5.2 diet, has anyone done it or thinking about doing it?

[runningwild]

I'm about to try it, but would like to know if anyone has had experience of it. Thanks

[TheEditor]

Hi,

You may be interested to know that NHS Choices reviewed the evidence behind its benefits here:

nhs.uk/news/2013/01january/...

[Fingalo Graduate]

I have lost over three stone using a combination of Slimming World, fasting and 'anything goes' I got the fasting aspect from the 5:2 plan but do not follow it as designed.

During Monday to Friday I do a complete 24 hour fast twice, usually on a Monday and Friday, eating only an apple or banana in that time (no 600 cals) as I am on medication which cannot be taken on an empty stomach. For example, my last meal on Sunday would be around 8pm and I eat nothing (save the apple on Monday lunchtime) until my evening meal on Monday, again around 8pm.

Repeat Thursday/Friday. The meals I do eat during the week are all in compliance with the Slimming World diet. Also I drink no alcohol Mon-Fri.

On Saturday and Sunday I eat and drink what I like, as much as I like.

I lost 2 st 5lb in less than three months using this method and then began the C25k, not to help with the weight loss particularly but because I felt so good about myself I decided I may as well get fit too.

I'm now approaching the stage where I'll need to ease off it soon as with the longer runs I fear the weight will again start to fly off me (the earlier part of C25k made no difference) so may cut down to one fast a week, although as I find the fasting quite easy, I may just relax other aspects slightly instead.

I've never dieted before as it's only in the last 3 or 4 years I've built up the weight, I never got used to it and just decided it had to go. Also I do not see this as a diet per se, more a lifestyle change that I know I can and will continue with.

I think that's where most diets fail.

[DuckFeet Graduate]

I think I'm about to try it! I watched the Horizon program a while a go and downloaded Kate Harrison's 5:2 Diet Book from Amazon last night at £1.09 - an excellent, down-to-earth read!

The main thing that I like is the idea of not having to obsess about what not to eat for weeks/months on end. OK, so it is very strict for 2 days, but it means that it's not controlling your life and things like family meals, meals out, etc. are not a worry. The book recommended things like having a bowl of porridge for lunch and then soup at night on the fast days - I think I could cope with that, although my one worry is that when I'm hungry, I get so cold and I hate being cold!

Since giving up smoking, my will-power with food has completely gone out of the window. I do feel so much fitter with running, but the weight is actually creeping on, especially as I now have an injury so can't run and I've been sulking and over-eating

[Lifebeginsat40]

I'm going to start next week. Tuesday and Thursdays (which are non running days) will be my fast days.

[runningwild Graduate]

Thanks so much for all your comments and answers. May ease into it and start with one fasting day and as 'lifebeginsat40' pointed out, not on a running day. Good luck and well done to 'Fingalo' already!

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Call me old fashioned well I am old(er) but the thaught of not eating for 24 hours sends me into a cold sweat!! How on earth could someone cook a meal for their partner/family and then sit down and have a glass of water instead, yikes I would need to be put to sleep!

I was nearly 3 stone over weight 2 years ago, in bad physical shape too. I've lost the weight by reducing calories to about 1400 per day, reducing fat too, eating at least FAD and drinking more water. I am much more active too. Pretty much what NHS are saying is the good way to lose weight.

I now exercise at least 5 days a week, I'm fitter, healthier, stronger and have 5 times more energy than I had in my 30's & 40's. My blood pressure has improved, my asthma check shows my breathing is better than its been for over 30 years. My skin is clear from drinking water, my complextion is fresh from running (wind/rain/hail/snow battered) and I'm a heck of a lot happier knowing I've done the right thing for my previously abused body.

Its not rocket science, its common sense and NHS are offering help FOC, can't be bad. I know which way I would chose if I still needed to lose weight.

[Fingalo Graduate in reply to Oldgirl]

It's certainly a wee bit extreme and not for all but it works for me. I take on board what you say about cooking for others and making do yourself, I'm fortunate in that regard as I'm away out to work in the morning and do not cook. Therefore all I have to contend with is not eating from morning until I get home from work, a total of 13 hours.

The rest of the time is the hours following my evening meal and when I'm asleep, both easy.

One thing I do need to do is drink more water at all times, I can have a bottle on my desk at work and still completely forget to drink from it!

[Hidden]

I thought about doing this late last year after seeing the horizon program, but come the new year I just started using myfitnesspal app and have seen steady progress and I havn't felt deprived at all and on run days you can eat a little more, well 11.5lbs up to now. Good luck whatever you decide.

[caro8642]

I started this week, fast days tuesday and thursday. Just had fruit to eat on the fast days. Tuesday was fine, did not really feel hungry at all, but last night, I did feel hungry, so drank more water and resisted eating anything. Woke up this morning feeling fine, not hungry and today so far, I have not had the usual craving for biscuits etc. Not sure how easy it will be next week, when hubby will be at home in the evenings (he does not know I am doing this), may just have to try and be more sensible each day. Since monday though, I have dropped 3lb. Will be interesting to see what my weigh in next Monday will be.

As for running, still getting back into it slowly following knee trouble, more 'power walking' than running at the moment.

[runningwild Graduate]

Thanks for further replies, I'm starting it today. Going to have scrambled egg with ham, then noodle soup or similar later on. Good luck to everyone else who's doing it. Hubby's going to try it as well with me, so here we go...

[rubygloom Graduate]

Hi runningwild I am doing the 5:2 plan and am also trying to eat sensibly on the other days, including weighing food items such as rice, pasta, potatoes, cheese etc as I have come to realise that my portions are big enough for 2 at times, and in particular I was eating way too much cheese.

I wasn't overweight perse but I was right at the very top of the recommended weight for my height and didn't feel good about it at all, but I have lost 13lbs so far (have been doing it for 5 weeks). I hope to lose just over another stone. I'm finding the 5:2 pretty easy, although I prefer to save nearly all of my calorie allowance until the evening so I can have a decent sized meal. If I do "spend" alot of calories earlier in the day then soups are great as you get an ok amount volume wise for not a huge amount of calories.

Good luck with it!

[Legion Graduate]

Just started the 5:2 yesterday (woke up and decided to do it for Lent!). How is everyone else getting on with it now?

[runningwild Graduate]

Hi Legion, well nearly 2 weeks and 4lbs gone already! Good luck

[Legion Graduate in reply to runningwild]

That's brilliant runningwild. Do you think you're eating any differently on your non-fast days to how you would 'normally'? I was using mfp to monitor my calorie intake/expenditure before I started the 5:2 but now I'm only monitoring calories on fast days.

[runningwild Graduate in reply to Legion]

Hi Legion, actually I am and don't want to 'pig' out as much. I've got the book 'The Fast Diet,' and it says after I think it was a month, your habits do change and you require less food. Also I don't want to eat if I'm still up after 12am just because the fast has ended! I really think this plan is working. Loads of luck to you and it also says you can exercise on a fast day, so I've been running after porridge and blueberries and been fine.

[Legion Graduate in reply to runningwild]

Is that Michael Moseley's book? I found that, on the day after my first fast day, rather than wanting to pig out I had to push myself to eat. I was nowhere near as hungry as I expected to be and actually found it hard to eat very much. However, I wanted to make sure I ate a reasonable amount so my body didn't go into 'diet mode' and start conserving calories!

I'm on my second fast day today. I ran last night so won't be running again until tomorrow, but think I had better have some breakfast beforehand. Porridge and blueberries sounds yummy.

I noticed Fingalo said he fasted for 24 hours (eg. 8pm one day to 8pm the next) whereas what I'm doing (ie. the Moseley method) is more like a 36 hour fast, because I don't eat (much) from after dinner one evening until breakfast the day after next. Do you know whether there's much difference between fasting for 24 or 36 hours?

[runningwild Graduate in reply to Legion]

It is, I needed more structure and recipe ideas, than just make it up as I go along. Re: difference in fasting hours, not sure, will see if there's anything in the book. I have been having breakfast about 11am then dinner around 7-8 pm and found it's working. Fast days at the moment are Saturdays and Wednesdays.

[Legion Graduate in reply to runningwild]

I've just been having a long read on Amazon about The Fast Diet and also Kate Harrison's 5:2 book, and reviews for both. You can download a free sample for Kindle of the latter, if you (or anyone else interested) want to.

From what I've read so far, there seems to be two main schools of thought. Reviews suggest that with Mosley's method the most important dietary restriction is cutting down on protein intake. The other major method suggests that you should cut out all food for a period of (generally) 24 hours, consuming water only.

I'd be interested to know how Mosley arrived at the 500/600 cals on fast days limit, if it can be distilled into a brief description? I did watch the Horizon programme when it first aired (and was intrigued, but doubted my willpower!) but don't recall if he explained how the food/calorie reduction for fast days was arrived at.

[marleyhull]

i tried it and found it successful...until you stop it, then the weight piled on again. I reccommend it for a quick fix but it's not sustainable in the long term. now trying something else.

[runningwild Graduate in reply to marleyhull]

Oh, that's something to be aware of. I haven't been too strict with it and not being able to run for the last 2 weeks I'm not losing the weight as fast as I would like. However I don't eat half as much as I used to on the non fast days. Which diet are you trying now?

[marleyhull in reply to runningwild]

on thebritishdiet.com for 5 weeks now and v happy. I had stopped running due to injury but still managed to lose a stone in that time. Now running again so hope to lose even more

[runningwild Graduate in reply to marleyhull]

Well done, bet it feels good to be running again, good luck.

[marleyhull]

@runningwild - just seen on their FB page they are offering some free logins today !

[runningwild Graduate in reply to marleyhull]

Oh ta, going to have a look, thanks.

[marleyhull]

no probs but be warned you do have to eat like a sparrow for one meal a day lol but it does seem to work. Im just doing treadmill for the next two weeks as it was an ankle injury - hope to get on the road again soon.