5:2

terricol
terricol Posts: 43 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,
I am wondering if anyone can give me some advice about the diet 5:2 as have come back from Doctors this morning, and he has told me to look into this 5 eating normal days and 2 days of eating 500 calories. Was wondering if anyone has done this too with or without success. Any tips on what to eat etc. I need to lose about 4 - 5 stone in weight and the doctor has told me to lose the weight and also to reduce the amount of sugar i am taking in in general foods. thanks in advance

Replies

  • bd0027
    bd0027 Posts: 1,053 Member
    Wait, your doctor told you to eat 500 calories 2 days out of the week?
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    My husband is doing this, but 600 on the 2 days. He has lost 10lbs in 3 weeks. Here are some of the things he eats on his low days:
    hard boiled egg
    1/2 - 1 cup strawberries or kiwi
    1 banana
    1/2 apple
    4 oz chicken breast
    1/2 - 1 cup broccoli, asparagus, or green beans
    He likes to have little sips of flavored water or diet soda or low-cal juice, along with a lot of plain water, on those days.
  • horndave
    horndave Posts: 565
    you can go with the DR's advice and be totally miserable the 2 days or you can figure out your TDEE, exercise, and eat normal to your calorie goal on a daily basis and have better results over all.
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
    I've been doing the 5:2 or the "Fast Diet" (fast as in fasting, not speedy!) for 18 months or so, on and off.

    The website is here http://thefastdiet.co.uk/ and there's a book about it (probably available cheaply in big supermarkets). It came from a Horizon programme made for the Beeb by Dr Michael Mosley - google, I'm sure you'll be able to find the programme on t'internet. The one I had bookmarked on youtube disappeared, but someone's probably put a version back up.

    There are several groups on MFP supporting people on the 5:2 diet - go to community and search for 5:2. Random people who don't know anything about it will tell you you're crazy - they are entitled to their opinion, but I disagree.

    I'm interested that your doctor recommended it to you. Research is still incomplete but it looks good for controlling blood sugar in non-diabetics and in slowing the ageing process. Also used in connection with cancer - (http://www.genesisuk.org/). It's not intended to give speedy weight loss.

    Similar diets are the Alternate Day Fasting and the Up Day Down Day diet.

    At the moment I'm doing 4:3 - so I aim to eat just 500 calories on Monday, Wednesday & Friday (swapped that to Saturday this week as I had a special occasion) and eat close to TDEE (maintenance level of calories) on the other days.

    Most people recommend NOT doing your "fast" days back to back, but spread them out over the week to days that suit you - and you can change things around to suit your lifestyle when you want to.

    How you split up your fast day calories (500 for a woman, 600 for a man) is up to you. I skip breakfast as I don't miss it. Some people have porridge or an egg or two. I usually have a light lunch and a carefully considered dinner. Some have breakfast and dinner, others just have one meal. A few eat nothing at all and go for zero calories. I find I sleep normally - don't get woken by hunger and am not desperate for breakfast on the day after a fast. I do find I'm ready to eat lunch a bit earlier than usual and looking for a snack around tea time on the day after.

    Do some more research and give it a go - you might find it suits you! :happy:
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
    I don't find I'm totally miserable on fast days, I drink plenty and keep busy!
    Like I said, people who know nothing about it will come in and say their piece. Go to some of the 5:2 groups for better support and information.
  • trinity5703
    trinity5703 Posts: 78
    Ive NEVER heard of a doctor telling a patient to eat 500 cals two days a week, but then Doc's don't get a heck of a lot of training in nutrition.... if any.

    Your body needs a certain amount of calories each day to just to function.... 500 cals dont even come close to supplying what you need.

    4-5 stones (56-70 pounds) is a lot of weight. You'd do better to consult a nutritionist/dietitian who will help you devise an eating plan that 1) Is healthy 2) keeps you satisfied and the hunger pangs away, 3) will help you loose weight.

    A HEALTHY diet and exercise will go a long way to getting where you want to be.
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
    It's important to eat "normally"on non-fasting days, otherwise you're cutting too many calories.

    You need to look at your calorie intake over a week, so if MFP suggests you need to eat, say 1400 calories per day to lose 1lb a week that gives you 9800 calories to eat in a week. With the 5:2 diet you will eat 500 calories on 2 days, so that's 1000 calories, leaving you 8800 calories for 5 days.
    8800 / 5 = 1760 calories to eat on each of the 5 non-fasting days, so you can have some treats on the 5 days that you're not fasting. The thought that "I can have that chocolate tomorrow" makes not having it today easy!

    http://thefastdiet.co.uk/how-to-do-the-diet/

    PS Found the Horizon documentary - https://player.vimeo.com/video/54089463
  • terricol
    terricol Posts: 43 Member
    Many thanks to all. Especially Beattie1.
    Horndave, whats TDEE please?
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
    TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure = The total number of calories you burn in a day from being alive, breathing, walking around, doing your job and any extra exercise you do on top of that.
  • chaffe1969
    chaffe1969 Posts: 2 Member
    I've been doing 5:2 for over a year now and good on your GP for recommending. Ive lost 24 lbs but most importantly haven't out any weight back on which I always have with fad/low calorie diets. Have a look into it you won't be disappointed :)

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