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

[BetsyBell]

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!

Betsy I was on the 5:2 thread for quute a while last year (have namechanged though). I did the diet on and off since April and probably lost half a stone maximum but I would then take my eye of the ball and the weight would go back on again. I am heavier now than when I started!!

My reasons for failing were that I would eat too much on my NFD's because I thought I could plus I really do not enjoy the fast days so I would skip them occasionally or fast till midafternoon and then consume lots and lots of calories!

Having said that, I still believe in this WOE and do think that it is more likely to work for me than other diets - I just need to be mindful of the pitfalls above. Still don't think I will ever enjoy the fast days as I hate the feeling of being hungry.

On the plus side, this WOE has definitely taught me not to be scared of hunger and I am actually feel less hungry now. I used to be unable to leave the house without numerous snacks/having a plan of where my meals would be coming from but now, I go to work with no food and don't panic if there is no food available. For example today, I had a bowl of shreddies for breakfast at 8, did an hours high-energy class at the gym and then had to take DS2 to a party for 12. I vaguely thought about getting lunch at the play area but I got chatting to one of the other mums so didn't bother as I didn't feel that hungry. Got home at 2.15 and made my lunch then...12 months ago, that would have been impossible for me to do so for that, I am
very thankful to this WOE.

Am back on it now -done 1 FD so far and managed to stay beneath my TDEE on the other 2 days...long way to go though

Good to hear you still like this WOE spooky . I'll bet you'll get on with it even better now you've had a shift in the way you think about hunger.

I think mintyy, for those who can, boosting up tdee via exercise is a very effective option. I know that's what I need to be doing

I think the whole 'sold as foolproof' thing is a bit of a red herring - all diets are sold that way by people who want to sell books/newspapers/fitness videos. It doesn't take very much investigation or thought to realise it won't be like that surely? I investigated it because I liked the science and research behind it. I've never followed any kind of 'diet' plan before this.

My big pitfall is that I have still never got my head round how to do it when eating with the family (which we usually do for most meals except when I'm at work).

For a while I was quite good at sticking to it on the one day a week when I am in the office all day and then don't eat with the DCs in the evening, as I could plan stuff for just me to eat. I can sometimes manage a "half fast day" on other days too when I'm working (no breakfast, tiny fasting lunch but then normal evening meal).

But I never worked out how to do a second whole fast day, cos most evenings we cook for all 4 of us together, often in a hurry after getting back from work etc., so I didn't want to complicate things making two separate meals, and also suspect the DCs would end up wanting to scrounge some of my tiny meal, me being jealous of theirs etc etc. I'm also still not keen on obviously doing "weird"/different eating (or skipping meals) when they're around, they are still quite small so I feel like I need to be careful what messages I give them about food.

I also sometimes lose willpower by the evening, and find I only stick to it if I have carefully planned (and shopped) ahead for what I will eat on fast days, which is also not always easy as we seem to have hectic lives at the moment.

I would like to be able to make it work though, as it did work for me when I managed (briefly) to stick to it, and it felt more sustainable (apart from the practical issues) than trying to restrict/count calories etc every single day which I knew I would not manage long-term. Ideally, I would like to manage 5:2 until I got to a weight I was happy with, and then drop to 6:1 to maintain that.

Well, yes, Betsy, I have looked into it more closely and concluded that it is just another variation on a theme. Are you saying that should have been bloody obvious? And, if it is, then what?

Inigomontoya sounds like you should come and join us on the main threads .

As for meal times - if you think the kids will want what you're having then do the same for everyone but serve them larger portions and bread with it. You could bulk up your portion with extra salad or veg if you need to see a 'proper' plateful of food.

It does take a bit of planning. Maybe you could stock up on meal soup pots? That way, if you really have nothing suitable around then you could have that.

I don't have an answer to that Mintyy. It is what it is and it's apparently not for everyone.

MyNameIs, we all sit down together and eat the same meals too so I make sure that we all have something that is suitable for me. I always do salmon fillets with salad although they will have sauté/new pots with theirs. For a second fast day I will find something out of my Good Food Mags that is very low in cals and again we will all have the same.

I am squeezing in an extra fast today, I am doing roast beef but with salad instead of yorkie puds and lashings of onion gravy.

It can work when you all eat together, just takes a bit of planning.

I liked to go for a run, zumba etc but I felt too weak to do this on fast days so in the end I went back to a healthy balanced diet. I also found it too hard to cook meals for the rest of the family not to eat myself.

I wasn't getting the results I was expecting. Overall a rather depressing experience.

Bellavita - I would also highly recommend the BBC Good Food site, they have some fantastic healthy meals.

I now usually have what everyone else is having on a fast day, but a really tiny portion with lots of steamed vegetables or salad. I agree, though, that the smaller you are the harder it is to accrue a calorie deficit and the more you have to exercise.

Abra1d Agreed - achieving that calorie deficit gets more of a challenge as the weight comes off, exercise is definitely the key.

I became far too extreme in the runup to my wedding back in September, 4:3/1400 cals on NFD's (my bmr is 1596), and between the wedding, the fasting, exams, work stress, etc, my body made it absolutely clear it needed a break and that I needed to take the pressure off.

I've had 3 months off with a few weeks of 6:1 mixed in, and I'm going back to proper 5:2 tomorrow! :)

I am a happy 5:2er and I posted my experiences on the main thread earlier today.

I had low-carbed for several years, but it stopped working around the menopause, even after returning to 25g carb induction and then doing the Atkins Fat Fast.
I stopped LC, also because it was making me feel ill, then boomeranged into binging on sugary starchy junk.
I reached BMI 24.9, shocking after a lifetime of being slim and also still training 5-6 days per week.

Most people need a significant, prolonged calorie deficit to lose weight. We are just different in what method works to achieve it, because of our unique combination of metabolism, medications, hormones, preferences, activity level, social commitments etc.

I just can't diet every damn day; However, I can fast one day at a time, because I know I can eat "properly" the next day.
Well, you can eat what you want 5 days a week on 5:2, but don't exceed the total of 5x TDEE.
I ate as usual on my NFDs, which meant well above TDEE. Hence my weight loss was slow.

Also, for the first 3 months, I couldn't manage to do 500-cal fast days; it was usually 800 cals. I lost 10lb, then maintained with 16:8 for 6 months before resuming 5:2. Strangely, 500-cal fasts were then easy.
Maybe those of you who couldn't fast before might also find it much easier the 2nd time round ??

I still exercise intensely 60-90 mins, 5-6 days per week: HIIT spin, boxing, Tabata, weightlifting. I have plenty of energy with fasted training.

It is very slow & difficult to lose bodyfat post-meno, but I am down to 23% and 27" waist. I intend to reach about 20% and 26" this year with 5:2, by watching my NFDs.

I have been on this WoE for about 3 months, have lost 5 KG (ish)
initially I was angry and so hungry on fast days
Now, not hungry or that irritable BUT
I'm now having strange dizzy, shaky, weak, swooning headache effects. First time was day after fasting. At first wondered if low blood sugar, then if hypoglycemic?
Today was fast day, I went swimming with kids this am, but have felt terrible with the same symptoms all day - not alleviated when I have had my food.
I wonder if now I'm at a sensible weight (67kg) my body not happy with fasting, or if back to low carb is best now.
Is it related to Blood Type I wonder?
I'm Type B, and think I'll just try 6:1 or move on to my Blood type plan - Eat right for your type.. www.dadamo.com/

Thoughts?

Littlemisskiwi - that doesn't sound good does it? Have you tried doing 16:8 instead? Ie eating within an 8 hour window (therefore fasting for 16). Maybe have a break and see if your body is happier with it after that. It might be worth posting your concerns on the main thread too in case any fasters have got some better ideas.

I did have an odd period when I could drink alcohol at all for about a month and that might have been about 3 months in. Not the same I know but just bringing that up to show that even three months in your body's still getting used to it.

couldn't drink that should say...

Just wanted to say thank you for starting this thread, Betsy. I have been thinking about starting the 5:2 diet later this year (cannot do it now as pg), and this thread has made interesting reading.

I'm in the middle of reading the 5:2 book (may read the Fast diet book as well, since it's so cheap on Kindle), and I was thinking how overwhelmingly positive everything I've read has been -- not just the books, but various magazines have been running articles on it. It's been helpful getting the other perspective.

It's also interesting to see everyone here talking about weight though; while I do need to lose weight, what draws me to the diet is what it promises to do for blood sugar levels etc. I have a strong family history of type 2 diabetes, and I would like to stave that off if I can.

Aliama I was the same , I was drawn to this as a way of improving health not for losing weight as such. But it wasn't for me.

Regarding Type 2 diabetes there are reports on-line about a study where blood sugar profile was improved for older people heading for type 2 by walking after their main meal.

It's made me stop the automatic rest after a meal, even if I can't get out I do a bit of dashing about the house for 30 / 40 minutes putting stuff away!

I used to post on the threads about a year ago. I am still doing 5:2 but don't need support anymore.

I have depression and anxiety and fast days made me feel much worse. I craved carbs so much and ended up binging. I think fasting is not great for people who need a very regular lifestyle in order to manage MH issues.

I do better on a standard calorie controlled diet (not too low), I do 1700 a day and go running 3x per week. I've lost 2stone over 8 months this way. Another stone to go..

I have been doing it since July - sadly I haven't lost a pound. However I haven't gained any weight, despite eating quite a lot on the non fast days.

I'm not sure if I should keep going or not. I have family history of diabetes on my DFs side, so from that point of view I think I should keep on it for the health benefits. Plus I find it relatively easy - it's a nice break after years of WW and other diets to only have to think about intake 2 days a week.

However downsides are I think I overcompensate on the other days and eat a bit too much rubbish, I do quite a lot of exercise and find I can't do strenuous sessions on my 500 cal days so I have to plan around that and finally I am like a bear with a sore head on fast days.

I don't want to do anything which involves cutting out food groups - I tend not to eat too many carbs anyway, nor do I want to have to write down everything I eat. I'm not massively overweight - BMI hovers around 25, but I would like to reduce body fat and drop half a stone at least.

Thanks for all the posts :)

rookie - you've cracked maintenance which is a great achievement. If you do want to keep going and you do want to lose weight then a possibility would be to crack down on your non fast day eating just for a couple of months (or whatever) and see if that makes a difference?

Family history of diabetes here too, and high cholesterol on the other side - definitely one of my motivations too.

Betsy - the appeal of 5:2 was that I didn't have to count calories on the non fast days. I am beginning to think I should eat less sugar though, so might try to crack it that way in conjunction with the 5:2.

Did we get to the bottom of whether 5:2 does actually help with cholesterol? I know you shouldn't fast the day before a test as it can make the reading temporarily higher, as more fat is released into the bloodstream in the absence of calories coming in (which I assume is obviously good as you want to release that stuff you've stored and use it for energy). But what about medium- long-term? Does 5:2, in women, help with cholesterol readings?