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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:
BsshBossh · 06/03/2013 20:20

And by the way, I'm 10lbs to goal now and have "stalled" (I prefer to think "maintained"). No surprises here as I've very little to lose now. But I'm keeping on going :)

dines · 06/03/2013 20:29

bssh bossh how r u goin to try to kick start weight loss again? Will u try doin 4:3 ?

ever2optimistic · 06/03/2013 20:36

Thanks minimammoth (love your screen name!) for the encouragement. I do feel stuck atm, rather than just 'bouncing' but I will give it some more effort. Like you, my fast days sometimes end up at 600-650 cals instead of 500. Thanks to BsshBossh, I will look at the profile you mention (if I can find it!). Like wishihadabs, I don't have much to lose so that may be part of the problem. Wishi, what height are you?

Talkinpeace · 06/03/2013 20:39

Undersky
We love new converts : join the fun.

Iwearblack · 06/03/2013 20:46

Here's my profile if you want to see the graph! I'm not a very prolific poster but thought I would put it up for others to see the trend is down even when you feel nothing is happening ....
Bss I am a she! Not sure what my target is anymore.it was to get under 12 stone (tick) then to get a normal BMI (tick) now it is to get to 10st 8 purely to say I have lost 2 stone...so that means I have 9 lbs to go ....
I feel like I can do it even if it takes me another 6 months Grin

Aftereightsarenolongermine · 06/03/2013 21:07

I think for those who maybe don't have too much to lose it may take you a little longer before you see weight loss. This is WOE for life & not a quick fix. Don't forget there are great health benefits with this WOE.

UnderSkyofStars · 06/03/2013 21:12

Thanks for at least acknowledging me Talkinpeace Smile

Talkinpeace · 06/03/2013 21:17

LOL Underskyofstars

we tend to chat among ourselves - some of us have been on these darned threads for six months - and unless you hit refresh regularly its easy to miss a post.
Just pile in with your comments and observations

the nice thing about the lack of books and group leaders is that we are all learning together

the links to the other useful threads are in Greeneggs OP
Grin

monster54 · 06/03/2013 21:17

I've just started too undersky. How are you finding things?

I've just finished my 3rd fast! Can't say their easy and it doesn't feel hard but at least its only 2 days every week!!

I'm just not sure I can shift it! I've not had much luck with anything I've tried the last 6 months!

ErikNorseman · 06/03/2013 21:31

Udersky it's not really a quiche, just jump in. The reason there are 14 threads already is because so many people are getting interested in it so joining the threads!

ElizaCBennett · 06/03/2013 21:34

undersky glad you found the thread! Couldn't see how to link it!

Wommer · 06/03/2013 21:47

Hi under sky I'm new here too.
Will have done 1 complete week tomorrow so will weigh in with results.

My start weight was 13.9 and I've got about 1.5 st of prego weight to shift (DS is 9m). On top of that if I could lose an extra half a st I'd be ecstatic!!

I'm 6ft tall so my weight is slightly skewed from most other girls Smile

Will post in the morning with first week's result!

BsshBossh · 06/03/2013 21:58

dines at the moment I'm not going to do anything as I'm really happy doing my fasting routine (as described above to dotty). The thing is, from experience, I'm happy to wait it out.

BsshBossh · 06/03/2013 22:05

Iwearblack, yes I am happy too, now I am so close to goal, to let the losses come go as they wish. To be honest I am so happy being the current size I am because it's such a novelty. I haven't been my current weight since I was 30yo and that's over a decade ago :)

Sorry new posters, including under (hi!), for not acknowledging you all. This thread moves too fast for me to catch much.

ellenbrody · 06/03/2013 22:07

Aaagh- just typed long post, lost connection and it went. Am off to bed, will try again on the morning :)

Dotty342kids · 06/03/2013 22:07

Welcome to all today's newbies! Good to have you on board. I have completely written off today. Looking forward to mini fasting tomorrow. Will keep busy going for looong dog walk, working, ironing and then it'll be teatime before I know it.
Good luck to all Thursday fasters (know there are lots of you!)

Talkinpeace · 06/03/2013 22:10

ellenbrody
as MN has a tendency to do that, if ever you type a long one again, before you hit post, do ctrl-C so that if needs be you can repaste it - hitting "back" often lets you retry

IWantSomethingsFlesh · 06/03/2013 22:25

Anyone lost much weight doing alternate day fasting? Been doing 5:2 for 4 weeks and my weight is bobbing about a bit but no real weight loss. Do feel slimmer in myself though if that makes any sense and get a lot of satisfaction from sticking to 500 cals on fast days. Hopefully doing my body some good regardless. Am now attempting ADF in the hope that shifts the weight quicker. Have almost 2 stone to lose to get into 'normal' weight range.

postmanpatscat · 06/03/2013 23:03

I only have a stone to lose, have lost 5lbs in two weeks although mostly in the first week. My expectation is that the weight will go doing 5:2 and I don't stress about the timescale, as long as it goes! I fasted Sunday and Tuesday this week and I'm considering another tomorrow as there seems such a long gap between Tuesday's fast and the next one due on Monday.

parrotsandcarsnips · 06/03/2013 23:05

dines & monster I am normal bmi so doing this woe for health benefits to lower cholesterol. I have lost 5lbs and definitely my belly flab is less so. I thought I would always have that post baby flab! Well done to all the losers especially aftereights

Breadandwine · 07/03/2013 00:45

Hi folks

Here's a discussion on The Fast Diet forum on the subject of insulin sensitivity. I haven't read the link, but the consensus seems to be that, for anyone whose weight loss has stalled, it might be worth while checking it out:

www.52fastdiet.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1839

wildwater · 07/03/2013 02:43

Mmm that ramen soup was good!( I am not actually counting the calories any more - I make a big double batch and give my partner the bigger serve.) I am substituting all sorts of veges according to what I have. Mushrooms are great, but today I had some leftover carrots & broccoli from last night. Chopped the broccoli fine and put in bottom of dish. Noodles on top, then the soup full of carrots, bok choi & sprouts in the miso/mirin/ginger/soy base. Toasted some sesame seeds and threw them on top with some fresh coriander.

akarucker · 07/03/2013 06:07

I'm on day 20 of ADF (so 10 fast days). Down 8lbs. The first fast day was torture. Didn't think I'd make it! But I did, and they certainly got much easier. However, yesterday's fast was like day one. It was so hard. I did nothing really different, but I almost gave up (I didn't). I was wondering if anyone else experiences this sort of backwards step feeling with the fasts? I've also woken up ravenous this morning, which doesn't usually happen on feast days. There is no TOM or anything else I can think of that may be the cause. Has anyone else found this? Is it a blip or is my streak coming to an end? Maybe ADF is too much? I tried 5:2 and 4:3 and I didn't lose anything. I put this down to the fact that I am simply unable to control my eating on eating days, so four days eating was too much. ADF seems to be best for me.

IWantSomethingsFlesh · 07/03/2013 06:24

8lbs down sounds great akarucker. I like you am not prepared to control or count anything on feed days. I eat the same thing each fast day. Porridge in the morning then veg soup and either a boiled egg or a quorn sausage in the evening with a little milk for a few cups of tea. I like the fact that as I know this is 500 cals, I now don't have to count anything on fast or feed days. I can just get on with it. I am prepared to do 5:2 or 6:1 indefinitely but for the immediate future I will do ADF as want to see at least some weight loss before I go back to work in 3 months. Before xmas I lost 2 stone with slimming world but got bored after 4 months and dont think I can maintain that diet indefinitely. Also want the health benefits of fasting.

Wishihadabs · 07/03/2013 06:30

Thanks for the replies. I will presevere, I know what you mean about feeling silmer, go the tape measure out last night and have lost an inch from my waist. I think I am also going to get my % body fat measured-anyone know where I can get this done ? I think if I could see some improvement I would be more inclined to continue.

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