5:2 vs eating several smaller meals per day

karentalty

I need to change the way in which I eat. I have tried eating smaller meals which just leads to more snacking. I have tried limiting it strictly to 3 meals a day which leads to more snacking! I have heard a lot about the benefits of both the 5:2 'diet' and eating several smaller meals per day.

Have you tried any/both? pro's and con's?

rachelc677

On 5:2 you can't really eat several small meals as you only get to eat 500 calories for the day. A lot of people keep it all for dinner and some split it into to meals... It's whatever works best for you

thecarbmonster

A good place for info would be the 5:2 group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8005-5-2-fasting

butlersoft

Also ... it makes absolutely ZERO difference as to when and how often you eat. You can have 15 meals a day all at 100kcal ... or have a single meal of 1500kcal just before you go to bed.

If you are constantly snacking, try ensuring that you get your calories from Fats and Proteins which have a higher satiety rating and will make you feel fuller for longer....

Drink plenty of water.

janatarnhem

I'm doing the TDEE method now, but did the 5:2 for about 2 months....it was great! And it is the most weight loss I have had in a short, but reasonable amount of time. ....I did enjoy it too, the fast days became easier.
It was the health benefits from the research that I was more interested in though. The reductions in blood cholesterol, the reduction in internal body fat, the stabilisation of insulin production etc.etc. I had less bloating and generally felt ok, doing the fasts!
I stopped as life got in the way. It was just too hard to get back to once I'd stopped for a while! I put half the weight back on very quickly too!
Also, you do need to do a calorie restriction on the days of normal eating.
On the 5:2. website, there is a method for calculating your calories.
I found not much (enough!!) difference between that and calories on the TDEE sites...eg Scoobys, NHs, MFP.

There are groups on here and several members who have lost and are maintaining doing the 5:2, and of course those doing TDEE methods!

Mylolamia

Started Alternate Day Diet where I eat a maximum of 500 calories every other day and anything I want (within reason) on Up days. This is working so well for me that. I even look forward to those Down days. The first day is a little tough, but discovered that if eating lots of healthy vegetables, especially on Down days, I feel fuller longer. I spread my calories through the day as having not eaten since supper the night before makes for too long a fast for me so need something in the morning. 5:2, Alternate Day Diet, Every Other Day Diet...all basically the same, and all good. Good luck in your journey!

Docbanana2002

From the standpoint of calorie burn, I don't think it matters much. Eat your meals when you want. From the standpoint of helping you stick with the diet and gain some measure of control over your eating, experiment a little with plans that fit you best.

When I started out I was really struggling with binge eating and compulsive snacking because I had the munchies all the time and almost always gave in. I didn't feel in control of my eating. What helped me is to eat very nutritious food, allow myself to lose slower at first so I had lots of calories, and to plan about 9 times a day to eat. Three meals of larger calories, plus 6 snacks scheduled at strategic times when I was prone to snacking. Eating this way helped me get used to existing in a state between a little hungry (before meal) to no longer hungry (after) when the extremes of starved (skipping meals) and stuffed (binging) were my only modes prior to that. Now I naturally eat less and a full feeling feels uncomfortable for me now, rather than being a state I want to get to at every meal.

It also helped me gain some measure of control over my eating because I was planning in advance to eat those snacks and making them healthy rather than losing control and grabbing junk. Over time I have gained more control and am more likely to eat 3 meals + 3 snacks because having to eat the 6 snacks started to feel more burdensome. I might stay at this plan permanently or condense more in the future, I'm not sure. But I know eating only a couple of meals and letting myself get to starved is bad for me personally, so I don't ever want to go back there.

karentalty

Thank you everyone for replying! I was just looking for some ideas as to which may be more suitable for me.

I think I will try will better planning of snacks to begin with while sticking to 3 bigger meals a day-to plan for 5/6 small meals a day doesn't suit my lifestyle nor my boyfriends!

I also can't get my head around not eating properly twice a week-maybe my opinion will change on that soon but not right now!

Thanks again!

whalebeast

I have never done 5:2 so I can't comment on that, but I am a grazer so tend to eat smaller amounts throughout the day. I try to structure it so the snacking doesn't run away with me!

I have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack, such as fruit, nuts, oatcakes, quorn pieces, yogurt, to keep me going til the next meal.

Good luck!

sijomial

I find if I eat lots of smaller meals I don't eat a balanced diet so my normal routine is 3 meals a day. Snacks are very much "extras" that fit around my core foods. It's just personal preference to find what gives you a good diet and adherence to calorie / macro / nutrition goals.

With the 5:2 way of eating you can eat your food in whatever way suits you on both fast days and normal days.
I find skipping breakfast very easy on a fast day - I'm no more hungry until lunchtime whether I have breakfast or not. My usual routine is two meals on a fast day, lunch & dinner with no snacks. With a bit of planning and making good choices my two meals are quite filling and substantial despite being low calorie.

Really it takes a bit of experimentation to find what works for you. Quite a few people save their calories for a single meal on a fast day.

eggcluck

500 calories is ridiculous, have fun cannibalising your own fat burning muscle and destroying your body with malnutrition

sijomial

500 calories is ridiculous, have fun cannibalising your own fat burning muscle and destroying your body with malnutrition

It's only twice a week, the other 5 days are at maintenance. You may like to do a little research into IF.
That gives a typical calorie deficit over the course of a week of only 3,000 calories - not what I would call malnutrition!

BTW - I've been doing 5:2 for almost two years and have had no trouble in maintaining my muscle mass.

bunnylion

I started the 16:8 version of intermittent fasting two weeks ago. For me this means starting to eat between noon and 1pm and stop eating between 8 and 9pm. This has really helped me to avoid accidental snacking and I never have to go hungry. The first few days I got hungry in the late morning but that passed quite quickly.

I want to try 5:2 but to start like that right away seemed a bit scary to me.