Quick 5:2 question, I have read the threads, honest!

[GingerLemonTea]

Am thinking of doing this and have been reading bits of the various threads, think I have the jist of it.
5 days eating normally
2 days eating up to 500 calories.
My questions are, having read about leaving the 16hr gap is this just on a fast day or the day leading into a fast day?

During this 16hr gap could I have tea with milk or should I just have water?

Half the 16 hour gap is supposed to be sleep (well some of it!), otherwise, I drink coffee or tea with a very little milk or Bovril.

Definitely worth doing.

Thanks, but when do I do these 16hrs, just on 2 days?

It just sort of happens depending on when you have your first meal of the fast. I have supper the day before at 4.30/5ish with the DSs and try not to have anything else after that, then have a smallish breakfast as I can't manage the day without, nothing for lunch - apart from a Bovril - and then a small supper again at 4.30/5ish.

I read that women can 'get away' with 14 hours and so that's pretty much what I do.

I'm pretty flexible and still am losing inches round my waist so am not too hung up on counting calories or exact timings! For me this is a way of eating / way of life, not a diet!

I've also reduced the carbs I eat overall although I can't give them up completely as I like bread etc too much, and this is also helping too. Dr John Briffa has written a really helpful book entitled Escape the Diet Trap which I've found very interesting.

Thank you. Tomorrow would be a perfect day for me to fast but am scared I will be too hungry!
Is the 14hr gap essential? Think I had something at 9pm so could eat at 111am.

Can i jump in and ask what would happen if i did 2 weeks of 500cals everyday?

I need a big boost but dont want to die. lol

Nothing's written in stone. See how you do tomorrow and go from there. There's not been a huge amount of research done yet on any of this so I think the best thing to do is see what fits into your life.

And - don't give up! If you don't manage one day, leave it a couple of days and try again, it's not the end of the world

Good luck. Both DH and I have been doing it since August and are really reaping the benefits.

Toms - that's not a good idea. The science behind this WOE is that you put your body into 'repair mode' rather than the 'starvation mode' which you would do restricting to 500cals for a week. As soon as you go to 'starvation mode' your body will not do a good way of losing weight once you start eating again.

Take it gently and easily and it works!