5:2 Diet thread! Number 17- ready for Spring! Any day now!

[GreenEggsAndNichts]

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- 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.

There's a link to the aforementioned Horizon programme here.

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 by Dr Mosley himself, very informative if you're just starting.

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!

[Bramblesinafield]

Wow, monster, yes! My stomach certainly now complains at more greasy food or heavy eating.

I had two days of roast dinners over Easter weekend and after the second one was in agony and went to bed! I didn't feel better until it was all out of my system (tmi!).

I've found a place that does a lovely takeout lentil soup here for lunch, although breakfast today has been rather carby! Don't think I'll lose any this hol, but as long as it doesn't go too far up - and I can 4:3 when I get back to kick start down again.

[Shewhojuggles]

Well done FTF - my first one was the hardest so far. Did third fast yesterday and it was fine. Can have what I want today but have woken up feeling strangely virtuous! Just made pancakes for DD and her friend as would normally eat tons but just has two little ones :)

Sweet kitty I have quite big legs and I find swimming really trims my thighs, as does running. I'm never going to have super slim legs but gym an exercise classes seem to bulk them up more.

Good luck to all fasting today!

[ThinnerByDinner]

Hi Fellow Fasters..

Havent been on for a little while however am always reading and catching up on the thread! Theres been some fab loses so keep going people!

This is week 9 for me.. and have lost a total of 17lbs so very chuffed.. now into the 11st mark.. 11st10 to be exact. Want to loose another 1.5-2 stone but will play it by ere and see how I look along the way.

Had a crazy moment yesterday and signed up for a 10k run in sept called the wolf run.. so although I do a fair bit of exercise a week (swim twice, two/three exercise classed) im by no means a runner! Training has now began! Agh wish me luck!

Hope everyone has a sucessful fast today.. and if not..theres always tomorrow! Love this WOE!

[FirstTimeFaster]

So in everyone's experience, on the non fasting days, do u find its more beneficial to eat as much of the recommended 2000 cals as possible, or just eat what u fancy, even if that means not eating very much at all??

[Itsaboatjack]

Well done on a good fast ftf, I would say on non fast days listen to your body and eat what you fancy. If overall for the week you are not eating enough try thinking about upping your cals with things like nuts, seeds, avocado, things that are quite high cal without having to eat too much of them and also are good fats.

bvb well done on your run. It has been raining here this morning but by the time I had taken dc to holiday club and nursery I was wet already so I forced myself to carry on and did 4 miles.

Fasting again today here, I feel like I have an empty tummy and would definately thought of it as hunger that needed feeding before but now I know I'll just have a glass of water and carry on and I'll be fine.

[BetsyVanBell]

FTF I tend to look at it over a week - I tend to eat less on week days but more at the weekend, I often find I can't eat much after a fast day but am ravenous by the 2nd day!

[FirstTimeFaster]

Thanks guys! At the moment all I can think about is good but I think that's clearly because this is all new to me, maybe ill just eat what I fancy for my first few non fast days and then it will gradually get easier anyway I imagine :) ... I hope!!

[Breadandwine]

Some lovely stories on here again, this morning. I love the community feel of these threads, and the support that's there for anyone who needs it. But reading of the experiences of posters on here also helps keep me on track.

That's partly why I stay around, Peplum - but also for comments like this:

I can't try on my wedding dress as I binned it along with the exH!

Brilliant, Postman, love it!

I'm currently maintaining my weight, and I'm trying various versions of 6:1. ATM, I'm in the middle of a 48 hours fast, on

[monster54]

FTF.....I would take it easy and just be 'aware'....right now I feel my body is dictating my food day choices...

See my previous post but tummy ache since having take out....my tummy is rejecting anything too heavy/calorie laden!

[swallowedAfly]

FTF - i would say this is a learning period for you. eat, see how it feels, see what you fancy, see what happens over the next few weeks. as monster says be aware.

given it's a wol it's gonna grow/develop over time rather than being a diet that has a list of rules to follow from day one. you'll work out what works for you.

[catsrus]

Marking my place on the new thread - need to get back in the groove this week as I've been having a bit of a toast and marmite fest - with lashings of real butter .

So lovely to be able to do that and know it's OK and can be compensated for! Just a mini fast today as I have a full on fast planned for tomorrow. A nice healthy lunch beckons methinks... maybe a salad with jacket potato and try to pretend summer is on it's way

[FiFizz]

Feed day for me today.Managed to miss breakfast and holding out for a late lunch ,hopefully to get 18 hr fast.Not shredded todaygreenfig, going to start that again tomorrow ,it's been a while wish me luck.ripped in 30 is good still has plank work ! Feeling really motivated now I've finally plucked up the courage to join in,you are all so inspiring

[Whitecat]

Well done for signing up for the 10k Thinner - what a great goal to aim for.
I did my 19th fast yesterday. I won't weigh until after my next one tomorrow because I spent the weekend grazing and drinking tea trying to keep warm in a freezing caravan. Its so much easier not eating when you can blast the central heating. Hopefully we'll all get some warm weather soon.
Everyone is doing so well, I love the pep these threads give.

[greenfig]

Have just had a bowl of soup so managed 18hrs. Totally different mindset/physical feeling to yesterday. As JM would say 'I'm stroooonggg!!!'
To some of the questrions asked above:
I have found that appetite drops following a feed day & I feel much more aware of what I want to eat. This varies a lot but I get much more of a fancy for things iykwim.
I find some things give tummy pain or bloat, usually carby stuff which I have avoided for a while. I would say that until I started this woe I was quite a clean eater but I have enjoyed the freedom of eating some 'out of bounds' foods & am able to enjoy as a treat rather than craving more. I find I can't handle alcohol so well (hangovers) but was putting that down to age This does make me drink MUCH less than I used to & again I'm much more aware of when I want a drink rather than having through habit or because it's on offer.
I have found that I have lost better when I'm eating less carbs even if the cals are the same or even less.
I am a real foodie & have felt slightly cheated if I have not made the most of my meals, eating things that I really enjoy or that I'm in the mood for. This has been difficult in the hols as we've been out so much. I find I feel a little sulky that I don't have what I want!!!

[ellenbrody]

monster and others who mentioned feeling ill or bloated after eating: I started this WOL at the end of feb to lose the few pounds I put on over Christmas. I managed this and now use 5:2/6:1 to maintain(ish) and gain the health benefits.

Like others, I felt/feel great, energised even, on fast days, but like others, my tummy started reacting to stodge on non fast days.

Now, I don't think the way it was reacting was different, I was just more aware of it iyswim?

A trip to the docs (for something else) has seen me diagnosed (last Friday) with coeliac disease! I'm waiting for the biopsy to confirm it, but I had high levels of gluten antibodies in my blood.

Apparently 1 in 100 of the general population has this, so it's much more common than we think, and I was/am virtually symptomless. If anyone is having a stomach that reacts after eating gluten products (wheat, barley, rye) I would urge you to seek medical advice as left untreated, it can cause some nasty complications.
Thank you!

[systemsaddict]

Almost impossible for me to keep up with this thread - I think I am managing to post about once in each variant!!

Saw a new low today. Not long now till my BMI is under 30 . Still can't quite believe something this easy works. I'm using the Hacker's Diet online chart to track my weights now (link if you're interested) which gives a weighted regression trend line, which I like a lot 'cos it evens out the blips and shows me I am losing a pound a week, doing just the 500 cals 2 x a week and not worrying about anything else. Amazing. I reckon I have put on about 7 pounds a year over the past 6 years, so at that rate I can correct a year's worth of weight gain every couple of months. Hurray!

I am also noticing a gradual distaste for unhealthy foods - last fast but one I bought some stodgy pain au raisin for the kids, and saved one for me to have the next morning - all I could taste was fat, it was horrible!

[BsshBossh]

Some really good losses and maintains being recorded here and it's also great that so many of us are managing longer fasts. I do 16:8 on my non-fast days and then eat normally (within TDEE). Have just broken my 16 hour fast with a bowl of minestrone soup, a small ham baguette, a full fat yoghurt and some blueberries. Yummy. I'm also craving much healthier, cleaner foods now I'm fasting. My DH told me he'd noticed I no longer eat that many crisps or chocolates. I always skip breakfast now but really love Dorset museli so tend to eat it as a snack with milk when DD has her dinner at 5pm. I'm also eating more unsalted nuts and seeds and my skin is glowing. I always give them to my DD to snack on but never, until recently, thought to snack on them myself. A very good way of bumping up my calories.

[swallowedAfly]

am finding it hard today. still haven't eaten anything but feeling a bit sick and heady on and off. have my period and a bit of an upset tummy so maybe to do with that.

sticking at it but it's been a totally unproductive day thus far. fortunately ds seems happy watching tv and playing with his toys. think he might be a bit under the weather too.

[akarucker]

ellen only since starting this woe have I noticed a reaction to foods. Don't know if this could be a sudden onset of some something like you're talking about, or if it's just my new digestive system getting mad at me if I eat certain foods (tends to be pasta & wine I'm reacting to - so sad - my faves).

[NurseEzzzaChapel]

Marking place

[ComeTalkToMe]

ThinnerbyDinner that's a great achievement - well done on the loss! I've also signed up for a 10k at the end of May, but as I can only manage about 4k at the moment I'm a bit worried.

ellenbrody sorry you've been diagnosed as coeliac - will it mean big changes to what you eat?

I do like these pages as a means of support. I had my worst fast day yet yesterday, eating around 800 calories and I won't be able to fit another one in due to work dinners, dinner with friends etc. I'm worried as I've only lost 7lbs so far and I know how easily this can go back on...

[Itsaboatjack]

ComeTalkToMe are you doing the London 10,000?

[WinnerK]

So yesterday was fast day for me and a real struggle but I managed to hold out until evening and had delicious baked fish with green beans and a couple of new potatoes, then a Horlicks light for bedtime.

Even though it was hard I feel amazing today, so much energy. I've eaten sensibly and am even considering going to yoga instead of cooking a nice big bowl of pasta tonight. Anyone who is finding fasting hard keep up the good work it's totally worth it in the end.

I agree with stodgy food too! Last time I had a pain au chocolat for breakfast it made me feel ill for the rest of the day!

[Dotty342kids]

Well I'm on an eating day today but may have taken that rather too literally. After cereal plus banana for breakfast I made some Rocky Road with my DD - a fair few mini marshmallows and licking of spoons went with that. Then of course had to have a small slice - just for tasting you understand!
Scrambled eggs on toast for lunch - all ok there but just mindlessly wolfed a bag of skittles AND a cadburys caramel bar whilst she was at the swimming pool. Not good at all.
Going to have a decent healthy dinner but then got a friend coming over for wine and nibbles this evening. Can only try to have minimal wine / maximum veg sticks I guess.
Sigh....
Oh well, normal eating day tomorrow and will be working / busy which always helps me to avoid the junk. Then second fast day of the week on Thurs. At this rate I'll have to pop another one in on Sat to compensate for today's gluttony

[BetsyVanBell]

cometalktome 800 calories is still a good fast day :) I'm starting to think that it doesn't necessarily go back on as easily because IF changes our attitudes to, and relationship with, food. Now when I feel like I've massively pigged it turns out to not really be that bad at all once I think about it.

Don't worry, have your dinners out and come back to IF. There's no fails, just longer gaps between fasts.

I've just had a week off, feel like I've been eating and drinking non stop (I haven't of course, just feels like it) but the net damage is... nothing, I've not put any weight on at all! And I put weight on really easily normally.

Nearly at the end of a fast day, managed until 1.30 (18hours) then had an apple, just now had half a bowl of soup and left myself enough to have a proper dinner (an early dinner though!!!) The thought of it has been harder than the reality.