5:2 Diet

I've heard mixed reviews but mainly positive. I started it on Monday and so far it's been relatively easy (if you plan ahead). Lots of green veg is the key I think.

I have done it for 5-6 months and don't recommend it, particularly. It was a good fit for me when I had a real schedule problem having dinner at a tolerable hour 2 days a week. It worked. I was thankful on those two days not to stress about dinner. But I felt kind of crash-y the following day. When my schedule changed, I went back to nice consistent intake and candidly felt better. There isn't a good reason for me to jack with my HPA axis.

I have read where a MFP user eats low one day so he can eat higher the rest of the week. Lots of us bank calories for the weekend. I've also seen assertions that occasional fasting can increase insulin sensitivity, but I don't know if there is any scientific basis for it.

5:2 effectiveness will depend on overall CICO (averaging your high and low days) and how you feel. The only way to know is to give it a try. With 5 lb, your weekly deficit should be <1700-ish to preserve LBM.

I'm just starting eating like this now. It still is calorie counting really, just a different way of achieving a deficit. I don't necessarily think it provides any different weight loss, it's more that it suits some people better by not having to be restrictive every day.

I do it as I find 1200 cals too small to work with, by decreasing my intake on a couple of days I feel I can eat better on the 'normal' days - it takes time to get used to, but easily managed.

I don't usually interact on here, but today is my first fast day. This is the first thread I've come to so you may be able to find this information elsewhere, but those who think this is just about a weekly calorie deficit are a bit incorrect. Yes, you need a deficit to lose weight because your body is forced to metabolize fat. But different types of deficits cause your body to react differently. On fasting days your body is forced to deal with a new set of circumstances - a calorie intake below your basal metabolic rate. Your body starts doing what it was evolutionary designed to do as a feast-famine species and efficiently utilize fat stores. As anecdotal evidence, I worked in a hospital where several doctors decided to do this diet without calorie counting at all on the other 5 days . All of them lost weight. I'm sure they ate responsibly on the other days, but they had no calorie restrictions whatsoever. I find this all immensely fascinating, so I apologize if this bored you.