Talk to Michael Mosley about Intermittent Fasting, Wednesday 23 January, 12pm - 1pm.

[RachelMumsnet]

On Wednesday at 12pm midday Michael Mosley will be joining us for a webchat and to answer questions on Intermittent Fasting (also known as 5:2 diet).

Michael is a medical Journalist whose BBC Horizon Programme in August last year first introduced the UK to Intermittent Fasting. His latest book The Fast Diet presents the science behind the diet, whilst his co-author, Mimi Spencer explains the practicalities and how to go about it. The idea behind Fast Dieting is that you eat normally for five days and then then consume just 500 calories (women) and 600 calories (men) on two fasting days each week.

If you're interested in finding out more, join Michael Mosley on Wednesday 23 January at 12 midday or post a question to Michael in advance here.

Mumsnet Academy is now offering you the chance to join 5:2 The Fast Diet Course with Michael Mosley, a one day course in Central London on Friday 15 February. Book your tickets

[virginposter]

LizzC both a link to the programme and the book are on the mumsnet 5:2 threads.

[LizzC]

Many thanks Michael, will be hunting it down later; sounds like just what I am looking for.

[AntiDiet]

Dear Dr Mosley,

I wonder if you could say something about the theory that going for long periods of time without eating slows down your metabolism and disrupts your leptin and ghrelin balance so that you are more prone to putting on an holding fat. How does the 5:2 diet not fall into this trap? I'm sorry I also did not catch the horizon documentary and have looked online, but cannot find it.
Many thanks

[MichaelMosley]

@Salbertina

Just wanted to say thanks for answering my message directly. So appreciative of how you've brought this mainstream. Will public health messages catch up??

Public health people are rightly cautious. I think it is fair enough to say, "wait and see". There are a couple of new studies coming out that will hopefully add support to The Fast Diet approach. I hasten to add, this is not my scientific work. I pulled together the work of leading scientists into what i hope is a doable approach. They were very pleased by the programme and by the response

[KittyMem]

Hi Michael,

I was wondering if you could outline your eating plans for a typical fast and a typical non-fast day?

I love the 5:2 diet, but I am conscious about making the most of my 500 calories and getting everything I need.

Thanks,
Kitty

[MustGetMoreExercise]

I posted a question about research on cancer treatment and fasting further up the thread. On reflection, that is probably hard to answer here and now, so I'll amend it to asking if there will be an update to the Horizon programme and if so when?
Thanks so much for original programme and book - this is sustainable in the long term!

[MichaelMosley]

@AntiDiet

Dear Dr Mosley,

I wonder if you could say something about the theory that going for long periods of time without eating slows down your metabolism and disrupts your leptin and ghrelin balance so that you are more prone to putting on an holding fat. How does the 5:2 diet not fall into this trap? I'm sorry I also did not catch the horizon documentary and have looked online, but cannot find it.
Many thanks

The claim that you have to eat regularly in order to keep you metabolism revved up is myth. Numerous studies have looked into this and found no difference in the metabolic rates of people eating their calories as either 3 meals a day or 6. Nor is there any evidence that not eating for a couple of days triggers some metabolic slowdown. There is some evidence speeds it up. It certainly turns on fat burning. The thing we know is that when you start to lose weight, on whatever diet, you metabolic rate will slow simply because you are carrying around less weight. That is why you eventually plateau

[Badvoc]

Is anyone else a bit frustrated that almost everything we have been told for years regarding healthy diet and exercise is..well..just wrong??
The diet industry - and it is an industry - is making money from outdated science.
:(

[MichaelMosley]

@KittyMem

Hi Michael,

I was wondering if you could outline your eating plans for a typical fast and a typical non-fast day?

I love the 5:2 diet, but I am conscious about making the most of my 500 calories and getting everything I need.

Sorry Kitty, not enough space. General principles are you should eat more protein on fasting days, lots of veg, drink lots of tea and water. I largely avoid carbs. The importance of eating protein is that it is not well stored and after 24 hours without you might be running short. If you want recipes then buy The Fast Diet, go to our website thefastdiet.co.uk or one of the zillions of others out there that have recipes on them (though i cannot vouch for trust worthiness of content)

[Salbertina]

Yes, I understand the need for caution.. However, it would be good to see IF up for discussion, at least, in a bid to to reverse obesity trends. I believe many Gps refer overweight pts to weight-watchers. So assuming there is enough of an evidence base in future to support IF, why not GP "prescription" to adopt a 5:2 diet for certain patient groups?

[duchesse]

Badvoc I'm afraid it does not surprise me at all. Most diets are designed to sell something. Oh so good for you polyunsaturated hydrogenated vegetables oils have been marketed as better for you than natural oils and fats for decades with no discernible effect on heart disease.

[Yermina]

Is there any evidence on how this diet impacts on mental health in the short term? I've noticed that short term fasting me feel mentally 'well'. Is there any physiological explanation for this?

[virginposter]

Dr M

Please let us know the results of your next blood test as many of us are nearing our goals and would like to get maximum health benefits.
Thank you so much for answering our questions today.

[LizzC]

Hi Michael, I saw the programme in which you did (I think it was) just 3 minutes of HIT training per week. Is this something you still do and incorporate it with this newly adopted eating plan? Many thanks

[BIWI]

Very, Badvoc. And about it too. So many vested interests, though, in the whole low-fat/low cal/diet industry.

[MUMoo7]

DP is on this 5:2 diet, follows it quite consistently but is in a very bad mood most of the time, in particular on fasting days. Any tips for that, other than avoiding him? The whole thing turning into an ordeal for the entire family, especially at weekends, even though fasting days are strictly during the week.

[Bordercollielover]

Your Horizon documentary has changed my life. At 57 I am slimmer, lighter, more energetic and more positive than at any time during the last 15 years. Thankyou.
My question: I have a friend with Type 2 Diabetes. Is there anywhere she can go for help and support to try IF? Her GP is not supportive.

[KittyMem]

Thank you Michael - an egg white omelette with lots of veg for dinner for me then!

[BIWI]

What's wrong with the yolk, Kitty?!

[SpiralSkies]

I'm intrigued that, when you reached your target weight, you adopted 6:1 rather than simply fasting for the number of hours deemed to improve biomarkers rather and then eating >600 cals? Or am I oversimplyfying the science by thinking that we can get the health benefits of fasting without the weight loss?

[duchesse]

My question is still (I popped it in a few days ago so right at the bottom of the thread now) why am I not losing any weight at all on the 5:2 (now switched to ADF) despite sticking to it and definitely have 10 kg to lose?

[Salbertina]

Badvoc, not just frustrated, I'm rather indignant about it!
One wonders about the interests of the food/farming/diet industries and how they've been protected at the expense of people's health! The big supermarkets are also not going to want mass numbers of us reducing our weekly shop by what 22% each week! And what's the diet to peddle in simply fasting (Ww, SW et al)?

[TalkinPeace2]

Not a particular question,

Just a thankyou for publicising a way of eating that is working excellently for so many people of all ages and backgrounds that does not involve lots of expensive meetings, books or faddy foods.

You've made many WW and SW leaders unhappy but a lot of us a lot happier.
Keep up the good work.
:-) TiP

[Badvoc]

Salbertina...I was horrified when my sister who is quite overweight and has been for some time was told at WW and could drink as much diet drink as she wanted.
Great! All that sucrose and aspartame!

[KittyMem]

Egg yolk = more calories, higher cholestrol.

Egg yolk generally contains around 3x the calories of the egg white. So when I'm eating 500 calories a day, I like to stick to what I can get most out of!