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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! 14 threads in a stone?

975 replies

GreenEggsAndNichts · 28/02/2013 10:18

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:
BetsyVanBell · 04/03/2013 18:35

Hi Blue2 You should probably allocate about 20 cals per cup, so that leaves you 420 for your main meal.

swallowedAfly · 04/03/2013 18:38

probably about 120-150mls worth blue2. don't know how much that is as i was drinking skimmed till i quit. should say on the milk bottle.

feel like i've eaten tons and have to keep reminding myself i'm only aiming at being under tdee.

Talkinpeace · 04/03/2013 19:06

Supper ....
www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317-10001-162260-Waitrose+chicken%2C+chorizo+and+paprika+soup
with a slice of bread then an apple
stuffed
till tomorrow lunch

Sutinder · 04/03/2013 19:09

Fast day for me today... Had coffee at 3 with milk so lasted 19 hrs which was ok. Just had home made soup I think I have calories leftover so may have some fruit.
dines I am also doing 4:3 this week. I really over indulged this weekend so need to claw some calories back.
swallowed I'm very interested in your experiment will be watching out for your posts

Bramblesinafield · 04/03/2013 19:15

Yum I love those graze boxes. I like the popcorn ones that you nuke yourself.
Well soup for a late afternoon lunch, followed by massive bowl of root curry. Small snack of something later and that's me done. Bit harder today as somewhat hormonal, but nothing like as challenging as when I started this woe a few weeks ago. Wonder what the scales will say in the morning?!

Oh and weekng for Britain! Wonder whether my skin will look more hydrated and clearer?!

dines · 04/03/2013 19:41

Sutinder I will Defo do 4:3 this week last week didn't so well.. goin over my 500 cals on both fast days and on feed days goin bit over the top.. was my first week so will call that my practice run .. this iS my third fast day and it is goin really well. Havnt gone over and Havnt had the feeling of bad hunger like I did on my ffirst fast day hope the rest will be the same as today..

dines · 04/03/2013 19:46

talkinpeace think I might buy that soup I love chorizo.. will u have the whole tub ? How much calories are in it?

Scrazy · 04/03/2013 19:50

Fast day again for me, I've had 3 cups of coffee with milk. 2 cups green tea, some chicken breast with cherry tomatoes and cucumber and a weight watchers soup. I have 100 cals left for a snack later.

ellenbrody · 04/03/2013 19:53

I think I'll come in at 550 calories, which is about normal for me. It's on tea with milk, I have 4 on a fast day (I have about 10 on a non fast day!).

I had just salad leaves for lunch and then a carton of Tesco bean, lentil and barley soup for dinner.
After my carb heavy day yesterday I have struggled a bit today to be honest.

Talkinpeace · 04/03/2013 19:55

dines
I had the whole tub - 284 calories

so today I've had gallons of tea, soup, a slice of bread with a bit of butter and an apple
and done 3/4 mile swim, hour of yoga and bodypump

Ninunina · 04/03/2013 20:02

Fast day 7 today and tried having just 1 meal since I was out and about all day. I can't say I felt too hungry during the day, but I felt very weak by 6pm and I'm still feeling quite light headed despite eating a sizable dinner, so not sure of this is a good plan. I can handle feeling hungry, but can't afford to feel weak with a toddler to look after. I didn't drink much all day though, and spent the day in the sun so that surely didn't help.

Daisy1407 · 04/03/2013 20:12

Talkinpeace - wow that soup sounds amazing any pieces of chicken or chorizo in there or is it all liquified? Sounds bloody sexy! Lol
Fast day over and on 510 kcal so chuffed as it was such a struggle earlier today!
I was an utter piggy over weekend so I'm hoping to shift a few extra lb this week - I just love food sooo much x

EnglishGirlApproximately · 04/03/2013 20:24

Hello all. I've been reading these threads and the book and I've decided to go for it! I need to lose around 3 stone (2 put on during maternity leave Shock). I've been tracking my normal calorie intake on MFP for a few days and com ein around 2000 but realise a normal day needs to be around 1600. I'm aiming for 500 on fasting days.

My plan at the moment is to do fasting on Tuesdays and Thursdays as I work these days and am generally very busy so will find it easier. My food plan for tomorrow is an apple for breakfast, green salad for lunch and shakshuka for dinner, with 4 cups of tea. It comes in at 488 on MFP and seems like a reasonable amount of food?

Thought I would join the thread for motivation!

Sutinder · 04/03/2013 20:25

Ditto daisy I also love food too much.... But am determined to continue

Talkinpeace · 04/03/2013 20:25

Daisy
cubes of chorizo, strips of chicken etc etc
I had the leek and potato last week and it has lumps of vegetable
the tomato and chilli one is great
all of the supermarkets do them now - Waitrose charge £3.50 for two
and they are often spicy so make you feel REALLY sated by the end.

ninu
you are probably VERY dehydrated. I drink about 5 pints of tea on a fast day ...

Betterlatethan · 04/03/2013 20:26

Hello all

I see a lot of you make something called 'cauliflower rice' I am assuming that this is rice made of cauliflower, but how do you make it and what does it go with?
I started this in the first week in January, am down half a stone now and another stone to go. Really need some new recipes hence the question!

Thanks!

Mintyy · 04/03/2013 20:31

Gah! Sorry to crash thread but why oh why do I get these ridiculous food cravings on fast days?

Today it is chicken and mushroom pie. I never eat chicken and mushroom pie ffs!!

Just about to tuck into a delicious bowl of Covent Garden pea and ham soup.

And this is soooooooooo hard when I don't even get any kind of weight loss as a fucking reward!

Itsaboatjack · 04/03/2013 20:33

dines and sutinder I'm with you both doing 4:3, I had a terrible week last week. Feel like I'm back on track today though, had nothing all day and just had dinner of omelette with a tin of mackerel in mustard sauce and salad.

I had dinner later than planned too as I had a problem to sort out at work which meant I finished late, but I feel good as even though I was pretty ravenous by then I made myself sit down and have a hot drink first to get my appetite under control so I didn't scoff down my dinner but was instead able to enjoy and appreciate it and feel satisfied after.

GreenEggsAndNichts · 04/03/2013 20:38

I've just had a tough fast day. I was busy with new house stuff (fibre optic has gone in now! However am back at the old house tonight) but I forgot to bring the kettle so I had no coffee or tea. I was fairly dehydrated by the end of the day, as I didn't fancy drinking many cold drinks (read: water. I love water, but I didn't want it cold!)

Anyway. I think the only reason I stuck to it was I didn't want to have to start over again tomorrow. Grin

OP posts:
Talkinpeace · 04/03/2013 20:47

(((((Mintyy))))) You'll be fine
greeneggs : a the joy of not quite living in either house
betterlate have a look at the recipes thread ....

BlackMaryJanes · 04/03/2013 20:54

Have any of you guys tried fasting whilst full of cold?

Talkinpeace · 04/03/2013 21:01

BMJ
nope. I said "sod it, I can fast next week"

artemis17 · 04/03/2013 21:17

A recomendation for soups-the New York Soup Co, "skinny soups" all under 250 for the whole pot...especially the "chunky chicken minestone", the WHOLE pot (600g) is under 200 cal, the butternut squash one is good too. Def better than salad on cold days.. :)

sausages51 · 04/03/2013 21:48

brambles can I have the root vegetable curry recipe - oops that's can we! It's not all about me ! :-)

GiraffesEatPineapples · 04/03/2013 22:33

Artemis I had the chunky ministrone today and not even a fast!

Well done Greeneggs Grin

Been unwell over the weekend and healthy eating out the window! oh well a fast or two this week should get me back on track hopefuly.

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