5:2 Diet

I have been doing the 5:2 diet for 5 weeks now and have lost about 6lbs and it's all coming off the wobbly bits!

On the non fast days I have been sticking to the NHS recommendation for males of 2500 calories a day, but as I sit all day at a computer I have been trying to exercise on those days too - Gym, cycling and riding, not all on the same day and also doing a little exercise on the fast days.

I found it difficult to find enjoyable meals to start with but am now into a routine and as it is only twice a week and I do Monday and Thursday it doesn't bother me to have exactly the same on each of these days.

Breakfast - Oats so simple comes in at around 200 calories or two weetabix with milk and sugar! - 200 calories
Lunch - bowl of Greek yoghurt (3rd of a carton), with granola, banana, cinnamon and some mixed nuts. - around 250 calories
Dinner - A huge plate of salad (lettuce, peppers, celery, cucumber, red jalapeno peppers, Beetroot, and baby pickled onions) including a tin of tuna mixed with black pepper and one tablespoon and light mayo. around 250 calories.

This does take me over the 600 calories for fast days for men (500 for women), however I offset that with 1 hour of weights burning about 150 calories and i'm laughing all the way to the bathroom scales!

Here are some resources and light reading:

Even the NHS are having trouble actually disproving it's worth and only the lack of evidence is why they suggest it is not yet getting their seal of approval - if they ever do that!

What the NHS say:
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/01January/Pages/Does-the-5-2-intermittent-fasting-diet-work.aspx
Do read it all as it is very interesting and also that it can help with type 2 diabetes

There are two main pushers of the 5:2 diet:

1. http://thefastdiet.co.uk/
You can get their book from Asda for £3.00 http://direct.asda.com/Dr-Michael-Mosley-Mini-Spencer---Fast-Diet---Paperback/008238963,default,pd.html&cmpid=ppc-_-ad-pla-_-ggle-pla-_-Books-_-008238963&cm_mmc=ad-ppc-_-ggle-pla-_-Books-_-008238963&istCompanyId=71f4ae42-94c5-4821-aa58-05eff6da2486&istItemId=xtiiqalal&istBid=t

And the recipe book to go with £7.00: http://direct.asda.com/The-Fast-Diet-Recipe-Book-by-Mimi-Spencer/008262546,default,pd.html?action=product_interest&action_type=image&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&placement_id=GMPPRHT&config_id=GMPPRHT&parent_item_id=008238963&strategy=PWVUB&category=&product_id=008262546&findingMethod=p13n

There isn't an app to go with this series of books but this one seems ok:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/5-2-fasting-diet-recipes/id640535164?mt=8

There is also a recipe book to go with this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=angela+dowden+5+2+cookbook&tag=googhydr-21&index=stripbooks&hvadid=23546611592&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1195200937012466185&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_6gd56caqp5_b

Good luck!

MrCoxy

There is an Intermittent fasting group you can join. And a 5:2 group, too. Just search 'groups'.

Yes there's loads of people who are successfully following this way of eating.

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

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8628-5-2-diet

Your weight will fluctuate more when you are following an intermittent fasting routine. You need to take the trend over a longer period of time.

For your normal eating days......
TDEE calorie counting method:
2 days at 600 cals
5 days at TDEE

MFP calorie counting method:
2 days at 600 cals (don't eat back fast day exercise calories)
5 days at maintenance calories (and eating back normal day exercise calories)

Couple of questions about these message boards...
Can I watch a thread and be notified when a reply is posted?

Unfortunately not - the F5 key is your friend.....

Also is there any way you can change the calories counts for each individual day in settings of myfitnesspal so it works better with 5:2?

Nope. Just either get used to seeing the red message on fasting days "you aren't eating enough and will fade away to a puff of dust" or many people just don't complete their food diary on a fast day.

According to wiki, women most often have short term success with weight loss on the 5:2 diet. There is no evidence to suggest long term, sustainable weight loss on the 5:2 diet. Also, makes me laugh... the first sentence on the wiki: "The 5:2 diet, also written as 5/2 diet, is a fad diet which involves..."