5:2 question about '5' day calories

elliej

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?

trigden1991

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

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

what is this?

TeaBea

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

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

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