The 5:2 Thread number 20! Officially a score.

[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 a 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. (I highly recommend this for an 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!

[Chocupid]

saf I know it's hard but try to keep your mind off it, and you'll be fine, just think of the time off work in this nice weather.
Sounds like your concentrating on your fasting, very focused of you.
I found after op I didn't want to bother,think I read somewhere that it wasn't good for people recovering from surgery.
so am going to attempt my first fast day tomorrow since my op 12 days ago!! Hope it goes well to get me back in a routine.

[swallowedAfly]

i hope so too choc - good luck.

yes i think after surgery your appetite is a bit thrown anyway for a few days what with the hardcore pain meds and after effects of anaesthetic. i'm going to just try and concentrate on eating healthily when i get out - i have 2 nights in hospital then back home on my own hence stocking up on stews and such.

[alwaysanauntie]

Right, have decided it's time to de-lurk! Have got 2.5-3 stone to loose to be at the weight i was when i met dh 11 years ago... A long road ahead but i know i need to get my vicious self-sabotage under control. Had a trial run last week, 1st fd ok until i scoffed 3 digestives smothered in nutella when dh went out, 2nd fd much better :)

hi polly i remember you from pg threads, hope you & your lo are both doing well.

to everyone else, thanks for posting & making it easier to imagine i can do this & good luck with your own journeys, we will get there! (she says hopefully...)

[ilovepicnmix]

I week in and 3.25 lbs lost. Yippee. FD and just about to have fish and a wee bit of rice. I've not been tempted today but I have had a banging headache which the sun has not helped. Im v motivated now after a good first loss.

[peplum41]

Evening, just had my 500 cal tea, stirfry with a Chinese sauce and 4 raspberries and 4 cherries for pud. V Yum.

saf, oh dear didn't realise your op was this Friday. No wonder your nerves are jangling. Glad you've got chocupid to offer some advice. A heartfelt "all the best" is all I can offer.

aka how is that June pledge going so far? Is the plan to choose wine over choc? I've decided no choc for the rest of the month, but then going to try one of these new cadburys bars with fancy bits in as a reward. Bet I can't hack it.

[peplum41]

Hi auntie my first fast was a ridiculous failure, had no idea how to eat 500 cals and also gave up half way, probably eating chocolate as consolation!

Well done picnmix!

[mehefin]

Hi Peplum Yes my jumper has arrived and it fits ! but will look better when it's a bit looser.

Saf I'm starting my night shifts later ( and tend to get behind on the thread ) so these are for you in advance - hope all goes well.

So much support here it's great

[akarucker]

peplum June resolve is a bit skew wiff, but that's only because I feel rubbish with an awful throat infection! Haven't felt up to fasting, but def haven't gone over TDEE yet. Unfortunately, only chocolate, ice cream, lollies, and milkshakes are the things that slide nicely down my sore throat at the moment...but, I didn't buy any of it - DH brought it all home as a treat to make me feel better, so doesn't count, right?? Been in bed for a couple of days anyway. Really feel quite crap so don't really care at the moment. Hoping the antibiotics kick in soon, then I'll focus more on getting back on track. I think my mind is in a better place though, than a couple of weeks ago, so hopefully can resume again soon. Have no plans to give up on this. Just taking a necessary break.

[babyfatbutt]

Well, I was supposed to be fasting today and all was going well until I got to work and remembered we have this tradition where the company organises nibbles for when it's a birthday. So, there was cheese, crisps, and all sorts. So I caved in...would have been bad form to say I was on diet.

[CrystalDeCanter]

Hi all, big hello to newbies (I've been here 3 weeks so prob still a newbie). SAF I'd be a quivvering wreck if I had an op on Fri, it sounds like you're doing well, being very mindful of how you nourish your body. I hope it all goes super well and you start next week feeling amazing if a bit sore.

I have a question - I weighed myself yesterday - was about 0.5lb down from last week, I fasted all day and weighed myself this morning and am down 3lbs!!!!! Will it all stack on again the minute I eat something. I'm so loving the 3lb loss that I can't bear it if it all splodges back on.

Am having a low cal day today. Keep at it everyone. Splendid work going on.

[Prawntoast]

Hi crystal, I find that between fast and non fast days my weight can vary by up to 5lbs in a week. I have found that after a fast day my weight drops (that's why my official weigh in day is the day after my 2nd fast of the week!). Then it does back up a bit, down following my fasts and so far I have found that on official weigh in I have still lost a bit. You may well put a bit of the 3lbs back on but you are looking for a general trend of down overall. Don't worry about the daily fluctuations.

[EagleRiderDirk]

Meh. Don't normally weigh myself except on fast day mornings, but as I was seeing my mum on Sunday I weighed then. Slightly down on Friday. Step on the scales today and am showing the same weight as Friday. My mothers roast isn't that unhealthy I'm sure! Down 1.5inch on waist and 1 on hips though soI'm going to blame the 30 day squat challenge sand the walking I did yesterday.

[Prawntoast]

wish I could stop weighing everyday but can't! It has taught me that your weight can go all over the place over a short period but you can still lose weight overall, so I don't panic when I see the scales up. I've also found that I don't get affected by TOTM, I used to use that as an excuse for weight gain but having tracked my weight daily over the last 6 months, I can't see a sudden increase, so I've been deluding myself all these years .
Exercise causes a temporary gain, I notice that weighing after heavy exercise always means the scales are up for around 24 hours, muscles retaining water.
I measure myself about once a month, so even in months when I've not lost a huge amount, the inches still come off.

[outtolunchagain]

Well I survived the first day of fasting.I did have two small meals and the early evening was very hard but feeling quite proud if myself because generally I have appalling will power

Really enjoying my muesli and yogurt this morning though .

Amazed at some of the stories here I really hope I can stick with this

[monster54]

Feel better soon aka first fast of the week done yesterday no probs.

Tmi but really not had a well tummy, hope I'm not coming down with a bug. I need a good week and to finally see a loss after 5 weeks stalling!

NFD today skipping breakie to achieve a16 hour break then 2 lovely low fat heavenly meals planned!

[frenchfancy]

Well done outtolunch the first fast is the hardest. It gets easier.

[outtolunchagain]

I hope so , I did struggle in the evening and opted out of my usual walk with the dog because I knew I would feel wobbly . I think I need to eat early and then take dog out which would have the double advantage of not being wobbly and filling in some time!

[fluffypillow]

Hi all

Well, after putting on 1lb last week (not sure why ) I have lost it again this week. So I am back down to the weight I was 2 weeks ago, which is a bit depressing. On the positive side, I have still lost 11lbs in 6 weeks, so I need to look on it like that!

Fast number 13 today (unlucky for some, hopefully not for me!!!) .

I am feeling really relaxed about fasting now, which is something I never thought I would say!

The last time I ate was 5pm yesterday. I will have black coffee/fruit tea until 3pm, then a marmite drink. Dinner is quorn curry with a spoonful of rice, and loads of veg at 5pm.

Good luck to all fellow fasters today, and to all those on NFD..........enjoy!!!

Happy Tuesday everyone

[frenchfancy]

outtolunch in a couple of weeks you will have lost all thoughts of being wobbly on a fast day.

[Bramblesinforrin]

Touching on target again, off to the land of cheese and pastry tomorrow, so realistically I'm likely to plateau a bit longer. Once I'm rushing around at work it should all come off again. Hopeful!

[BetsyBell]

Hello everyone, Greeneggs is away so I've popped up a new thread here as we're nearly up to our 1000 post limit on this one. I hope I've managed to get all the links in!

New 5:2 thread number 21 here