Why I love the 5:2 diet

Welcome to Gransnet, suegale , I hope you continue to acheive good results. I can thoroughly recommend intermittent fasting. I was /am delighted with the weight loss and sense of wellbeing from doing alternate days. I shall be interested in hearing of your progress.

I have found that I find it easier to not have breakfast or lunch. Just the meal at about 5pm. I felt hungrier when I had a small breakfast and or lunch. I do carry a sipper water bottle around all day and drink water whenever the pangs hit. Also herbal tea, I like licorice tea, or black coffee with a sweetener. I would add that I am retired. Not sure I could have stuck with this if working full time. I started it in Feb and lost about 6kgs by May. Have had our daugters family living with us since then and I have been eating a lot more c..p with having children around. Im still fasting during two days a week but my evening meal has been creeping up in the calorie department with eating with the family. When we are two again, I will get back into this properly as I am convinced it is the best way to lose weight for me. You do need to be distracted though during the day so keeping busy is good.

I can only manage to stick to my "starve" days when I'm at work and very busy - I've tried at home and it's a complete disaster! On nights when I am so hungry it start planning what I'm going to eat for breakfast the next day and a treat to look forward to - it really helps especially when you can still see the weight coming off

I have just got this book so will be starting this week. I have been told not to have any salt by the doc. Has anyone any snippets on how to make food more tasty. I found a recipe on here today but it calls for oxo cubes which have salt in. Since I hardly eat red meat now I have recently been introduced to turkey breasts (no fat content) which I am finding more tender than chicken.

Any help would be appreciated.

I find I use black pepper more in order to keep the salt down. Herbs and spices help in making things more tasty. The two Hairy Dieters cookery books have really tasty recipes and all calorie counted so I use them a lot. A little bit of grated parmesan adds very few calories for a really good cheesy taste hit. Much better than reduced fat cheese which tastesnof nothing!

That's what I am doing today! a boiled egg sand three cracker breads with sandwich spread. I will think about dinner later. The recipes in the book don't have many ideas for a vege but I am getting used to adapting them.

I will reward myself tomorrow and make a bread and butter pudding.

I'm still doing it. But I seem to lose a couple of pounds and by the time it's the next diet day, I've put it back on!! I seem to have reached a plateau and can't get past it.

janthea I did what Shysal advised. To hurry things up, she advised alternate days fasting for a few weeks. It works! Another 2 kilos gone!

My skirt is straining at the zip. Far too many "treats" of late and not enough exercise. More partying planned for tomorrow. I am going to try the 5:2 diet starting Monday. Can anyone give me examples of satisfying meals for the days when I'm supposed to fast?

Breakfast - grapefruit
Lunch - poached egg on a big pile of steamed spinach
That leaves enough calories for a reasonable supper.
I drink fruit tea often throughout the day, and then fizzy water with lime squeezed into it I the evening. The most difficult is resisting the glass of wine when getting supper, but once over that I just dream of the toast anc butter for tomorrow's breakfast!
I bought a calorie counter book, and that helps a lot to work things out.

Thanks MrsJamJam I shall endeavour to shift the surplus weight using the 5:2 approach. I guess that I need to lose a stone.

This all sounds good but I am a diabetic and have to eat three times a day, plus two snacks. Any help out there.

I am keen to try this diet. My daughter thinks it would suit me, she doesn't think I need to use any weight (being the kind daughter she is), but I feel a bit lard like and could do with losing a stone or so. I do Pilates several times a week, go to a dance fit session, as well as sequence and ballroom dancing sessions twice a week! I am on medication for HBP, raised cholesterol and gastritis and read somewhere taking meds and doing the 5:2 could be a bit problematical? Can someone tell me the title of 'the book' and a calorie counting book? I'll report back how I get on.

this book
Loads of others are available.

calorie counter
This one is simply laid out, listing all foods alphabetically.
I hope you have success, I can thoroughly recommend the diet. Let us know how you get on.

Thank you Shysal, am ordering books. Will report progress.

Its great earlier this year I lost 14lbs and its stayed off-its only 2 days a week!

Well done Ruth!

A friend of mine is also doing this diet. She had her company medical on Friday and told the doctor that she was following this diet. The doctor said it was not a good diet as it makes your blood sugar rise and fall too quickly. Does anyone know if this is true? I hope know as I have lost almost a stone since Easter and dropped a dress size.

I just don't get this diet. It doesn't take account of exercise and I bet it's not sustainable for long periods, as 500 cals for two days is too punitive, imo, for most.

I'd much prefer Myfitnesspal, which allows some flexibility and stops mindless eating, which is where most people go wrong when trying to lose weight. I'm sure there are health benefits to fasting, though, but personally I can't stick to 500 cals, which is basically one small meal.

I think it's far better to eat sensibly all the time. As long as you don't snack on fatty stuff and get lots of exercise you should be fine.

And a diet and fitness regime is for life, not just for the duration of 5:2.

Hats off to those who can do it, though.

I'm going to start it tomorrow but can't be bothered with the calorie counting so I'm just going to work out how many calories I have left over when I've had milk for my drinks and then just have a bowl of soup or something like that.

I'm having a go at this - second day! I'm sure if I just cut out the junk I'd be fine but always think - tomorrow! I need something a bit more (but not too) demanding and this seems as if it gives you a bit of structure to eat sensibly. I'm always better if I can keep a notebook or something to make it more official. Wish me luck. (That's herbal tea!)

rockgran there are many calorie-counting and fitness-tracking apps free to download to your device or smartphone.

Yes I,ve tried a couple of the apps, gettingonabit, but I usually revert to a notebook for calorie counting. I could take an exam in calorie values - then still eat rubbish!

Me too, rockgran! Full of good intentions!

Seriously, though, I think noting down everything you eat is the only way to do it, particularly in the long term. A bit of junk is ok as long as it's accounted for, in my opinion.