Any one tried the 5:2 diet ?

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Nuntis
Nuntis Posts: 63
in Getting Started
and it work ?

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  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,951 Member
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    Perfectly legit way to control calories provided you don't over eat on the non fasting days.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
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    Yes.

    Getting close to 40lbs lost since mid march.

    INCREDIBLY easy to do and very flexible. WHen others fret over parties, holidays, work carry-ins, etc, those on fasting programs just chuckle as they make it their up day.


    I do the 4:3 version and feel it is easier to get on a schedule and routine of fasting.


    I cheat a bit and eat up to 500 on fast days, 3 days a week eat at my BMR of 2100, and 1 day eat at my maintenance calories of 2500-2800
  • missylectro
    missylectro Posts: 448 Member
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    I tried to fast on Saturday and was not successful... went into a binge...
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
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    One bit of advice I have and something that has worked for me is this....


    1. Fast on your busy days. For me, that is during the work week.
    2. Water and sugar free gum. Black coffee and diet pop is good as well.
    3. You dont have to fast a calender day. Some people run into hunger problems this way because it is more than 24 hours of fasting...closer to 36. It can be tough.
    +I do 24 hour fast cycles. 7pm-7pm. Sunday night at 7pm I started my fast. It ends at 7pm tonite. I MAY eat up to 500 cals today but doubt it. From 7pm mon-7pm tuesday I eat my maintenance calories.

    That 24 hour cycles gives you the benefits of fasting and also knowing you wll have a good meal that evening instead of knowing all day you dont get to eat until the next day
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    You will find a 5:2 group here....
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/8005-5-2-fasting

    It worked very well for me to lose weight slowly and steadily and continues to work very well to maintain. Started this pattern of eating in August 2012 and intend carrying on for the foreseeable future.

    For people who want to know more....
    http://thefastdiet.co.uk/
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
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    and it work ?

    Tried it and my bowel movements completely changed, could not deal with the constipation. I was not prepared to take magnesium when I am accustomed to going twice daily without anything without taking anything.

    I am not zig zagging my calories and feel a lot better than when I was doing 5:2.
  • missylectro
    missylectro Posts: 448 Member
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    One bit of advice I have and something that has worked for me is this....


    1. Fast on your busy days. For me, that is during the work week.
    2. Water and sugar free gum. Black coffee and diet pop is good as well.
    3. You dont have to fast a calender day. Some people run into hunger problems this way because it is more than 24 hours of fasting...closer to 36. It can be tough.
    +I do 24 hour fast cycles. 7pm-7pm. Sunday night at 7pm I started my fast. It ends at 7pm tonite. I MAY eat up to 500 cals today but doubt it. From 7pm mon-7pm tuesday I eat my maintenance calories.

    That 24 hour cycles gives you the benefits of fasting and also knowing you wll have a good meal that evening instead of knowing all day you dont get to eat until the next day
    Wow thanks for the tips! That will help a lot!
  • Saramelie
    Saramelie Posts: 308 Member
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    It's basically an extrem form of the zig zag (or calories cycling) diet. Sure it works, if you can sustain it. I prefer to cycle ''gently'' a.k.a between 1200 and 2400 calories per day, 1800 calories being my daily allowance.
  • slimbettie
    slimbettie Posts: 686 Member
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    It works! Here is my story so far....
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1331265-celebration-13-months-down-66lbs
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
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    It's basically an extrem form of the zig zag (or calories cycling) diet. Sure it works, if you can sustain it. I prefer to cycle ''gently'' a.k.a between 1200 and 2400 calories per day, 1800 calories being my daily allowance.

    Me too. I find this way a lot easier. At least you get to eat real good every day - Wednesdays and Saturdays (1957 & 1794) are my high days, Tuesdays and Fridays are my low days (1468 & 1468), Monday, Thursday and Sunday@ 1631.

    I am also limiting my carbs to 175 per day, on the high days, I may go over 200, low days 125, the rest 175.

    From this week, I started to eat the majority of the carbs in the morning and reducing carbs as the day progresses.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
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    One bit of advice I have and something that has worked for me is this....


    1. Fast on your busy days. For me, that is during the work week.
    2. Water and sugar free gum. Black coffee and diet pop is good as well.
    3. You dont have to fast a calender day. Some people run into hunger problems this way because it is more than 24 hours of fasting...closer to 36. It can be tough.
    +I do 24 hour fast cycles. 7pm-7pm. Sunday night at 7pm I started my fast. It ends at 7pm tonite. I MAY eat up to 500 cals today but doubt it. From 7pm mon-7pm tuesday I eat my maintenance calories.

    That 24 hour cycles gives you the benefits of fasting and also knowing you wll have a good meal that evening instead of knowing all day you dont get to eat until the next day
    Wow thanks for the tips! That will help a lot!

    No problem. Came from trial and error. I tried to fast before a full day and I just would bomb, but after I read a book my trainer buddy gave me that advocates the cycle of fasting and not necessarily a day a light went off for me! The book guy goes from 2pm to 2pm but says find what works best for you. I am always a good dinner guy so I went for the end of the day dinner time for my fast.

    I have since extended it out from time to time. Usually on weigh in days. Example...I weigh in on saturday morning. My normal fast cycle ends 7pm friday night so if I am weighing myself sat morning I will eat my 500 calories on my fast in mid afternoon and extend the fast until saturday morning.

    It is trial and error and I found to be extremely easy. This weekend people in the US will wonder how to treat Independance day eating/drinking (some threads already started) and for me I just plan it as an up day, get a really good run in the morning and pretty much eat whatever I want for the festivities.

    Check out the other studies and benefits to fasting online. Heart health, immune system improvement, etc. Many of benefits.

    Another thing I did not expect is how it teaches your body just what hunger is. I have taken a week "off" on 3 occassions now to test myself. I told myself I will eat just when I am hungry instead of the pre-programmed 3+ times a day most people think we need to eat. I have lost weight all three of those weeks!

    It has shown me that my lifestyle has changed. No longer have I become a slave to the eating establishment that believes we need to eat BF, Lunch, dinner, snacks etc. It really has freed my time, and my mind, to do so many other things!

    Just think of how much time and effort people spend on what they will eat that day. Think about. The constant thought of what to have for the next meal starts almost the minute the previous one ends.
    Eating in America is almost a full time job from deciding what, to the actual act of eating.

    On fasting days that is all taken away. I usually take a copule of minutes to pack a sandwich or salad for that day and that is it. I dont have to think or worry about what is next!

    And on your eat cycle....much easier to fit what you like and enjoy in under your calories for a day when you are eating at maintenance instead of a deficit each day!
  • LambrettaVVespa
    LambrettaVVespa Posts: 26 Member
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    I'd say that you'll see a mixed bag of results. The biggest issue is committing to that way of eating for the rest of your life. As with any diet, it should be a change for the long-term instead of for short-term weight loss purposes. If you end up changing the way you eat once again after shedding those lbs, you may find that you gain the weight back. The same logic applies pretty much across all diets - it's a change you make for the rest of your life.

    If you settle in to the idea and process of intermittent fasting, you'll see good results and keep the weight off. However, if you're intending to change back to eating 7 days a week afterwards, you may well find you gain some or most of the weight back.

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