Question about 5:2 diet and eating back calories

Hello my fellow MFP users :). I have heard so much good opinions about 5:2 diet that I have decided to give it a try. Today is my second low calories day. I have a question tho. If you are following this diet do you eat your calories back on the fast day - i.e. if you excercise do you eat your calories back to be around 500 or you do not eat them back?

Replies

  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    On fasting days...500 no more regardless. You do not eat them back on fasting days.
  • dkalita
    dkalita Posts: 35 Member
    I am doing the 5:2 since 2 months and have lost around 8 lbs. No eating back calories. It is 500 cals in total, plain and simple. Do it twice a week and see the results! :happy: Goodluck.
  • ReniaL
    ReniaL Posts: 86 Member
    Thank you for your responses :)
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    If you do a "search" you'll find some specific 5:2 groups here on MFP - lots of useful advice and support on them!
  • 294Rich
    294Rich Posts: 171 Member
    Best not to exercise on the :2 days, me thinks!
  • sirvivor007
    sirvivor007 Posts: 45 Member
    Not exercising on fast days would negate half the benefits. of course you would work out. In the fasted state the body taps into fat stores for energy production which is kind of the point.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Not exercising on fast days would negate half the benefits. of course you would work out. In the fasted state the body taps into fat stores for energy production which is kind of the point.
    No.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    When I did 5:2, I always ate back my exercise cals on fasting days. *shrug*
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    The book says no eating back exercise cals on fast days. It's all about giving your digestive system a rest. You can exercise on fast days if you like - many people find it's no problem, or even improves their performance. I wouldnt run a marathon fasted, though.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    The book says no eating back exercise cals on fast days.

    The 500 - 600 calories advocated are just to make the "fast" achievable, while providing a decent deficit over a week on average.

    Nobody outside MFP says "eating back exercise calories" or "net calories".
  • hupsii
    hupsii Posts: 258 Member
    personally, I never managed to stay at 500 so I went up to 800 and exercised
  • ktothema
    ktothema Posts: 37 Member
    Like others say no eating back on a fast day. You can exercise if you want and if you feel like it - I do my most intense workouts whilst fasting with no issues, in fact I find them easier. Some people bank the exercise calories from fast days and use them another day, therefore giving the digestive system a break on the two days. Good luck with it all.