The 5:2 diet questions...

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Tiamo719
Tiamo719 Posts: 256 Member
in Getting Started
Hello everyone. I am new here and I am beginning the 5:2 diet today, today being the 500 calorie day. I read some info about it on google but I wanted to speak with some experienced 5:2 dieters.

1. Does it matter which two days, for example, can I do it on Sunday and Tuesday? Or are they too close together?

2. The 5 days, should I stick with my 1600 calorie limit or does it not matter if I go over?

3. On the 500 day, do I add back the calories from exercising?

Thank you all in advance! :smile:

Replies

  • Tiamo719
    Tiamo719 Posts: 256 Member
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    Anyone?

    If I said "my boyfriend was making me eat" or "I'm addicted to sugar", by now I would gave a gazillion responses :grumble:
  • austinsneeze
    austinsneeze Posts: 222 Member
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    I've done the 5:2. I have done it off and on. On the five days, you should stick to your 1600.
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    There's a ton of info here that you could and should read. But I'll answer for you :)

    #1- Sunday and Tuesday might work for you. I don't think it would for me, but you can try it and see. Don't be afraid to tweak things when you start. It could take a few weeks/months before you find what works for you.

    #2- on your non fasting days, you're supposed to eat at your maintenance calories. You're creating your entirely weekly deficit from your 2 fasting days.

    #3- I wouldn't recommend exercising on a fasting day. If I needed to eat something extra on a fasting day, I may go on a slow walk but nothing more. I always lined up my fasting days with a rest day.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    Anyone?

    If I said "my boyfriend was making me eat" or "I'm addicted to sugar", by now I would gave a gazillion responses :grumble:

    it's sunday morning. people are out and not really on the forums. and the ones that are, such as myself, don't really feel like responding to another eating disorder thread that is thinly veiled as a diet plan.

    personally, i think that the 5:2 diet only really appeals to the people that like to binge eat and then punish themselves. it's not a sustainable way of eating and living.

    i'd rather see you eat on the regular 1600 calories (depending on your current height, weight, and activity level). good luck.
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,661 Member
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    If you stick to 1600 calories a day for 5 days, and 500 calories for 2 days each week, you will consume 9000 calories per week. That is an average of just under 1300 calories per day. Would it be easier to just eat 1300 calories per day?

    I think it's a judgement call which days you want to fast. If you're starving all day on Tuesday, you could try moving the fasting day to Wednesday, instead.

    Where did you get the 1600 number? Perhaps that's a good number all week long, instead of decreasing calories even more drastically 2 days a week, you could stick with that? In that case, you wouldn't want to go over unless you also increased your burn to match.

    If you eat back calories on 1600 calorie days, you should probably also eat them back on 500 calorie days.

    If your boyfriend is making you eat, is it because you're cranky from sticking to such low calories on those fasting days? Maybe you should listen. I hear that Oreos are as addictive as heroin. Dangerously enough, I took the other tack on that warning and said "maybe I should try heroin if it's not any more addictive than Oreos."
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    I think you might want to be careful of generalizations that are based on nothing more than personal opinion, to which you are of course entitled.
    The 5:2 way does not even come close to any kind of ED if exercised correctly and if you do some research you will find out that it is just another way to achieve a calorie deficit and is also not a way of eating that induces binge eating more than any other way. I think binge eaters are triggered by all kinds of things on a very personal level.
    For some people 5:2 works and for others it doesn't.
    I have been doing 5:2 since April 2013 ( is that sustainable enough ? ) and if you check the right groups you will see that there are many people who do 5:2 long term. I have lost 55 pounds so far and can say that it has been relatively easy, because it is easier for me to abstain two days a week from most food, than eating low cal every day. My days are Tuesday & Thursday IF they are not certain holidays. If Christmas or my birthday fall on one of those days, I just switch around.
  • angiepk1
    angiepk1 Posts: 4 Member
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    Back in 2012, I tried my own version of the 5:2 diet for about 4 months. Instead I did a 4:3 diet. I had 600 calories on Mon, Wed & Fri, 1200 on Tues, Thurs & Sat and then about 1800 on a Sunday. Yes, I lost a lot of weight this way but in retrospect, but it was a pretty stupid thing to do. I found it very hard to maintain and over time ended up putting 20lbs of the 40lbs I lost back on and my hair started to fall out. Not great.

    I now recommend, instead, sticking to a 1200-1300 cal a day routine which is much easier to maintain. The weight still fell off me and I got to eat some very satisfying meals. This year, I lost 28lbs in 3 months with this method and have managed to keep the weight off now for the last 2 months.

    The whole time I logged all of my calories on MFP, logged exercise using the Map My Walk app which syncs up with MFP and used a fitbit pedometer and I still do all these things now to help me maintain my weight. The only exercise I do is brisk walking to and from work and I'm on my feet all day at work, moving boxes around etc, which I class as light exercise. I'm now eating around 1800 calories a day. Even with the odd pig out/eating out days, I'm able to maintain.

    The 5:2 diet does yield results but its harder to switch to maintenance when you've reached your goal. Likewise for these liquid/shake diets that don't seem to work long term. Good luck with what you decide to do.
  • onelonelysocknoble
    onelonelysocknoble Posts: 27 Member
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    Two people that I love to bits, neither knows the other, chose to take up the 5:2 lifestyle after the Horizon broadcast towards the end of 2012.

    Both are now maintaining with a 6:1 program, have stuck with it, got used to the hunger quickly and as a side effect have lost stones.

    For them it's a lifestyle rather than a diet, I think the only way it works for them is that they focused on the whole living longer lives goal rather than just doing it for the weight loss.

    Then again I can point to another twenty or so folks I know who over the last two years have taken it up, but who it didn't work for.

    I fall into the second group.

    (As to hair falling out, and nail splitting I can say from experience that's down to protein deficiency, it is possible to restrict calories without that as a side effect. I use low fat, high protein snack bars. )

    Good luck :)
  • ukaryote
    ukaryote Posts: 874 Member
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    First, props to the OP for Marvin the Martian.

    5:2 can certainly work, search forums. IMO it is a short term plan to reach a target and you will reach it with dedication.

    My question is, how do you intend to maintain an activity level and weight throughout your life?

    After hitting a weight goal, if you have not worked to create ingrained habits on proper eating 7:7, then there is a good chance you will bounce up again. This will become abundantly clear when you hit your 40s and 50s and the metabolism really slows. if you have not created exercise habits, life won't be as fun as you lose muscle mass.
  • Tiamo719
    Tiamo719 Posts: 256 Member
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    Hey MFP'ers... thank you so much for the feed back! Those of you who are concerned about me having an eating disorder, I'm a little confused, do you think I am under eating?

    It's 5pm and it wasn't easy but I still have 200 calories left. What I noticed is that I made such healthier choices today, ate a whole bowl of veggies! I think that this diet will help me to make better choices and realize when I am really hungry instead of eating when bored or stressed. Doing this at work will be the real test. I chose Tuesday because it's a short day for me.

    I chose 1600 calories for the other 5 days because that's the total I got on the TDEE website. Maybe I calculated wrong? I'm 49, Female, 5'3, 190lbs and I work out 3 days a week.

    Thank you again!
  • TeresaB1979
    TeresaB1979 Posts: 158 Member
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    I do 5:2 (sometimes 6:1) for the last two years (with the odd fast few week here and there) and I love it, as do thousands of other people. I reached my initial goal weight earlier this year and now I've decided to lose another bit by Christmas. It is easy (for me) and I really enjoy the feeling of not being 'on a diet' 5 days a week. It's just another way of getting a weekly calorie deficit, no magical promises or 'fads' involved.. I don't understand why anyone would tell you it is not a sustainable way of living/eating but restricting daily is. For me it was the other way around. I found sticking to 1400/1500 cal every single day difficult/tedious. For some people 'dieting' every day is sustainable but for others two days of 'severe' calorie restriction and a more relaxed approach on the other days is a more enjoyable way of losing weight (and in addition to weight-loss there are other health benefits).

    Have a look at fastdiet.co.uk. Any questions you have will be answered on there and there are lots of people on there who are eating this way and you can chat to them any time. It might be something you don't like but you'll never know unless you give it a try. Good luck! :smile:
  • Tiamo719
    Tiamo719 Posts: 256 Member
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    First, props to the OP for Marvin the Martian.

    5:2 can certainly work, search forums. IMO it is a short term plan to reach a target and you will reach it with dedication.

    My question is, how do you intend to maintain an activity level and weight throughout your life?

    After hitting a weight goal, if you have not worked to create ingrained habits on proper eating 7:7, then there is a good chance you will bounce up again. This will become abundantly clear when you hit your 40s and 50s and the metabolism really slows. if you have not created exercise habits, life won't be as fun as you lose muscle mass.

    I have not ingrained proper eating habits, that is why I chose to try this. I use weights when I workout so I hope to keep my muscle mass. I don't want to have an over abundance calorie deficit after one week, I want to be in the range that is necessary to lose weight in a healthy way.

    One day at a time for me, I survived today and here's to surviving Tuesday :drinker:
  • TeresaB1979
    TeresaB1979 Posts: 158 Member
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    Oh and regarding maintenance once you reach goal. I am perfectly happy to do 6:1 for the rest of my life to maintain. With the odd 5:2 thrown in if I've gone a bit mad at the weekend. Why not when it's so easy? :wink:
  • Tiamo719
    Tiamo719 Posts: 256 Member
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    Oh and regarding maintenance once you reach goal. I am perfectly happy to do 6:1 for the rest of my life to maintain. With the odd 5:2 thrown in if I've gone a bit mad at the weekend. Why not when it's so easy? :wink:

    Are you eating a bird? :huh: :smile:
  • rubyjune27
    rubyjune27 Posts: 87 Member
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    I have been following 5:2 for just over 2 years. I didn't commence this to lose weight, (as I was already on a calorie restricted diet), but for the health benefits.

    I find Monday and Thursday best but that is personal preference. Choose whichever days suit you.

    The rationale for the low calories 500 or 600, dependent on gender is for the health benefits so you should not eat back your calories. I always swim for 30 mins every day and sometimes do a gentle run. It's not the fast day, but the morning after that I might experience fatigue.

    If you no longer want to lose weight, many switch to 6:1. I stayed with 5:2 to assist with maintenance.
  • TeresaB1979
    TeresaB1979 Posts: 158 Member
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    Oh and regarding maintenance once you reach goal. I am perfectly happy to do 6:1 for the rest of my life to maintain. With the odd 5:2 thrown in if I've gone a bit mad at the weekend. Why not when it's so easy? :wink:

    Are you eating a bird? :huh: :smile:

    Yeah, that was a fast day and I lost my mind with the hunger and attacked a budgie. :tongue:

    It's a plastic bird. I was being silly that day (and most days of my life :blushing: ). I've been vegetarian for 28 years so real birds are safe enough around me. Fear not!
  • Tiamo719
    Tiamo719 Posts: 256 Member
    Options
    Oh and regarding maintenance once you reach goal. I am perfectly happy to do 6:1 for the rest of my life to maintain. With the odd 5:2 thrown in if I've gone a bit mad at the weekend. Why not when it's so easy? :wink:

    Are you eating a bird? :huh: :smile:

    Yeah, that was a fast day and I lost my mind with the hunger and attacked a budgie. :tongue:

    It's a plastic bird. I was being silly that day (and most days of my life :blushing: ). I've been vegetarian for 28 years so real birds are safe enough around me. Fear not!

    Being silly is good for you, keeps you young! :smile:
  • TeresaB1979
    TeresaB1979 Posts: 158 Member
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    Oh and regarding maintenance once you reach goal. I am perfectly happy to do 6:1 for the rest of my life to maintain. With the odd 5:2 thrown in if I've gone a bit mad at the weekend. Why not when it's so easy? :wink:

    Are you eating a bird? :huh: :smile:

    Yeah, that was a fast day and I lost my mind with the hunger and attacked a budgie. :tongue:

    It's a plastic bird. I was being silly that day (and most days of my life :blushing: ). I've been vegetarian for 28 years so real birds are safe enough around me. Fear not!

    Being silly is good for you, keeps you young! :smile:

    I might just live forever then. :wink:
  • angela233Z
    angela233Z Posts: 312 Member
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    5:2 is an amazing plan for me. I only have to think about dieting 2 days a week ( eat 500 calories) and other days try to eat around TDEE.

    I have been losing consistently.

    I usually do Tuesday and Thursday because it works well with my schedule, but change it depending on schedule changes

    come join us at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7953-5-2-fasting

    I don't understand why people think it is unsustainable. I currently eat TDEE 5 days a week. Once I hit my goal, I will eat TDEE every day and maintain

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