5:2 question about '5' day calories

elliej
elliej Posts: 466 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know that different people are following different patterns, but typically when doing 5:2 when not fasting how close to your maintenance do you eat and how much do you have to lose?

Replies

  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    I think the general is to eat at maintenance calories on your "high" days. However it all comes down to your weekly deficit requirements.
  • tashygolean730
    tashygolean730 Posts: 92 Member
    Most will eat their TDEE. Many start at 500/2000 as an offhand average for females. I do ADF so I eat up to 500 every other day, and then I eat 1800-2200 on my other days. My TDEE is around 1900-2000 and I lose 1.5-2 pounds a week on average. But I have just under 100 left to lose
  • jwcanfield
    jwcanfield Posts: 192 Member
    what is this?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited August 2016
    jwcanfield wrote: »
    what is this?

    Essentially eat at 500 calories 2 days a week & maintenance for the other 5. Basically a zig-zag diet. If you have lots of weight to lose you can do 4:3

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100058-5-2-fasting

    OP - you don't want weight loss that is too fast for your current stats (lean muscle loss). A weekly goal should be no more than 1% of what you currently weigh. My maintenance days are future maintenance calories....but then again, I don't zig-zag as low as 500 (it was too hard for me).
  • msalicia116
    msalicia116 Posts: 233 Member
    When I'm not fasting, I also eat my goal weight maintenance calories. It's plenty, and it also acclimates me to a calorie amount that I'll be maintaining on. I still plan on fasting when I reach goal, so I factor that in.

    http://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/ is the best website to plug in your information and find what works for your goals.
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
    Thanks all for replies. Just FYI I am not planning on sticking with 5:2 long term but I'm finding it a great way to make me consider my "cravings" versus hunger, as my weight has crept up since I had to stop lifting after a neck injury

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