The Fast Diet

351291
351291 Posts: 8 Member
edited November 29 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has tried the fast diet or 5:2 for weight loss. If so, how much did you loose? how long did it take? what was the average weekly weight loss?

Also, would you loose more fasting 3 days rather than 2?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to decide if this is the best route for me. I want to loose around 50 lbs, I'm 5ft 4in and 172 lbs.

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    It has worked for a lot of people. If you can stick to it and do it right, it will work for you too. But it's not the only way. You lose weight if you eat in a calorie deficit over time. If eating 500 calories two days per week creates a calorie deficit for the week, and you can stick to it over time, you'll lose weight. A calorie deficit of 7000 equals (more or less) 1 kilo of body fat.

    Eating 500 calories per day isn't fasting, it's undereating, but causes no ill effect as long as it's only 2 out of 7 days. Undereating every other day is not likely to work.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Join the 5:2 groups on here to see people's experiences.

    I do wonder why on earth you would choose 5:2 and then make it 4:3.
    If you want to do alternate day fasting find an alternate day fasting plan. If you want to do 5:2 do it and do it properly.
    The book is an interesting read and the website is full of information including who can do it and who should not.

    It's designed to be a slow, steady weight loss plan - one pound a week would be a reasonable expectation.
  • 351291
    351291 Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you both for your advice/help.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    I like fasting, it takes time to figure out which way works for you best, everyone is different and does it different, good groups on here for fasting
  • CaronRose1
    CaronRose1 Posts: 12 Member
    Hi, I tried the fast diet for 4 weeks, fasting Mondays and Thursdays. I lost a disappointing 4lb then I had fish and chips one Saturday, weighed myself the next day and I'd gone up 4lb. I am now using portion control / calorie counting.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    CaronRose1 wrote: »
    Hi, I tried the fast diet for 4 weeks, fasting Mondays and Thursdays. I lost a disappointing 4lb then I had fish and chips one Saturday, weighed myself the next day and I'd gone up 4lb. I am now using portion control / calorie counting.

    That is a pound a week which is basically what the 5:2 is designed for depending on your weight.

    Probably why you gained 4lbs over night was because fish and chips are fairly high in sodium and caused water retention. That has nothing to do with what type of diet that you are on.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    351291 wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I was wondering if anyone has tried the fast diet or 5:2 for weight loss. If so, how much did you loose? how long did it take? what was the average weekly weight loss?

    Also, would you loose more fasting 3 days rather than 2?

    Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to decide if this is the best route for me. I want to loose around 50 lbs, I'm 5ft 4in and 172 lbs.


    5:2 is 5 days at maintenance and 2 days at 500 for women, 600 for men.

    To figure out weight loss for the week find your maintenance....then subtract 500 or 600 from that. Times 2 = your weekly deficit (times 3 would be 4:3). Take that and divide by 3500.

    Maintenance calculator: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Example: my maintenance is 1700 - 500 = 1100 deficit. Then 1100 x 2 = 2200. 2200/3500 = .63 pounds a week.

    Is 4:3 faster? Of course, but at 50 pounds to lose 4:3 is very aggressive. Very aggressive = a larger % of lean muscle loss. You can't magically make fast weight loss healthy because you eat at maintenance 4 days a week.

    Here's a link to the group
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100058-5-2-fasting

    There is nothing magical about 5:2. It's just another method of getting a calorie deficit. If eating lower calories 7 days a week is hard, this may help you be more consistent. If overeating happens on non-fast days, this won't work for you.

    I zig-zag my calories differently. I eat 800 three days a week. Sort of like a modified 4:3.
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