Thoughts on the 5:2 Fast diet

I am indeed a contradiction, I watched the Horizon documentary 'Eat Fast and live longer' and' I payed attention'....ah... It's about health and reducing markers for age related disease's and the evidence in favour of 5:2 is too strong to be ignored! I was wrong to infer IF was a fad diet and whatsmore I'm now doing IF. I wanted to add this comment to the thread as I clearly understand that I misunderstood the presentation of 5:2 in a diet context, its not in the literal sense about dieting rather its about health and potential disease mitigation, and thats got be worth a punt 'surely' in anyones book. :blushing:

I started the Fast Diet on last Thursday, Sept 5. I did a fast day and lost 3 pounds. Instead of eating everything I wanted on the other 5 days, I am sticking to 1200 calories a day. MyFitnessPal is helping A LOT! I also have the I phone ap which makes it easy to eat out! I went over my 1200 calories on Sunday while visiting friends and watching the Saints game (#1 N.O, Saints Fan!) and consumed 1500 calories instead including apple dump cake a la mode. Still lost an additional 1/2 pound over the weekend. Yesterday was my second fast day, and I lost another 1.1 pounds. So that's a little better than 4.5 pounds in less than a week. I know its early, and some is water weight, but it beats going in the other direction and I feel great!

I started the Fast Diet on last Thursday, Sept 5. I did a fast day and lost 3 pounds. Instead of eating everything I wanted on the other 5 days, I am sticking to 1200 calories a day. MyFitnessPal is helping A LOT! I also have the I phone ap which makes it easy to eat out! I went over my 1200 calories on Sunday while visiting friends and watching the Saints game (#1 N.O, Saints Fan!) and consumed 1500 calories instead including apple dump cake a la mode. Still lost an additional 1/2 pound over the weekend. Yesterday was my second fast day, and I lost another 1.1 pounds. So that's a little better than 4.5 pounds in less than a week. I know its early, and some is water weight, but it beats going in the other direction and I feel great!

You're losing because you're averaging 1,000 calories a day, not the miracle of fasting. 5:2 isn't meant to be a VLCD. You aren't supposed to restrict like that on the non fast days. What you're doing is the hyped up fad version of 5:2 that gives it a bad name.

I started the Fast Diet on last Thursday, Sept 5. I did a fast day and lost 3 pounds. Instead of eating everything I wanted on the other 5 days, I am sticking to 1200 calories a day. MyFitnessPal is helping A LOT! I also have the I phone ap which makes it easy to eat out! I went over my 1200 calories on Sunday while visiting friends and watching the Saints game (#1 N.O, Saints Fan!) and consumed 1500 calories instead including apple dump cake a la mode. Still lost an additional 1/2 pound over the weekend. Yesterday was my second fast day, and I lost another 1.1 pounds. So that's a little better than 4.5 pounds in less than a week. I know its early, and some is water weight, but it beats going in the other direction and I feel great!

You're losing because you're averaging 1,000 calories a day, not the miracle of fasting. 5:2 isn't meant to be a VLCD. You aren't supposed to restrict like that on the non fast days. What you're doing is the hyped up fad version of 5:2 that gives it a bad name.

@Mokey41 - we have locked horns in the past but you are 100% correct here.

@Debbie - please don't continue this path - you are way under-eating. This is NOT how the 5:2 Fast Diet is supposed to be used. The five days are supposed to be eating normally not at a severe calorie deficit. You are confusing Fast=Fasting with Fast=Speedy. Losing weight that quickly is highly unlikely to be healthy or sustainable.

And me. I actually eat more than 500 on fast days, too, but I actually do Eat Stop Eat (a full 24 hour water fast) rather than 5:2.

In fact, I don't count calories AT ALL at the moment, now that I have a handle on what a normal food day should look like.

hi im gonna do the 5;2 diet from next wed whats the best food to eat as im at work from 9to7pm. i tried the 16hour fasting which was good but was recommened not to do it as i have a under active thyroid gland any one got any tips how to shift weght with that problem?

it's a great way for some people to justify binge eating

and a great way for a lot of people to lose a pound a week

So is eating the 7:0 diet, where you show moderation and self control

OMG, the B.S. really knows no bounds in this thread.

Any weight loss routine requires moderation and self control, you pompous know-it-all.

hi im gonna do the 5;2 diet from next wed whats the best food to eat as im at work from 9to7pm. i tried the 16hour fasting which was good but was recommened not to do it as i have a under active thyroid gland any one got any tips how to shift weght with that problem?

Please start here:

http://www.52fastdiet.co.uk/medical-conditions-f30/topic710.html

It's a great forum filled with people actually living the lifestyle. You will doubtless find the information you need.

I'd like to know who recommended you don't do 16:8 and whether it was evidence based.