Need new friends doing the 5:2 diet (:

OK, more about the diet. There is no 'life span' of the diet, it's a way of life change. The thinking behind it is, that the human body never evolved to be fed constantly. For thousands of years, humans evolved to survive on a pattern of feast and famine, and the modern way of constantly eating is having catastrophic effects with heart disease, cancer and particularly diabetes becoming ever more prevalent.
The amount of days you fast depends on how much weight you want to lose, or how high your indicators of contracting an affected disease - diabetes, cancer or heart disease are. If your cholesterol levels or fasting blood sugar are high, or you're very overweight, you'll be wanting to do a 5:2 or 4:3 fast pattern. If you're at a weight and level of health you're happy with, then a maintenance fasting pattern of 6:1 is recommended.
The theory behind the diet regarding diabetes, is that for the fasting days, you are eating very low GI food - no sugar or carbs, and very low fat. This means that your body doesn't release insulin for those two fasting days. When you are constantly putting food into your body, your insulin levels remain unnaturally elevated, which vastly increases your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
As far as the reduction of cancer goes, fasting has another effect on your body. When you are eating often, your cell growth hormone is produced, which keep the cell growth gene constantly switched on, and as you may know, cancer is basically cells growing out of control. When you fast, this hormone is switched off, which turns the gene off, and the cell repair gene switches on instead. Tests in rats are showing that it's this effect which is also having an astonishing effect on dementia.
The diet also typically reduces cholesterol and visceral fat (the fat which accumulates around your internal organs) which in turn reduces your risk of heart disease.
It does take some will power, but hunger comes in waves and is not a constant. If you meal plan sensibly, and use mostly vegetables with a small amount of protein, then you can get a surprisingly large plate of food out of it. I generally have a scrambled egg with a slice of ham for breakfast, a bowl of strawberries (brilliant fasting food, low GI and only 33cals per 100g) for lunch, and a huge plate of stir fry with chicken, fish or prawns for dinner. I've been on the diet for 9 weeks, and I've lost a stone and a half. I don't plan on ever coming off the diet.

5:2 Started Monday was taking some medication standard Paracetamol and a anti inflammatory but with a low food intake made day one not to good. Thought would be fairly easy but stomach tightening was very frequent. Today Thursday decided to not take drugs and been a lot better.

Im not doing the 5:2 but i do 16/8. It helps me to control my macros. That's why I like intermittent fasting. I'm stil in all my macros. not dpriving my body. Anywho, u can add me or I will add you

Hi all,im new here... Wud like some motivation and advice please!!!
I was wondering if a nursing mom(( me)) can do th 5:2 diet.. And wud it have any impact on milk production...
I need to lose (atleast) 10 kg in 8 weeks..
All th tips on how to achieve this and types of food, meal plans wud b super appreciated
( sorry for th spellings mistakes)

Hi, I am new on here and new to the 5.2 diet regime, would value some support and some ideas whilst going through the process, thanks.

Hi, I am new on here and new to the 5.2 diet regime, would value some support and some ideas whilst going through the process, thanks.

They shouldn't be two consecutive days in a row. You do want at least a day in-between the fasting days according to the author.

As far as exercise, personally, I tend to make my fasting days Tuesdays and Thursdays (but change around as needed) and I don't push myself too hard physically. Typically walking for numbers on my fitbit (10,000 steps a day if possible) and maybe a yoga or a palates video but it's really up to you and how you are feeling on the day.

I sorta fell off the bandwagon with my 5:2 and am trying to jump back on myself! So feel free to add me for the moral support! GL!

I'm willing to give it a try. I might start with only 1 day a week and still do appox. 1250 calories the other days.

edit: I think this makes better sense than cheat days.