Intermittent Fasting 5:2 causes starvation mode?

youngcalorieburner

Hey on the 5:2 diet for IF ig i really ate whatever i wanted on feeding days then just dinner with the fam on fadting days, could i possibly gain weight? Also if i eat on a defecit on the feeding days and dinner with the family on fasting days, could that cause starvation mode, because ive wwnt on a 4week plateau before using the 20/4 because i ate 1300 calories instead of 1500 and i was exercising like a madman.

donjessop

There are plenty of studies that show that fasting does work FOR SOME PEOPLE. Not everyone responds the same way to the fasting process.

Now, can you eat whatever you want on feeding days? No. There are still limits as to what you can/should eat. You still need to eat fewer calories than you are burning in order to lose weight. If you ate enough calories in five days that would normally last you a week, you are not going to lose weight regardless of whether or not you fast on the other two days.

You still need to eat healthy for those five days, it's just that you can eat a little more of those healthy foods than if you stuck to a seven day diet.

Siansonea

Ah yes, "starvation mode", the reason that famine victims can't stop gaining weight... :huh:

GreenKay

Yeah, when my mom was wasting away from not eating because the chemo made her sick, I kept thinking, "when does the alleged starvation mode kick in?"

lilbearzmom

I'm a big fan of 5:2, but even I am not blind to the fact that it works because of an overall calorie deficit. That means that even if you stick to a 500-600 calorie menu on your fast days, you will gain weight if you are overeating on the other days.