My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Fasting / 5:2 diet

The 5:2 Thread number 20! Officially a score.

971 replies

GreenEggsAndNichts · 20/05/2013 08:27

The continuing thread for those of us following either the 5:2 diet or the alternate-day fasting diet.

The 5:2 diet was featured on Horizon in August 2012, and essentially requires you to fast for 2 non-consecutive days per week. The other 5 days, you can eat what you like, or approximately your TDEE (see explanation below). Alternate-day fasting is just how it sounds; you fast every other day. By "fasting", we mean that we keep our calorie consumption very low, around 500 calories on average for a woman, 600 for a man, on those days.

You'll find on these threads we use a number of acronyms. If you're new to the threads, or Mumsnet in general, they might not make much sense.

WOE/WOL = Way Of Eating/Way Of Life. We use this term instead of "diet" as many of us see this as something to do in the long term.

MFP = My Fitness Pal, a website many use for keeping track of the number of calories they're eating.

TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure, quantifies the number of calories you burn in a day. This measure is best estimated by scaling your Basal Metabolic Rate to your level of activity. TDEE is critical in tailoring your nutrition plan to desired fitness goals. Here is a link to a calculator to help you figure out how many calories you should be eating in a day.

ADF = Alternate-day Fasting, as it says on the tin, fasting every other day rather than 5:2.

Michael Mosley has a website to accompany his new book on the subject. Please go check them out, as he's the whole reason most of us are here!

I know a number of people lurk on this thread, as this is currently quite popular. Please just jump in and post if you're new- you'll find a lot of support here.

Here is a list of links to get you started with this way of eating. Please let us know if you find a new article or some other information online:

First things first, here are links to some of our previous threads: most recent one before that another one!

Another thread which breadandwine has started is a good resource for some of the links and tips that get lost in these big threads. In addition to sharing links, we try to condense some of our top tips for fasting there. Keep in mind, we all do this differently, so these are just tips, not rules. This might be a good place to catch up with us if you're feeling a bit lost!

frenchfancy has a recipe thread over here, please post any low-calorie recipes there so they don't get lost in these bigger threads!

If you've been at this a while and are moving on to maintaining your goal weight, there is a thread here to discuss that.

Here is the link to the BBC article regarding Michael Mosley's findings, which was featured on Horizon.

There's a link to the aforementioned Horizon programme here.

A blog post here gives some of the scientific explanation for why this way of eating helps you to not only lose weight, but improve your all-around health.

A Telegraph article which comments on the diet and gives a brief overview by Dr Mosley himself, very informative if you're just starting. (I highly recommend this for an overview)

A study discussed here gives commentary specifically addressing the effect of this diet on obese people (both men and women), with regard to both health and weight loss. ("After 8 weeks of treatment, participants had an average 12.5 lbs reduction in body weight and a 4 cm decrease in waist circumference. Total fat mass declined by about 12 lbs while lean body mass remained relatively constant.) it also mentions "Plasma adiponectin, a protein hormone that is elevated in obesity and associated with heart disease, dropped by 30%. As did LDL cholesterol (25%) and triglycerides (32%).")

Something to consider if you are currently your ideal BMI: this appears to suggest the benefits for women at a lower BMI might not be seeing the same health benefits that are found on men at their ideal BMI.

A BIG THANK YOU to all who have been contributing, btw. Most of us are learning this way of eating as we go along. All of the links above have been posted by others in our previous threads, and they've been very helpful. Sorry if I haven't given credit where it's due, but it was just enough of a job getting all the links re-copied and back into one post.

Come join us, and tell us about your experiences with this diet!

OP posts:
Report
EagleRiderDirk · 20/05/2013 08:33

Thanks again greeneggs Flowers

Report
ceebeegeebies · 20/05/2013 08:37

Thanks Thanks

Lazytoad - in answer to your question on the last thread, yesterday was a NFD and we went to Chiquitos for a BIG tea...and I wonder why I slept so badly Hmm

Am not fasting today as going to a soft play area with DS2 and I am not strong enough to resist lunch there Grin

Report
Dotty342kids · 20/05/2013 08:38

Thanks greeneggs!
I had a bit of an overeating weekend really, not helped by the large bar of Dairy Milk that my DH appeared with at 7.00 last night which I scoffed. Bit disappointed iwth myself but not going to let the guilt monster get me.
Fast day today as usual and about to go to zumba and then do 155 squats! My backside is seriously aching Grin

Report
LickTheSpoon · 20/05/2013 08:57

Thanks greeneggs.

Dotty i feel your pain. I have gone into a chocolate frenzy - this is why I don't normally keep the stuff in the house. It's an NFD and my warped logic is telling me if I eat it all today it won't be there to tempt me tomorrow (FD). Arghh! I need to get real. Whenever I eat it, it will end up on my hips!

Can't remember who asked on last thread about when ppl eat cals on FD - but having tried various ways, I am definitely of the 'leave it as late as possible' school of thought. Have light dinner - often soup, then a cuppa and clear off to bed before get hungry again. But I find a couple f bits of really cold watermelon good (and v low cal) if I absolutely need something in the afternoon.

I tried zero cal and found the day easier than 500cal day in some ways - but like emily I found it made me crazily hungry the next day so not sure if I will do again.

Fast will be tough tomorrow as the baby has had a run of v disturbed nights and grisly days, so am knackered...have def been eating in lieu of sleep today.

Report
Moominlandmidwinter · 20/05/2013 08:58

Morning all.

I also had a bit of an overeating weekend, and feel really bloated this morning. I'm actually looking forward to fasting today! I'm going to throw myself into the housework.

Report
Bramblesinafield · 20/05/2013 09:00

Morning. Yet another who had an indulgent weekend and a temporary bounce up because of it. I'm on a fast day today, but it may be cut short as I think I may be out tonight with friends. If so, I'll look at it as not so much calorific damage as it could have been and fast tomorrow!

Report
INeedThatForkOff · 20/05/2013 09:17

Thanks for the thread Smile

Badvoc, I have my cals as one meal about 6pm. I think if I grazed in small meals I'd go over. This way I'm hungry but I don't have to think about what to eat. At fewer than 200 cals if I split it into three, it probably wouldn't fill me up anyway.

Report
BetsyBell · 20/05/2013 09:18

Good morning everyone, fast day here - for most of us I expect Smile

I've had a few weeks of nice easy and steady weight loss so now comes the backlash - I seem to be commencing one of my regular periods of body holding on to every ounce it can so I'm stating here now that I'm going to NOT EAT ANY SNACKS this week - ie no eating unless it's an actual meal. I'm not talking chocolate and crisps, I don't generally have issue with commercial snack food, for me it's 4pm when I absolutely must eat raw nuts and dried fruits, or some crackers with cheese, oh and the picking while I'm preparing dinner as well. Got to stop.

But if I'm going to ride out this week without (more) weight gain then this is what I must do. It's a habit I'm desperate to break too. Damage so far weight-wise is 3lb over 3 days.

Report
ELR · 20/05/2013 09:22

Morning all, thanks greeneggs
Had a really bad eating weekend. We had dominos pizza last night. Never in all my life have I bought a take away pizza as I prefer to make my own or go to pizza express. I've been to Pizza Hut years ago and thought it was vile so assumed dominos would be the same and I was right! I still managed to eat half a large one though but felt awfull afterwards really bloated.
It's because I'm so close to the 9's it's like a form of self sabotage, does anyone else do that?
Anyway new week and new day so fasting as usual, I r got a really sore throat and don't feel like eating at the minute anyway so hopefully tha will continue and et me through the day.

Report
ELR · 20/05/2013 09:25

betsy I will join you with no snacking I'm the same nuts and peanut butter on wholemeal toast is my 4pm downfall ooh and sampling as I'm cooking!

Report
whats4teamum · 20/05/2013 09:30

Been on a plateau for about 4 weeks and its really annoying.

I have been doing 30 day shred since mid April and walking min 10000 steps per day. I'm doing 500 calls on fast day and tracking 2000 on mfp on NFD.

Why am I still the same bloody weight? 5' 4" 11 stone 3 lb down from 12 st 8 lb in January. I peeked 10st 13 lb four weeks ago and have stuck at just above ever since.

Report
BetsyBell · 20/05/2013 09:30

ELR Self-sabotage: yes, me, I ate an entire block of brie on the same day I had my glimpse of 9s on Friday. It was bloody lovely though. However, this morning I am 10 stone 3 Hmm

Sorry to hear you feel rough.

I have learnt now that take aways are not an option for me anymore, they all make me feel vile so would rather spend the money on extra lovely ingredients and cook stuff myself.

Report
BetsyBell · 20/05/2013 09:33

Whats4tea My last plateau lasted 4 weeks, I lost less than a pound over the whole period. But once I started losing again it slipped off like melting butter! Persevere, it's worth it. I think I may be entering another plateau period so telling myself this too.

Report
BetsyBell · 20/05/2013 09:34

ELR xpost. Right, No snacking it is - I'll see you here at 4pm every day for a mutual pep talk then?!

Report
fatsatsuma · 20/05/2013 09:38

BetsyBell and ELR I think I'm in the same boat. I've been hovering around 10 stone 3 for several weeks now, having lost 7 lbs in the previous 7 weeks. I did see 10:1 at one point but then bounced up again. And over the weekend I totally lost all self-control and went on a total sugar bender Angry

This is the weight that I always seem to get stuck at. It's well within a healthy bmi for me, but I would love to be nearer 9.5 stone to shift the last bits of blubber. I'm worried that I'm going to give up again, like I have done previously at this weight, and then it will slowly creep up again.

I did two and a half 500 cal fasts last week (intended to do 4:3 but ran out of willpower on Friday evening) and now can't do another one til Weds for various reasons. And I felt sooo hungry this morning that I had a huge breakfast. Help! It's all going wrong...

Report
virginposter · 20/05/2013 09:39

greeneggs Thanks


awomanchanging it's quite common at the beginning of this woe to have digestive problems but after a while these sort themselves out.
I've found it's the same with feeling really cold, as time goes on this lessens Smile

Report
fatsatsuma · 20/05/2013 09:40

ah BetsyBell missed your last post about plateauing. You give me hope - I love the sound of it slipping off like melted butter Grin

do you think if I just carry on with 5:2 I will eventually get over the plateau? 4:3 is just too tricky at the moment.

Report
awomanchanging · 20/05/2013 09:44

Thank you all! Not sure who asked about meal timing. I've always been a eat when I almost feel hungry or am hungry. With only 500-700 cals to spare on fast days I find a nice big salad with protein filling which would either be lunch or dinner, in the morning I'll have a protein shake and for dinner it would revolve around veggies and protein as well. I spread those out by at least 4-5 hours each and I'm fine.

To the person who said on nfd they tend to eat everything. I want to say that for me I look at food as fuel, because it gives us energy. But I know for specialty foods I'll probably wont eat in a while I take some advantage of it but I make sure I am aware of it. This week I'm going out of town so although there will be some yummy foods I plan on not overeating and drinking water and eating slowly. Food will always be there, unless its a famine. But otherwise I know most likely I will get to have that food some other time in life. Hope this helps.

Report
BetsyBell · 20/05/2013 09:46

fatsatsuma (love that name!) & ELR Right, sounds like we're all in similar boats, looking to get to the same sort of weight, lets get this on.

fats Ok, so you can't fast till Wednesday but you can join our NO SNACKING group so put down the sugary goods and stop self-sabotaging! Just because you can't fast it doesn't mean you can't eat sensibly right? A sugar-laden weekend is one thing, but let's make weekdays super-healthy.

[Typing with far more enthusiasm than I'm feeling right now - waiting for caffeine to kick in...]

Report
awomanchanging · 20/05/2013 09:46

Thank you virgin! I read that online as well. Hope it levels out as I return to work today and would hate to be running to the bathroom every hour. Good thing before 5:2 i was always cold anyways lol

Report
BetsyBell · 20/05/2013 09:48

Oh and yes to sticking with 5:2. It sounds like attempting to do more will just result in feelings of failure which leads to more eating of crap...

I only ever do 5:2!

Report
NoForkNKnife · 20/05/2013 09:53

Did we all go overboard? I'm really hoping the gain I've just seen on the scales is short lived. But, tbf, I had a gain last weekend (in fact 3lbs higher than this morning) and I still lost over the week.
Supposed to be a FD. I've been up all night with DCs. Like someone said up thread, I'll be wanting to eat to stay awake. I've got to try though. There will always be an excuse.
I like the no snacking rule! I'm more of a bubbler of other peoples snacks Blush than my own.

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

NoForkNKnife · 20/05/2013 09:54

*nibbler!

Report
BetsyBell · 20/05/2013 09:54

Last post to fatsatsuma

And a big bunch of Flowers and a [mwah] to greeneggs for the lovely new thread.

Report
whats4teamum · 20/05/2013 09:56

Thank you betsybell. You have stopped me wandering downstairs and demolishing the bread bin. I will persist and hope to see it slipping off like melted butter soon.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.