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

It works for me--if i am not suffering pre-/menopausal water retention. In which case, nothing works well and I can just hope to maintain, not shed.

I eat complex carbs on fast days because they give me energy for exercise. I also spread out the calories more than I used to because long periods without food seem to affect my blood pressure. So, half a piece of toast with a high fiber composition at breakfast, same plus raw carrots at lunch. Another half/ whole slice for dinner with vegs and perhaps an egg.

Low carb makes me feel lacking in energy and jumpy. I really like seeded breads or brown rice. And pulses suit me, too.

It didn't work for me and I stuck to it religiously.

What did work was low carbon but after losing a stone on a month I realised it's just completely ineffective long term because a life without carbs is pretty miserable.

Now when I need to lose say half a stone I VLCD for a week. I find Exante are the best as their products have a lot of protein in them compared to Slim fast which is full of sugar.

Low carbing even. Not low carbon! !

I've been doing calorie counting for the last week and sticking to 1200 calories or less. I use my fitness pal which is a really great help! I feel my trousers loosening already although I haven't weighed myself as I hate it and feel down if I don't see the numbers reduce

I lost 6 stone a few years back doing 5:2. DH lost 4. We still do some variations of intermittent fasting but we've maintained for well over a year each now (nearly 2 for me).

waves at old timers

It worked amazingly for me for three months and then I plateaued. Stuck to it for another three or four months and then gave up.

Yes MrsJorahMormont my RMR went from 1350 at 12 stone 10lbs to just. over 1000 at 11 stone. Alavere Is pure protein though (ameno acids) - so building blocks of life, not just sugar and flour like SlimFast.

The fact that its protein means the hunger goes after 3 or 4 days as youre then in Ketosis and burning your fat stores.

Exercise elevates your RMR/BMR so good if you can do it.

My doctor said I was just unlucky and would always struggle with my weight. He recommended I stop at 11 stone as to go lower would be futile. I'd rather be hungry than overweight though as it all goes on my middle (metabolic synrome).

Good luck.

< waves to eatriskier >
Great that you and your DH have both maintained your big losses.

I've lost 3 stone since February - I have a lot more to lose and its slow progress. I've added in more serious exercise and lose between 0.5 and 1.5 lbs a week. Husband has lost 4 stone and is at his correct BMI.
I've spent most of my life on a diet of some sort. I'm hoping that this will just be the way I eat forever.

The appeal of it for me was the idea that it was only 2 days a week of calorie counting etc but most of you seem to also count calories on NF days which makes me feel like it's the same as any other diet IYSWIM.

MrsJorah Its a lot different counting to a deficit and counting to TDEE, plus is really informative of what your 'normal' behaviour is (as well as being nowhere near as limited). In my case it taught me so much about clever substituting that now I have to live on a special diet its barely effected me except for eating out which sucks

Most people don't need to count on NFDs
Only count if your "normal" eating is so high that you eat back the calorie deficit from 2 fast days. Then you just count long enough to learn appropriate portion size.

I did it for six months and lost a lb a week. Then stopped and put that much on again each week. Started again but then got pregnant. Going to do again as soon as the whole exhaustion and bf phase over so in about 2 years

I only count on non fast days to ensure I'm not falling into the "way hey, can eat literally anything" trap, as you really can't. So I count but don't actually restrict. It's more to ensure I set a healthy norm. So I go for up to 2,000 a day on NFD, but need that as a max cos I really can eat for England.

So, of 2,000 a day on NFD then over 7 days you're removing 3,000 cals. When not dieting I want more like 2,500 a day, so overall I'm reducing by 5,500 cals a week, which is a significant amount.

If I just cut to 2,000 a day I'd lose v slowly.
If I cut to 1,200 a day I lose but get very grumpy and a bit dizzy.

So 5:2 is in between for me.
If I were at the right sort of weight I would try to eat 1,600 a day. But you have to go back to counting now and then to remind yourself I think.

I did so well on 5:2 and kept the weight off no problem. Then I went though a comfort/emotional eating phase and put a half stone back on which I just can't lose through 5:2 maintenance habits.

My conclusion is I'm now peri-menopausal. (Other evidence for this as well). I'm gearing up for a 6 month period of 4:3 and actively looking at ways to up my exercise.

None of that means I don't believe in 5:2 anymore. It's the best woe I've ever found, my mistake was to walk away from it once I'd reached my target weight.

Peri/full-menopause does change things. With me it is the darn water retention and slowing down of my digestive system, which makes it harder.

This is all really helpful, thank you.

One more question: I heard rumours / read stuff ages ago that said that 5:2 was better for men than women because it can cause hormone disruption for us? Is there any truth in this?

I need to do something, I know that. I hate the whole calorie counting thing it's just so tedious but I'm wondering if I could just combine 5:2 with slimming world and have a few extra syns on a couple of days a week. My eating has been ridiculous recently so anything at all would be an improvement.

I've lost 2 stone on 5:2 it's taken me a year and I don't stick to it religiously but I've changed how I eat now so don't think I'll put it back on.

I'd steer clear. Anything that works for George Osbourne is not for me!

Worked a treat for me to shift a spare half a stone and I DO have pcos (asymptomatic though so pco really), hypothyroidism and I am short!
Never been into dieting but it was great and the instant impact of a diet day was so motivating. Not done a FD since the end of July but somehow have not gained a pound from when I stopped. I am more mindful of how I eat and stick to smaller portions if it is something that isn't that amazing anyway. I don't want to waste calories in boring food that isn't nutritious either.

BUT yes it did do something odd to my hormones as I had too frequent periods and that's why I stopped.

MrsJ I'm a scientist and I've read a great deal of peer-reviewed scientific literature on intermittent fasting, of which 5:2 is one type.

There isn't a particular problem wrt women / hormones and fasting.
However, as with any WOE, fasting doesn't suit everyone and also a few people may take it to unhealthy extremes.
Losing weight too quickly / losing too much weight / dieting when too stressed can all lead to periods being disrupted or stopping for a while. It's a sign to ease up.

Those who should NOT fast:
. Anyone with past or present EDs
. Pregnant
. T1 or any serious condition - consult your GP if in doubt.

Anyone who wants to try 5:2 is welcome to join the main 5:2 / IF Thread #57
The OP has lots of info, including a section of peer-reviewed science links.

I lost 24 pounds between the end of March and mid August this year, and have maintained my weight since. Went from a size 12/14 to a 8/10, and from an overweight BMI to mid range of healthy BMI for my height.

As with all "diets" - you can't just diet for X amount of time and go back to your old habits; you need to change your eating/exercise habits for life. 5:2 has particularly helped me to stop snacking and to learn to be a big hungry between meals again - as is completely normal, it's just most of us have forgotten what it's like because we're always grazing on something!

Obviously the calorie restriction on FDs only has an impact on your weight if you only eat up to TDEE on NFDs. But again, this is just essential preparation for maintenance because no matter what method you use for losing weight, you need to eat to your TDEE afterwards or the weight will go back on.

I'm losing about a kilo a week and have lost 5kg so far (early days so far). I'm finding it really manageable. I do try to record my intake on all days in MFP, just so I have an idea of how many calories are in the foods I eat, but don't stress too much if I don't. I still go out for meals and eat regular family meals and am finding it much easier to stick to than other diets. It really is a way of life, rather than a diet. I'd thoroughly recommend it to anyone. The info on the main threads is great, especially the menu ideas.

I lost 3 stones doing this - which then helped me to conceive. Which means I had to stop.

I have struggled with conventional calorie restriction because anything that I tell myself I am not allowed becomes the holy grail and I had grown up with a fairly unhealthy approach to food generally (food as reward, commiseration, plus a grazing habit = piling on the pounds)

I know people who can't make it through a half day fast without feeling ill - it's not for them. It's unlikely that intermittent fasting will make a massive change to your BMR as it is intermittent, regular dieting is more likely to alter things. However finding variety and appropriate distraction on fast days is important.

I haven't piled loads of weight on since pregnant & my appetite did change over the year I was doing this. I am hoping not to gain too much weight and will go back to it once safe after bubs is out and breastfeeding going well.