Anyone done 5:2 diet??

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Jojoblue_2
Jojoblue_2 Posts: 2 Member
in Getting Started
Hi everyone, I'm new starting today... I have 50-60 lbs to lose. I have seen the doctor due to not feeling well and it turns out I have an under actice thyroid gland yay for me! NOT! Anyway I am now on medication for this but he strongly advises I lose some weight (he isn't wrong Ive gained 5 stone!) he recommended I try doing 5:2 diet.... has anyone else done this? If so please share results good or bad??

Thanks
Joanne

Replies

  • victorias36
    victorias36 Posts: 28 Member
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    I googled it and it says eat anything you want for 5 days, fast for 2 days. I know a lot of people do the intermittent fasting but it does not work for me. My job is physically demanding and I need my energy. I hope it goes well for you. Good luck with your journey!!
  • Timi75
    Timi75 Posts: 1 Member
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    I do 18:6 daily and I do low carb too
  • ldv6
    ldv6 Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi Joanne, I've used something similar to this where I fast for 36 hours then have a feed window for the next 8 hours in which I consume all my calories. This "feed window" is then followed by a fasting period. As an example, following this protocol, my week's nutrition plan would look like this: 8PM Sunday - start Fasting, 8AM Tuesday start feeding, 8PM Tuesday start fasting, 8AM Thursday start feeding, 8PM Thursday start fasting until 8AM Saturday. I have found some success using this method. I would encourage you to research and try different methods of fasting ( intermittent, alternate, extended day fasting ) you body may react differently to each. I would certainly watch out for any nutrition plan ( diet ) that has the words " ... you can eat anything you want ". You can't. You will still have to manage your caloric intake no matter what plan you use if you are trying to lose pounds. There are a lot of good sources of information on fasting "out there" ( and a lot of junk info ). Here is a really good link talking about extended day fasting and just the experience of fasting in general. 5 day Fasting Guide
    Link: http://bit.ly/2rtdl5T
  • Jojoblue_2
    Jojoblue_2 Posts: 2 Member
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    Thanks everyone who has responded so far... I appreciate every little help
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Yes - both my wife and I did it.
    Worked very well, found it far easier and therefore sustainable than trying to stick to an everyday deficit.

    Resulted in nice, steady weight loss and transition to maintenance was a breeze.

    There's a couple of 5:2 groups on here.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
    edited July 2017
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    I'm considering it. My only issue is that I have to eat every 12 hours to take meds, and while I can make a some really tasty meals at 250 cals each, I'm wondering how I'd go on those days, given that I'd rather eat in a small window and fast the rest of the day, if I fast at all. Still, I'm considering giving it a try.

    Oh, and there is a big difference between eating at maintenance, and "Eat what you want". It's not 5 days of not tracking and going nuts - you still have to eat at maintenance at maximum. For some, that can be hard, given the 2 days of deprivation.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    edited July 2017
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    Jojoblue_2 wrote: »
    Hi everyone, I'm new starting today... I have 50-60 lbs to lose. I have seen the doctor due to not feeling well and it turns out I have an under actice thyroid gland yay for me! NOT! Anyway I am now on medication for this but he strongly advises I lose some weight (he isn't wrong Ive gained 5 stone!) he recommended I try doing 5:2 diet.... has anyone else done this? If so please share results good or bad??

    Thanks
    Joanne

    You can't eat anything you want on the 5 days. You eat at maintenance for 5 days and very low calorie for 2 days, usually around 500-600. The basic idea is that you get your deficit in 2 days of the week. It works for some people but I hear those 2 days can be very rough.

    OP did your doctor not give you directions on how to implement this diet he recommended or refer you to someone who can? It's very common and irritates the crap out of me when they do that.

    Edit: I quoted the wrong post, I meant to quote the person who mentioned you eat anything you want for 5 days. Sorry for the confusion.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
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    I ran the 5:2 for while and was successful with it - I now use a modification of 8:16.

    My experience/advice:
    • I found it much easier to have the 2 fast days when I was at work (not the weekend)
    • I found it useful to continue to monitor my calories using MFP to ensure I was hitting by target on the fast days and not overcompensating on other days
    • As written you can eat 500 cals throughout your fast day (600 for men) but I found it easiest to abstain until my evening meal and have a decent meal rather than smaller "meals" all day long
    • It's worth experimenting with macro percentages on your fast days - personally I found high protein the way to go but I could imagine that others may find high carb preferential
    • I was able to work out (strength training) on my fast days without loss of performance
    • Black coffee and the occasional diet coke was, for me, essential

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