Intermittent fasting diet Q&A with Michael Mosley

Just saw this on twitter and so thought I would ask something that's been on my mind every since everyone I know (ish) decided to do the 5:2.

I read in the Mail last week that My Fitness Pal is the best method of losing weight because it's based on the (fairly obvious) principle of eat less, move more and pretty sustainable unlike diets that, say, cut out entire food groups such as carbs and then as son as you start eating 'normally' the weight piles back on.

So how does the 5:2 compare (in terms of result and sustainable lifestyle choices) to, say, eating 1200 calories a day and 'earning' extra cals by exercising?

Many thanks

Please can you tell me if there is a 'best' way to space out the two fast days? Thank you

Is it really true that people don't binge on the days when you can eat what they like? I am sure I would be stuffing myself after the abstinence. And then I start wondering how you can possibly lose weight if you are eating - say - a Mars a day 5 days a week.

Am I allowed to ask two questions? Firstly - are the fast days 500 or 600 calories? Opinion seems to vary and you can get a whole lot of ryvitas in for that extra 100 so it makes a difference! And secondly - do you have tips for coping on the 'fast' days? I can imagine getting to lunch time and giving in!

I really enjoyed your programme about the gut. So much so that I re-watched the recording the other day. Quite brave subjecting yourself to being a lab rat in front of a live audience and TV cameras.
But was it really that painful having the balloon thing inflated in your oesophagus or were you playing up for the cameras?

My question is: should this diet be modified for older people?

I started doing intermittent fasting last summer and so was very interested in the Horizon programme. The 5:2 diet was easy (you can eat what you want tomorrow) and very flexible. I lost weight steadily and easily and can't see why I shouldn't eat this way forever.
However, I thought at first that the limit was 600 calories a day and it was some weeks before I discovered that was just for men! As it had been working well, I didn't bother going down to 500 calories (and suspect that I quite often go closer to 700 calories). I eat lots of prawns and salad and enjoy some fruit too. As long as I keep busy, it's fine. And I find it's good to do it on the day I look after my grandson, now 13 months!
So, as I'm over 60 and reasonably active, is it ok to go over the 500 calories? I feel there ought to be some leeway for an older person! Will I be missing out on all the health benefits if I do? Weight loss is not a problem (and I never thought I'd write that sentence!).
Also, is there any more info on the maintenance phase? I've got your new book, The Fast Diet, and it says one day a week is fine, but are there any other tips?

Is this about weekly calorific intake plus the idea of keeping up the metabolic rate? I seem to remember something similar by an American ten years or so back. It sounds very 'doable', the five days would be no problem Are there rules for the five day bit or is it anything goes?

I have very easily lost 2.5 stone since seeing your Horizon programme, with alternate day fasting, but for the last month I have reached a standstill, although I still have some to lose. Do you know of any change in regime which could kick start the loss again?
This diet has been so easy to follow and I am happy to continue for as long as it takes.

Waterlily - I am also vegetarian and it works just fine for me - as veg is low in calories you can eat loads of green veg, salad etc to get to your 500 calories.

I seem to be fasting today!

We have been doing this diet since seeing the programme. My husband's cholesterol level was 4.8 in September. On 20th December it had gone to 5.3, even though he has stuck religiously to the 5 : 2 diet. He was taking a lot of exercise before September and has done little between then and the blood test in December. He is 64 years old. He has found the results disappointing. I, on the other hand, lost 6 lbs, my cholesterol level had gone down to 4.8, BP was down, I had ten out of ten and just need to lose another half stone.

Hummingbird, It is not willpower, we have just not felt that hungry.

Our food intake today has gone as follows:
Breakfast: DH only as I never eat much breakfast so do not miss it if I do not have it. DH had a small rasher of back bacon with all fat removed, weighed about 3/4 of an oz, grilled, a grilled tomato and glass of tomato juice.

Lunch: 100 grammes of mixed cold meat, a pack from Waitrose with calorie values given, half a pack of mixed salad, which provided a very large portion of salad, a tomato (weighed) with a salad dressing made from a recipe I found online that worked out at 25 calories per portion.

Supper: Mushroom and onion soup, measured amount of chopped mushrooms and onions simmered in a marmite stock. This was so low calorie we were able to have a rosemary foccacio roll with it and a clementine. Currently feeling warm and replete.

I would add that I have never been in the habit of snacking so it is normal practice for me not to eat between meals. Husband less so but I have a pack of marmite flavoured rice cakes in stock (30 cal) and he did nibble one of these mid afternoon.

Does this way of eating work for vegetarians? I have not eaten meat or fish for 30 years. Would one still get enough nutrients eating this way I wonder.

I should add that I am in good health, with no physical disabilities and lead a physically very active life.

I love the idea of it, but wonder how you manage to stick to it on the 'fasting' day? Whenever I restrict my intake, I get so hungry that by dinner time, I would eat anything. Where do you find the willpower?

I too watched the programme with great interest, started the routine which worked very well for me until Christmas at which time I gave up. I am about to start again but I do wonder how healthy fasting actually is when we are continuously told not to allow blood sugar levels to fall too low and to eat little and often. My problem seems to be that once I start eating I carry on with gusto and feel hungry all day whereas if I don't eat at all until the evening, I don't have even the slightest hunger pang. I do have a healthy diet with loads of veg and home cooked food, not that keen on sweet things anyway but adore cheese. I guess that's where it goes wrong for me.

DH and I started this diet this week. We are on our second fast day and are finding in surprisingly easy, the only side affect so far is, in this cold weather, is feeling colder than normal on the fast days.

My particular query is whether there is any research on how successful this regime has been with post-menopausal women. Before I reached the menopause I didn't have a weight problem; if I put half a stone on I just ate less and exercised more and within a couple of weeks I was back to normal. When I reached the menopause, this weight stabilisation pattern ceased to work and over 15 years I gained 2 stone despite constant endeavours to lose it. In my mid 60s my weight stabilised and I have actually begun to lose weight but it has taken over a year to lose a stone. Is their any evidence of the effectiveness of this regime with older women?

No you do not do the 'fast' on consecutive days.

I know that in some cultures it is believed it is beneficial to do regular fasting and this diet reminds me of that.

I'm not too bothered about losing weight but I wouldn't mind cutting out the chocolate, biscuits, icecream, pasta etc. for a day or two a week. I'm sure I could squeeze a couple of bowls of home-made soup, some bread and some fruit out of 500 calories.

I have type 2 diabetes. Will this diet be suitable for me

Hello
I have several friends on this diet and it really does seem to work for them. Can you please tell me if it is necessary to consume 500 or 600 calories per day and does it have to be on consecutive days to have the maximum effect. I am throwing everything at losing 5 lbs in the next month as going away on holiday. I walk 40 mins everyday and play badminton 3 times a week and watch my diet carefully. Do you think it would be possible to achieve this on the fasting diet. I am only about 7lbs overweight age 66 and it really is very very hard to shift., and very very easy to go on.
I will def be buying the book

I started this eating habit (don't like the word diet) on monday but I still have to get to the 2x 500 calorie days . I have heard great things about it and seriously, will try to get on the straight and narrow next week. I have managed to steer clear of alcohol for a week, so that's a start. I hear that Michael Mosley's wife thought he had lost enough weight and asked him to slow down on the 'habit' - it obviously works, but presumably it depends on your particular metabolism? I will look forward to reading his book once it is on the market although I understand a couple of other authors have jumped in on the band wagon before him