C25K and 5:2 diet combo

I’ve just finished W7R1 and found it ok - the previous weeks having prepared my body for it.

At the same time I’m doing the 5:2 diet. (In case any of you don’t know what this entails it’s basically restricting your calorie intake on 2 days a week to 500 if you’re female and 600 if you’re male and eating “normally” for the other 5 days.)

I have been running on the 5 days and having rest days on the 2 days of restricted calorie intake. I run first thing in the morning (before eating anything) which means I’m burning off the previous day’s restricted calorie intake.

My question is, would I have more energy to burn (and therefore be able to go faster/further/longer) if I swapped to running on the restricted calorie days?

I’m pleased with the overall progress I’m making (just over 1 stone lost and able to run for 25 minutes non stop in 7 weeks) but was wondering if swapping my running days to coincide with restricted calorie days would reap even better rewards.

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

I don’t have any answers for you, but loads of admiration for your dedication to both running and diet

[Hidden in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you WillowandSola. Your comments have made me even more determined to keep this up.

[sally1993]

Wow this is inspiring me! Do you not feel out of energy first thing in the morning if you have fasted the day before? Very interested to know I would like to lose a stone haha x

[Hidden in reply to sally1993]

Actually sally1993, I don’t feel out of energy first thing in the morning following the fast day - and I’m usually fairly active in the garden or walking on the fast day itself! I think the diet has, somehow, boosted my overall energy levels - although I am tending to fall asleep slightly earlier than I used to 😴😉

Can’t believe that what I’m doing is inspiring someone. Thank you so much for saying this - it’s made me even more determined to keep going.

[sally1993 in reply to Hidden]

Nothing wrong with going to bed earlier that is basically my hobby! 😂😴 very interesting to know I might actually give this a go so thank you as well! X

Also just giving some more thought to your question, I don’t think it will make a difference to your weight loss overall as you are still burning and consuming the same amount of calories but just at different times. I think optimising when you run so you will have more fuel in the tank, to burn more calories sounds like a good plan, you know?

Xxx

[nowster Graduate]

My guess is that it shouldn't make much difference which day you do your running on. Hopefully you're running in the aerobic range, which means you're burning dietary fats and fat reserves rather than relying on the sugars that are immediately available in the bloodstream.

[spongecat Graduate]

I follow 16:8 way of eating (I prefer not to call it a diet). I believe that the body has enough reserves to call on for C25K...easily. It's all down to glycogen levels and unless you are going into marathon/ultra running 5:2 should be fine, your body is good at looking for converting reserves elsewhere, from body fat for example which we generally have enough of unless one is suffering from severe malnutrition

I'm not a doctor or sports scientist but it's a subject that interests me and have also experimented with ketogenic way of eating. That was interesting!

verywellfit.com/what-is-gly...

[LottieMW Ambassador]

Have you asked on the ‘Fasting and Furious’ forum? I’m sure there have been posts about fasting and exercise.

Falling asleep earlier may just be part of your body’s recovery time, unrelated to diet.

...Well done btw! 👍

[Hidden]

What about switching to a low carbohydrate lifestyle and then you can have an almost unlimited supply of energy from your body fat?

It's what I'm planning next. I already do 16:8 intermittent fasting, low carbohydrate and Fast 800 is coming up in 10 days.