Can i have some 5 2 diet success stories please?

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I want to start doing this. I was doing ESE the dinner to dinner fast but kept coming up with excuses to put it off to tomorrow and tomorrow never comes. Will try for no breakfast, late lunch (300 calories) and then small dinner (200 calories) twice a week. Regular days @ 1800 calories.

I did it for 16 months, though i wasn't particularly carrying excess weight. People said I looked great, looked younger, and wanting to know my secret. I felt great, I enthused and thought about it regularly, wishing to tell everyone about it.

Over time I developed a problem with 5.2 which caused me to come off it, though I've just since started back on it again. The problem began around the time when trying to get below 11% body fat, it was essentially indigestion, causing a dead feeling in my guts along with acid reflux. I worked with it for as long as I could but coming off 5.2 was the only option. After about 8 weeks of stopping, all symptoms had completely disappeared, it was also over the Christmas period which was quite handy.

If you plan to do 5.2 long term, I recommend:
* On fast days, don't leave meals until dinner time - have at least 2 quality meals each fast day, ensuring plenty of vegetables and protein. If you need to really use your brain during the day, eat fruit in advance.
* Probiotic pills can help maintain a balance in your gut bacteria.
* As someone else has said, do some weights and exercise. If your blood sugar is low, your body will break down muscle to create sugars it needs to meet demand - particularly for the brain; this can't be done from fat. The last thing you want is to have lost 20kg with a significant loss of muscle, people with lower muscle mass are statistically more likely to get ill.
* Don't develop a need to binge on the other 5 days. As my body fat got lowish, my brain would tell me to stuff my face when it could. While I didn't put any weight on, the dramatic changes were what caused problems for me. Managing what you eat on those other 5 days is important too.

Hi-Ive been on the 5:2 diet for a few months now-have lost enough weight around my tum (unfortunately not off my boobs tho') what is a maintenance diet? Or can I just fast once a week now to maintain weight?

For maintenance you would do 6:1 fast. Fast just one day a week.

I`m a bit confused with all the information I`ve read on various websites regarding the 5.2 diet. Some say you can eat anything you want on your non fasting days while others state you still have to count calories and not to over indulge. I would assume the latter would be the case. I started the 5.2 diet last week and lost 4lb but did 4 half hour runs and consumed 2500 calories or less on my non fasting days. Just wondered what everyone else does on their non fasting days. Calorie count or just eat what they want?

I've been doing it for 16 weeks and have lost 56lbs Works for me!

I've scanned through a few posts and I don't quite understand what the 5:2 is....can someone explain it please. Seems very interesting with lasting results

I`m a bit confused with all the information I`ve read on various websites regarding the 5.2 diet. Some say you can eat anything you want on your non fasting days while others state you still have to count calories and not to over indulge. I would assume the latter would be the case. I started the 5.2 diet last week and lost 4lb but did 4 half hour runs and consumed 2500 calories or less on my non fasting days. Just wondered what everyone else does on their non fasting days. Calorie count or just eat what they want?

I would really like more information regarding this diet. Is there a book I can reference? I like the questions the above (quoted) member asked! As a runner who runs at least 5 days a week, and training for a 13.1 in September, Is there any concern for feeling tired on "Fast" days? Lastly, the fast days don't effect (lower) your metabolism? Thank you in advance!

I would recommend the book 'The Fast Diet' written by Dr Michael Moseley and Mimi Spencer. The book goes into further details from the documentary (also by Dr Michael Moseley) and gives ideas of what to eat on fast days. From my understanding u are supposed to eat ur tdee on non fast days, this will take into consideration your running. The documentary is amazing it's available online, its called 'Eat Fast, Live Longer' and is a BBC Horizon documentary.

Thank you All !!!

there are a lot of books about it, I just started it this week, but have read like 5 different E books on it from amazon.com
The testimonies of ones in these books were women who kept calories under 1500 on non fast days... which seems pretty doable.

How stupid to eat nothing, you will store fat that way

Well aren't you a little ray of sunshine? :laugh:

How stupid to eat nothing, you will store fat that way

Well aren't you a little ray of sunshine? :laugh:

Lol, a little ray of sunshine who doesn't know about the 5:2 lifestyle to have anything constructive to say. Do some research before slamming it!

Me! I've been doing 5:2 on and off for the past few months.

I've posted my "during" success story just a few days ago. Here is the link:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1331265-celebration-13-months-down-66lbs

I have tried many diets before and had success until i stop them and go back to eating how i was then it all goes back on plus more. Ive only really just found this 5:2 after hearing philip schofield talking about it so done some research.
I dont mean that i expect to loose 5 stone in 13 weeks, just that i have 2 goals to aim for and keep me going.

I have tried many diets before and had success until i stop them and go back to eating how i was then it all goes back on plus more. Ive only really just found this 5:2 after hearing philip schofield talking about it so done some research.
I dont mean that i expect to loose 5 stone in 13 weeks, just that i have 2 goals to aim for and keep me going.

at least you're being realistic have you been on mfp for long? I don't call counting calories a diet you see, and nothing is off bounds and I've had great success and have been successfully maintaining for a year now in 20 yrs this is the first 'diet' that I've been able to sustain, cos it ISN'T a diet

To play devil's advocate: I did 5/2 (well Eat Stop Eat actually but very similar) for 2 months last year. I maintained weight and measurements. That is because this was a non logging experiment and I was able to eat enough on the eating days to counteract the deficit on the fast days.

Moral of the story: energy balance matters more than amount of time fasted

I'm normally a 16/8 ish guy but I like to self experiment.

I recommend picking the meal frequency that makes it easiest to hit your dialy cal/macro goals.