Mumsnet Zoomchat with Michael Mosley

[JuliaMumsnet]

Hello

We’re pleased to announce a Mumsnet Zoomchat with longstanding Mumsnet favourite Dr Michael Mosley, the man behind the 5:2 and Fast 800 healthy eating plans. He’ll be chatting with Mumsnet HQ and answering all your questions on Wednesday 20th January at 7pm (NB: please note time change from 8pm), and you can book your place now by visiting our Zoom webinar link.

Michael trained as a doctor before becoming a journalist and television presenter and is probably best known for his TV programmes about biology and medicine. He’ll be coming to your TV soon with a new series focusing on his Fast 800 approach to healthy eating and weight and has a new book out - Fast 800 Easy.

So if you’d like to hear what he has to say and have the chance to put your questions to him, please scoot over to the sign-up page to book your online place. (Places are limited so it’s first come, first served.)

Just FYI if you join the Zoomchat your camera will be turned off by default. Your screen name will be visible, so consider whether you’re happy to use your RL name or want to use your MN posting name or something else entirely. We might ask you to turn your camera on if you read your question out ‘live’, but if you’d rather not that’s absolutely fine.

Thanks
MNHQ

MESSAGE EDITED BY MNHQ - STARTING TIME HAS CHANGED TO 7pm BECAUSE OF AN UNEXPECTED ADDITION TO MICHAEL'S DIARY. MANY APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE

Thanks @BIWI

I'm not in the habit of lying. The tone of some of these responses is to discredit and malign Mosley and I don't think it's fair.

He qualified as a doctor and became a journalist. His wife, with whom he has collaborated, is a practising GP. He's a lot better qualified than many people dishing out dietary advice!

It's the most effective diet I have been on.

Some of MN is just so relentlessly negative that it's almost like they're in competition. Soon no one will bother to come on for Q&As at all and I don't blame them.

@HmmSureJan

Not sure if you are referencing me in regard to the 'relentless negativity'. If so, this is not the case at all. I think it is possible to have an opinion or make observations about how somebody is perceived or presents themselves and don't understand why we all have to think the same. I for one could assert that his fans are just 'relentlessly supportive and upbeat', and lack objectivity about him. Neither is right or wrong, just valid and alternative view points.

The Fast 800 is the most effective and efficient way of eating I've tried.

I lost 2 stone, getting to a healthy weight. I eat healthy and wholesome foods and I don't have afternoon sugar slumps. I've not felt as good in a long time and it's easy to follow and not complicated as it basically involves cooking real foods.

I'd be very interested in this.

@wowfudge

His programmes clearly state that the eating plans advocated are only to be undertaken by people who are obese/overweight and that they should speak to their GP before embarking on them. He is not responsible for people with eating disorders choosing to follow them when they are most certainly not aimed at them.

Michael Mosley collates the latest scientific findings on diet and its effects on the human body. He always credits those whose research he has looked at and utilised. He reversed his own type 2 diabetes with the benefit of the knowledge he has gained and the NHS has approved it.

To suggest he is a snake oil merchant or dangerous is incorrect and potentially libellous as a pp has pointed out.

This, exactly. I'm looking forward to hearing what he has to say and to his new series. His Horizon documentary introduced me to the benefits of fasting. I also think he comes across on the telly as genuine and personable. I'm not understanding the Dr Mosley hate on this thread 🤷‍♀️

@forgotmymnname what an extraordinary comment.

forgotmymnname 😳🤷‍♀️

There are many successful people who have gone through university on grants (when they existed) and gone on to make a lot of money. Would you like them all to give you a percentage of their earnings?

His earlier programmes were really clear- he was visiting people who'd done research, referring to other people's knowledge. He offered himself as a tv guinea pig to test the efficacy of it.

He brought journalism and exposure via tv to the science others had explored. A book without his name on won't sell or impact as many people as those with his name on. People want the book about what they watched on tv.

What a ridiculous post @forgotmymnname!

Do you begrudge anyone who profits from what they've learnt at university/in further education?

I changed my eating habits and lost a fuckton of weight from following his advice. I'm looking forward to the chat.

@JuliaMumsnet do you want us to ask our questions in advance, on this thread - or somewhere else/on the day itself?

I saw him live a few years a go and met him. He was lovely. He is very interesting. It is also the only diet that I have managed to stick too.

I had no idea anyone would have anything bad to say about Dr Michael Mosely. His books and advice are aimed at people with diabetes or pre-diabetes, not at people with eating disorders! And of course those suffering from eating disorders are bound to seek out such info, that's part of the disorder.

He writes from the personal experience of having ignored his medications and reversing his diabetes in this way.

I'm a fan. I bought his book and also his DW's recipe book, when I was told I had pre-diabetes, and I wanted to avoid going down the medication route if possible. Well I did. I lost just over four stone and got rid of it! Took a bit less than two years, and months later than that result
I still eat in a similar way (ish) and make some of the recipes the brownies 😁 and I don't put weight on.

Will watch with interest.

Thank you Michael. Pre-diabetic after awful gestational diabetes. Did you 8 week BSD - the results! I've never felt better. This was 3 years ago and whilst my weight fluctuates a bit - the power of knowing what I need to change is all empowering.
I do have a question for you.
You mention reversal of diabetes. I don't really agree with this. I haven't seen any GTT done in your book to show the body can metabolise sugar when eaten. Why was a GTT never done?

I think perhaps reversal of diabetes really means control. You might be able to avoid meds and high blood sugar, which is fantastic, but if you go back to eating lots of carbs, it will go back up. The grams of carbs your individual body can tolerate is one of the balls in that genetic lottery (thanks a lot, Nana!).

People in bigger bodies can have eating disorders too you know, exactly the "sort" of people his diets are aimed at.

Anyone managed to keep the weight off for 5 years or more? That's the crucial test because weight loss is usually pretty easy initially with any diet but 95% of people put the weight back on (and more) within 5 years.

Starsinthegutter I have kept off most of the weight. I think more importantly it made me realise just how unhealthy I actually felt in my circle of sugar addiction.
I feel the diet controls my pre-diabetes or others diabetes. It doesn't reverse it.
I would so love to see a GTT study though - I was involved inendoxrine research in a previous life 😉

I think the point is with this approach is that you don't go back to how you used to eat. You change your way of eating so the weight stays off.
It's been very effective in my house.

And the results have lasted over 5 years.

I am looking forward to this!

I just want to know how people find the motivation? It would appear that I would give anything to lose weight apart from my eating habits.

I've been living 5:2 for 7 years or so. I keep my weight at a healthy level (with little bulges for Christmas and holidays) and at 61 I am as fit and healthy as I've ever been. Obviously the two may be unconnected but no way would I give this up.
On Mondays and Thursdays DP and I eat 500 calories in the early evening and ignore food for the rest of the day. That's it. Other days I pretty much eat what I want.
So grateful to Michael Mosley for publicising the relevant research and pulling it together.

I started the 5/2 diet that he popularised about 3 years ago after seeing the results on a couple of friends. I had been overweight all my life and done a variety of different diets. I can honestly say that this one works for me and I have lost 40 pounds and kept it off. Thank you MM!

@FecktheBoss You can't find it - you either want it or you don't. You can keep forcing yourself but if you're not truly willing it won't work. All you can do is educate yourself ( the MM books are great for this - so many research studies are discussed. So is Jason Fung) and hope that the 'penny drops'.