see me through! Surely as long as you don't go over your TDEE it doesn't matter whether you snack or not on a non-fast day?

ArtemisatBrauron · 24/02/2013 17:06

More generally, I'm doing my first fast tomorrow (busy day at work, so hoping I won't notice how hungry I am) and feeling nervous and excited - will post results of first attempt tomorrow!

artemis17 · 24/02/2013 18:27

BMJ sorry to be "picky" again, but up post you say you put on a stone after Xmas on this WOE, yet on the post you did slating 5-2, (24/1/13) you hadnt started it yet, then earlier this week you said "after a month of 5-4 etc etc", yet a month hadnt passed... Hmm

I think everyone is trying to be sympathetic and offer advice, but a lot of what you say contradicts itself, so if you really are struggling with your weight etc, maybe professional medical advice is what you need???.

artemis17 · 24/02/2013 18:41

SAF et al, yes i defiantely have a smaller appetite on my feed days, even my other half noticed. In fact hes seriously thinking about giving 5-2 a try :)

I am one of those with little to lose, (my BMI is 21) so its taking a while to see much difference in the scales, but ive lost inches and i feel great....
Maybe if you dont have much to lose, my body wont change tho my tum is smaller but its the health benefits that inspire me mostly. Just love hearing how everyones doing, and as im on a fast today it stops me thinking too much about eating haha.

Aftereightsarenolongermine · 24/02/2013 19:12

I've just come home having had the most deliciously decadent meal that I've had in a long time, & no guilt at all except for the cholesterol side of things :) yum & truly worth it.

Dotty342kids · 24/02/2013 19:25

Drat it, just inputted my days food onto MFP and I'd have been within TDEE if despite my slice of homemade cake and half a scone earlier. Except that I've also just eaten a bar of dairy milk! Sweet things are definitely my weakness!
Def going to do mini fast from now til I go out for curry tomorrow night. Then proper fast day on Tuesday, and again on Thursday. Might brave the scales on Fri Grin
Check in with all my fellow Monday fasters tomorrow!

ellenbrody · 24/02/2013 19:33

Not a fast day for me today, but I feel all achey and fluey so have had no appetite at all.
Put it all into MFP this evening and I've eaten less than 800 cals. Too much for a fast day, but it might make my normal Monday fast more tricky, what do you think?

ELR · 24/02/2013 19:53

Ellenbrody it could do maybe see how you feel tomorrow. Hopefully better x

mamamoomin2 · 24/02/2013 20:13

Ellenbrody I would count that as a fast today. See you you feel tomorrow but if you're feeling ill I wouldn't give yourself a hard time! Listen to your body. Hope you feel better.

Aftereightsarenolongermine · 24/02/2013 20:21

ellen I would actually count that as a fast day. I agree that if you are feeling rough tomorrow to not fast. Or if you want to have lots of soup I always find a good soup makes me feel better.

ellenbrody · 24/02/2013 20:35

Thanks guys, will see how I feel in the morning, I suppose the flexibility of this WOL is good in situations like this!

Talkinpeace · 24/02/2013 21:33

Artemis
before 1800 most people ate one large and on small meal per day - that is still the norm in all but the Western world
the concept of Breakfast (before the Factory opened) lunch (in the heat of the day) and supper (at the end of the working day) came in with thin industrial revolution.

Snacking was invented by the food industry in the 1970's
it has no basis in nutrition or need or health
just in selling more product
and the strt of snacking links v v v tightly with the start of obesity

your body will cope JUST FINE without food for 8 hours : it does at night after all
hunger is a messenger, no more
and your digestion is designed to extract all it can from what it is given : that is why humans get fat
its also why we get bowel disease when we overload the system

eat what you need to live
make that food enjoyable food
...

charlotte51diet · 24/02/2013 21:46

Sorry if previously mentioned, I've tried to read the posts above.. Decided to start the 5:2 plan today. My understanding so far is 500cals on fasting days and for the none fasting I've worked out my BMR and TDEE etc.. Is come up a few times about milk and fasting. I thought on fasting days you could eat / drink what you wanted aslong as stuck to 500cals? So is this not correct? So do you have to go 16/24 hours with NO calories atal?? Thanks x

Talkinpeace · 24/02/2013 21:53

see my post just up thread ....

charlotte51diet · 24/02/2013 22:06

Apologies ive read the post a above mine but I'm still unsure on it, are u saying don't eat for 8 hours but u can within 500 for the remaining 16? Sorry to come across thick, hard to get my head round this, x

Talkinpeace · 24/02/2013 22:07

Eat normally today until finishing an early supper.
Tomorrow, wake up and have tea or coffee but no fruit juice and nothing to eat.
No snacks.
No lunch - just lots of tea, coffee, herbal tea or water.
No snacks.
For supper have a WHOLE POT of soup (the plastic tubs all the supermarkets sell) and a piece of fruit and more water.
No evening snacks.
GO to sleep.
Tuesday, eat normally (but try not to snack ever again)

you have just completed your first 24 hour fast and 36 hours on 500 calories ...

Talkinpeace · 24/02/2013 22:08

2 days per week : 500 calories
2 days per week : stay within TDEE
2 days per week : try to stay within 10% of your TDEE
1 day per week : splurge / relax

swallowedAfly · 24/02/2013 22:09

charlotte - there isn't a rule about it - the guy who advocates it himself eats breakfast and dinner. some people here advocate not eating at all for an extended period and some include 'milk' in that. do what's right for you.

postmanpatscat · 24/02/2013 22:09

Eat 500 cals on your fast day, it's up to you how you spread them out. Some have one larger meal, others two smaller ones, some have a v low cal snack, some miss breakfast, others miss lunch. Find out what suits you, personally I tend to have breakfast and skip lunch.

charlotte51diet · 24/02/2013 22:12

Thank you :-) this is what I thought, but then reading some posts it says fasting being no calories, and some say no milk? I like a few drops of milk in my tea, I've already 1/4 the amount I couldn't have less or none, MFP says 9calories, I'm fine with that, but is that classed as none fasting? Is this because its fluid, and not food? I'm lost x

charlotte51diet · 24/02/2013 22:14

Thank you for replies, as mentioned it seems a personal choice :-) thank you

swallowedAfly · 24/02/2013 22:14

don't be lost. people are adding lots to this and their own theories which is fine and dandy and whatever works for them.

personally i have milk (but count the calories) in my tea and coffee in the day - i don't eat till late afternoon or evening. some would count that milk as not allowing my body to fast properly - personally i think 100ml of skimmed milk over several hours is not massively taxing to my system.

keep it simple (and you do understand it from what you've said your plan sounds fine) - if that doesn't work then you can find ways to complicate it Wink