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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:
Sutinder · 28/02/2013 18:40

Hi everyone... Does anyone experience a fast heartbeat whilst fasting?

ELR · 28/02/2013 18:52

Sutinder no but prob the first two fasts my heart quickened a little when I saw my dinner!! Prob the anticipation of food!

Sutinder · 28/02/2013 19:27

I like that answerELR

Laska42 · 28/02/2013 19:33

sureley greeneggs that was the fastest thread ever? Thanksagain

For the lots of you who dont know me, as I again didn't manage to post much on the last thread ,) I have been doing this since last August and have lost around 21lbs ..

My hints and tips are make everything as tasty as possible for your 500calories.
Chilli sauce!
Water or green tea - its easy to get dehydrated
make your fast day meals vegetable and protein-based (in that order)

and like TIP (who knows a thing or two) NO Snacking . (but I haven't followed her advice so well this week Blush)

I usually post more these days over on the Maintenance thread where we would love to see any of you who have been doing this a while , and especially if you are working on losing the last few lbs or thinking of maintenance strategies. But I promise that I will make more of an effort to come over here this thread to hopefully add my help to any of you that I can ..

This is a great transformational WOE and one I think ill be continuing for the rest of my life now.. Having been a long time 'Weight watcher member' and realising that this WOE has not only enabled me to finally shift that last bit of weight ive been stuck with for years , and eat the things I like, ill never go back to anything like that again Grin

greenfig · 28/02/2013 19:37

Thanks to all the knowledgeable posters for your tips & supportSmile
I really struggled today but am feeling better now & I made it. Sounds like lots of us have had a hard time today, must be this freezing weather!
Good luck to tomorrows fasters & anyone with a weigh in tomorrow.

Breadandwine · 28/02/2013 19:48

Hi guys! Well done GE - you can't afford to relax the way these threads move, can you?

snoworneahva, Great name - and I've only just tumbled to it!

I was thinking, 'Snow? What goes with snow?' But I'm OK now! Grin

pinklady1107 · 28/02/2013 19:54

I've had 550 calories today so a little over - will that be a problem do you think? Xx

ELR · 28/02/2013 20:12

I have gone over by about 20 due to a little extra milk in my tea and a tsp of mustard! But so cold I really need this last cuppa tonight. Gonna have a lovely soak in the bath then an early night I think.

Sutinder · 28/02/2013 20:15

I've just ordered shred DVD from amazon. Has anyone used it. I want to tone up whilst losing the fat

Sutinder · 28/02/2013 20:16

Oh and it's my feed day today and I have eaten for England oops... Fast Tom definitely

stickygingerbread · 28/02/2013 20:23

Thank you GreenEggs for the new thread, in the nick of time. I seem to be averaging 1 to 2 posts per thread at the current blistering pace.

Welcome all new fasters, lurkers and de-lurkers. I've been doing ADF for 8 weeks and very happy with the lifestyle. My tummy is so much flatter. and all my sleeves much looser. Last week weighed in a stone lighter than baseline weight (which was taken just after Christmas and just after lunch as well). About 2 more stone to lose, but I am primarily committed to long term health goals. My plan is to weigh very infrequently and concentrate on really practicing the way of life.

Wishi I find eating at mid-day to be best for me too. Sometimes if I just have a cup of soup at mid-day, then have some more in the evening, but often can get through the evening without difficulty. Weekends are harder though, so I loosen it up a bit, eating 2 small meals and going over 500 for the weekend fast day.

I don't know who recommended this, but I want to thank the poster who suggested the fast day combination of butternut squash soup with coconut milk and a bit of chili flake. Love it.

My top tips right now are in line with Laska42's on making everything as tasty (and intense) as possible: dukkah and harissa (thanks to Laska42 for mentioning harissa in earlier threads). Dukkah is an egyptian spice blend that I've just tried for the first time and find delicious - am putting on salads and soups.

This past non-fast Sunday I revisited the orange almond flour cake snowkey posted in an earlier thread, and made it again this time with cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate. Also cut the sugar by about 40%. Rave reviews. The oranges add a sweetness and the chocoate richness, so the sugar isn't missed at all.

ElizaCBennett · 28/02/2013 20:26

Have done my second fast this week so far and am planning a third on Saturday if I feel the way I do today. Finding it quite easy to stick to but am impatient for faster weight loss! Heigh ho, I know it will come off soon, maybe I should only weigh once a week and not every day as I am now. The strangest thing is I that I do not think about food all the time since I have been fasting!

Laska42 · 28/02/2013 20:32

sutinder we've all gone a bit Shred mad on the maintenance thread .. though this week i've been bad ( and im supposed to be Jillian egging everyone one) ..

ELR · 28/02/2013 20:42

I've done the shred a few times its really good, it does make you ache the day after though!

Sutinder · 28/02/2013 20:45

Oh good to know laska I'm looking forward to getting started. Really looking forward to fasting tomorrow as have overdone it this evening. Have a great day Tom everyone and look to reading the posts.

snoworneahva · 28/02/2013 20:58

Evidence that my affirmations are working may be starting to emerge - found a Selection Box today, leftover from Christmas, it was approaching its Best Before date so I had a snack size Snickers - stopped there....would normally have devoured the snack sized Mars bars and the Milky Way too. Must say Snickers aren't as nice as they used to be - sugary but with no flavour or maybe the 85% Green&Blacks has been quietly converting my tastebuds. Either way "I can control my sugar intake"....repeat! Smile

Talkinpeace · 28/02/2013 21:21

snowornehva
and the conversion from Snickers to Green and Blacks is part of the winning streak (says she who does not eat chocolate)
learning to eat a little bit of something flavoursome and well cooked
rather than a pile of stodge or sugar
is the way to become a lean mean you ...

BlackMaryJanes · 28/02/2013 21:23

Someone talk me out of over-eating. My mind is playing tricks on me, urging me to binge on snack a jacks.

BlackMaryJanes · 28/02/2013 21:24

Okay, time for my mantra:

"What you eat in private, you wear in public".

Say it ladies!! (and gents)

Talkinpeace · 28/02/2013 21:24

Why?
Why do you have them in the house?
Go and put them in the wheelie bin NOW.
THen sit down with a nice cup of tea and feel virtuous.

BlackMaryJanes · 28/02/2013 21:28

They're in the house, ready for tomorrow. Going to have a very large mug of tea. I often find drinking a lot makes me feel bloated so that's good.

ellenbrody · 28/02/2013 21:38

Damn biscuits in the staff room! I mindlessly ate 3! Wasn't even hungry! Have eaten 850 cals - grrr.
I think I will try and come in at just under my TDEE tomorrow, but I'm annoyed with myself.

GiraffesEatPineapples · 28/02/2013 22:26

I am doing a budget version of green and blacks and having Sainsbury basic dark choc but adding a couple of macadamia nuts its yum and doesn't make my blood sugar funny! Trying to lower Carbs and eat more veg and protein particularly on fast days, it is making me Fuller and less bingey on non fast days too. I am trying to keep to the level of protein recommend by Mosley so still having some bread etc but not as much.

snoworneahva · 28/02/2013 22:35

We bulk buy Green&Blacks when it's on offer.

The Coop do a fantastic 85% as do Divine...actually they make the Coop version.

BumBiscuits · 28/02/2013 22:37

I sometimes have a series of snacks in the evening rather than sn evening meal. Usually adding up to the same as, or below what a meal would have been.

I'm away this weekend again, though have the children with me so won't be drinking like a fish as per last weekend when bumbiscuits thought she could drink like her 25 year old self again, not big or clever