Do you really lose weight doing 5:2?

[MrsJorahMormont]

I'm really interested in this, have male friends who swear by it but I don't know any women who are doing it. I had a half hearted attempt a year ago but found I just maintained my weight because I took the 'eat what you want on NF days' a bit too literally

So can you lose weight doing it without loads of calorie counting on NF days? I need to lose weight urgently, about 3 stone and would love to get rid of 1.5 stone by Christmas but I don't know if that's just crazy talk :o

Some women really can and do lose weight doing 5:2. Not me, sadly, although I gave it an honourable innings of 9 months.

Have look at the ongoing 5:2 threads, lots of weight loss going on.

I've dropped about 1.5 stone since beginning of August.

Dh lost over 2 stone in that same 9 months, btw.

I lose on it, yes.

Thanks Mintyy and Cain. You see I keep hearing this, that it works brilliantly for men but not so well for women and I'm not sure if that's anecdotal or evidence based.

Cain are you male or female? That's fantastic weight loss.

Total of 30lbs over 7ish months and I've been Maintaining that weight for a year.
Only diet that has ever really worked for me.

I'm female btw

Out how quickly roughly? Does it compare with 'slimming clubs' ie 1-2 lbs a week?

That's fantastic Red well done - very motivating! Do you calorie count all week or are you fairly intuitive on NFDs?

Female and I don't calorie count on NFDs, actually I don't calorie count on FDs now either as I have a few favourite meals I stick to. I'm a creature of habit!

Any particular meals you recommend Cain? I'm a creature of habit too :o I was thinking I would just eat shitloads of soup on FDs!

It's all to do with your TDEE and how much difference reducing to 500 calories on 2 days a week really makes.

If you are a small, sedentary, post menopausal woman you need very few calories knocking a thousand or so off your weekly total will barely register on your scales.

And also, just my personal theory, if you have an uncompromising metabolism it is my sincere belief that your body will just respond to reduced calories by minimising the difference. It won't burn fat, it will just reduce your requirements down to the level you are taking in.

After 40 years pondering the subject, that is my sincere theory on why some lose weight easily and some don't.

Soups are good.
I tend to avoid carbs on a FD.
I have:
Salmon, chicken or a cheese omelette with loads of veg (usually spinach and broccoli).
Protein fills you up for longer.
Important to drink bucket loads of water.

Have a read...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/fasting_diet/2473635-5-2-Thread-number-57-If-you-follow-your-heart-and-it-leads-to-the-cake-tin-then-its-time-to-try-a-new-approach-Join-our-friendly-group?msgid=57039490#57039490

Mintyy, I read the earlier threads when I started. I'm sorry it didn't work for you.

Many women on our threads have lost weight - and maintained for 2years+.
I suggest you try 5:2 and see how you get on. You are welcome on the main 5:2 / IF Thread #57
We're a very friendly bunch.

No single diet suits everyone; the best one for you depends on your lifestyle, insulin metabolism, other hormonal factors, food preferences etc

wrt 5:2, or other forms of intermittent fasting:
. NOT for anyone with past or present EDs
. If you became overweight by eating a lot more calories than your body can burn, then your "natural" eating is way above TDEE.
So, you'd have to mfp to train yourself about portion size on NFDs, which you would also need for maintenance, anyway.
. If your natural eating is not much above TDEE, 5:2 is easy and no need to count.
. For many, fasting is like a reset button which enables them to eat more sensibly on NFDs, especially if they have a lot to lose.
Some others find fasting helps to do this gradually over the months.
For a few, it just never clicks.

Men usually lose more easily than women on any diet, because they have a higher TDEE, far more muscle, far fewer hormonal swings and hormonal problems affecting fat-burning.

Those who find it most difficult on any diet are short, menopausal, sedentary women, especially those with PCOS, insulin resistance, thyroid issues.

Losing weight almost always requires a calorie deficit, which is much more difficult to achieve for such women, who have very low TDEEs
For some couples, the woman may have a 1500 TDEE, the man 3000 TDEE. It is very difficult to eat half the amount your OH is tucking into. Divorce / murder

Women have far more alpha receptors (resisting fat-burning) compared to beta receptors (much easier to burn fat) in their stubborn fat areas.
So, trimming the last stone is more difficult on any diet.

Mintyy Have you found a weight loss method that works for you now ?
If not ......
We've learnt a lot more over the last 2-3 years about how IF / 5:2 works, also how it can be tailored to the individual.
Should you feel tempted to give it a one month trial again, plenty of support
... < would relish a really tough guinea pig challenge like Mintyy >

I've never done any other 'diet', except general calorie counting, so I really can't compare, but when I do 5:2, yes, I lose c1lb per week. Though it will suddenly be 4lb, then nothing.

I'm currently cal counting to stay at around 1200 a day to get things back to reality, then will start 5:2 again in a week or so.

Cuppa soups work well. I like oatcakes. And then grilled chicken and veg for tea on fast days. Herbals tea through the day. Tictacs can help sugar cravings.

Many people lose in fits & starts, rather than linearly, i.e. a set amount per week. Sometimes related to hormonal swings.

Really helpful all, thanks. I might plunge in next week so I have a chance over the weekend to plan my fast days food. DH often takes DD swimming one night so I don't have to cook then - that would be a good boost!

I maintained for a year when o really wanted to lose 7-10lbs. However I am well within healthy BMI and I think I would need to seriously reduce on NF days to lose. So defeats the point of 5:2 for me. I'm not giving up on the idea and on occasion through in a fast day but find MFP and upping my exercise is the only thing that works for me.

I've seen two dieticians (registered) who warned me not to do this.

I have a very low metabolism and struggle to keep my weight under a BMI of 25 and they both said that doing this would lower my Basal Metabolic Rate even further.

I am late 40s though.

MrsJorahMormont Try Alavere (re-branded Alizonne).

It's a VLCD. Very expensive but you lose loads of weight very quickly. It's the only thing that's worked for me and I've been trying to lose weight for years.

Thanks Frosty but wouldn't the VLCD reduce your BMR then too? I'm confused. I'm younger than you but very sedentary and I just eat far too much and the wrong foods so a VLCD is tempting but I just don't believe I could stick to it.

I did it for a few weeks and lost about 8lb. But then I stopped losing - even though I was still fasting, which was a bit depressing. Like you OP, I think the problem was that I ate too much on my non fast days. So I tried 4:3 but I found that too hard.

MY DP tried it, I stopped him. He was coming home and not stringing a proper sentence together on his 2 days. Also he's quite grumpy unless he eats.

Also was due to give birth and needed him on top form. Told him to eat something and bought him a scooter to race with DS. Much better idea. Happier family all around.