5:2 and running

[Yesletsgo]

Has anyone done the 5:2 diet while running regularly?

If I lose around half a stone it will bring my BMI below 25. Losing this will probably benefit my joints. Although I tell myself that muscle weighs more than fat I know I'm kidding myself lol.

I tried 5:2 a couple of years back and found I could cope with the two days of starvation as I knew the rest of the week would be 'normal'. What I'm wondering is, whether it's a good idea to fast, obviously not on running days, and if so are there any pitfalls etc to avoid? I generally aim to run 3-4 days a week.

What about intermittent fasting ie leaving 12-16 hours between dinner and breakfast? If you don't count coffee I often do this anyway, not that it seems to have made any difference.

I'd really welcome your input folks

[Hidden]

I have not tried fasting as I know I can't do it. If I don't eat at regular times, I just faint. That said I have been dieting a bit the past 2 months. I did not need to lose much, just 4 kg or something. But I have done that by counting calories. I use the app MyFitnessPal for that and I weight everything I eat or drink and enter it into the app. Just don't make the mistake of adding calories burned in exercise to what you can eat, because it does not work that way. If I eat the calories I burned, I gain weight. Anyhow, with my weight and length, I can eat 1200 kcal a day to lose weight slowly (I wanted to lose it slowly so as to be able to continue with it). I would like to lose another 500 grams, but seem to be stuck here now.

Anyhow, it did work like a charm. The only thing is you have to weigh everything, which can be annoying. I also changed my lunch meals to meal replacing diet shakes, which is a LOT let calories than bread. And I will keep using the shakes for lunch even when not on my diet, because bread makes me bloated and fat. If you work with shakes though, you have to watch out for the proteins. They have to be MINIMUM 20 grams per 100 grams in protein, because else you will get hungry. I generally tried to keep everything low in calories, so that in the evening I could still take a little biscuit or something as an extra, while staying within the 1200 kcal.

Whatever you do, good luck with it. It can be hard, I didn't have to lose much and was really motivated. But now that I am at the end of it and struggle to lose those last 500 grams, I must admit that chocolate and cookies look damned good! But that is my pitfall, sugar. So I will have to keep being careful, else I will easily gain those kilos back!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10]

Never tried it… but I think it should be doable. I wouldn’t want to be doing my long run on a fasting day, but I cannot see anything less around the 30 minutes mark being an issue. In theory it would be longer than that as glycogen stored in the muscles is around 90 minutes… but I do get rungry if I go above 45 minutes!

[nowster Graduate10]

My suggestion is that you plan your longer runs for the days you're not fasting. It'll be even more important to take in protein after a longer run. (Fasted running can burn protein as well as fat.)

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10]

I weighed myself this morning and despite all the fried pies while I was away I've managed to drop a couple of pounds. I've given up biscuits for Lent so maybe I'll just see if the rest of the weight drops off before Easter without torturing myself 😂

[Frenc Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Hello there Obk 😊. I’ve not tried it myself, but 2 ladies I know each did the 5:2 and they said it was doable, and they both lost weight. They also said it made them rethink what they were eating on non diet days too. As long as you’re sensible about how you fit your runs around it why not?! There’s loads online about it and books too, so lots of info out there. Good luck with whatever you choose 😊.

[dijep Graduate10]

I kept meaning to reply to you.I did 5:2 a few years ago and it really worked for me, this was before I started running. But since I started running I have used it a couple of times for short spells to lose a few holiday or Xmas pounds and not had a problem. I only run twice a week and makes sure not to fast on the day before a run, for me that's more important than on the day of a run.

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to dijep]

Thanks, that's really interesting. I did it a few years back, for a couple of months and it definitely works. I see the logic of not fasting the day before a run, all I wanted to do when I woke up after a fast was to eat breakfast!

[dijep Graduate10 in reply to Yesletsgo]

😂 😂I find it really helps with portion control.

Dreaming up post fast breakfast is great 😋

[Yesletsgo Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to dijep]

Yes, I don't think I've eaten a muffin in Costa since I was on 5:2, can't shake off the 'that's nearly a whole days calories' now that they show the number on the price tag 😂