The 5:2 Diet

Options
2»

Replies

  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    Options
    I have recently started fasting 5:2, I have chosen this system as I enjoy eating out at weekends and I struggle to keep within my calorie limits then. I find it quite easy, opting for a modest breakfast like an egg with mushroom and tomato, fruit for lunch and fish and vegetables for dinner. I drink lots of water and herbal teas while I am doing it. I find being quite strict for a day easy to cope with and I always feel great the next day. Exercise wise I have had no problems, but I haven't been doing mega workouts on those days just a general trying to be as active as possible like the rest of the week. Its too early for results yet but I do feel like its working.

    I saw big jumps the first couple of weeks. Granted, much is that water weight but it is very consistant at 1.5-2/week since then. I am a bit more aggressive with doing it 3 days a week.

    Why do you think the first big surge would be water? Are you eating much different foods? Or were you not creating a deficit prior?
    When most people start a new regimine, like I did the 4:3, you tend to drink much more water than you did before. When you drink alot of water you flush your system so to speak and more water leaves. If a person who was already dieting, eating at a deficit, and then also drinking alot of water I wouldnt expect a huge loss that first week on 5:2.

    Gotcha. That's what I was wondering.
    Figured that is what you misunderstood from what I was saying.
    I very much enjoy the 5:2, well 4:3 for myself.

    We are all creatures of habit and after awhile you start to really know what "right" looks and feels like. Most people dont go and eat diff things ever single day. They have a routine of a certain amount of foods they eat more often than others and know where they are at on the caloric intake.

    Now when I go out to a restuarant ya have to do some work to see what is best, but for the most part what we eat are known commodities of how many calories are in them
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Options
    In my case, it worked the other way. When I first started, I dropped a couple of water pounds then it went back up...I have done this for a year..my weight is still the same. I am convinced I can't lose weight...but I guess people will jump on me all over asking if I weigh my food if I log it...blah blah blah...
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Options
    I can't link on the iPad, but if you search groups you'll find a very supportive a helpful 5:2 fasting group on here!
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    Options
    In my case, it worked the other way. When I first started, I dropped a couple of water pounds then it went back up...I have done this for a year..my weight is still the same. I am convinced I can't lose weight...but I guess people will jump on me all over asking if I weigh my food if I log it...blah blah blah...

    If you're pretty convinced you're eating at a deficit. Have you seen the doctor? There could be other reasons you're not losing weight.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Options
    In my case, it worked the other way. When I first started, I dropped a couple of water pounds then it went back up...I have done this for a year..my weight is still the same. I am convinced I can't lose weight...but I guess people will jump on me all over asking if I weigh my food if I log it...blah blah blah...

    If you're pretty convinced you're eating at a deficit. Have you seen the doctor? There could be other reasons you're not losing weight.

    This thread is not about me...but anyway, yeah my blood work came back like text book normal. I even had my cortisol level checked...I am not convinced I am at a deficit, but eating anything less than I already do would not be possible or I should just stay in coma...too bad hormones aren't visible and they don't always follow math or science...
  • slimflo76
    slimflo76 Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    Hi I am going to try going 4:3 this week and today I will try saving the calories for evening meal. My end of week weigh in I lost 2 lbs so I am pretty happy with that- even if much of it is water :)
  • kirstenflood
    kirstenflood Posts: 112 Member
    Options
    been doing it 6 months and ive lost over 100lb and i feel its something i can stick with forever. i had my bloods done a few month back and everything was good!
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
    Options
    There are two groups with people doing 5:2 on MFP. Lot's of support and information there.

    5:2 is quite easy, only two rules really -
    500cals (women) / 600cals (men) on two days a week, spread them out as you like
    eat normally on 5 (normal means at your maintainance level)

    Other than that no special foods or supplements needed, if you eat a balanced and varied diet.

    I've been doing it for 13 mth and am very happy with my health and my weightloss. I combined it with regular strength and cardio exercise and am fitter than I ever was.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    Options
    The 5:2 diet works for many people in the same way that many other plans work for people if it provides a sustainable method of creating a deficit that you can stick to.

    The idea, as has been said, is to eat 500 cals (600 for men) on two non consecutive days while eating at maintenance for the remainder of the week. However many people seem to tweak this in order to try and lose faster by, for example, eating 1,200 calories on their maintenance days or trying to burn 500 calories through exceptional exercise on their maintenance days and not eating back.

    I would suggest that you use the TDEE method for calculating your maintenance and not MFP so you can include an exercise routine in the calculations.

    Also remember that weight loss is not a race and most sources recommend a maximum goal of 2 lbs per week as being a healthy rate

    If you do go down the 5:2 route then I wish you luck and hope you are one of the people for whom it works
  • CharleePear
    CharleePear Posts: 1,948 Member
    Options
    I love the 5:2 Diet, I used it before the meds I am on now. It worked a treat! I may go back to it once I a settle down.
    I find you can't be hard on yourself, you have to allow yourself to go over a little, or even a lot (as high as 700 for me sometimes).
    Also I would eat below maintenance, but only just, because I had been eating at deficit for a few months, working out and religiously weighing my foods with little to show for it.
    I found that protein shakes were my friend with heaps of crushed ice. That filled me up and it was low calories.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,454 Member
    Options
    Are there any rules other than eating your normal calorie burn 5 days a week and eating 1/4 your calories burn two other non-consecutive days?
    Nope.

    5 days a week eat at your maintenance, and 2 at 500 a day. Pretty much eat whatever you want on any of those days as it goes by strictly calories.

    I think it depends on the version you do. The ones I did, you didn't count calories at all on the "5" days - just ate normally and didn't log it. Supposedly, you end up eating slightly below maintenance on those days, without trying to i.e., you "naturally" have a slight deficit. I don't know how well that works (I don't think it worked for me), but I did like the idea of not having to work out your TDEE and count calories on the 5 days. It's probably the easiest way to get the diet started.

    I have tried 5:2 a couple of times and it doesn't seem to suit me, although I have friends who get on very well with it. One thing to remember is that your weight loss will not be so dramatic if you have a low TDEE (as you won't have so big a deficit).
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    I started it in August 2012 and found it really easy for adherence, for me it was much easier to stick to a weekly calorie deficit with 5 normal eating days (maintenance) and 2 very low days rather than running a deficit every day.

    It had a positive impact on my eating habits as the restricted days make you very conscious of everything you eat - although there are no restricted foods I found a light, fresh style of eating incorporating more vegetables and lean protein makes the fast days much easier. It also made me realise that a lot of my eating was due to habit rather than need or genuine hunger.

    I've been maintaining since January 2013 using both 5:2 and 6:1 eating patterns but prefer 6:1 by far as the 6 day calorie allowance (slight surplus to cancel out the fast day deficit) just seems to be a natural eating level for me. The 6 days at a small surplus also help with my heavy exercise routine.

    There's more info at http://thefastdiet.co.uk/ - the book is an interesting read.

    I really like this style of eating but if people are going to try it please realise that it is not a way to crash diet - if done properly it's a slow and steady (sustainable) way to lose excess weight.
  • angie007az
    angie007az Posts: 406 Member
    Options
    I've been on the plan since last September. I even took an 18 day cruise and kept my weight down. Today is a "fasting" day for me. If I do eat, sometimes I don't eat on a fasting day, I only take in around 400 calories. This plan sure seems to work for me. I went from a size 14/16 to a size 10/12. I will probably continue to use this plan until I reach my goal of around 150 pounds. I am 5'6". After I reach goal, I'll use it to maintain the loss.
  • cnickolem
    cnickolem Posts: 15
    Options
    My first day was 5/30, split 500 cals between breakfast and dinner, then I ended up not having anything to eat until 1:30p lunch on 5/31 so I actually did 30 hr fast. I plan on doing the 4:3 instead because before MFP and dieting I used to only eat once a day with one snack, so fasting for me is easier and I think having my regular days in between makes it easier to meet my calorie intake on those regular days. Also that first day I felt great, I had energy and never got tired or felt run down. I think eating a small breakfast helped boost my metabolism to get me through the day.
  • karen0214
    karen0214 Posts: 120 Member
    Options
    This is a very interesting and informational thread. I think I might do well with this way of eating and I am going to try it.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Options
    Are there any rules other than eating your normal calorie burn 5 days a week and eating 1/4 your calories burn two other non-consecutive days?
    Nope.

    5 days a week eat at your maintenance, and 2 at 500 a day. Pretty much eat whatever you want on any of those days as it goes by strictly calories.

    I think it depends on the version you do. The ones I did, you didn't count calories at all on the "5" days - just ate normally and didn't log it. Supposedly, you end up eating slightly below maintenance on those days, without trying to i.e., you "naturally" have a slight deficit. I don't know how well that works (I don't think it worked for me), but I did like the idea of not having to work out your TDEE and count calories on the 5 days. It's probably the easiest way to get the diet started.

    I have tried 5:2 a couple of times and it doesn't seem to suit me, although I have friends who get on very well with it. One thing to remember is that your weight loss will not be so dramatic if you have a low TDEE (as you won't have so big a deficit).

    I did what you did and ended up not losing at all, just maintaining...I can't trust myself eating without being careful...thats my problem, always.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,454 Member
    Options
    Are there any rules other than eating your normal calorie burn 5 days a week and eating 1/4 your calories burn two other non-consecutive days?
    Nope.

    5 days a week eat at your maintenance, and 2 at 500 a day. Pretty much eat whatever you want on any of those days as it goes by strictly calories.

    I think it depends on the version you do. The ones I did, you didn't count calories at all on the "5" days - just ate normally and didn't log it. Supposedly, you end up eating slightly below maintenance on those days, without trying to i.e., you "naturally" have a slight deficit. I don't know how well that works (I don't think it worked for me), but I did like the idea of not having to work out your TDEE and count calories on the 5 days. It's probably the easiest way to get the diet started.

    I have tried 5:2 a couple of times and it doesn't seem to suit me, although I have friends who get on very well with it. One thing to remember is that your weight loss will not be so dramatic if you have a low TDEE (as you won't have so big a deficit).

    I did what you did and ended up not losing at all, just maintaining...I can't trust myself eating without being careful...thats my problem, always.

    Yes, the book (the Michael Mosley one) claims that you will naturally eat less, but I wasn't 100% convinced that I was, and I know I'm not the only one. After all, I must have had a tendency to overeat or I wouldn't have got fat! But I did agree that part of the point is so that you don't have to obsess about calories all the time - only 2 days a week - and that this was more sustainable. If you're having to calorie count every day then you're losing that benefit and possibly more likely to give up? I don't know.

    Personally, I found that it was easier to eat a bit less every day, than a lot less on 2 days. However, the No S diet worked very well for me, and I did lose weight on that alone before I started calorie counting. That's basically 5 days a week of having 3 meals a day (one plate, no sweets), with the occasional indulgence at weekends. I still more or less stick to that. It's similar to 5:2 in that there's less calorie counting (in fact, none at all, if you want) and it's supposedly sustainable for life.
  • icklistpiklist
    icklistpiklist Posts: 64 Member
    Options
    I've been on this for a year now and lost 50lbs - despite being on steroids & thyroxine and having difficulty exercising as my lungs don't function properly. So I'm pleased with it.
    I eat at maintenance for my goal weight on the 5 days, thereby teaching myself what my maintenance should look like. As I take medication I have a banana for breakfast and save the rest of my calories for the evening.
    Biggest bonus is the not feeling like you are on a diet and being able to go out for meals and celebrate special occasions without having to worry!
  • maddieftaylor
    maddieftaylor Posts: 65 Member
    Options
    I am starting this today - Tuesdays and Thursdays will be my fasting days. I had fruit for breakfast and will split the rest of my calories between lunch and dinner. I am doing the 30 day shred and will continue to do this on my fasting days! x

Categories