Fasting two days a week?

susannamarie

Interesting that some people are "annoyed" by this under eating of calories. If you are overweight, you should be under eating. Your body can access the fat stores if you will allow it to. The problem with society now is that we have been programed to think we need to eat every 3 hours and we never give our bodies a rest. In addition, we never get to the fat stores. Now that I'm on the 5:2 plan, and yes, it's my own version of the plan, I notice all the overweight folks everywhere I go and many of them are very young. Like some of the posters mentioned, you have to do what works for you.

If you are overweight, yes, you should be eating at a deficit -- but not necessarily under eating, which is commonly used to indicate eating in a way that doesn't meet basic nutritional requirements.

Poofy_Goodness

This sounds silly to me.

TeresaB1979

This sounds completely miserable. Surely you can find something that works, and doesn't make you hate life.

Yeah, I find spending 5 days a week being relaxed about what I eat pure misery!

In all honesty, 5:2 is (for me and many, many others) a great way to create a calorie deficit (which is all that is needed to lose weight) in a way that means you only have to be really 'good' (restrictive) with calories for 2 days a week. For the other five days you can eat very well and I have found that in order to gain weight I would really have to pig out.

Don't view it as a 'diet' though. Like any other plan to lose weight it should be change of lifestyle and something you will stick to for good. I am only a couple of pounds from a healthy weight now and when I hit my target I will do 6:1 to maintain that weight and intend to do that forever because for me, that is a simple and enjoyable way of eating.

The documentary 'Eat, Fast and Live Longer' is really interesting and informative and is what inspired me to eat this way when I saw if back in February. For me, not having to be really strict about calories every day was the biggest advantage. I love it!

I have seen people on here who say things like 'It will make you miserable!' but then go on to say they've never done it because 'it's horrible' (something they 'just know' without any experience). Logic would indicate that people who do it know more about it than people who haven't. You should make your decision to eat this way based on how you like it once you've tried it yourself.

*Edited to add: Also, if you view it as a 'fad' then it is a fad (Just saw the comment above me). Just something to do for a while. Intermittent fasting has been around a hell of a long time. It is not a fad unless you treat it like one... It's not for everyone, sure, but just because something isn't for you it doesn't make it a 'fad'.*

It's not my thing (not eating leads to bad things for me), but if it works for you then it works for you.

Cool. Yeah, it's not for everyone. :-)

suprzonic

I have read testimony from people who swear by fasting for two, then eating their normal 500-1000 deficit the other days. I'm not sure if this is because they have a larger deficit for the whole week or something else, I'm just curious as to why someone would do this and is it useful at all?

I'm guessing it might also have something to do with the whole "Intermittent Fasting" thing.

Hi - this site has lots of people doing 5:2 and heaps of information for you: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/

I researched it just for my own info. Tried it. Still doing it. Love it! I've never been able to find results of any scientific human study - stopped looking when I found this ...http://www.adelaide.edu.au/news/news61581.html

I was swayed by a tv documentary and lots of online testamony too. While I'm waiting on those human trial results to come in, I've elected to keep going with 5:2

catwilliams8

Just one I came across now. Cardioprotective benefits too http://www.nutritionj.com/content/12/1/146