Questions about the 5:2 / Intermittent Fasting Diet

our_ayley
our_ayley Posts: 66 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi. I've been doing some research today and I'm interested in trying the 5:2 diet since it seems to have worked for so many people.

I have a few questions though and I'm hoping someone on here may know the answers!! :-)

1.) Firstly, I read that on non-fasting days women should eat a normal daily allowance of calories - is this the recommended 2000 cals a day or is it your calories with a deficit to lose weight, i.e. I usually aim for around 1300-1400 per day to lose weight. Do I stick to this or do I increase to the GDA of 2000 for a woman?

2.) Secondly, is alcohol restricted on non-fasting days or are you able to include it in your calorie logging?

3.) How much weight do people usually lose on this diet and how quickly? What are the chances of the weight being regained if you come off the diet?

Finally, if anyone can direct me to any threads with peoples results (preferably ones with progress pics) that'd be great!

Thanks in advance :-)

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    We're all over here!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8005-5-2-fasting

    To asnwer your questions in once place:

    1. TDEE or maintenance calories on the 5 non-fast days. You can use an online calcualtor, or set MFp to maintain.
    2. No restrictions on what you eat on non-fast days. Just how much.
    3. That really depends! Many people have lost what they hoped, and have maintained at target.
  • our_ayley
    our_ayley Posts: 66 Member
    Thank you! I'll check out the group now :) x
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,962 Member
    We're all over here!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8005-5-2-fasting

    To asnwer your questions in once place:

    1. TDEE or maintenance calories on the 5 non-fast days. You can use an online calcualtor, or set MFp to maintain.
    2. No restrictions on what you eat on non-fast days. Just how much.
    3. That really depends! Many people have lost what they hoped, and have maintained at target.

    3. For an average woman with a TDEE of 2000, two fast days at 500 is a deficit of 3000 kcal a week, so a little less than a pound a week. For maintenance, i know of some people who go to one day of fasting per week. My old GP used to fast one day a week whenever he noticed his weight creeping upward.
  • ForbiddenFruit
    ForbiddenFruit Posts: 62 Member
    I've still got a bit to go on it but my partner reached his target on it before Christmas and dropped to 1 day a week to maintain the benefits. If he feels a bit extra going on e.g. we've been a bit piggy over Christmas and New Year he just sticks a 2nd day back in.

    I have to say, where every other diet I've tried has failed, I find this incredibly easy and something I can see me doing for life. You never need to feel deprived (or if you do, it's only one day lol).

    As an aside, having been a lifelong insomniac, I had what felt like my first ever full night's sleep the 2nd week in and have had no sleeping problems since. My partner was eating a dozen indigestion tablets a day and had been for years. again, from the 2nd week in he hasn't had any need to take them, even on non-fast days.
  • our_ayley
    our_ayley Posts: 66 Member
    Well done to you and your partner for sticking to it! I suffer with insomnia and night terrors so hopefully it will have a similar effect on me that it has you as well.

    I'm gonna start tomorrow and see how I get on. Could do with dropping around 3 stone before summer! x

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