Thoughts on the 5:2 Fast diet

Qskim

can you live like this for the rest of your life.

ask yourself that

Some people who have never had to watch their calories naturally do. They have a high day and the next day they aren't so hungry. As a weight loss strategy, it's the same deficit as any other calorie cut, just manipulated differently. People find the strictness of two days adherence easier to manage than resolutely watching every single calorie, every single day.

The only problem I've seen with the 5:2 is that some people are still restricting on the 5 days thinking it'll speed up the process. They would probably be the type of fad dieters that wouldn't listen to reason on any calorie restriction anyway be it eat more, leangains, whatever.

Athena53

Whilst I don't necessarily believe that it's damaging I just think... why? I did trial it...then I remembered that I can lose the same amount of weight by eating healthy and exercising. Why would I eat 500 calories a day and feel irritable, tired, unable to focus properly and do my job etc etc when I can eat 1600 calories, have epic workouts, swims and runs, sleep well, wake up feeling motivated and fresh??

I take in 1,000 calories on my fast days and my workouts during the week (which is always when I do fast days) burn 300-400 calories. Yes, I know that's "eating back your exercise calories" but I'm absolutely thrilled with the shape I'm in. I seem to have more energy and focus on fast days and it doesn't hurt my workout at all. As for "epic workouts", yesterday I burned 800 calories in 2 hours on my bicycle (per my FT7) and next Sunday I have a sprint triathlon. I am on zero prescriptions and every time I do a Step Test (watered-down version of a cardiac stress test) I get the highest rating.

It really varies from person to person but it's worked for me for 2 years.

PS. My avatar pic was taken on a fast day. We played dodgeball on trampolines.

tomdrinkard

bump

FerryfieldLad

Lol - it's amazing how people are only too willing to share their opinion - only to get riled up when others share an opinion that conflicts with theirs, and chaos ensues. Everyone's opinion is entirely valid - and as I am sure the OP will be aware; no opinion should be taken as definitive!

For me the 5:2 diet works. Since starting it I have noticed a reduction in measurements (which I didn't get following a daily calorie reduction) as well as continued success losing weight. I go for long walks on fast days, and I have not experienced any headaches or other negative side effects. I sleep better too!

The only thing I sometimes struggle to deal with is hunger pangs, but you soon realise that hunger pangs pass. For me I say to myself I will have a cup of tea/coffee or drink of water and it usually passes after that!

Fairlieboy

Think ndj is a serial blogger at 2500 posts. Too much posting & not enough reading? :laugh: If one reads or watches the documentary and then goes & reads the 200+ source science papers and research group publications it is clear that the restricted calorie program has real benefits on cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive abilities (read dementia). On lab mice. Early days on the science but pretty encouraging. And a side effect was weight loss & higher compliance. I.e. people stayed on the program longer than conventional diet every day.
So perhaps it is better to be informed than prejudiced.

Pippalea74

Bump to read later

EasilyLed

Think ndj is a serial blogger at 2500 posts. Too much posting & not enough reading? :laugh: If one reads or watches the documentary and then goes & reads the 200+ source science papers and research group publications it is clear that the restricted calorie program has real benefits on cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive abilities (read dementia). On lab mice. Early days on the science but pretty encouraging. And a side effect was weight loss & higher compliance. I.e. people stayed on the program longer than conventional diet every day.
So perhaps it is better to be informed than prejudiced.

^^^ Totally agree.

So while trying to stay neutral...... Wow having read all the angst above I think some people have totally misunderstood why intermittent fasting reached headlines and became popular. Losing weight is a happy side-effect. Studies so far show that it's has a whole range of postitives on the body from blood pressure, to diabetes to chemotherapy.

Each person is individual so while I understand why it won't be for everyone, it may just help some people find the right balance.

I know people who have had a very positive experience with 5:2, I also know some people who it didn't work for. I knew a guy at school who lost weight by eating only burgers and ketchup (not even a salad or roll). So as with everything use your judgement

MsPudding

And barely eating 2 days a week isn't a disorder at all

Exactly Jamie, it isn't. Glad you now concur :happy:

Sorry....just have to interject here. This is EXACTLY what I do, I enjoy good, natural, wholesome food, heavy on yummy veggies, lovely protein a bit lower on the carbs but they arnt ruled out and I carry on with my exercise regime (my dog still needs walking). Have absolutely no intention of EVER walking into a gym again...each to their own....and I feel happy, healthy, my skin is glowing with health, much less stressed, feeling happier at work...gosh the benefits for me just go on...but noone forces anyone to follow this lifestyle, just like noone will be able to force me into a gym

You've just described me. Most of my exercise is from walking, I cook 95% of things from scratch, use a lot of veg (as much homegrown as I can) and I also go lower on starchy carbs as they don't sit well with me. I did all that on 5:2 as well, it's just that I restricted calories on 2 days (mostly by eating lots of lovely home-made veg soups) and ate at TDEE the other 5 days.

Qskim

These forums a a faf! the quotes people are taking are getting so out of context and twisted. Much many peoples like diets. :laugh:

Counting calories on MFP is a "diet". Some people would say it's a fad that is the result of a clever phone and an app.

beattie1

Has anyone had trouble sleeping while doing the fasting?

I don't have trouble sleeping, and I don't wake up ravenous either. I find 5:2 a convenient way of cutting the number of calories I eat in a week. If it doesn't suit you, don't do it.

toutmonpossible

See if you can find a video, or excerpt of a program called Eat, Fast and Live Longer by Michael Mosley. He's also published a book, which I believe is called "The Fasting Diet." He likes 5:2, which he settled on after exploring fasting approaches. He's a journalist who practiced medicine, so he doesn't accept claims at face value.

MsPudding

For those who think any kind of fasting is unhealthy or an eating disorder I have a little straw poll question. Below is a photo of someone who has been doing her own variation of fasting for years - out of interest:

1. How old would you say she is?
2. Does she look healthy to you?

terlyn20

poll guesses

1. 57 YOA
2. yes she looks healthy and slim

nikilis

Has anyone had trouble sleeping while doing the fasting?

I don't have trouble sleeping, and I don't wake up ravenous either. I find 5:2 a convenient way of cutting the number of calories I eat in a week. If it doesn't suit you, don't do it.

sometimes but its usually to do with too much water (i have to pee) or my meal wasn't substantial enough. I dont wake up ravenous either. I might be a bit dehydrated, tho. a good ol glass of water will fix that. its funny after you have done it for a while cause you learn what your body needs, i.e a lot of the time you are just thirsty.

it shows the distinction between hunger (thats actually quite rare for me), brain hunger and thirst. I used to get a lot of brain hunger in the first 5 months of the year, christmas threw me off and my brain wanted bad stuff. now its gone again which is good.

chatogal

my guess

she looks beautiful, slim and healthy and in her fifties :-)

MsPudding

my guess

she looks beautiful, slim and healthy and in her fifties :-)

Well I know she'd blush at that. That's my dear old Mum. The photo was taken a few weeks ago and in a couple of months time she turns 70. She's had no cosmetic work and doesn't dye her hair (she's just starting to get a few greys). Her GP says that, biologically speaking, he'd think she was in her 40s by her medicals. She's never had to watch her weight and certainly never counted a calorie in her life.

Ever since I can remember (like 35-40 years) my Mum has fasted one day a week because she's always, completely unscientifically, felt that it 'offset' the rest of the week and 'kept her body on its toes'. Her diet is mostly heaps of veg, fish, nuts, cheese and avocados but she does like her red wine and 80% dark chocolate.

When I was a kid I thought she was a nutjob and that I ate 'normally'.....and, of course, I'm the one who's had a weight problem all my life from my 'normal eating'. As I've got older I've noticed something about people like her who we usually refer to as 'naturally slim' - they often eat in a boom/bust pattern. Every time we bemoan that skinny person who seems to eat like a horse; what we're generally doing is remembering the day they spent face down in chocolate cake and forgetting the days they ate like a bird. In fact when you start looking at it, the only people who eat the same amount day in and day out are people who are calorie counting.

ndj1979

Think ndj is a serial blogger at 2500 posts. Too much posting & not enough reading? :laugh: If one reads or watches the documentary and then goes & reads the 200+ source science papers and research group publications it is clear that the restricted calorie program has real benefits on cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive abilities (read dementia). On lab mice. Early days on the science but pretty encouraging. And a side effect was weight loss & higher compliance. I.e. people stayed on the program longer than conventional diet every day.
So perhaps it is better to be informed than prejudiced.

^^^ Totally agree.

So while trying to stay neutral...... Wow having read all the angst above I think some people have totally misunderstood why intermittent fasting reached headlines and became popular. Losing weight is a happy side-effect. Studies so far show that it's has a whole range of postitives on the body from blood pressure, to diabetes to chemotherapy.

Each person is individual so while I understand why it won't be for everyone, it may just help some people find the right balance.

I know people who have had a very positive experience with 5:2, I also know some people who it didn't work for. I knew a guy at school who lost weight by eating only burgers and ketchup (not even a salad or roll). So as with everything use your judgement

Wow the both of you obviously cannot read. I said that I did IF/Lean Gains for 8 months and LIKED it...I think you have me confused with someone else....please find where I said that there was a negative associated with IF/Lean Gains??? Note to rookies - read what others post before you try and bash someone...

ndj1979

I did 18/6 lean gains for about 8 months..I liked it and it helped me lean out ...the only problem was it really did not fit well into my lifestyle with work ..I felt like I was cooking/eating all evening...so I went back to just eating regularly during the day ...

if you can fit it into your lifestyle IF/lean gains is a great regimen...

here is my original post ....Please tell me where I said anything negative about 5:2 or fasting...all I said is that 18/6 did not fit into my lifestyle and I had to go back to regular eating schedule...

MissTattoo

500 calories? Yeah...no thanks. I would be a *kitten* the entire time.

rogueriverbrat

I was doing the 5-2 and I was losing 2 to 3 pounds a week ,When I first started doing it no problem now its really hard for me to do the 500 hundred calories 2 days a week ,I am going to keep trying it though cause it really does work