# Fasting and the 5:2 diet



## iateyoubutler (22 Oct 2017)

This has probably been done to death, but am going to have a stab at it anyway, I need to lose 2 stone

Anyhoo, I`ve tried it before and can only get to about 4/5pm and am absolutely ravenous, and can`t concentrate on anything other than eating. One of the days I plan to do at the weekend on my rest day so not a major problem, but the other will be during the week.

My question is, do I cycle to work on the other fast day, a distance of 22 miles on that day or get the bus?

Also, what`s best to eat to avoid hunger pains?

Finally, does it work?


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## ColinJ (22 Oct 2017)

Look HERE for a long discussion on the subject.

It definitely does work. Some people witter on about it being 'unnatural' not to eat 3 meals a day but most humans in history have not been able to rely on having regular meals every day. Most animals in the wild can't rely on a constant supply of food either. That is why bodies store fat so easily and why we are tempted to stuff our faces in case there is a famine coming up. Having unlimited amounts of calorie-dense food available often causes problems.

It wouldn't hurt you to have a day off the bike and catch the bus on your fasting day though I think I would be okay for 22 miles. Maybe not if the job involved physical activity though.

I didn't suffer hunger problems. I liked to eat huge portions of salad or steamed veg with something relatively low in calories like a tin of tuna (in brine) or cottage cheese. Sometimes I made my own vegetable soup and had big bowls of that a couple of times on a fasting day.

I got complacent and stopped for a year but I put some weight back on and I also miss the sense of well-being that I got from fasting so I am going to start again next week after I get back from a family visit.

Good luck!


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## Racing roadkill (23 Oct 2017)

iateyoubutler said:


> This has probably been done to death, but am going to have a stab at it anyway, I need to lose 2 stone
> 
> Anyhoo, I`ve tried it before and can only get to about 4/5pm and am absolutely ravenous, and can`t concentrate on anything other than eating. One of the days I plan to do at the weekend on my rest day so not a major problem, but the other will be during the week.
> 
> ...


My advice would be to give ADF diets a wide berth. If you want to feel fuller for longer, up your protein intake, by eating proper food with a high protein content.


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## screenman (23 Oct 2017)

I though that on the fasting day 600 calories was acceptable. As for the rest then I am with ColinJ. I am starting back on today.


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## Drago (23 Oct 2017)

The evidence of it working long term is harder to find. 99% of people who try any diet regime weigh more 5 years on than when they started.


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## PK99 (23 Oct 2017)

Drago said:


> The evidence of it working long term is harder to find. 99% of people who try any diet regime weigh more 5 years on than when they started.



100% of the people I know who have used the 5:2 method have kept weight off long term.


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## CXRAndy (23 Oct 2017)

Do fasted rides, low HR zone 2 for about an hour to 1.5 hrs. Then eat or drink a protein rich food source immediately. Your 22 mile commute is about the right distance to do it fasted 2-3 times a week. Lots of vegetables to help fill you, with protein rich food aswell. Eat nuts or have a protein drink early evening. Beware though carb and protein are the same calorific value so don't over do the protein intake overall. You're wanting to lose weight

Don't drop carbs totally but reduce to about 45% of your daily intake else you will become weak and possibly poorly


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## Nigel-YZ1 (23 Oct 2017)

Me and my better half have done 5:2 since the Michael Moseley programme.
My lady enjoys it and is getting great results. For some reason I lose the weight too fast and get ill, so I just eat leaner and high protein, which has lost me nearly two stone this year.


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## screenman (23 Oct 2017)

Forget the weight loss benefits but I honestly feel more awake when eating 5:2


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## Nigel-YZ1 (23 Oct 2017)

screenman said:


> Forget the weight loss benefits but I honestly feel more awake when eating 5:2



We noticed that too.


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## PK99 (23 Oct 2017)

Nigel-YZ1 said:


> Me and my better half have done 5:2 since the Michael Moseley programme.
> My lady enjoys it and is getting great results. For some reason I lose the weight too fast and get ill, so I just eat leaner and high protein, which has lost me nearly two stone this year.



Don't forget the 500/600 number is a broad guideline, best thing is to work out your basal metabolic rate and calorie needs and work the 5:2 diet to 25% of that.

Mine comes out around 800 calories on fasting days


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## Nigel-YZ1 (23 Oct 2017)

PK99 said:


> Don't forget the 500/600 number is a broad guideline, best thing is to work out your basal metabolic rate and calorie needs and work the 5:2 diet to 25% of that.
> 
> Mine comes out around 800 calories on fasting days



Thanks for that. I'll give it a try


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## GuyBoden (24 Oct 2017)

Quick Guide for the 5:2 diet.


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## GuyBoden (24 Oct 2017)

Thanks for the post, I've decided to give this a go, I'm just over 16 stone at the moment and about 6 foot, which is too much weight to carry around, especially on a bike uphill.


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## The Jogger (24 Oct 2017)

Look at this first

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLVuxouz04I


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## kingrollo (24 Oct 2017)

screenman said:


> Forget the weight loss benefits but I honestly feel more awake when eating 5:2



Me - it makes me notice how shite biscuits and chocolates make me feel.
When I started 5:2 - I would plan so the fast days were non \ gym cycling days. But I actually find I felt better on the fast days.

If youre struggling - perhaps just try to reduce your calories on fast days. I probably went over 600 on my first few fast days - as I topped with bananas , ryvita crackers in the evening.
I find that boiled eggs are great fillers for around 70 calories


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## ColinJ (24 Oct 2017)

kingrollo said:


> I find that boiled eggs are great fillers for around 70 calories


That became another favourite choice for me when I started to get bored of cottage cheese and tuna.


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## GuyBoden (26 Oct 2017)

kingrollo said:


> I find that boiled eggs are great fillers for around 70 calories


I'm on my first "Fast" today, green tea all day and a salad tonight. I'll try your recommended boiled egg if I get very hungry, thanks. 

I drink Gunpowder tea, a small tea spoon in a litre pot is all that's needed, more than that and I find it tastes too bitter.


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## GuyBoden (26 Oct 2017)

First fasting day completed (nearly) 

Green Tea all day.
One poached egg.
3 Raw Carrots.
Salad: Onion, Lettuce, Tomato, Cucumber and two small Avocados. (Oil and vinegar dressing.)
(More salad available with no Avocado, if I need it later)

Not too bad, I thought it was going to be more of a struggle, but I wouldn't like to go for a 100km ride while fasting.


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## ColinJ (26 Oct 2017)

GuyBoden said:


> First fasting day completed (nearly)
> 
> Green Tea all day.
> One poached egg.
> ...


Well done. Watch the amount of oil in your dressing though - 25 mL of extra virgin olive oil has about 200 calories in it. I usually do without the oil on fasting days and make a dressing from garlic, vinegar, black pepper and lemon juice. Sometimes with a little honey and multigrain mustard added.


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## PK99 (27 Oct 2017)

GuyBoden said:


> First fasting day completed (nearly)
> 
> Green Tea all day.
> One poached egg.
> ...



that seems unduly restrictive.

typical fasting day for me was

bacon and egg for breakfast 200calories

Apple and banana for lunch 200 calories

chicken or fish plus mountain of roast veg 200 calories

never felt hungry and steadily dropped weight at 0.5 kg per week


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## buzzy-beans (28 Oct 2017)

My most adored loved one and I honestly do drink considerably more alcohol than the NHS suggests is safe to do so, but despite this our blood counts are both that of young, fit and healthy teenagers and yet we are both in our 60's.

We quite regularly do the 5-2 diet, or to be honest we do a 5-3 or even a 5-4 and on any of those diet days we drink nothing but water.

I don't know what it is about my metabolism but whenever I set my mind firmly on losing weight, it normally falls off me hand over fist, heaven knows why.?

For me/us a dedicated 5-2 diet works superbly but on those diet days we slash our food consumption dramatically and exist primarily on just fruit, salad and water.


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## MrGrumpy (29 Oct 2017)

Reading this and the previous thread linked to by OP, it would need military planning with a family of 5 for me ! Living on your own or as a couple it would be a piece of p .....


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## GuyBoden (30 Oct 2017)

Second fast today. (after a very greedy weekend of eating)

Green Tea all day.
3 Raw Carrots.
1 Poached egg.
1 Apple.
Olives and Peppers in balsamic vinegar.
Vegetable Soup: Carrot, Cabbage, Swede, Broccoli with veg oxo stock cube.

My Wife had Porridge, two apples and Veg soup, she's been too busy to be hungry.


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## Tin Pot (30 Oct 2017)

iateyoubutler said:


> This has probably been done to death, but am going to have a stab at it anyway, I need to lose 2 stone
> 
> Anyhoo, I`ve tried it before and can only get to about 4/5pm and am absolutely ravenous, and can`t concentrate on anything other than eating. One of the days I plan to do at the weekend on my rest day so not a major problem, but the other will be during the week.
> 
> ...



You can make a song and dance of it, or you can do what my mum has done for decades.

Step 1. Some days, she simply doesn't eat.

End of plan.


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## hoopdriver (3 Nov 2017)

Instead of following a diet, I have found that just cutting out junk, eating smaller portions, drinking plenty of water and going for daily hard workouts on the cross-trainer in the gym have worked a treat. I have lost nearly two stone since July, feel much better for it, and yet never really felt as though I was "dieting". Haven't really missed anything at all.


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## screenman (3 Nov 2017)

MrGrumpy said:


> Reading this and the previous thread linked to by OP, it would need military planning with a family of 5 for me ! Living on your own or as a couple it would be a piece of p .....



Why is that? Just because they are eating does not mean you have to.

I am married to a feeder, that can make things harder but we get around it. Often me cutting down is a lot harder for her than it is for me.


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## hoopdriver (3 Nov 2017)

Yes, you just need to establish the idea that you are cutting back - once that gets across and is accepted, and most people would be supportive, I should think - you should be fine. There are four of us in our house and I am the only one actively losing weight, but it is not a big issue.


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## buzzy-beans (3 Nov 2017)

screenman said:


> I am married to a feeder.



Forgive my ignorance, but what is one of those?


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## hoopdriver (3 Nov 2017)

buzzy-beans said:


> Forgive my ignorance, but what is one of those?


A cannibal in one of those dystopian future novels...


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## screenman (3 Nov 2017)

buzzy-beans said:


> Forgive my ignorance, but what is one of those?



Somebody who enjoys feeding people.


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## MrGrumpy (3 Nov 2017)

PMSL


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## PK99 (3 Nov 2017)

hoopdriver said:


> Instead of following a diet, I have found that just cutting out junk, eating smaller portions, drinking plenty of water and going for daily hard workouts on the cross-trainer in the gym have worked a treat. I have lost nearly two stone since July, feel much better for it, and yet never really felt as though I was "dieting". Haven't really missed anything at all.



You have created a calorie deficit by moving more and eating less. 

my preferred way was 5:2.


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## hoopdriver (3 Nov 2017)

PK99 said:


> You have created a calorie deficit by moving more and eating less.
> 
> my preferred way was 5:2.


Which is also a calorie deficit. That is the only way one loses weight, no matter how you slice it - burn more calories than you consume.


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## PK99 (3 Nov 2017)

hoopdriver said:


> Which is also a calorie deficit. That is the only way one loses weight, no matter how you slice it - burn more calories than you consume.



Errm, that was the point I was making.


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## hoopdriver (3 Nov 2017)

PK99 said:


> Errm, that was the point I was making.


I am not quite sure what your purpose was in making it, because I already knew I was creating a calorie deficit by moving more and eating less. It was no big mystery.

Oh, and my name isn’t Errm


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## ColinJ (3 Nov 2017)

I started 5:2 again this week. It suited me when I used to do it but I got sidetracked when my sister started visiting me regularly. I found it really hard to stick to my plan when she was eating a delicious takeaway curry in front of me!

I'll be more careful in future to plan the '5' days to coincide with such visits and the '2' days to recover from them ...


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## buzzy-beans (3 Nov 2017)

ColinJ said:


> I'll be more careful in future to plan the '5' days to coincide with such visits and the '2' days to recover from them ...



Good thinking Colin...


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## GuyBoden (3 Nov 2017)

After the "Fasting" yesterday, I struggled on my 100km ride today, I felt weak, so I had to buy two pork pies, the same thing happened last week too.


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## jefmcg (3 Nov 2017)

screenman said:


> Somebody who enjoys feeding people.


Um, not exactly


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## gaijintendo (3 Nov 2017)

Do the two fasting days have to be consecutive?


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## PK99 (3 Nov 2017)

gaijintendo said:


> Do the two fasting days have to be consecutive?




No. Best if they are not.


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## jefmcg (3 Nov 2017)

PK99 said:


> Errm, that was the point I was making.


I thought that fasting was supposed to have health benefits beyond calorie reduction.


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## PK99 (3 Nov 2017)

jefmcg said:


> I thought that fasting was supposed to have health benefits beyond calorie reduction.



The calorie deficit effect is well proven, the other benefits are disputed.


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## Slick (3 Nov 2017)

screenman said:


> Why is that? Just because they are eating does not mean you have to.
> 
> I am married to a feeder, that can make things harder but we get around it. Often me cutting down is a lot harder for her than it is for me.



I'm the very same, although I'm an eater.


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## buzzy-beans (4 Nov 2017)

gaijintendo said:


> Do the two fasting days have to be consecutive?


From my experience, this is what we do.

We always eat an exceptionally healthy diet, however we do consume what the UK's NHS would have you believe are dangerously high levels of alcohol...... ( But having lived in France for a long time, somehow or other the French health services don't agree with the UK NHS's figures )

When we do our diet days we always knock on the head the booze and eat primarily salads and ultra low calorie foods and quite frankly our weight falls off in spade loads!


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## PK99 (4 Nov 2017)

User said:


> Says who? Different strokes for different folks...



true. but most sources I've seen recommend splitting.


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## gaijintendo (4 Nov 2017)

User said:


> Michael Moseley doesn’t suggest that is required...



The concept seems to be, eat normally 5 days, fast 2. 

It might not burn organ dwelling fat as well, but I suspect of I just are "normally" 7 days, I'd loose a bunch of weight...


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## ColinJ (23 Nov 2017)

iateyoubutler said:


> Finally, does it work?





ColinJ said:


> I got complacent and stopped for a year but I put some weight back on and I also miss the sense of well-being that I got from fasting so I am going to start again next week after I get back from a family visit.


3.5 weeks (7 fasting days) later (and even with a week off the bike with a chest infection) ... 2 kgs (~4.5 pounds) lost, noticeably less belly fat, and feeling good. Apart from the chest infection, that is!


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## raleighnut (24 Nov 2017)

Maz has been on the 5:2 regime for a few weeks, spoke to the Dr about it when she was there having her blood pressure checked and the Doc said it was a good idea, it is supposed to mimic the way older generations ate (but that was due to being skint before pay-day)

As for me I quite like her doing it but then I normally cook all the meals in our house (and have done for 20+yrs) but I don't 'do' low calorie cooking, my meals are always made with quality fresh ingredients but more often than not involve Butter, Olive oil or full fat Milk (for flavour) and quite a few meals need Wine in them (sometimes a whole bottle) but then for me a good evening meal is the highlight of the day always eaten at the dining table.
Maz on the other hand is quite happy eating off a tray in front of the Television so she has decided to eat these ready made 'slimmers' meals mainly on the 'starve' days unless I cook something like a Chicken Fajita and Salad but then I upset her by having Sour Cream and Chives or Salsa on mine (which pushes the calorie count over her limit for the day) so very often I've been going out to visit some of my single 'boozy' mates (the ones Maz doesn't really like) of an evening.


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## buzzy-beans (24 Nov 2017)

It doesn't cost more to eat a healthy diet, it simply takes more thought and mental discipline!


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## Yorksman (5 Dec 2017)

iateyoubutler said:


> can`t concentrate on anything other than eating.
> 
> Also, what`s best to eat to avoid hunger pains?



Sounds counter-intuitive but preparing food helps, but, starting with healthy foods and starting from scratch. It helps if you prepare dishes which need leaving overnight. These might be marinades for meat or fish or making one pots like bortsch. There is something about handling, washing, peeling, preparing spice mixes and generally taking time over preparation which distracts those hunger pangs. Plus, when you do eventually eat it, it's healthy food. You control what goes in. Making sauces, marinades and spice mixes means you can also build up a cupboard full of things to make future meals taste great. The main thing is, oddly, handling food takes your mind off wanting to eat it.


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## hoopdriver (5 Dec 2017)

Exercise is a good appetite suppressant. If you're really hungry, eat a carrot or apple - very low calorie, but at the same time filling, at least enough to get you through those crunch periods


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