5.2 Diet?
Replies
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I think you're missing the simple fundamentals of weight loss - namely that a calorie deficit will lead to weight loss.
And the simple fundamentals of diet - a sustainable diet is sustainable.
There is no magic involved. If you do this 5.2 thing and come out with a calorie deficit you will lose weight. Simple as that.
If you think that 2 days of near-starvation will somehow psychologically help you stay on track, well that's where I'm quite skeptical.0 -
It's an easier form of alternate day fasting. The health benefits are not all around weight loss by the way.
Having two days where you eat less I find easier than maintaining a bigger deficit for seven days a week.
There's no excluded foods but you do tend to gravitate toward high bulk/low calorie foods such as salads, veggies, lean protein.
I've lost 15lbs since August though I work on net calories rather than purely calories consumed. My wife has lost 26lbs working on calories consumed only.0 -
600 calories - near starvation... really?!
first world problems eh? By planning food/meals, I think I could eat 600 calories a day, and feel okay about it. Yes I'm gonna be hungry, but as long as its manageable and sustainable...
I understand weight loss, I would eat normally on the other days, normally for me, which is usually about 1400-1500, and thats extremely comfortably.0 -
It's an easier form of alternate day fasting. The health benefits are not all around weight loss by the way.
Having two days where you eat less I find easier than maintaining a bigger deficit for seven days a week.
There's no excluded foods but you do tend to gravitate toward high bulk/low calorie foods such as salads, veggies, lean protein.
I've lost 15lbs since August though I work on net calories rather than purely calories consumed. My wife has lost 26lbs working on calories consumed only.
YOU GET IT!
thank you! and congratulations on the weight loss! 0 -
Eh.. I don't see the need for it. Fill your plate with veggies adn lean meat and healthy food and you'll lose it without strarving. I was eating only 600 or so calories a day and let me tell you.. it is not healthy and you do not feel good. I do not reccommend it to anyone.0
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Confuzzled4eva: I've explained quite a few times why I feel it would work for me...
You know what guys, cheers for the comments and the opinions.
I really really do appreciate it, BUT, I'm fighting a loosing battle. I know my body and what I need in a diet plan for it to be sustainable. Lets face it too, we're all gonna fight til the end for what we believe is right, and thats a good thing, but we're only ever gonna agree to disagree. I didn't start this to be told I don't understand dieting or told that I won't be able to sustain it.
I'll check back in in a few months and let those who are interested know my progress.0 -
600 calories - near starvation... really?!
first world problems eh? By planning food/meals, I think I could eat 600 calories a day, and feel okay about it. Yes I'm gonna be hungry, but as long as its manageable and sustainable...
I understand weight loss, I would eat normally on the other days, normally for me, which is usually about 1400-1500, and thats extremely comfortably.
So, by the numbers...
1450*5 + 600*2 = 8450
Your TDEE let's say is 2000.
2000 * 7 = 14000
14000 - 8450 = 5550
5550/week calorie deficit. Not bad all in all. A little steep IMO, especially considering your TDEE is likely higher than 2000.0 -
I'll check back in in a few months and let those who are interested know my progress.
Please do.0 -
I do the Alternate Day Diet or JUDDD. It's basically 500 calories or less every other day and "normal" calories the alternating days.
So basically it's a somewhat extreme form of calorie cycling. I guess I don't see the harm so long as your weekly calorie deficit isn't too huge, especially now that you're in a normal weight range.
I'm curious what happens after you've reached your body weight or body composition target? Do you bump up the cal count for both the high day and the low day?
I'm actually entering maintenance now, and with my height and weight, my new calories will be 1800 on my higher days and 800 on my lower days. I've incorporated exercise and may need to increase further based on that. With exercise, the calculator gives me around 2050 on my high days and around 1000 on my lower days. Now that can be modified too. If I want to have crazy high days, I can have lower low days to compensate, if that makes sense.
I'm technically about 7 pounds from goal, but with the exercise, I know I'll have to play around with my calorie ranges until I find what works perfectly for me, and I know my body will be reshaping itself, not only because of the exercise, but also because I've lost fairly quickly. I really love this program because I never feel deprived. Every other plan I tried just felt endlessly restrictive. Now I only have to restrict for one day at a time. If I want a glass or three of wine, I have it, but only on my higher calorie days. Same with all the "naughty" foods. I make some healthy choices too, don't get me wrong, but I can have that burger and fries when I want them.0 -
I get that. If I have something naughty on a proper 'normal' diet, that sets me back loads, thats just my mentality. I know some people aren't like that, but I definitely am!0
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I could quite happily eat a bowl of roasted veggies and fish, or a salad in the summer everyday! Vegetable soup is one of my winter favourites. I do understand your point, but you have no idea of my eating habits or my likes/dislikes. I wouldn't be considering/taking an interest in the diet if the thought of healthy food repulsed me.
On 'food' days, I am not planning on eating a Burger King for every meal of the day. (as much as I probably could haha). I will continue to eat balanced and healthy foods although with the ability to cheat a bit... That's a mental thing for me. I struggle to keep focused when I see I've gone over my calorie limit 2 days a week. Hence, why I'm back after christmas and trying to find an alternative.
I understand the points against it, but I've also done a hell of a lot of research that's telling me its worth a shot. It's not for everyone, I get that, and don't go thinking its an easy way out for me, because it isn't. Nor am I pro eating disorders. There is a happy medium!
I was more commenting on the 'eat whatever you like' directive and the article than your personal eating habits. As long as you can keep the processed/ refined/ sugary/ junk down to about 10% of total calories (about 870 calories a week?) you would be largely within other healthy eating guidelines just structuring your calories differently. I suspect most people would simply not do that given a license to 'eat whatever you like'.
So it appeals to you because it's not calorie counting? Fair enough. You might also consider researching 'The Smarter Science of Slim' - there are free podcasts on iTunes and a short guide on the website. No calorie counting, it's actually tough to eat all the recommended food IMO and weekly cheats are in there.0 -
Eh.. I don't see the need for it. Fill your plate with veggies adn lean meat and healthy food and you'll lose it without strarving. I was eating only 600 or so calories a day and let me tell you.. it is not healthy and you do not feel good. I do not reccommend it to anyone.
It's only one day at a time! By the way all the research so far points that it is healthy, granted the research is still in progress but worth investigating if you really want to know more. Remember it's only a couple of hundred years ago (before supermarkets and refridgeration) that we couldn't eat a perfectly balanced diet every day/week/season.
I certainly haven't deprived myself today but netted 600 calories (porridge, sandwich, chocolate, nuts, even a little alcohol).
Each to their own....0 -
Confuzzled4eva: I've explained quite a few times why I feel it would work for me...
You know what guys, cheers for the comments and the opinions.
I really really do appreciate it, BUT, I'm fighting a loosing battle. I know my body and what I need in a diet plan for it to be sustainable. Lets face it too, we're all gonna fight til the end for what we believe is right, and thats a good thing, but we're only ever gonna agree to disagree. I didn't start this to be told I don't understand dieting or told that I won't be able to sustain it.
I'll check back in in a few months and let those who are interested know my progress.
Well.. ok then.. be warned though.. i ended up in the ER very sick. Admittingly I wasn't doing it on purpose.. but if you dont' feed your body properly and don't give it hte nutrients it needs it can only stay healthy for so long. I guess i'm figthing so hard to simply eat 1200 calories a day, that I balk when people think it's a good idea to eat so little. what heppened to me is a few days of eating very little turned into everyday of eating so little. I didn't even realize it. Maybe you will. I wasnt' attacking you, or telling you what to do. It's your health. I'm telling you what I went personally experienced. Sorry if you don't like it. Honestly I didn't like it either. Every single day is a struggle for me to remember to eat and make sure I eat enough to maintain health. f you starve yourself, you body will hold onto fat instead of muscle.
I net 600 calories or less all the time. healthy? I don't know. but I'm trying to up it. because I don't want to be sick again. and anyway.. netting that amount is different then only eating that amount. Being hungry is never healthy. (although I wasn't hungry ever.. that's the scary part still am rarely hungry)
Also.. diets never work.. changing how you eat and how you live is the only thing that works.0 -
Confuzzled4eva: I've explained quite a few times why I feel it would work for me...
You know what guys, cheers for the comments and the opinions.
I really really do appreciate it, BUT, I'm fighting a loosing battle. I know my body and what I need in a diet plan for it to be sustainable. Lets face it too, we're all gonna fight til the end for what we believe is right, and thats a good thing, but we're only ever gonna agree to disagree. I didn't start this to be told I don't understand dieting or told that I won't be able to sustain it.
I'll check back in in a few months and let those who are interested know my progress.
Well.. ok then.. be warned though.. i ended up in the ER very sick. Admittingly I wasn't doing it on purpose.. but if you dont' feed your body properly and don't give it hte nutrients it needs it can only stay healthy for so long. I guess i'm figthing so hard to simply eat 1200 calories a day, that I balk when people think it's a good idea to eat so little. what heppened to me is a few days of eating very little turned into everyday of eating so little. I didn't even realize it. Maybe you will. I wasnt' attacking you, or telling you what to do. It's your health. I'm telling you what I went personally experienced. Sorry if you don't like it. Honestly I didn't like it either. Every single day is a struggle for me to remember to eat and make sure I eat enough to maintain health. f you starve yourself, you body will hold onto fat instead of muscle.
I net 600 calories or less all the time. healthy? I don't know. but I'm trying to up it. because I don't want to be sick again. and anyway.. netting that amount is different then only eating that amount. Being hungry is never healthy. (although I wasn't hungry ever.. that's the scary part still am rarely hungry)
And i respect that. I guess I like food wayy too much to even considering netting 600 everyday! On a good good day, I net 1200. 0 -
IF is legitimate, healthy and fantastic. I highly recommend doing your research. There are several different ways of doing it. It cuts your risk factors for many things like dementia, diabetes, heart disease and cancer just to name a few. More and more research is backing this up. Fasting doesn't mean starving and it is pure ignorance to thing so. It works for me and many others and I believe it to be a very healthy lifestyle. I basically eat one meal daily but as I said there are many ways to do it. It basically gives your body a rest from digestion. 0
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My new 5.2 diet is no alcohol for 2 days a week not starving for 2 days.:noway:
Meh...I'm pretty sure those 2 days per week would be the worst days of my life...which would mean I would have the worst day of my life twice per week until I started drinking again...which would really suck *kitten*.
I know I think I am done with it I am hiting the liquor store after work today.:drinker: The extra calories that I would save for alcohol is spent on extra carbs because I have an amount of protein and fiber grams I hit each day and I feel worse the next day than if I just had a drink.
I can not see the point of doing this with food, going between under eating and over eating. Your body is going to feel like crap all the time. Just plan your calories out and move more. 0 -
I can not see the point of doing this with food, going between under eating and over eating. Your body is going to feel like crap all the time. Just plan your calories out and move more.
If you can see no point in doing this, you have obviously taken no time to read above success stories or thought about it very much... Its completely logical, and there is no reason for it to make you feel like crap.0 -
I've done massive research on diets and of people that have kept "off" the weight... What i've discovered is it all works if there is a caloric deficit. However, it will NOT WORK if you get bored or a diet affects your mood in a way that makes you stop dieting.
What works for others may or may not work for you. But you won't know unless you try it!! I say you should try it!0 -
- the studies that expound the benefits, from what I am aware and would love to see studies that show otherwise, do not compare 5:2 (or equivalent) against a basic calorie restriction. The IF gets the kudos, but there is not real 'proof' that it is the IF way of eating as opposed to the calorie restriction. Any studies I have seen that do show a benefit are on rats, not humans. As I say though, I would love to see long term studies on humans that do show benefits of this type of fasting over a basic caloric restriction.
- IF is often less beneficial to women due to hormonal impacts
IMO, it's just not worth the bother.0 -
Hi,
Nice to see your post. You have explained very nicely.
Maintaining an overall healthy diet not solely offers your body the energy and nutrition that it must operate, however offers many health edges furthermore.
Eating a diet high in fruits or vegetables as an overall healthy diet could...
1.Reduce risk for stroke and alternative vessel diseases.
2.Reduce risk for kind two polygenic disease.
3.Protect against sure cancers, like mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer.
Thanks.0 -
I eat till 11PM at night then don't eat again till after 12PM, but stay with my calorie goal and get in my required macros. I find this works best for me since breakfast isn't something I really care for in the morning. I like training fasted.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I have had the same idea as you back in December, and took my time to research (and let the Christmas period go as well, I must admit ). I watched the BBC documentary Eat, Fast and Live Longer (https://player.vimeo.com/video/50912488 - only link I could find) and I am only on my first week of doing it and decided to start a blog about it, including all the meals I have on my "fast days". There isn't a lot in there, as I only started the diet on Monday and the blog on Wednesday, but if anyone wants to check it out, here is the link:
http://5and2er.blogspot.co.uk/
I am doing 2 fast days a week and on normal days I am trying to stay under 1700 calories, but definately not going over 2000. I am also trying to stay within the limits of the protein and alcohol recommended allowances.
My first impressions are that it wasn't so bad, I didn't starve myself to death and I had energy to go to the gym during my lunch break. It wasn't exactly easy, but the thought that you can have whatever food you want the next day is very comforting. I did daydream about food a lot and the following day I ended up not having all the fatty foods I was fantasying about. Overall, I am finding it that it works around my life, instead of my life working around my diet and it is definitely something that I could keep on doing.0 -
I have had the same idea as you back in December, and took my time to research (and let the Christmas period go as well, I must admit ). I watched the BBC documentary Eat, Fast and Live Longer (https://player.vimeo.com/video/50912488 - only link I could find) and I am only on my first week of doing it and decided to start a blog about it, including all the meals I have on my "fast days". There isn't a lot in there, as I only started the diet on Monday and the blog on Wednesday, but if anyone wants to check it out, here is the link:
http://5and2er.blogspot.co.uk/
I am doing 2 fast days a week and on normal days I am trying to stay under 1700 calories, but definately not going over 2000. I am also trying to stay within the limits of the protein and alcohol recommended allowances.
My first impressions are that it wasn't so bad, I didn't starve myself to death and I had energy to go to the gym during my lunch break. It wasn't exactly easy, but the thought that you can have whatever food you want the next day is very comforting. I did daydream about food a lot and the following day I ended up not having all the fatty foods I was fantasying about. Overall, I am finding it that it works around my life, instead of my life working around my diet and it is definitely something that I could keep on doing.
Amazing! good to hear! I've followed your blog too!0 -
Interesting to see all the comments here, I would recomend that either the program is watched or the book read (or both). I've lost weight on a low fat diet and tried calorie counting but without much success. The real reason I'm doing the 5.2 is the reported long term heath benefits. Seeing as "eating three meals a day" is a pretty recent development and despite the claims of the diet industry we still don't appear to understand everything about food and diet i thing reading research and keeping an open mind is important.. I understand the basic calories in and calories burned stuff and it's pretty clear that it would be hard to lose weight consuming more calories than you burn but the science may well be more complicated than this alone.
Anyway, I'm on week three. So far no real issues, i treat the two fast days as a bit of a personal challange and thats fine, the other 5 are great. Lost 2kg over the first 2 weeks and feel good. I would be happy to do this for a long time as it means I can "have a weekend" but still lose/maintain my weight. Good luck and I hope it works for you.
I would point out to everybody that long term fasting (more than 2 days in seven) needs a whole new batch of research. Those with eating disorders should seek medical advice on all food related matters and lastly just because fasting (500 calories for women and 600 calories per day for men) for two days in 7 looks to be benificial doesn't mean applying the same regieme 7 days a week would be!!0 -
I've started the 5.2 diet and have felt fine on fast day and have lost 7lb over the last too weeks so its working for me. As a long term diet in hoping it fits into my lifestyle and along with the health benefits I read in the book I'm defo looking forward to continuing this diet and loosing more weight.x0
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Hi there all,
I am also on the 5:2 diet, on week 5. I fast at 500Calories Monday and Wednesday. I am pretty hungry as we speak but to be honest I dont find it too bad. I am also trying to follow a low GL plan for the rest of the week staying at around 1200 cals. I know the cal intake seems low but I am also on 5' 2" so actually, 1200 cals is quite satisfying for me. But when I add in a few treats at the weekend and a few drinkies too, it really changes the weekly calorie intake. I have consistently lost on this plan and to be honest i dont find the fasting days too bad!! They are kinda good for the soul if you know what I mean. I am also hoping to achieve some health benefits from it. I had a hight cholesterol reading a while back so I will get a re-test on that in a couple of weeks maybe after 8 to 10 weeks folllowing the 5:2 plan and that will be a real benchmark for me.0 -
Many people will instantly pooh pooh this without researching it at all. I suggest obtaining a copy of the BBC/Horizon documentary 'Eat, Fast and Live Longer' with Michael Mosley and watching it first.
It goes into the detail of how intermittent fasting affects the hormones in the body in a good way - switching them from simply reproducing/duplicating to repair mode and touches briefly on fasting history in religion. He also released a book recently called 'The Fast Diet'.
It is really interesting and I hope to adopt this way of life too. So far I am awesome at the 'feast' days!
I expect once I am no longer on holiday the 'fast' days will be much easier to do as I will be busy.
I agree with this. My hubby and iIhave started the 5:2 /fast diet this week ( 2nd fast day today!) after watching the Horizon programme and reading the book. I have also read lots of the reviews and have been really encouraged. Many people who start this diet say it has changed their life and I am hoping it will do the same for hubby and I too! Friend me if you like as will reporting on progress 0 -
Over the years I have tried many, many diest and all have failed and I put on the weight and more. I get bigger with each diet. And I know the reason I faily is that even when I start a diet I am looking to the end, whn I eat again, so I am in fail mode as I step out on that first day. I was drawn the the IF diet as it would change that mindset for me, I would never feel that I was deprived, missing out, needing comfort or whatver it is that makes me stop dieting. I have read many things about this diet, prepared the way with making sure I have understood how it will fit into my life and getting to know recipes for low calorie days. I need to lose over 100lb so have a long long journey so truly hope this diet will be the switch I need. For me, if I am honest with myself, if I dont succeed soon I will be looking at gastric band surgery and I do not want that. So I feel I should at least give this a good try.0
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Sams, you can do this! I have lost over 100 pounds with alternate day fasting and am now maintaining with 5:2. It's great! DH had gastric bypass a few months ago, and that's always an option if needed, but I'm happy I found something else that works "for me." I am deathly afraid of surgery, so IF was the best option I could find.0
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Many people will instantly pooh pooh this without researching it at all. I suggest obtaining a copy of the BBC/Horizon documentary 'Eat, Fast and Live Longer' with Michael Mosley and watching it first.
It goes into the detail of how intermittent fasting affects the hormones in the body in a good way - switching them from simply reproducing/duplicating to repair mode and touches briefly on fasting history in religion. He also released a book recently called 'The Fast Diet'.
It is really interesting and I hope to adopt this way of life too. So far I am awesome at the 'feast' days!
I expect once I am no longer on holiday the 'fast' days will be much easier to do as I will be busy.
I agree with this. My hubby and iIhave started the 5:2 /fast diet this week ( 2nd fast day today!) after watching the Horizon programme and reading the book. I have also read lots of the reviews and have been really encouraged. Many people who start this diet say it has changed their life and I am hoping it will do the same for hubby and I too! Friend me if you like as will reporting on progress
Just recently found about this to to this community and after watching the video and doing some more research and questions on this site I decided to give this a go.. Today is my fasting day and so far so good, hopefully the next one is good.. I'm a 39yr old male and trying to lose about 20pds from now till end of summer.. Hoping this and eating well on Non Fast days and exercising better will do the trick.. This post and others have helped me.. Thanks for posting this!0
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