5:2?

angipep

Anyone doing 5:2 intermittent fasting? Would be great to do this with others for motivation etc 👌👍

jess1999louise

I'm just starting this today after being recommend by my GP. How are you finding it?

It's annoying me that I can't complete the diary on my 500kcal days

neanderthin

Personally I think 5:2 is one of the best methods for weight loss and it's designed exactly for that purpose as opposed to time restricted feeding (TRF) like 16:8 which has nothing to do with weight loss.

Unlike most diets where calories are restricted every day this method allows a person to eat their normal calorie consumption for 5 days of the week and all of the deficit calories required for weight loss happen in the other 2 days.

Of course this diet or any diet may not be suitable for everyone and it's always a good idea to have a chat with your PCP before you start any diet.

I've implemented this 3 different times over the last 5 years or so to lose weight, although not a lot, less than 10lbs each time, it worked well and without any problems, it was a breeze. Caveat; I don't count calories and I'm low carb and/or ketogenic and the 2 days was just knowing I cut back 80% of my volume.

Try non consecutive days to avoid being more hungry than you have to be and for fatigue. Avoid days that you are very physically active in sports or gym work which can drive that hunger and fatigue. Meal planning for those 2 days is probably a good idea. I scheduled the 2 days a Tuesday and a Friday which worked for me but it really doesn't matter, you will find some days work better than others, so don't be afraid to try different days. A good friend has done this expressly for her weight loss and puts both days together which for her is like a 48 hour fast which does have other health benefits like improved insulin sensitively and reduces inflammation more consistently than most other weight loss approaches, which works for her. Good luck.

AdahPotatah2024

I might try this on 2 of my 10 hour work shifts for March. It would be really easy on those days as I'm at a desk all day, and don't feel like cooking.
I'm hesitant to promote something like this because I feel there's so many people with eating disorders on myfitnesspal, but I have seen a lot of research that suggests it might promote longevity. & i'd like to lose 5 lbs or 10 to reduce my risk for diabetes.
Maybe I'll eat 500 calories of sardines once per week!:D

tomcustombuilder

Not a fan, especially for people with a low maintenance number.
If you go over maintenance as I’m sure many do, due to the premise that 5 days are “eat as you wish” then there is a chance that even with 2 low days you won’t lose.

It always comes down to overall weekly calories no matter what approach you feel you can be successful with.

Just remember that the only successful “diet” will be one you can do consistently and pretty much permanently and I seriously doubt 5:2 is something that can be implemented on a permanent basis.

Very limited protein for 2 days is not optimal for muscle retention especially for older people as MPS is compromised already.

neanderthin

tomcustombuilder wrote: »

Not a fan, especially for people with a low maintenance number.
If you go over maintenance as I’m sure many do, due to the premise that 5 days are “eat as you wish” then there is a chance that even with 2 low days you won’t lose.

It always comes down to overall weekly calories no matter what approach you feel you can be successful with.

Just remember that the only successful “diet” will be one you can do consistently and pretty much permanently and I seriously doubt 5:2 is something that can be implemented on a permanent basis.

Very limited protein for 2 days is not optimal for muscle retention especially for older people as MPS is compromised already.

Yeah, Tom , it's not "eat as you wish". If a person is calorie counting for example, they would adjust calories to maintenance and then adjust for the 2 days.

tomcustombuilder

neanderthin wrote: »

tomcustombuilder wrote: »

Not a fan, especially for people with a low maintenance number.
If you go over maintenance as I’m sure many do, due to the premise that 5 days are “eat as you wish” then there is a chance that even with 2 low days you won’t lose.

It always comes down to overall weekly calories no matter what approach you feel you can be successful with.

Just remember that the only successful “diet” will be one you can do consistently and pretty much permanently and I seriously doubt 5:2 is something that can be implemented on a permanent basis.

Very limited protein for 2 days is not optimal for muscle retention especially for older people as MPS is compromised already.

Yeah, Tom , it's not "eat as you wish". If a person is calorie counting for example, they would adjust calories to maintenance and then adjust for the 2 days.

Yes I'm sure that would be better however many people mis interpret it as eat with impunity for 5 days as many of the websites state is ok and either way I seriously doubt that it's sustainable long term so at some point you'd go back to new daily maintenance instead and hopefully don't put the wight back on

neanderthin

tomcustombuilder wrote: »

neanderthin wrote: »

tomcustombuilder wrote: »

Not a fan, especially for people with a low maintenance number.
If you go over maintenance as I’m sure many do, due to the premise that 5 days are “eat as you wish” then there is a chance that even with 2 low days you won’t lose.

It always comes down to overall weekly calories no matter what approach you feel you can be successful with.

Just remember that the only successful “diet” will be one you can do consistently and pretty much permanently and I seriously doubt 5:2 is something that can be implemented on a permanent basis.

Very limited protein for 2 days is not optimal for muscle retention especially for older people as MPS is compromised already.

Yeah, Tom , it's not "eat as you wish". If a person is calorie counting for example, they would adjust calories to maintenance and then adjust for the 2 days.

Yes I'm sure that would be better however many people mis interpret it as eat with impunity for 5 days as many of the websites state is ok and either way I seriously doubt that it's sustainable long term so at some point you'd go back to new daily maintenance instead and hopefully don't put the wight back on

The sustainability of 5:2 falls under the same issues of any diet's success. Whether someone misinterprets or is given the wrong information, like eat all the calories you want doesn't mean that it doesn't work or isn't sustainable. Many people fail calorie counting or eating whole foods, or being vegetarian or the ketogenic diet so I presume these are diets that are also unsustainable and can't be relied on, on a permanent basis either.

Being in a calorie deficit every day as opposed to only 2 days is for the individual to work out which is better and like I said it may not suit everyone, just like calorie counting or a vegetarian or a ketogenic diet won't suit everyone.

Personally I don't do any IF went I'm maintaining my weight, but 5:2 was a good tool when I used it to lose10lbs and the adage if you can't maintain it for the rest of ones life then it's not sustainable, yeah, it wasn't for sustainability it was a tool to help me lose 10lbs, unfortunately, I understand calories counting is for life and I can see why that may conflict with many peoples idea's of different ways to lose weight or maintain weight for that matter.