[brangdon]

I'm still doing 5:2. I lost about 3kg. I've now reached a plateau; after about 2 months I'm no longer losing weight. Apparently this is due to my metabolism slowing down. I think that's right because it also became a bit easier at about the same time. I don't feel I need to eat as much on the day after a fast day.

I've not had any formal blood tests, but I have done some self-tests with a blood sugar meter, and my glucose levels have improved. I don't know whether that's due to IF or is merely down to the weight loss.

One quirk is that I found I was getting mild headaches the day after a fast. I think this was due to caffeine withdrawal. I'm now trying giving up coffee altogether. (I used to take it with 2 sugars and a lot of milk, 3 times a day, so this will also save a few calories.)

[Westminsterflye]

the fasting happens between dinners, i.e. breakfast and lunch are missed, twice per week on a 5:2 regime???

[Gellymiss]

Originally Posted by Westminsterflye

the fasting happens between dinners, i.e. breakfast and lunch are missed, twice per week on a 5:2 regime???

That was how it was presented. I think some people have tweaked it a bit if they found it difficult to give up breakfast, but I do think the theory is that you fast for X amount of hours(between one dinner to another) with nothing entering the system.

I've just had a cholesterol test yesterday so am very curious to see if mine has dropped. Again, fasting required for this as well which wasn't a problem after this diet

[Westminsterflye]

Originally Posted by Gellymiss

That was how it was presented. I think some people have tweaked it a bit if they found it difficult to give up breakfast, but I do think the theory is that you fast for X amount of hours(between one dinner to another) with nothing entering the system.

I've just had a cholesterol test yesterday so am very curious to see if mine has dropped. Again, fasting required for this as well which wasn't a problem after this diet

Funny enough I had to fast Monday for a blood test yesterday morning.

It is because I have family history of heart failure, but strangely the nurse said I had fasted too long as I had only eaten breakfast and some fruit through the day Monday.

I hope to get cholesterol reading by the end of the week which might be a prompt to start 5:2.

Thanks for your reply.

[bobcar]

Originally Posted by Gellymiss

That was how it was presented. I think some people have tweaked it a bit if they found it difficult to give up breakfast, but I do think the theory is that you fast for X amount of hours(between one dinner to another) with nothing entering the system.

I've just had a cholesterol test yesterday so am very curious to see if mine has dropped. Again, fasting required for this as well which wasn't a problem after this diet

As presented on the programme it was just reducing your calories on the 2 restricted days to less than 500 for a woman and 600 for a man. There was no restriction when you ate the calories though this may change with further research, these are early days and Mosely mostly ate his calories for breakfast. I spread them throughout the day as I find that easier, I will change that if further research so indicates but at the moment it is not clear what is best.

I'm continuing to lose weight which is a nice side effect so haven't plateaued, maybe that's because I exercise a lot?

It'll be interesting if you can report back on your cholesterol test.

[Westminsterflye]

Originally Posted by bobcar

As presented on the programme it was just reducing your calories on the 2 restricted days to less than 500 for a woman and 600 for a man. There was no restriction when you ate the calories though this may change with further research, these are early days and Mosely mostly ate his calories for breakfast. I spread them throughout the day as I find that easier, I will change that if further research so indicates but at the moment it is not clear what is best.

I'm continuing to lose weight which is a nice side effect so haven't plateaued, maybe that's because I exercise a lot?

It'll be interesting if you can report back on your cholesterol test.

I agree it would be excellent to collate cholesterol findings in connection with 5:2 fasting, anecdotal evidence is powerful.

[brangdon]

Originally Posted by Westminsterflye

the fasting happens between dinners, i.e. breakfast and lunch are missed, twice per week on a 5:2 regime???

When I started a trial fast, I thought it could be 6pm to 6pm, but having a big meal just before 6pm and another just after seemed like cheating. As you say, just missing 2 meals rather than a whole day's worth.

So for me now the "day" lasts until breakfast the following day. The day before is normal, and I tend to snack, and/or drink alcohol, in the evenings, so it runs roughly midnight to 8am, or 32 hours. This includes two sleeps.

5-600 kcal in that period. I find the evenings hardest, so I skip breakfast and lunch. Nowadays I can have 250kcal around 6pm, and then the same around 9pm. Often that satisfies me enough that I don't go to bed hungry.

Originally Posted by brangdon

I've now reached a plateau; after about 2 months I'm no longer losing weight.

This has passed and I'm losing weight again. Apparently this is still normal, if you stick with it. I didn't do anything special to get past it.

[Gwilbers]

I only heard about this program at the weekend, watched it last night and am very interested in doing it.

How are people getting on? Is it sustainable?

[KennyT]

Absolutely.

i ran on a 5:2 ratio (but separate days of the week) for 5 weeks and lost a stone over that time. First week was a bit of a struggle but after that, fine. I'm currently running on a 6:1 ratio just to keep the weight off. I didn't have any blood tests before I started though, so don't know what benefits may have accrued on that front...

go for it!

K

[Gwilbers]

Thanks K, that's really encouraging. Think I will have a go

[solare]

I'm afraid I "fell of the wagon" for a while - due to my lack of self-discipline

After the success of the early weeks, I started to become a little too flexible with the "fast" days. I would start a "fast" day and then be tempted by something high calorie and decide to make the next day a "fast" day instead. The same would happen the next day...and so the pattern continued.

Nevertheless, during the first few weeks that I was doing it (properly), I definitely felt the benefits. I lost weight and, more importantly, had more energy and slept better! I still believe it's a good regime.

So, I started again last week - hopefully with more self-discipline this time. Today is a "fast" day (just soup and a banana, so far) and I have managed to resist the Mozart balls in the canteen!

Good luck Gwilbers!

[Gwilbers]

Thanks Solare. I can imagine just how easy it would be to slip on this one! Good luck with your restart

[fudbeer]

Do you have more energy on the fast days?

[solare]

Originally Posted by fudbeer

Do you have more energy on the fast days?

I do feel I have more energy on fast days.
I'm not sure if that's due to having fewer calories or just due to not having wheat products on those days.

[fudbeer]

Originally Posted by solare

I do feel I have more energy on fast days.
I'm not sure if that's due to having fewer calories or just due to not having wheat products on those days.

Interesting,thanks for the reply.

[Rutakateki]

I thought suscribers to the thread might find this article by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall interesting. It's from today's Guardian- he talks about trying the 5:2 diet, and how his particular version is working for him. I think it's wise and well-written.

Apparently Michael Moseley has written a book with journalist Mimi Spencer. I'm not really sold on the 5:2 diet for myself- I'm much more interested in 'Fit for Life', but I'm interested enough to give it a scan next time I'm in a bookshop.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...tall-fast-diet

[Rutakateki]

Oh, and on the subject of interesting related material, I saw a great film last year called "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead". I'd recommend it to anyone- really inspirational. It's free to watch on hulu.com- if you get a free trial with unblockus you can watch it from the UK.

Here's the trailer- http://vimeo.com/18732737#at=0

[Dirty Rooster]

If the "normal" food you eat regularly does not set you up for periods of fasting without craving : it will be difficult, and too hard to continue in the long term.

And where did "fasting" suddenly mean skipping a meal? Pansy moderns twisting good old words again.
Heck surely you've got to eat nothing for at least 24 hours before you even qualify for starting to "fast".

I'm sure nobody here will agree with me, I'll get me coat ...

[Rutakateki]

I tend to agree with you on the fasting element. I'd call 5:2 a restricted calorie diet, rather than a fast. For me, a fast is drinking only water, and nothing else, not even green tea. Which is not to say that I think a 5:2 diet is unhealthy- far from it, I think it's an excellent diet if one can stick to it.