New 5:2 diet advice

Tom_FitB440
Tom_FitB440 Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,

I'm currently eating 1800 calories per day except for weekends and I've worked out I'll lose around 0.7lbs by the end of each week.

Whereas if I do the new 5:2 diet, with 2 days of eating 800 cals I'll lose 0.9lbs per week, which is only 0.1lb less and leaves me to eat 2300 for the other 5 days.

Are there any downsides to doing one over the other?

Replies

  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,783 Member
    It's personal preference and whether you're ok with just eating 800 calories on a particular day.
  • Tom_FitB440
    Tom_FitB440 Posts: 4 Member
    sollyn23l2 wrote: »
    It's personal preference and whether you're ok with just eating 800 calories on a particular day.

    I’ll give it a try tomorrow and see how I get on.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,247 Member
    It doesn’t matter as long as your weekly average is your daily target. Your way is about an average of 1,500. The problem is that usually weekends are high calorie days because of social events, eating out, etc so be conscious of that
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,057 Member
    I think you meant on the 5:2 plan you'd lose 0.6 per week, not 0.9 (likely a mistype on the 10-key).

    Personally, I'd be rather miserable limiting to only 800 calories twice a week, especially if they're on consecutive days. Give me the steady 1800 every day.
  • Tom_FitB440
    Tom_FitB440 Posts: 4 Member
    nossmf wrote: »
    Personally, I'd be rather miserable limiting to only 800 calories twice a week, especially if they're on consecutive days. Give me the steady 1800 every day.

    I may be too. I’m going to give it a try and see how I get on.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,261 Member
    edited June 2023
    The 2 days don't have to be consecutive or on the weekends, they can be any 2 days you want. Originally it was to consume around 25% of maintenance calories on those 2 days and eat at maintenance the other 5 days. Those 2 days would be a good time to try alternative foods than what you're normally use to, you know, take them out for test drive. For example most seafood for 100g's is not much more than 100 calories and most veg you could eat until you actually resembled those veg before you hit any consequential calorie numbers, coffee and tea is your friend. anyway, just a though.

    There's no special food requirements, and a person can just continue to eat what they normally do and probably be the most compliant which translates into effectiveness, but with a caveat, it's generally temporary and most just put the weight back on, then what? Weight loss is more than just counting calories, otherwise it wouldn't be the revolving door that is so obvious here every single day in these threads. Generally speaking there has to be some lifestyle, dietary and behavioral changes that aligns with literature on how successful weight loss is maintained over decades in the obese population.
  • janecravens
    janecravens Posts: 2 Member
    Is there any downside to eating salmon five days a week?
    Also, is 12 oz. of iced tea counted as water, 1/2 cup? Is regular unsweetened ice tea detrimental to losing weight?
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,783 Member
    The main downside of that much salmon are cost and sustainability. No, unsweetened iced or united tea will not affect weight loss
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,261 Member
    Yeah, you may find an aversion to salmon eventually. Cheers
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    neanderthin wrote: »
    Yeah, you may find an aversion to salmon eventually. Cheers

    Yeah, I've burned out on foods I eat all the time:
    • When I lived in a yoga retreat center 20 years ago I had oatmeal for breakfast 6 days a week and cannot stand cooked oats to this day.
    • I'm also still adverse to tofu, which I didn't have as frequently, but still quite often.
    • More recently, I used to have a protein powder, fruit and veggie smoothie for years during the warmer months, and can no longer stomach it.

    I don't get sick of chicken, but then I prepare it many different ways.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited June 2023
    janecravens wrote: »
    Is there any downside to eating salmon five days a week?
    Also, is 12 oz. of iced tea counted as water, 1/2 cup? Is regular unsweetened ice tea detrimental to losing weight?

    12 oz of fluid counts as "water," 1.5 cups. (8 oz = 1 C.)
    sollyn23l2 wrote: »
    The main downside of that much salmon are cost and sustainability. No, unsweetened iced or united tea will not affect weight loss

    Yes, here fresh or frozen salmon is way more expensive than chicken. If cost is a concern and one is avoiding chicken, tilapia or canned salmon are cheaper than fresh/frozen salmon. One of my supermarkets has "chowder fish" which are small pieces of assorted fish sold very cheaply. I detest chowder and use this for fish cakes.
  • HillaryIsAJoy
    HillaryIsAJoy Posts: 11 Member
    There is math and there is drama and our brains loveeeeee to move into drama.

    Hypothesize what will help you lose weight. Do that. At the end of the week evaluate what worked, what didn't work, and what you will do differently next week. Math.

    Wondering what is the best diet, downsides to this diet vs. that diet, and judging other peoples experience is where we get in our own way and the drama takes over.

    The best diet is the one that works for you, leaves you feeling nourished, and is sustainable long term. Hard stop.

    Give it a try, evaluate it, if it's working keep doing that, if it's not tweak it.

    I believe in you!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,596 Member
    janecravens wrote: »
    Is there any downside to eating salmon five days a week?
    Also, is 12 oz. of iced tea counted as water, 1/2 cup? Is regular unsweetened ice tea detrimental to losing weight?

    Besides boredom and cost?

    In general, I think it's a good bet hedge to have a varied diet, rather than over-relying on just one (or a small number of) food source(s) for the various categories of nutrition.

    And I (plus most authorities on nutrition/diet these days) endorse the idea that tea counts toward water goals, as does coffee, the fluid content of fruits/soups/etc.

    Just pay attention to your urine color: You're shooting for pale yellow. Clear is over-hydrated (not good), dark yellow to brown-ish is underhydrated. Red or green is "call your doctor" unless you're taking some medication that has weird urine color listed in its side effects. If you're getting more than you need of certain water soluble vitamins, it can be OK for it to be sort of neon light yellow, really bright - still not dark, though.

    There's no universal standard amount of water/fluid that a person needs. Size, climate, activity level, composition of diet, whether one is a sweaty person or not, and more - all can affect your hydration needs. Urine color is a pretty reliable indicator.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,261 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    neanderthin wrote: »
    Yeah, you may find an aversion to salmon eventually. Cheers

    Yeah, I've burned out on foods I eat all the time:
    • When I lived in a yoga retreat center 20 years ago I had oatmeal for breakfast 6 days a week and cannot stand cooked oats to this day.
    • I'm also still adverse to tofu, which I didn't have as frequently, but still quite often.
    • More recently, I used to have a protein powder, fruit and veggie smoothie for years during the warmer months, and can no longer stomach it.

    I don't get sick of chicken, but then I prepare it many different ways.

    Right, I understand. Personally I can't say I have aversions from eating too much of anything. Although I haven't purchased boneless, skinless chicken breast in probably 30 years and if I do buy breast only, which is rare, it's bone in skin on. Salmon, it's funny but I find salmon to be one of the most versatile animal proteins available. I've smoked it, made gravlax with it, served it as ceviche, tartate, pounded it thin and stuffed, in parchment, slow roasted, poached, confit and the different species make a big difference and it's pretty nutritious as well. Cheers.

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