Is 5 2 just a fad?

Was it you who, some time ago put up a photo of your mum and she looked 50ish, not 70. May have been someone else with similar story. When/whoever it was was a lightbulb moment for me. I'd been looking for a way to get off calorie counting and I knew I needed days like your mum too but how to structure it was my problem.

Yup that was me

If I've learnt anything on MFP, it's to fully understand something before you dismiss it.

Exactly! Fasting is not a new concept; indeed pretty much every major religion has some type of fasting in it and has done since for thousands of years.

Why can't people sustain it? Clearly some people have....

It is not a fad, Dr Michael Mosely has been doing it for over 10 years, and it was he who made the TV programme that triggered the recent interest

Ir is not a diet plan, it is aimed at health, weight loss is a by product

There are 5.2 groups on here, have a search & take your pick

its a fad diet that is not sustainable for the average person

Why is that?

If you follow the instructions to the dot, you find that your weekly deficit is exactly the same as the one marked by MFP. The only difference is that instead of choosing to create a deficit 7 days a week, you choose to do it on 2 days.

Those 2 days? I call them "salad days" to my RL friends who I'm too lazy to explain this. I basically eat salads with LF dressing and egg white omelette by dinner. I'm not starving. But this way, if I go out to lunch with my friends (as today), I won't have to worry too much about eating out and the secret oil and eating salads every single day. When you travel so much, and you have so much time to explore different countries and cultures.. well.. this way of deficit works much better!

Probably it'd be differnet if I stayed at home all day (as for me, being busy helps a lot).

Overall, I've lost around 5 - 6 kilos in one month and a half (I exercise though) and I still enjoy eating out.

So yeah.. truly it is a fad.. Just like MFP method I guess.

yea because MFP restricts 2 days out of the week for you.

The average person's lifestyle does not function like that. Most people cant sustain a diet such as that. You just started the diet and you only been on it for a month.

My point exactly. You have no room to talk about why its sustainable.

Why can't people sustain it? Clearly some people have....

It is not a fad, Dr Michael Mosely has been doing it for over 10 years, and it was he who made the TV programme that triggered the recent interest

Ir is not a diet plan, it is aimed at health, weight loss is a by product

There are 5.2 groups on here, have a search & take your pick

its a fad diet that is not sustainable for the average person

Why is that?

If you follow the instructions to the dot, you find that your weekly deficit is exactly the same as the one marked by MFP. The only difference is that instead of choosing to create a deficit 7 days a week, you choose to do it on 2 days.

Those 2 days? I call them "salad days" to my RL friends who I'm too lazy to explain this. I basically eat salads with LF dressing and egg white omelette by dinner. I'm not starving. But this way, if I go out to lunch with my friends (as today), I won't have to worry too much about eating out and the secret oil and eating salads every single day. When you travel so much, and you have so much time to explore different countries and cultures.. well.. this way of deficit works much better!

Probably it'd be differnet if I stayed at home all day (as for me, being busy helps a lot).

Overall, I've lost around 5 - 6 kilos in one month and a half (I exercise though) and I still enjoy eating out.

So yeah.. truly it is a fad.. Just like MFP method I guess.

yea because MFP restricts 2 days out of the week for you.

The average person's lifestyle does not function like that. Most people cant sustain a diet such as that. You just started the diet and you only been on it for a month.

My point exactly. You have no room to talk about why its sustainable.

I never said people cant sustain it. I said the average person cannot.

I'm an average person. I do 3 fast days a week eating 0 calories. I'd love to know how you came across that the average person can't. Going by your statement the average person cant sustain doing weights, running, walking, cardio, boxing, cycling.

Big generalization considering you know nothing about any 'average' person.

Why can't people sustain it? Clearly some people have....

It is not a fad, Dr Michael Mosely has been doing it for over 10 years, and it was he who made the TV programme that triggered the recent interest

Ir is not a diet plan, it is aimed at health, weight loss is a by product

There are 5.2 groups on here, have a search & take your pick

its a fad diet that is not sustainable for the average person

Why is that?

If you follow the instructions to the dot, you find that your weekly deficit is exactly the same as the one marked by MFP. The only difference is that instead of choosing to create a deficit 7 days a week, you choose to do it on 2 days.

Those 2 days? I call them "salad days" to my RL friends who I'm too lazy to explain this. I basically eat salads with LF dressing and egg white omelette by dinner. I'm not starving. But this way, if I go out to lunch with my friends (as today), I won't have to worry too much about eating out and the secret oil and eating salads every single day. When you travel so much, and you have so much time to explore different countries and cultures.. well.. this way of deficit works much better!

Probably it'd be differnet if I stayed at home all day (as for me, being busy helps a lot).

Overall, I've lost around 5 - 6 kilos in one month and a half (I exercise though) and I still enjoy eating out.

So yeah.. truly it is a fad.. Just like MFP method I guess.

yea because MFP restricts 2 days out of the week for you.

The average person's lifestyle does not function like that. Most people cant sustain a diet such as that. You just started the diet and you only been on it for a month.

My point exactly. You have no room to talk about why its sustainable.

I am a very average person.

I did this for a year (though I don't call it 5:2, I call it IF or Eat Stop Eat). I stopped when I got pregnant. When I finish breastfeeding, I intend to start up again.

Why does it work for me? Because I like to go out to dinner and splurge from time to time. I enjoy a beer after work with my work buddies. I don't like having to stick to 1500 calories per day. Most average people probably would find it hard to stick to 1500 calories per day for years to lose weight. Having a fast day just means you can have a deficit on 2 days a week instead of 7. I think it's way more sustainable than just calorie counting personally.

From my lil Blog::happy:

WHAT DOUBTERS DON'T GET ABOUT THE 5:2 LIFESTYLE
Skeptics and cynics abound. Many times it seems that they are people that don't believe that dieting works. Perhaps in some cases because they have tried various diets themselves and did not achieve a wanted outcome. Some will say, “show me scientific proof that it works” and if you show them the many Clinical Studies and the abundant Statistical Data on populations that fast regularly, they seem to get even more dug in about defending their cynicism. As if their entire reality would crumble if they were wrong about their assumptions.

What I often see is discrediting the 5:2 by saying that it is nothing new. It is just Intermittent Fasting or IF that has been around since the 1940's. And really, about this they are right. Actually, fasting has been around for Thousands of years in many spiritual traditions. My first blog has a link to a great article that talks about some of these traditions and the health benefits that people get from them, backed by Statistical Data.

I think what many Nay Sayers miss is that the 5:2 is a refinement of Fasting, and of IF. What the refinement in effect does is make it bearable to get the benefits from fasting for many of us who don't want to feel like we are starving. It is relatively easy, and for this reason it has morphed into a way of life for many people. Lifestyle choices are abundant moment by moment and everywhere we turn, what the 5:2 delivers is a less intrusive framework that supports our transformation into more conscious living.

I feel that I have more energy with less food now. While it is not necessarily easy to break up decades of overeating as part of old lifestyle programing, my commitment is more hardened to build up new programing over time. Food also tastes better. During and coming off my Lo-cal (Fasting) days, food actually tastes amazing. I am learning to enjoy every bite. Right now, as of this writing, I am only 1 pound away from my weight goal. People tell me I look really great. I am truly amazed that all this is really happening while only going to the gym less than 2 days a week. I feel really empowered and I may well live the 5:2 or the 5:1 lifestyle for the rest of my days!

My lil Blog:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/LibertyChamp

Why can't people sustain it? Clearly some people have....

It is not a fad, Dr Michael Mosely has been doing it for over 10 years, and it was he who made the TV programme that triggered the recent interest

Ir is not a diet plan, it is aimed at health, weight loss is a by product

There are 5.2 groups on here, have a search & take your pick

its a fad diet that is not sustainable for the average person

Why is that?

If you follow the instructions to the dot, you find that your weekly deficit is exactly the same as the one marked by MFP. The only difference is that instead of choosing to create a deficit 7 days a week, you choose to do it on 2 days.

Those 2 days? I call them "salad days" to my RL friends who I'm too lazy to explain this. I basically eat salads with LF dressing and egg white omelette by dinner. I'm not starving. But this way, if I go out to lunch with my friends (as today), I won't have to worry too much about eating out and the secret oil and eating salads every single day. When you travel so much, and you have so much time to explore different countries and cultures.. well.. this way of deficit works much better!

Probably it'd be differnet if I stayed at home all day (as for me, being busy helps a lot).

Overall, I've lost around 5 - 6 kilos in one month and a half (I exercise though) and I still enjoy eating out.

So yeah.. truly it is a fad.. Just like MFP method I guess.

yea because MFP restricts 2 days out of the week for you.

The average person's lifestyle does not function like that. Most people cant sustain a diet such as that. You just started the diet and you only been on it for a month.

My point exactly. You have no room to talk about why its sustainable.

I am a very average person.

I did this for a year (though I don't call it 5:2, I call it IF or Eat Stop Eat). I stopped when I got pregnant. When I finish breastfeeding, I intend to start up again.

Why does it work for me? Because I like to go out to dinner and splurge from time to time. I enjoy a beer after work with my work buddies. I don't like having to stick to 1500 calories per day. Most average people probably would find it hard to stick to 1500 calories per day for years to lose weight. Having a fast day just means you can have a deficit on 2 days a week instead of 7. I think it's way more sustainable than just calorie counting personally.

and you still arent near your target weight.

I dont think 90%+ of people would enjoy this lifestyle.

You have to start this lifestyle in order to lose weight and is not sustainable for yourself. You are proof yourself

Why can't people sustain it? Clearly some people have....

It is not a fad, Dr Michael Mosely has been doing it for over 10 years, and it was he who made the TV programme that triggered the recent interest

Ir is not a diet plan, it is aimed at health, weight loss is a by product

There are 5.2 groups on here, have a search & take your pick

its a fad diet that is not sustainable for the average person

Why is that?

If you follow the instructions to the dot, you find that your weekly deficit is exactly the same as the one marked by MFP. The only difference is that instead of choosing to create a deficit 7 days a week, you choose to do it on 2 days.

Those 2 days? I call them "salad days" to my RL friends who I'm too lazy to explain this. I basically eat salads with LF dressing and egg white omelette by dinner. I'm not starving. But this way, if I go out to lunch with my friends (as today), I won't have to worry too much about eating out and the secret oil and eating salads every single day. When you travel so much, and you have so much time to explore different countries and cultures.. well.. this way of deficit works much better!

Probably it'd be differnet if I stayed at home all day (as for me, being busy helps a lot).

Overall, I've lost around 5 - 6 kilos in one month and a half (I exercise though) and I still enjoy eating out.

So yeah.. truly it is a fad.. Just like MFP method I guess.

yea because MFP restricts 2 days out of the week for you.

The average person's lifestyle does not function like that. Most people cant sustain a diet such as that. You just started the diet and you only been on it for a month.

My point exactly. You have no room to talk about why its sustainable.

I am a very average person.

I did this for a year (though I don't call it 5:2, I call it IF or Eat Stop Eat). I stopped when I got pregnant. When I finish breastfeeding, I intend to start up again.

Why does it work for me? Because I like to go out to dinner and splurge from time to time. I enjoy a beer after work with my work buddies. I don't like having to stick to 1500 calories per day. Most average people probably would find it hard to stick to 1500 calories per day for years to lose weight. Having a fast day just means you can have a deficit on 2 days a week instead of 7. I think it's way more sustainable than just calorie counting personally.

and you still arent near your target weight.

I dont think 90%+ of people would enjoy this lifestyle.

You have to start this lifestyle in order to lose weight and is not sustainable for yourself. You are proof yourself

Actually my target weight was 65kg..... 10kg ago. That was almost a year ago. I decided to keep going. Target weight was reached a year ago. Only through 5:2 (4:3 for me) was I able to continue,

I am proof it works. I been doing 4:3 for a month. I had no need to lose weight at all.

quoted wrong person
but regardless. most people cannot do this lifestyle.

It's just another means of calorie restriction.

I've tried it (well ESE before 5/2 was coined) and didn't particularly like it compared to Leangains 16/8 schedule because of lack of energy and being a clock watcher I guess.

I think the major issue is that people join MFP, have their cal deficit number and then start fasting for 2 days a week and don't up the cals on their eating days.

I personally don't think this method is optimal for anyone competing in strength sports. Total macros over time is more important than meal frequency but living on 500cals/day (whether you are 120lbs or 200lbs???) or 600 (150lb to 500lb male??!!) doesn't seem like the smartest thing to do for anyone looking to reach peak performance.

The science behind fasting for health reasons is roughly- when you constantly feed your body food, it is constantly making new cells. There's times this is a good thing- if you're still growing, or pregnant say. But for others, if you restrict calorie intake, your body is forced into repairing its existing cells before making new ones.

That's the science theory behind the health benefits, which are long term effects.

There haven't been enough scientific tests to back up this theory . Yet.

this sounds remarkably unlike science....

Yeah.. just another fad... Anything to sound 'different' or 'just so crazy it might work' these days pisses me off, just eat in a deficit and lose, simple as that.

That's the thing. I'm eating at deficit and I'm losing. But I chose to create a weekly deficit and keep it that way, instead of a daily deficit.

and you still arent near your target weight.

I dont think 90%+ of people would enjoy this lifestyle.

You have to start this lifestyle in order to lose weight and is not sustainable for yourself. You are proof yourself

That comment was just plain mean. Don't be a jerk.

Do you tell the same to those people who are following a MFP and are far from the target weight? No. So don't do that to state your answers. If that person would lose tons of weight AND then gain them back, then you can say that it's a fad. But not what you're saying here.

People lose weight in different way and at different rhythm.

You said: 90% would not ENJOY this lifetsyle. That doesn't mean that is not doable. But some cases, the kind of life that some of us lead make it much more difficult to lead a daily deficit lifestyle. I didn't enjoy having to count 1200 cals every single day. I hated it in fact. This way Ican enjoy my new experiences and I can lose weight.

I keep repeating this: I know this is not for everyone, but just because you don't think you'd do it, that doesn't mean it's wrong.

I'd not be able to eat more than 2500 cals a day. I get an insane stomachache. Does that mean that all people who eat more than 2000 calories are wrong? No. It just means that I don't feel right following that program. I get sick if I drink milk. Does that mean that everyone who drinks milk is doing something wrong? No. It just doesn't work for me.

Period.

Yeah.. just another fad... Anything to sound 'different' or 'just so crazy it might work' these days pisses me off, just eat in a deficit and lose, simple as that.

That's the thing. I'm eating at deficit and I'm losing. But I chose to create a weekly deficit and keep it that way, instead of a daily deficit.

You're confusing your metabolism...

If you're doing 1300 the 5 days why not just do 1300 every day? That level of constant deficit seems to work for most people who have been successful. Not being a 5:2 disciple myself, my understanding of the plan is that you eat at 500 on the low days and at maintenance the other 5 days (not binging past maintenance on these days). I guess the point is to get the same weekly deficit but only "suffering" two days of the week instead of every day. By eating at 1300 the other five days you are averaging just over 1000 every day which pretty much everyone will agree is too low. If you at least bump it up to 1500 on the other five days you'll have an average of 1200.

she needs to raise her calories, but its so that your metabolism doesn't get "used" to the amount of calories you take in every day:p

Yeah.. just another fad... Anything to sound 'different' or 'just so crazy it might work' these days pisses me off, just eat in a deficit and lose, simple as that.

That's the thing. I'm eating at deficit and I'm losing. But I chose to create a weekly deficit and keep it that way, instead of a daily deficit.

You're confusing your metabolism...

Oh really?

Bump for later