Trying 5:2

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nycstyle1
nycstyle1 Posts: 6
in Introduce Yourself
Hey there,

I'm an American living in Japan. I'm trying 5:2 for the first time, hoping to lose 45 lbs. Also hoping that the fast days aren't too difficult . . guess I'll find out soon enough, today is my first fast day.

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  • WLG1974
    WLG1974 Posts: 90
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    Good luck. YOU CAN DO IT!!
  • paultucker1007
    paultucker1007 Posts: 37 Member
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    Well done, unsustainable fad diets are the KEY to long term weight loss
  • systemlayers
    systemlayers Posts: 12
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    I just can't see how 5:2 is sustainable. Plus it's likely you'll lose muscle mass and feel weaker, along with hangry/tired. Try a 12 hour fast between breakfast/dinner or a 14-16 hour fast by skipping breakfast and having a large dinner.
  • mebepiglet123
    mebepiglet123 Posts: 327 Member
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    Oh my god. You are an American living in japan, I've been to japan, the food there is heaven ..... Just eat like they eat... Don't see many obese Japanese in japan. You are a sad amercian.. That **** don't work 5:2 ... Watch your fellow Japanese... They eat tdee.... Walk everywhere eat what they want... Most Japanese do not own car.
  • daychasingnight
    daychasingnight Posts: 11 Member
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    Well done, unsustainable fad diets are the KEY to long term weight loss

    :laugh:
  • KaelaLee88
    KaelaLee88 Posts: 229 Member
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    Hi, feel free to give it a try but don't be disappointed if you find yourself struggling. The 5:2 diet has a number of critics (as i'm sure you can gauge by now) but if you feel that it is worth a try, pursue it.

    After speaking with the people closest to me who have done the 5:2, they have struggled with it long term, albeit pleasing initial weight-losses.

    I have to say, I have done many of the 'Diets' that are world famous with little, short term success. Since joining MFP and following the Low-Calorie, regular exercise plan - I have found true success and sustainable loss.

    I hope that this goes some-way to help you. I wish you every success in your weight-loss journey.

    Kaela
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
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    Hey there,

    I'm an American living in Japan. I'm trying 5:2 for the first time, hoping to lose 45 lbs. Also hoping that the fast days aren't too difficult . . guess I'll find out soon enough, today is my first fast day.

    Not trying to discourage you, but one of the negatives about 5:2 is being constipated. Look up the forums online to get suggestions on how to get over this.
  • Rosamber
    Rosamber Posts: 2
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    A brilliant way to re-educate a body which has become used to having meals at set times because it is conventional rather than when you feel hungry. MFP is a popular tool for people on the 5:2 forums such as thefastdiet.co.uk or fastday.com

    I followed 5:2 to lose weight for the first few months and then combined it with 16:8 (you only eat/drink within an eight hour window every 24 hours) and this combination is more sustainable. A very sociable way of losing and controlling weight as there are no restrictions of food groups.

    I do it for the health benefits - and after one year my cholesterol blood sugar and blood pressure are all well within normal limits, so that's a bonus for also losing weight.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I just can't see how 5:2 is sustainable. Plus it's likely you'll lose muscle mass and feel weaker, along with hangry/tired.
    I've been doing it for almost 2 years so seems sustainable.

    Didn't lose any muscle mass.

    Continued a heavy exercise schedule (5,000 cals a week) including 100 mile cycle and getting back to close to lifetime bests for some of my lifts.

    Not at all hangry or tired - deficit one day at a time is far easier than the grind of everyday deficit for me. Far more energy as I was eating at maintenance 5 days a week.

    I find it funny that detractors always focus on the 2 low days but don't see the big picture of having 5 normal days and still losing weight.

    It doesn't suit everyone for sure, but then neither does 7 days a week deficit suit everyone either. Adherence is very much a personal thing and one size doesn't fit all.
  • janatarnhem
    janatarnhem Posts: 669 Member
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    I tried 5 : 2 for a while and did lose good amount of weight, but couldn't sustain it...... It was the health benefits that drew me to it.
    But it made me eat uncontrollably on the non fast days ....and that seeped into the fast days, eating over my calories and then splurging and feeling like a failure! It didn't suit me, as I have regained the weight! Also, when I calculated my TDEE on the website (ww.fastdiet.co.uk) my non fast days were 1730 calories. On other calorie calculators eg. Scooby's workshop, I can have 1700 calories anyway. Maybe I will lose weight slower, but I am less likely to splurge and fail...hopefully.
    Not meaning to put you off, but based on my experience, I'd take a pause to reconsider, particularly, if It could aggravate or cause you to binge eat
  • nycstyle1
    nycstyle1 Posts: 6
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    I've been doing it for almost 2 years so seems sustainable.

    Didn't lose any muscle mass.

    Continued a heavy exercise schedule (5,000 cals a week) including 100 mile cycle and getting back to close to lifetime bests for some of my lifts.

    Two years, that's awesome.

    I finished my first fast day yesterday. It was a lot easier than I expected. My hunger was minimal, but then again I ate 600 kcal of vegetables, which is a ton of food. And it didn't interfere with my lifting, or my running (I ran 6 miles).

    I get that people see it as a fad diet, unsustainable, etc. But there are also a lot of people out there who have kept doing it long after losing the weight. There's no way to lose weight without a little pain. This just condences the suffering into two days a week rather than suffering a little every day. More sustainable, in my book, than cutting out whole categories of food, or crafting every single meal to be within restrictive calorie limits.

    But anyway, I do appreciate the advice, I know everyone's trying to help. I'll just have to learn for myself whether or not it works for me.
  • ADMcNaul
    ADMcNaul Posts: 55
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    I'm thinking about doing this in combination with Insanity Workout, which I start on Monday.

    Hope it works out for you.
  • aliwhalen
    aliwhalen Posts: 150 Member
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    I tried it, but am hypoglycemic and was miserable. I'm calorie cycling now, more sustainable, no fasting. Regularized blood sugar = happier mommy!
  • nycstyle1
    nycstyle1 Posts: 6
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    I'm thinking about doing this in combination with Insanity Workout, which I start on Monday.

    Hope it works out for you.

    Thanks. And good luck with that Insanity Workout. Looks like fun.
  • kristilappin
    kristilappin Posts: 9 Member
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    Hi, I've just started 5:2 diet today. I have done lots of reading around it and decided it's the best diet for me. I think there is always some diets that will work for some people and not for others. For me this seems easier I can have a deficit in calories for 2 days a week, and know that I can eat normally for the rest of the week.
    Good luck with your diet!
  • xShreddx
    xShreddx Posts: 127 Member
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    Since you are also exercising, are you netting 600 calories on your fast days or grossing 600 calories?
  • nycstyle1
    nycstyle1 Posts: 6
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    Hi, I've just started 5:2 diet today. I have done lots of reading around it and decided it's the best diet for me. I think there is always some diets that will work for some people and not for others. For me this seems easier I can have a deficit in calories for 2 days a week, and know that I can eat normally for the rest of the week.
    Good luck with your diet!

    Thanks! It seems to be working well so far. Hope it works for you too.
  • nycstyle1
    nycstyle1 Posts: 6
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    Since you are also exercising, are you netting 600 calories on your fast days or grossing 600 calories?

    I'm eating only 600 calories on fast days (well, 650 actually). I do eat more due to my exercise, but that's only on non-fast days. This is gonna sound really unscientific, because it is, but from my meager experience (two fast days), it seems that taking in so few calories on the fast days shrinks your stomach a little, and changes your food cravings. I've been eating more healthy food lately - specifically more vegetables and fruit - because I've just wanted to. And, strangely, I've lost my desire for alcohol. I normally have two drinks a day. I'm guessing that these changes in my appetite wouldn't happen if I compensated for my exercise by eating more on fast days.

    Then again, it could all be placebo. It's hard to tell, this early in. But it seems to be working so far . . . .

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