5:2 Diet question..

xmissxamyx

Hi all (oh and I DID use the search function and couldn't find the answer to my question sooo...)

I've recently started taking the 5:2 diet approach to my food/diet I normally eat 1500 a day...since im now essentially fasting 2 days a week should I raise my non fast day calorie allowance to a higher amount (say 1800-2000? I read that on the days your not fasting you should be eating a normal healthy calorie amount??) and also on the days where im suppose to be eating the restricted amount of 500cals should I be exercising on those days? Like if my allowance is 500 and I exercise and burn 300cals then my total daily intake would then only be 200cals? that doesn't seem healthy, but should I just approach the fast days the same way as I do the other days and go about my routine as normal?

thanks in advance!!

OllyJ_79

What are your stats?

yarwell

inadequate data :-)

As a general principle the 5:2 diet is 500 cals / day two days a week and 5 days at maintenance, if 1500 is your maintenance then 5 * 1500 and 2 * 500 = 8500 per week or 1214 per day average.

On the two days you'll use in excess of 1200 calories the deficit is taken from your fat reserves - calories don't have to be eaten.

OllyJ_79

There is a site that attempts to lay out the IF routine, I've not really checked it out thoroughly but it might be useful

http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/

zenner22

Hi, I know you posted this a while back. I hope you've had success on your plan. What I've been doing for he last few weeks is 2 fast days and then eating 200 calories more than MFP tell my to on non-fast days. I eat back half my exercise calories on regular days and none on fast days. Seems to be working pretty well for me so far. I definitely still track though. Otherwise I gain weight.

Christine_72

You don't have to eat 500 calories on your fast days. It's UP TO 500. It can be 0 to 500 cals. I hover around 300 calories on fast days and my tdee of 1700 on up days.

geojeepgirl

There is a 5:2 group also...feel free to check out. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100058-5-2-fasting

I eat around 400 on my fast days, whatever breakfast turns out to be. Then up to my tdee on non-fast days. I will sometimes eat some of my calories back on fast days...typically about a third or so back from what my fitbit says I burned. I dont eat back on non-fast days unless I feel wonky after my dreadmill run.