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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.

Original poster

Did 5:2 work for you? If not post here and tell me why...

211 replies

BetsyBell · 04/01/2014 10:24

I'm a huge advocate for 5:2 but I often wonder about the people who drift away from the main threads and if it's because in the long run they didn't get on with it.

I understand all the positives about intermittent fasting but in the interest of balance I'd like to know why it doesn't work out for some people.

If you didn't get on with 5:2 for whatever reason I'd love to hear from you, mainly so I can dish out better advice to people on the main threads!

OP posts:
fairisleknitter · 04/01/2014 11:09

I found that not eating very much left me feeling in a rageBlush. It wasn't compatible with being in the presence of other humans!

I used to feel quite ragy in the past (decades ago!) and I had linked it to waiting too long to eat. I only recalled this when trying a low calorie day.

I feel best if I have plenty of protein, for breakfast especially.

I don't think one way of eating suits every individual.

OrangeMochaFrappucino · 04/01/2014 11:11

I get grumpy too and couldn't look after my toddler properly while trying to fast. I get REALLY cross when hungry!

OrangeMochaFrappucino · 04/01/2014 11:13

A

Original poster
BetsyBell · 04/01/2014 11:13

I don't think I could have done it when mine were toddler aged (or younger) - hunger AND tiredness are not that compatible for me either.

How long did you try it for fairisle and jelly?

OP posts:
OrangeMochaFrappucino · 04/01/2014 11:15

Also, fasting to me felt like a punishment and reinforcedthe vvoice in my head saying 'you are fat and disgusting and shouldn't eat'. It's just too severe for some people, I think.

Original poster
BetsyBell · 04/01/2014 11:15

Completely agree about aiming for more protein over carb-based meals (which most breakfasts are). Protein (and fats) keep us sated for longer whereas carbs seem to make me feel hungrier.

OP posts:
OrangeMochaFrappucino · 04/01/2014 11:16

Not long! I realised on the first day that it was the wrong approach for me!

BanjoPlayingTiger · 04/01/2014 11:17

I got extremely cold on fast days. My fingers and lips started to go blue so I decided it probably wasn't for me!

OrangeMochaFrappucino · 04/01/2014 11:18

Low carbing was much more successful for me. It allowed me to enjoy food and didn't take me into a dangerous headspace of hunger/denial/bingeing. Slimming World was effective for the same reasons

fairisleknitter · 04/01/2014 11:23

It was one day Betsy! I honestly could not function on so little and be kind to my children.

Reading about the theory I did take away from it that I ought to stop the suppers before bed and I have shifted some weekend dinners earlier in the day to leave a bigger gap between dinner and breakfast. It took me off my strict(ish) schedule of eating every few hours. And it does put me off giving children a constant supply of snacks.

Original poster
BetsyBell · 04/01/2014 11:26

Gosh banjo - that is extreme Shock

Thank you for all your answers so far :) I agree that there's no one 'right' way for everybody and it is interesting to hear what other people do get on with and why.

OP posts:
NotJustACigar · 04/01/2014 11:31

I would love to do it but just get so hungry. I can't think of anything but food, my stomach growls very noisily, and I can't focus on my work or anything else. I think it's low blood sugar. Even if I eat an omelette for breakfast, so lots of protein, I'm ravenous by lunchtime. Same if I try porridge instead. If you have any advice I'd love to hear it but I think 5:2 is just not suitable for my metabolism.

MichaelFinnigan · 04/01/2014 11:33

I ate twice as much on a non fast day as I normally would so overall my intake was no less

And I found it hard when feeding the kids to not have anything myself

MichaelFinnigan · 04/01/2014 11:36

What is like, and I'm sure the info is in there somewhere,but I've not had time to find it is for someone to say 'ok on fast days just have x, y and z' that's all.

That'd suit me. I don't need variation or to counjour up interesting meals if I could have something dead easy that would distract me from my greed but keep me within the calorie count that would be perfet .

Onetwothreeoops · 04/01/2014 11:38

I did it for 6 weeks and dreaded the fast days, all I could think about was food. I was teary and ragey in equal parts and for the last two of those weeks didn't actually lose any weight. That was when I decided I'd had enough.

That was the first and last diet I've ever done.

Piscivorus · 04/01/2014 11:39

It reinforced disordered eating for me. I struggled on the fast days, was so hungry I felt agitated, ill, tired and irritable and then had huge urges to binge on other days.

I am safer low carbing too.

Original poster
BetsyBell · 04/01/2014 11:42

notjustacigar how long did you give it? The general consensus for lots of us (but by no means everyone) is that it's a lot easier if you skip breakfast.

If you are interested in giving it a go maybe you could start with just pushing breakfast back by an hour and see how you get on with that? Drinking an extra cup of tea or coffee can help the hunger pangs. Then the next day push it back again - and so on until you've made to lunch. Once you've done that you could try a half calorie day (rather than 500/600) and see if that helps ease your way into it?

Personally I've found that the fasting has helped my hunger - in that I rarely feel hungry just because it's a designated meal time, but because I am actually hungry (iyswim). I also no longer fear feeling hungry.

I think the over-eating on non fast days self regulates after a while. But maybe not for everyone I guess? How long did you try it for michaelfinnigan?

OP posts:
Original poster
BetsyBell · 04/01/2014 11:43

By the way, I didn't start this thread to try and convince people to do it but I will offer advice if asked!

OP posts:
Original poster
BetsyBell · 04/01/2014 11:47

michaelfinnigan I find those meal soups from the supermarket very satisfying - come in about 250 calories each.

Many evening meals but without the carb element satisfy the criteria if you want to cook for the family eg, a bit of salmon/chicken with piles of veg (not potatoes) and salad - comes in at 250 calories. You can eat LOADS of veg and spice everything up with ginger/lime juice/chili etc etc.

OP posts:
headoverheels · 04/01/2014 11:49

It worked well for me for about 8 weeks. After that I stopped losing weight (was still a fairly long way from target) even though I was still fasting. I think because I was eating too much on non fast days.

I decided to try 4:3 to kick start the weight loss, but I found it too hard to fast for 3 days. Then I gave up.

So in the end, for me, it was similar to other diets I've tried (have done WW a couple of times and tried low carbing) in that it was effective and easy to stick to for a couple of months but not in the long term.

Original poster
BetsyBell · 04/01/2014 11:53

Yes, it has to agree with you as a long term thing, otherwise it is just another diet. I know that if I stopped I would put on weight. Luckily I like it and I'm convinced of the health benefits so see it as a way of eating for life.

Again, thanks for all the responses - I'm so used to hearing the positive messages on the threads I inhabit that it's helpful to hear about the other side of it too.

OP posts:
WhomessweetWhomes · 04/01/2014 11:53

I just found it a struggle, to the point where I just couldn't imagine making myself do it long term. I can't see how it would reduce your appetite or how you would get used to it when you are eating normally on the other days.
Low-carbing, on the other hand, reduced my appetite massively, had a much quicker effect on my weight, didn't really feel it was depriving me, gave me more energy (after the initial low-carb slump was over). With lc the only downside is the sheer inconvenience of having to avoid carbs. I found it so much easier to stick to than IF from a will-power point of view.

Abra1d · 04/01/2014 11:56

I am still doing 5:2 but have to be really careful not to over-eat on normal days. I am really doing it for other health benefits and the jury still seems to be out on how much it benefits female blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

I am still slimmer than I was before I started 5:2, 18 months ago, so that is all to the good.

Original poster
BetsyBell · 04/01/2014 12:04

whomes I think a lot of us who do get on with tend towards low carbing for several days a week as well - but with a view to knowing that we are allowed carbs if we want them (say, at the weekend).

Abra1d I try and eat less during the week (which includes 2 fast days) so that I can have a bit extra on the weekend, or on a meal out. That way I'm still eating less over all but without the feeling deprived-on-a-diet feeling. It seems to work for me!

OP posts:
Orangeanddemons · 04/01/2014 12:05

I just dreaded the fast days. They seem to come round too often. Also I didn't lose any weight until I went to 3:4, and they came round even more often then!

Also I'm a teacher and am very active at work. Standing up, walking round all the time, and I seemed to not be able to do it on work days. Just got very tired, bad tempered and ratty with the kids. I suspect it may have been easier if I was sat down in an office all day