not working so changing to 5:2 diet but my way

kathendo1984
kathendo1984 Posts: 111
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys, so after doing really well for the past few weeks i am getting disheartend as there's no loss on the scales. People have said i look like ive lost weight and i do feel better, less bloated and full, but i really want to see the scales move abit.

So have been doing alot of research on the 5:2 diet and think this could work for me, i will eat the same as i do now for 5 days at around 1400-1500 cals but on the other 2 days only have 700 cals or lower, all the research that i have done say's to do 500 cals on the low days but i just dont think i could do this so giving 700 or lower a shot for a couple weeks. Will do this for 2 weeks then weigh and update.

I will also be doing an exercise programme that my fiance put together, it looks like this

10 press ups

10 sit ups

10 squats

2 mins punching out straight with arm weights

2 mins jogging on the spot then repeat

I will do this everyday or at least 5 days a week for the first 2 weeks and see how i get on, as im not a big fan of exercise he thought it would be better to start off small then add to it.

What do you guys think, any advice :)

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I've been doing 5:2 since August and am finding it works for me.
    I need a big (weekly) calorie deficit to shift the pounds and having two low days really helps achieve this without making the whole week a chore struggling to stay under target.
    I work on net calories which may not be strictly following the regime and aim for 600 (net) on the low days.

    I'm losing 1lb a week - 13lb total.
    My wife has lost 19lb in the same time, she doesn't exercise much but does stick to 500 calories on the low days.

    Link to the Horizon program is in my profile if anyone is interested.
  • coburngirl
    coburngirl Posts: 69 Member
    I've never heard of this diet but now I'm intrigued. Thanks for posting!
  • kathendo1984
    kathendo1984 Posts: 111
    I've been doing 5:2 since August and am finding it works for me.
    I need a big (weekely) calorie deficit to shift the pounds and having two low days really helps achieve this without making the whole week a chore struggling to stay under target.
    I work on net calories which may not be strictly following the regime and aim for 600 (net) on the low days.

    I'm losing 1lb a week - 13lb total.
    My wife has lost 19lb in the same time, she doesn't exercise much but does stick to 500 calories on the low days.

    thanks for your reply, glad its working for you. Im hopeing that keeping my cals abit down on my up days will compensate for having around 700 or lower on my down days, i just dont think i could do 500. I will do this for 2 weeks and see what happens and if it dopesnt work will tweak it, if i loose some then will keep going. i will update on here. Many thanks :)
  • kathendo1984
    kathendo1984 Posts: 111
    I've never heard of this diet but now I'm intrigued. Thanks for posting!

    No problem, ive started this today and im on a low day so will see how it goes. am going to do low days when i work late shifts as will find this easier i think. Will update on here how its going :)
  • vickid36
    vickid36 Posts: 6
    Hi
    Can't wait to see how you do. You can do it I am sure
    Good luck.
    Keep us posted.
  • kathendo1984
    kathendo1984 Posts: 111
    Hi
    Can't wait to see how you do. You can do it I am sure
    Good luck.
    Keep us posted.

    Thank you very much and i will keep you updated on here :)
    just hope it works :) xx
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    How did you research the diet? I've only heard of the tv program, and I was under the impression it was invented by Mosely just for the documentary. I'd like to know more about where it came from.
  • kathendo1984
    kathendo1984 Posts: 111
    so this is my plan ive just printed out. going to stick it in my works kitchen and kitchen at home so i can see it all the time :)

    5:2 diet plan to help with weight loss.

    5 days a week eat 1200-1500 cals a day
    2 days a week eat 500-700 cals a day

    Have low days when working pm shifts as will find this easier, as will only eat dinner and tea and can go to bed early.
    Do my exercise routine at least 5 days a week, this is

    • 10 press ups
    • 10 sit ups
    • 10 squats
    • 2 mins of punching with weights
    • 2 mins of jogging on spot
    • Then repeat all above again

    500-700 cals a day options.

    • Black tea with sweetener – 2 calories
    • Ready meals between 200 and 300 cals
    • Mushroom and Veg stir fry with soy sauce and five spice 180 cals
    • Beans and 1 egg with 1 piece low cal bread – 340 cals
    • Small chicken wrap, no crisp or chocolate – 340 cals
    • Water
    • Veg/salad with fish/chicken – 250-350 cals

    Have thought about easy foods that i can do at work in the office kitchen. Not worried about my 1200-1500 up days as i already eat well on those :)
  • kathendo1984
    kathendo1984 Posts: 111
    How did you research the diet? I've only heard of the tv program, and I was under the impression it was invented by Mosely just for the documentary. I'd like to know more about where it came from.

    hello, i basicly read alot of topics on here about it, also searched google and read wiki pedia. seems to work quite well but i dont think id survive on 500cals in one day so have adapted it to suit me better. hopefully it will work :)
  • c2111
    c2111 Posts: 693 Member
    i have never heard of it either so just bumping curious to see how you go, best of luck :)
  • babsb121
    babsb121 Posts: 35 Member
    @sijomial above gives the link for the Horizon programme, but here's the link to the article Dr Mosley wrote following up the programme...
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/9480451/The-52-diet-can-it-help-you-lose-weight-and-live-longer.html
  • aniyadly
    aniyadly Posts: 2 Member
    Hi all, I am on my third week of the 5:2 diet after a friend sent me the video of the show (unfortunately I now see that the video has been taken away for copyright reasons which is a shame because it's the watching the video that gears you up, anyway although I have seen an up and down level of weight shifting and then put back it steady's out at the end of the week. I have always been a yo-yo dieter, a couple of years ago losing 13kg dieting and exercise, went back into bad habits hence no exercise as less time as before. So this seemed ideal. Although the fasting days (I have the 500 calls) are quite tough, but I find it's very mind over matter, plus the fact you know the day after you can eat, very much the secret in this kind of diet as you are not depriving yourself, makes the difference. I stick to 1500 on non fasting days and find that I am really full on that, whereas I'm sure I pigged on double that last few months lol
  • Rachielous
    Rachielous Posts: 80 Member
    I am starting this 'regime' - (I hate the word diet!) today.

    I am going to do 500kcal on my fasting days and increase my calorie allowance to 1300 instead of 1200 on my 'food' days.
  • s2r3d4
    s2r3d4 Posts: 1
    Just a quick question, anyone know if I can setup the app so that it shows 600cal for say Monday and Tuesday and 1500 for the rest? its just that I've set it up as 600 and on my 1500 days, i'm in RED :-(
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Just a quick question, anyone know if I can setup the app so that it shows 600cal for say Monday and Tuesday and 1500 for the rest? its just that I've set it up as 600 and on my 1500 days, i'm in RED :-(

    You can't.
  • MissPeppers
    MissPeppers Posts: 302 Member
    I've adopted the term "eating pattern" instead - I'm not on a diet, it's simply the way I eat. I also do a rough estimate on my fasting days - 5-600ish kcals or thereabtout, I don't fuss too much about it though.

    About setting the kcal goals I recommend trying what I've done lately; setting my kcal goal to maintenance and looking at the weekly average instead of goals from day to day. This works best on the mobile app though; the reports you get on the web site is not good enough for that. But when I use the app I see how many kcals I've eaten every day and with the week average I have full control of my deficit.

    Get a lot of "You're not eating enough" though LOL.
  • Love_flowers
    Love_flowers Posts: 365 Member
    OP: How are you doing so far?
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    Just a quick question, anyone know if I can setup the app so that it shows 600cal for say Monday and Tuesday and 1500 for the rest? its just that I've set it up as 600 and on my 1500 days, i'm in RED :-(

    Why not just subtract the required number off the top? Make yourself a "custom food" that is worth -900 and just add one 'serving' to your low days. I use this method to carry over unused calories and make up overages.
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
    Bump to follow. I did the 5:2 diet for some months. Suspended it at the moment as I have a lot of physical work to get through and I get ravenous! Looking forward to re-starting when life gets back to normal.

    Just one point - it's not recommended to do your low calorie days back to back. I gathered it's better to separate them.

    I like Koldriana's tip to make a custom food to take up unwanted calories on fast days & avoid the red "nag message" :flowerforyou:
  • losinglbs1654
    losinglbs1654 Posts: 12
    I think I might try and do this! I'm looking to lose weight by the end of December and so far not much has worked for me. Does anyone have any ideas for a 500 calorie meal plan? Do you have to eat specific foods or just anything that adds up to 500? Has anyone had great success with it and should you exercise on your low days or just on the days where you can eat more? Sorry about all of the questions. I'm just super curious about this! I hope someone can answer them.
  • nerchk
    nerchk Posts: 136 Member
    Just a quick question, anyone know if I can setup the app so that it shows 600cal for say Monday and Tuesday and 1500 for the rest? its just that I've set it up as 600 and on my 1500 days, i'm in RED :-(

    non consecutive days dear
  • lilsweetie2043
    lilsweetie2043 Posts: 15 Member
    bump
  • mjhedgehog
    mjhedgehog Posts: 249 Member
    bump. sounds interesting. :smile:
  • lts42uk
    lts42uk Posts: 162 Member
    I think I might try and do this! I'm looking to lose weight by the end of December and so far not much has worked for me. Does anyone have any ideas for a 500 calorie meal plan? Do you have to eat specific foods or just anything that adds up to 500? Has anyone had great success with it and should you exercise on your low days or just on the days where you can eat more? Sorry about all of the questions. I'm just super curious about this! I hope someone can answer them.

    I've just started this and I exercise on all days. I do exercise first thing in the morning though, so maybe that makes it easier. I just eat 500 cals spread across the day: porridge with berry fruits for breakfast, soup for lunch, and grilled chicken or salmon with salad or veg for dinner. I drink a couple of cups of unsweetened black coffee or redbush tea and the rest water.
  • lorri68
    lorri68 Posts: 53 Member
    Now all the xmas food has gone im starting this'd tomorrow 2 Jan . i can help kickstart my weight loss .

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