JumpyTheFrog Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I counted calories for about half of last year. When I did it, I managed to lose some weight, but then I gained it back. I'm tired of weighing everything. I think the 5:2 diet will be easier to stick with, because then I only have to count calories two days per week. How is everyone doing on this way of eating? The last updates I saw here were in the fall. My food so far today: breakfast - plain yogurt lunch - bag of stir fry veggies cooked in 1/2 TBLS coconut oil, 2.5 cups of marzipan tea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 What is marzipan tea? It sounds intriguing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 Marzipan tea is almond flavored. I add some stevia to make it sweet tasting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I started a week or two ago as well. On off days, I'm still eating less, too. I'd guess 1000-1200 calories on those days and 500 or so on fast days. I also want to add in strength training. My weight's been so up and down the last few months, I don't know where to say I started, but if I guessed I'd say I've lost 3-4 pounds since a couple of weeks ago. It's going to be a tough fight, I think, because I've gone up and down a lot (20-30 pounds) in the last few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 Do you think that the two low-calorie days are helping to reduce your appetite on the other days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I tried it about a year ago after seeing the BBC program. It was 1000x easier for me to stick to, but I didn't lose any weight. Granted, I only stuck to it for two weeks…but I'm big enough that two weeks on any diet should lead to weight loss. I read that some people need to do the true alternate-day fasting (basically Varady's research)…but I'm not so sure I could manage that long-term. I might try to do 3 days per week. I did find I did best waiting for dinner. Eating a small breakfast and small lunch seemed to make me hungrier. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Do you think that the two low-calorie days are helping to reduce your appetite on the other days? Yes. Well, that and other things. I'm just at an age, I think, where I know I don't want to go into old age heavy and if I don't change things in a big way (my whole approach to food), I will. I like the 5:2 approach because in our faith (Orthodox Christianity) we fast two days a week already, but "fast" means not eating certain things (dairy, meat, eggs, oil, alcohol). So combining eating a limited amount of calories on those two days with the restrictions seems to come pretty naturally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I'm supposed to work out 6 day's a week, although I rarely make 4 with the kiddos. I think I might institute this idea on the days I don't work out. Maybe make it a rule to encourage me to work out more often. It's just so simple, I have no excuses... unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I've been following this way of eating since 29 April 2013. In the past 9 months I have lost 40 lbs (25% of my starting weight) & where a size 16 was getting too tight, I now wear a loose size 10. I have done 4:3 (fasting 3 days a week) as it seems to fit better in my lifestyle. I never have 2 fast days in a row & seldom have more than 2 "feast" days in a row. There is a 5:2 FB page that is great support. When I began my fasting days looked like this: ***drink lots of water & herbal tea as desired*** 2pm---low calorie cup-a-soup 4pm---apple, cut up & dusted with cinnamon 6pm---big dinner salad: lettuce, carrot, bell pepper, tomato, red onion, a tiny bit of grated cheese + some lean protein (egg, chicken, steak, etc.) dessert---a cup of fresh fruit (kiwifruit, berries, grapes, mandarin, etc.) As the weeks went by I found that I wasn't hungry for the fruit, so I dropped that. Then I found I didn't really need the apple mid-afternoon, so I dropped that. Then I began drinking hot water with lemon instead of the herbal tea & I found I didn't need the cup-a-soup, so I dropped that. Now I drink lots & lots of water or hot water w/ lemon all day & have a big dinner salad plate in the evening. I don't count on my "feast" days & still enjoy the occasional McD lunch, etc. I find I am naturally eating less on non-fast days & making better choices. I no longer crave the carbs & soda that I never thought I could do without. I do keep my fast days carb/sugar free, but I eat what I want on my non-fast days. Don't give up as it does take a few weeks to adjust to this way of eating. I weigh myself daily & my weight goes up & down, but the overall trend has been downward. I've averaged a pound a week loss over the 9 months, but some weeks I've stayed the same, others I've lost heaps, & others I've even gained a bit. 5:2 isn't a quick fix, it needs to be seen as a long-term way of eating. Now that there's a lot less of me & exercise is more comfortable, I've begun to add in a bit of exercise to firm up what is left of me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I was doing it last year, and lost 10 pounds. But winter came….. For whatever reason, when cold weather hits, I want to eat nonstop. I just have no willpower whatsoever. :cursing: I do still exercise, though. This thread is inspiring me to want to try the fasting again. It works so well, when I can stick to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I'm still going with it. I am working on losing the pound I put on at Christmas. I loved the Christmas schedule - I still did my fast days twice a week, and it felt like a relief after all the feasting. I was a bit disgusted with eating so much and really welcomed the lean days. I've only lost slowly, but I was already a 'normal' weight. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Deb posted about this on my workout thread and it has me intrigued. I think the hang up for anyone can be to binge on "normal" days. I would love to try it and stick with AI Paleo diet but allow myself a few more carbs on my normal days. It could work beautifully really. How about working out? Would ya'll say that working out should not happen on the low cal days? Should we start a private group? It could be good accountability? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Deb posted about this on my workout thread and it has me intrigued. I think the hang up for anyone can be to binge on "normal" days. I would love to try it and stick with AI Paleo diet but allow myself a few more carbs on my normal days. It could work beautifully really. I don't binge on non-fast days, but as the next is usually a fast day, I don't snack in the evening either. Not snacking & not drinking my calories has helped to cut out the excess intake naturally. I used to drink 3-4 cans of Coke daily. When I began 5:2 I limited my Coke to non-fast days. After a few fasts I was shocked at how sweet Coke tasted & I couldn't drink more than a half a can. It just tasted YUCK. Same with carbs, more than a bit just makes me feel bloated & uncomfortable. I do eat carbs, but just not as much. The beauty of a fasting diet is that you can choose the foods that work best for you. Just make sure that on your fast days that you don't exceed 500 calories. Also, the longer your fast (i.e. not eating until dinner, instead of having 3 tiny meals) seems to be easier for most people & much more effective if fasting for health benefits. How about working out? Would ya'll say that working out should not happen on the low cal days? Charleigh, I exercise when it fits my schedule, not when it fits fast/feast days. Exercise for me at this time is a long walk. Ideally I'd like to add in some strength training &/or swimming on a regular basis, but I need to find time & $$$ for that to work. For those who are worried about abdominal fat, fasting seems to deal with this naturally. Since beginning this fasting diet, I have lost more inches off my waist, hips, & thighs than ever before, with any diet &/or exercise. My blood sugar is more stable & many of my minor, annoying digestive issues have all but disappeared. I have more stamina, even with no added exercise. IF you are interested in the science of this way of eating, read "The Fast Diet" by Michael Mosley. Here's a link to an ABC show with Dr. Mosley Should we start a private group? It could be good accountability? :D Good idea. There is also a great 5:2 FB page https://www.facebook.com/groups/the52diet/ that is great support. JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 My vote would be to just continue here in this thread if possible. I don't have time for yet another social group to check in on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 I made it through my first low-cal day, more or less. I was at about 600-650 calories but was so starving at bedtime that I had some cheese. I have insomnia problems and everything messes up my sleep, so I decided to go ahead and eat enough that i wouldn't be awake all night. I was down 1 lb this morning. I may have eaten more than normal, but not 175% of normal and I felt stuffed. While walking on the treadmill today, I watched Mosely's "Eat, Fast, and Live Longer." (I ordered his book from the library.) The 101 year-old man who finished the marathon was inspiring. I read a bit about the calorie restriction people a few years ago, before I came across Mark Sisson and other paleo people pushing intermittent fasting. From what I remember, the CR people are cold all the time. IF of any variety sounds more pleasant. I need to plan ahead better for my next low-cal day. I drank homemade broth yesterday but should've had extra salt. I felt sluggish today until I had some salted water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 Oh, I got 14,000 steps yesterday. For now, I will just walk on low-cal days and try to do more intense exercise on other days. We got a treadmill last week and my rule is that I can only play Plants Vs. Zombies on the iPad as long as I'm walking. I can walk at speeds of up to 2.4 mph and still play. DH made a wooden desk that clips on the handrails so he can walk while he works. He can type if he goes 1 mph. It sounds slow, but he did it for about 2.5 hours the other day. Compared to sitting all day, it's a big improvement for him. He overdid it, though, and his feet hurt, so he's going to cut back and work his way up to longer distances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Some common side effects of a fasting diet is feeling cold on fast days, headaches for the first few fasts (may be as you detox from caffine/sugar or dehydration or lack of salt). Eating protein, rather than fruit or carbs, seems to help you feel full longer. Losing weight & having your clothes become way to big too wear is a common side effect for some as well ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 From what I remember, the CR people are cold all the time..... Some common side effects of a fasting diet is feeling cold on fast days ... I just read in the news the other day that being a bit cold is better for metabolism than being a bit warm. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I've been doing a slightly modified version of this for a few months. It's going well for me. I've barely lost any weight, but my weight never yo-yo's any more, which is a major improvement. I've gone down a size in my jeans. And best of all, I can actually stick to it, which has never been possible with me and diets before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I've been doing a slightly modified version of this for a few months. It's going well for me. I've barely lost any weight, but my weight never yo-yo's any more, which is a major improvement. I've gone down a size in my jeans. And best of all, I can actually stick to it, which has never been possible with me and diets before. Being able to stick with it long-term was key to my success. January 2013 I decided that I needed to do something about my weight, etc. I decided to eat healthy, cut out Coke, & exercise 3+ times a week. I stuck with it until life became crazy mid-February. During that time I lost 6 pounds (I'm sure of this as I weighed daily & graphed the results) & always felt deprived as I didn't ever eat the foods I craved. I was very committed to this diet & didn't cheat, but just couldn't stick with it long-term. Fast forward to 29 April 2013. I had regained double the weight loss in January. I was disgusted with how I looked in dd's 21st pictures & knew something needed to change. I had read somewhere about the 5:2 diet & figured it was worth a try. Week 1 I lost 6.5 lbs & didn't feel deprived at all. I had decided I'd take it one fast at a time & see how it went. By week 12 I'd lost 20 lbs & moved from obese to simply overweight. My weight loss has slowed down, but over the past 9 months it is a pound a week loss on average. Some people lose more weight, but less inches, others lose inches, but the weight loss is slow. Rate of success seems to be affected by how much you have to lose, your age/health, & whether you are currently on a diet. 5:2 won't work for everyone, but if nothing else has worked, it may be worth a try. JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I think it would be helpful if people could list some examples of what they eat on the fasting days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I am thinking a pot of that really low calorie cabbage soup might be good for fasting days? Maybe coffee for breakfast, soup for lunch, and then a low calorie dinner? Just rambling thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I did something with cabbage, frozen veggies and bouillon that was actually very good, back when I was doing it. Just thought of it when you mentioned the cabbage thing. I do think I do better the longer I can wait to eat the first time though. Seems like once I eat something, my stomach puts up a big sign saying "OPEN FOR BUSINESS," and then I just want to keep eating and eating and eating…... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter's Moon Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I have been doing the 16:8 IF for a few weeks, simply because it comes naturally to me. I am trying to do the 5:2, but by 3 pm I fail. I might give it a go again tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Maybe coffee for breakfast, soup for lunch, and then a low calorie dinner? Just rambling thoughts. That's roughly what I usually do: Tea through the day Home-made mushroom soup and a whole-grain cracker for lunch Fish/chicken breast plus lots of steamed veg for supper. I'm definitely more of an evening eater, so I need to save up for that time. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehon Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I've been intrigued with the 5:2 diet for a while; but, the one thing that has kept me from starting it is wondering if the fast days must be on the same days, i.e, every Tuesday & Thursday (or whatever). My work schedule is 24 hrs on/(usually) 48 hours off; so, I would invariably end up fasting on some of my shift days. I work at a very busy station and am constantly lifting patients and my kits and am generally very physical. It would be very hard for me to fast and still be able to be as physical as my job demands. So, my question is would the 5:2 diet still work if my fast days rotate to when I'm not on duty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I think it would be helpful if people could list some examples of what they eat on the fasting days. For me, it is usually coffee and a small bowl of oatmeal for breakfast and a green salad with low calorie dressing for lunch. Dinner is homemade soup (I have a chicken fajita soup recipe that is 200 calories/bowl and is my treat if the rest of the day stayed very low), marinated chicken breast, or fish; I just have to be careful about portion size. My blood sugar does not do well with skipping meals/breakfast so I still eat three meals a day. But I don't usually do much snacking until after dinner most days. On fasting days, if I want to snack after dinner, I just go to bed :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKim Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I've been intrigued with the 5:2 diet for a while; but, the one thing that has kept me from starting it is wondering if the fast days must be on the same days, i.e, every Tuesday & Thursday (or whatever). My work schedule is 24 hrs on/(usually) 48 hours off; so, I would invariably end up fasting on some of my shift days. I work at a very busy station and am constantly lifting patients and my kits and am generally very physical. It would be very hard for me to fast and still be able to be as physical as my job demands. So, my question is would the 5:2 diet still work if my fast days rotate to when I'm not on duty? Yes, that should work just fine. It really doesn't matter what two days you fast, just so you do it, according to everything I have watched and read on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehon Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Yes, that should work just fine. It really doesn't matter what two days you fast, just so you do it, according to everything I have watched and read on it. Oh, wonderful. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I've been intrigued with the 5:2 diet for a while; but, the one thing that has kept me from starting it is wondering if the fast days must be on the same days, i.e, every Tuesday & Thursday (or whatever). My work schedule is 24 hrs on/(usually) 48 hours off; so, I would invariably end up fasting on some of my shift days. I work at a very busy station and am constantly lifting patients and my kits and am generally very physical. It would be very hard for me to fast and still be able to be as physical as my job demands. So, my question is would the 5:2 diet still work if my fast days rotate to when I'm not on duty? So long as it's two days out of seven, I can't see it making a difference. I have moved days occasionally in the past. I wouldn't do two consecutive days, however. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Yesterday (a fast day), I ate a piece of whole-wheat bread in the morning, a small salad with dressing and almonds for lunch, half a banana, one square of a chocolate bar*, and I finished my daughter's falafel pita (2 bites). I don't plan ahead, really, just eat far less and try and keep a running calorie count in my head to stay at 500 or so. I'm down 5 lbs. since the first of January * Last time I was the grocery store, they had a few dozen or more large organic sea salt and almond dark chocolate bars on sale. I bought a bunch (20+) and broke them all up into one-square pieces. They filled a gallon Ziploc bag. There are 370 squares in there, I think. I'm going to have one a day and let that be my sweets for awhile. I have a big issue with sugar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I am intrigued by this diet and am going to research it more to see if it might be doable for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I've been intrigued with the 5:2 diet for a while; but, the one thing that has kept me from starting it is wondering if the fast days must be on the same days, i.e, every Tuesday & Thursday (or whatever). My work schedule is 24 hrs on/(usually) 48 hours off; so, I would invariably end up fasting on some of my shift days. I work at a very busy station and am constantly lifting patients and my kits and am generally very physical. It would be very hard for me to fast and still be able to be as physical as my job demands. So, my question is would the 5:2 diet still work if my fast days rotate to when I'm not on duty? From what I understand, it just needs to be 2 out of 7 days and they should not be consecutive. It might even help to fluctuate the days. I know the body can adjust to anything that is routine. Just a thought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 So far today, Coffee for breakfast TJ's organic chicken broth for lunch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CupOCoffee Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I've been intrigued with the 5:2 diet for a while; but, the one thing that has kept me from starting it is wondering if the fast days must be on the same days, i.e, every Tuesday & Thursday (or whatever). My work schedule is 24 hrs on/(usually) 48 hours off; so, I would invariably end up fasting on some of my shift days. I work at a very busy station and am constantly lifting patients and my kits and am generally very physical. It would be very hard for me to fast and still be able to be as physical as my job demands. So, my question is would the 5:2 diet still work if my fast days rotate to when I'm not on duty? I have read up on this WOE before as well and I wonder the same thing. I kinda get the impression from one of the forums I read on that as long as you plan, it's OK to alternate fast days. It talked about like if you know an event or something is coming up on one of your normal fast days, just change your fast day. I don't know what would be advisable on a regular basis though. ~coffee~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I might give this a try. I know I need to change my diet (again). Food is painful to me now, anyway, so I'm properly motivated. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 If anyone doing this wants to friend me on MFP then just message me. I have no friends on MFP because I have so little activity on the forums, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I might give this a try. I know I need to change my diet (again). Food is painful to me now, anyway, so I'm properly motivated. :lol: Intermittent fasting and liquid diets are supposed to be good for Crohn's so maybe it will help with some of your issues too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Should I read the book? It seems fairly self-explanatory. Eat 500 calories 2 days a week, try to keep those calories to lean proteins and veggies. Feast on the other 5, but don't gorge/binge on those days. Is there anything else that would be important to know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Sorry, double post. My mouse has been clicking things twice. Better not buy a $10,000 item any time soon! LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Should I read the book? It seems fairly self-explanatory. Eat 500 calories 2 days a week, try to keep those calories to lean proteins and veggies. Feast on the other 5, but don't gorge/binge on those days. Is there anything else that would be important to know? I do not plan to buy the book. I am sure it just explains the science behind it. I really don't care about the science behind it, as long as it works :001_rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 When I first fasted, I would do a soft boiled egg with a few Kashi crackers for breakfast or a cup of hot chocolate made with low fat milk, 1/2 can of a low cal soup for lunch, and then some sort of low-cal frozen dinner for dinner. This seemed to make me steadily hungry. I found that I was much happier saving my 500 calories for dinner…either eating whatever I fixed for the family, or something else like a big bowl of bean soup and maybe some fruit or something. I drink lots of lemon water during the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Should I read the book? It seems fairly self-explanatory. Eat 500 calories 2 days a week, try to keep those calories to lean proteins and veggies. Feast on the other 5, but don't gorge/binge on those days. Is there anything else that would be important to know? I haven't read the book. It's important to drink enough on fast days because you will have reduced water intake due to reduced food. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I should say that whilst I have lost weight, my cholesterol figures didn't improve, whereas my boss's did. Maybe I was eating less sensibly on my feast days.... L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I do 4:3, meaning I fast (<500cal) 3 days a week & eat normally 4 days a week. Usually I fast MWF, leaving my weekends free. If I have a commitment on one of those days that would make fasting inconvient, I swap my fasting days (maybe T/TH/Sat or what ever works best) but I never fast 2 days in a row & usually never "feast" for more than 2 days in a row. Wednesday was a fasting day. I drank lots of water or hot water w/lemon all day. At 5:30pm I ate my big dinner salad (lettuce, grated carrot, yellow bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, grated cheese, a hard-boiled egg, & a small steak cut-up & tossed in carmalized onion dressing.) It was YUM & very filling. Yesterday I had a busy start to my day & did not eat until noon. I had a Double Cheeseburger medium combo from McDs as I was out & about. That added up to 914 calories, but it is less than half of the 2000 calories The Fast Diet recommends for "Feast" days. As it was a crazy day all around, dinner was Dominos pizza. Four pieces of pepperoni = 732 calories + a Coke (153 cal) while watching ds#2's hockey game = 885 calories for dinner. That gives me a total of 1799 calories for the day. Not every "feast" day looks like this. I usually eat at home & eat a healthy range of foods, but this shows that you can eat junk & still stay within your 2000 calorie limit. The key to weight loss success with a fasting diet is the difference between fasting & "feasting" days. Many find that if they eat too little on "feast" days they don't lose. it's better IMHO to add an extra day of fasting (doing 4:3 instead of 5:2) than to eat low cal on your non-fast days. After yesterday's diet of fast food & junk, you'd think I would have regained what I lost fasting Wednesday + a lot more, but surprisingly my weight is exactly the same as yesterday morning. I'm looking forward to another big dinner salad plate tonight, but this time with chicken tossed in caesar dressing. Often I find I eat better & enjoy my food more on my fast days as I plan what I'm going to have rather than just grab what is handy. HTH, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeefreak Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I've been reading this discussion and this is the first I've ever heard about this new diet. I have to ask, is it really safe to fast if you're on any medication? Doesn't medication need food to digest properly? Even vitamins or supplements? I worry about that as well as the thought that you might be triggering your body to think it's starving, therefore reversing any weight loss eventually. Isn't that what happened with the Atkins diet? They've been saying for decades that that's the problem with dieting. you may have initial weight loss, but if your body decides it's starving, it will start storing whatever you eat as fat. What does the book say about all this? No judgement. Just curiosity. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb in NZ Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I've been reading this discussion and this is the first I've ever heard about this new diet. I have to ask, is it really safe to fast if you're on any medication? Doesn't medication need food to digest properly? Even vitamins or supplements? I worry about that as well as the thought that you might be triggering your body to think it's starving, therefore reversing any weight loss eventually. Isn't that what happened with the Atkins diet? They've been saying for decades that that's the problem with dieting. you may have initial weight loss, but if your body decides it's starving, it will start storing whatever you eat as fat. What does the book say about all this? No judgement. Just curiosity. :) Read "The Fast Diet" by Dr. Michael Mosley &/or "The 5:2 Diet Book" by Kate Harrison. Both these books go into the science behind this way of eating. It takes 72 hours with NO food at all to trigger the starvation mode. Both Dr. Mosely & Kate Harrison recommend eating up to 500 calories on your fast days. The fasting diet isn't really a true, no food fast; but instead it's really a low, low calorie day. Because you aren't eating a very restrictive diet every day, your body doesn't need to store your fat. That is why it is very important to eat about 2000 calories on your "feast" days. It's the difference between your fast & "feast" days that is key to the success of this way of eating. As far as needing food to take vitamins, etc. I take my vitamin with dinner on my fast days. If you need food for meds you could take the meds with milk & count those calories in your 500cal. HTH, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I just found out yesterday that I'm on the very low end of insulin resistant. Does anyone do this and have that problem? Is it safe to do? My a1c was 5.7, which is 0.1 above normal. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I think this would work but depends on how much you are eating to start with. I did some calculations. I eat 1800 kcal/day so 12,600 a week. If I did 2000 a day and then 500 for 2 days I'd get 11,800 week. An 800 calorie deficit a week would take me a month to lose a pound. Obviously if you are eating more you'd lose faster. It's like everything else, what works for one may not work for another. It does seem like a way to reduce calories without impacting daily life too much. It also seems quite safe as long as you are making healthy choices on the low calorie day. A couple eggs for breakfast, low calorie veg soup for lunch and lean meat and giant salad is all good and easily can be done for 500 calories. I would think it's only a problem to do this if you are insulin dependent or on a very specialized diet for a health problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in IL Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Does the site explain how to do the diet, or do I need to invest in another book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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