UK Programme on fasting

mandyw30
mandyw30 Posts: 73 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Anybody watching the programme on fasting just finishing on BBC 2?
The presenter has just tried a 5:2 day diet - 5 days eating normally as he was before and 2 days of eating only 600 calories (fast day). He lost 14lbs and 8% body fat. He also reduced cholesterol, and a marker that they use for predicting cancer.
It's quite interesting about the effects of fasting. There was also benefits of alternating fast days and feed days and also a 4 day fast every 2-3 months.
Anybody any thoughts on it?
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Replies

  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    intermittent fasting is fairly popular in the paleo/primal side of things, I'm not a fan because I am a person who has recovered from an ED so it's too tempting to just carry on.
  • Cazzy34
    Cazzy34 Posts: 159 Member
    It was VERY interesting!

    I think i may consider adopting this approach for 6 weeks and see what difference it makes to my life. I am not sure if the intermittent fasting or the 5:2 is a better approach.

    I can see why it would possibly be a appetite suppressant on the feed days, as i know if i restrict my calories considerably i also lose my appetite.

    I enjoy all the documentaries that Michael Mosley does. The one on exercise was equally interesting.
  • mandyw30
    mandyw30 Posts: 73 Member
    It was VERY interesting!

    I think i may consider adopting this approach for 6 weeks and see what difference it makes to my life. I am not sure if the intermittent fasting or the 5:2 is a better approach.

    I can see why it would possibly be a appetite suppressant on the feed days, as i know if i restrict my calories considerably i also lose my appetite.

    I enjoy all the documentaries that Michael Mosley does. The one on exercise was equally interesting.

    I was thinking that both the feed day/fast day regime and the 5:2 could be doable. Really don't think I could fast for 4 days though!!
  • mandyw30
    mandyw30 Posts: 73 Member
    intermittent fasting is fairly popular in the paleo/primal side of things, I'm not a fan because I am a person who has recovered from an ED so it's too tempting to just carry on.

    Ah didn't realise it was popular amongst paleo/primal. Sounds like I wise decision by you though not to fast. Well done for overcoming an ED.
  • DizzyLinds
    DizzyLinds Posts: 856 Member
    I'm currently doing 1 or 2 24hour fasts each week and am finding them good! Lost a couple of pounds too!
  • Cazzy34
    Cazzy34 Posts: 159 Member
    It was VERY interesting!

    I think i may consider adopting this approach for 6 weeks and see what difference it makes to my life. I am not sure if the intermittent fasting or the 5:2 is a better approach.

    I can see why it would possibly be a appetite suppressant on the feed days, as i know if i restrict my calories considerably i also lose my appetite.

    I enjoy all the documentaries that Michael Mosley does. The one on exercise was equally interesting.

    I was thinking that both the feed day/fast day regime and the 5:2 could be doable. Really don't think I could fast for 4 days though!!

    Agreed! I could do the 5:2, and i think that's what i would go with. Pick the 2 days i know i would be able to fast easily and just eat normally the other 5. I could maybe do the intermittent thing but i think that would be more difficult. :) AND i doubt i could fast for 4 days in a row without collapsing lol
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
    I saw the article about this programme on the Beeb's website a couple of days ago. Will watch it on t'internet soon - it looked intriguing. I was wondering whether to try it - perhaps if I get stuck/ plateau?
    I'm interested to see what others think.
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
    intermittent fasting is fairly popular in the paleo/primal side of things, I'm not a fan because I am a person who has recovered from an ED so it's too tempting to just carry on.

    I watched it and was also tempted but, like you I think It'd be too easy to change the 5:2 ratio and I have enough difficulty making sure I reach my daily caloric goals anyway. I just know on the eating days I'd still have the 'fasting' mode switched on. If that makes sense?
  • DizzyLinds
    DizzyLinds Posts: 856 Member
    What did however confuse me was the comments made on decreasing protein levels?
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
    What did however confuse me was the comments made on decreasing protein levels?

    Oh yes, I forgot about that. I've only just got in to the habit of introducing as much protein as I can into my daily diet (before MFP I was maxing 10g's a day), I really don't want to have to drop it again as I realise I LOVE protein, lol! :)
  • shanice_22
    shanice_22 Posts: 202 Member
    I've recorded it to watch another time but it does sound very interesting from what I've heard so far!
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
    Did anyone else watch this last night? What are your thoughts about reducing protein?
  • Tenar13
    Tenar13 Posts: 49 Member
    The comment he made was that we should be meeting the recomended protein amounts but not exceeding them. However he did not say what those recommendations were... pity really. I have just upped my protein too - that said I have also seen much better results since doing that breaking a long plateau and from the look of it loosing fat rather than my newly toned muscle :-)
  • whiskeycharged
    whiskeycharged Posts: 400 Member
    The comment he made was that we should be meeting the recomended protein amounts but not exceeding them. However he did not say what those recommendations were... pity really. I have just upped my protein too - that said I have also seen much better results since doing that breaking a long plateau and from the look of it loosing fat rather than my newly toned muscle :-)

    Good. I didn't feel like reading tonight that my protein intake should be lowered. I consume 1 to 1.5 grams of protein a day per lb my body weight.

    I have been doing IF for the past 2 weeks now. I fast and feed anywhere from 16 x 8 to 20 x 4. My body has been responding better with IF than 6 small meals. I am leaning out more now than ever before.
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
    The comment he made was that we should be meeting the recomended protein amounts but not exceeding them. However he did not say what those recommendations were... pity really. I have just upped my protein too - that said I have also seen much better results since doing that breaking a long plateau and from the look of it loosing fat rather than my newly toned muscle :-)

    Good. I didn't feel like reading tonight that my protein intake should be lowered. I consume 1 to 1.5 grams of protein a day per lb my body weight.

    I have been doing IF for the past 2 weeks now. I fast and feed anywhere from 16 x 8 to 20 x 4. My body has been responding better with IF than 6 small meals. I am leaning out more now than ever before.

    Can I just ask, in the hours that you do eat do you still calorie count or can you basically eat what you want to?
    I'd never heard of IF before joining MFP but it seems I've been doing it for most of my adult life without knowing it, lol!
    I hardly ever eat anything from the moment I wake until just an hour or so before I go to sleep. I drink around 5 cups of black tea with 2 sweeteners during the day though so I'm not sure if that fits in with a fast or not?
  • Tenar13
    Tenar13 Posts: 49 Member
    The other thing he did say is that it may not work for everyone and that more research is needed. I'd love to know if it would work for me as the idea of significantly reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease along side getting healthier is really interesting.

    I wonder what difference exercise makes to the need to fast...
  • lose3stone
    lose3stone Posts: 76 Member
    I also watched the programme last night and thought it was very interesting, particulary the health benefits (ofcourse weightloss too)As I'm lacking a lot of motivation I've decided to give the 5:2 a go. I'm starting today with the 500 day (for girls). As I undestood it, you don't have to have the fasting days together so I believe this could be the 'something new' boost I need.

    Anyone else fancy trying for a month?
  • 1DayAt_aTime
    1DayAt_aTime Posts: 45
    bump - very interested in this
  • Ejwelton
    Ejwelton Posts: 331 Member
    We watched it too, and found it really interesting.

    On the 500 cal fast day do you have to eat all the calories in one meal - or can you spread them out over the day?
    I notice he had one meal and switched from the recommendation to have it at lunch and had it as breakfast instead.
  • Tenar13
    Tenar13 Posts: 49 Member
    I just read the article and he appears to have split his fast day into two meals breakfast (300 cals) and dinner (300 cals) so it appears not.
  • Elizadolots
    Elizadolots Posts: 178
    What was the name of this programme please?
  • speediejane
    speediejane Posts: 496 Member
    bump
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
    What was the name of this programme please?

    Here's the link for the iPlayer Eliza;

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01lxyzc/Horizon_20122013_Eat_Fast_and_Live_Longer/
  • Tenar13
    Tenar13 Posts: 49 Member
    If you google Michael Mosley fasting it should get you both the article and the programme. But it was called Horizon: Eat, fast and live longer - I think.
  • whiskeycharged
    whiskeycharged Posts: 400 Member

    Can I just ask, in the hours that you do eat do you still calorie count or can you basically eat what you want to?
    I'd never heard of IF before joining MFP but it seems I've been doing it for most of my adult life without knowing it, lol!
    I hardly ever eat anything from the moment I wake until just an hour or so before I go to sleep. I drink around 5 cups of black tea with 2 sweeteners during the day though so I'm not sure if that fits in with a fast or not?

    I've been doing a cut (calorie deficit) right now. So, I do count my calories still. I am 3.5 lbs away for my goal in which I will switch over to my maintenance. In my opinion, this will be the real test for IF.

    I've heard a lot of other people say the same thing about not even knowing they were doing IF, because they simply did not here about it before.

    You break the fast with calories. Black tea is fine. A little sweetner should be okay. Personally speaking, I always drink my coffee black. I'm not sure what the sweetner nutrition facts are but if you know, I can tell you.
  • missredk8
    missredk8 Posts: 9
    Horizon - 2012-2013
    - 3. Eat, Fast and Live Longer its on i Player
  • mirandamayhem
    mirandamayhem Posts: 772
    What was the name of this programme please?

    Here's the link for the iPlayer Eliza;

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01lxyzc/Horizon_20122013_Eat_Fast_and_Live_Longer/

    Thanks for this, listening as I browse the forums
  • whiskeycharged
    whiskeycharged Posts: 400 Member
    Just an FYI to anyone who is interested...

    MFP has a group on here called Intermittent Fasting. There are different styles of IF too. The one I do is called lean gains. It's where you fast for 16 hours and then have an 8 hour feed window.

    Feel free to look up the group and check out the FAQ.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    The comment he made was that we should be meeting the recomended protein amounts but not exceeding them. However he did not say what those recommendations were... pity really. I have just upped my protein too - that said I have also seen much better results since doing that breaking a long plateau and from the look of it loosing fat rather than my newly toned muscle :-)

    I also read somewhere associated with this programme that the Genesis Institute in Manchester has looked at 2 day fasting, and interestingly an allied study showed that the the same results could be had on those two days eating protein and nuts to your hearts (stomachs) content. I believe they are continuing the study, but for the life of me I can't find the reference to it. However, if it is the case that 2 days of low-carb high protein work the same as VLC, then I don't know if this is just in terms of weight-loss, cancer protection or if the end results are the same as low cal.
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    Protein - if people would like to watch the program again, the premise was not diet but aging. Particularly IGF-1 and growing and resting states of the body in relation to cell structure. Protein inhibits the resting state and keeps raised the production of IGF-1, which we know we take protein to grow.

    The point was that fasting was altering IGF-1 markers, which then had an effect on blood sugars, which also had a positive effect on cholestrol and lowering HDL and highering LDL and that had a consequence of losing body fat and therefore weight loss.

    Whilst also altering the chances of needing medication for Diabetes type II, heart disease, cancer and all the other things that go with the overeating western diet where people are becoming fatter.

    Conclusion, much more research needs to be done on humans but if fasting does have these positive effects then if the Fasting protocol were popularised in the UK, the NHS would save an absolute fortune not having to medicate for obese diseases. In type II diabetes alone that is hundreds of billions forcasted over the next 30 years.

    But yeah, he lost weight.

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