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. 
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.
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!
Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.
Fasting / 5:2 diet
5:2 Diet Thread! 13! Now, the baker's dozen!
GreenEggsAndNichts · 19/02/2013 10:09
So glad that I found this ...
I started the 5:2 today - so far so good ... but I know that I will be looking for support and inspiration
[waves] ... used to be a very regular Mumsnetter about 10 years ago ... so I guess I am a newbie all over again
Itsaboatjack - yes, plenty of fat stored 
! I was 13.5st after dc2 
and am now 11st at 5ft6 and a size 14/12. I got down to 10.5st at one point but find sticking to my daily calorie allowance on MFP every day a bit of a grind. I'd like to be 10st. Apart from anything else, running feels so much easier when I'm lighter. Also, I like the sound of the other health benefits of fasting, particularly as the main reason I took up running was to combat my post-pregnancy high blood-pressure which never quite went away. Plus it kind of makes logical sense to me to eat loads less on my non-running days and eat more when I do run, so the 5:2 ratio seems ideal.
Btw, at training for a half on 500 cals every day! That's got to take some serious willpower. I sometimes need all my willpower just to get my trainers on and get out of the door!
Hello! So, I am now 18 lbs lighter than I was on Jan 1st. HURRAH! This week is going to be a challenge though. Today I'm taking the kids to the cinema and it's going to be a battle of my willpower not to steal any of their popcorn!! I may have to sit on my hands throughout!
Holmes, I agree about the running being easier when you're lighter. I'm finding my runs are getting easier and easier. I may have to start adding a few more hills for the challenge!!
Daisy1407 Twinnings! Excellent idea! I shall put it on the shopping list :)
Woah you work out on a fast day?!
Blackmaryjanes
On the last thread (round about last thursday)you were very anti the 5-2 WOE, saying you had put on weight and it didnt work, what were the benefits etc, in fact you started a thread about it being "unreasonable".
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a1668130-to-think-this-diet-is-an-eating-disorder
Just wondering if now you found it is working??.
Sorry to ask if you have had a genuine change of heart, im guess im putting in writing what others are thinking, especially as there are a lot of us who ask advice, it would be good to know what changed your mind...
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