Is anybody still doing the 5:2 diet?

I've been on it for about 3 weeks and think I'm managing Ok. Don't enjoy the 2 fast days much, but it's not all that hard. I lost about 4lbs, put 1lb back on, but do understand it's not just about food in/out! I do feel better in myself, not so sluggish, and want to keep on going with it.

I stopped when I went on holiday in September. Today I had new patient check up at doctors and I have put on weight (I knew that of course). I'm hoping that weigh in will give me the motivation to start again!

I stopped when I had my knee replacement surgery but plan to return to it when I feel more settled. I didn't lose lbs but felt much better and BP dropped. It certainly had a positive effect on my metabolism and was easily manageable.

I've recently jumped back on the wagon and restarted a fasting diet. I did it a couple of years ago but seemingly didn't lose any weight, so after around 12 weeks of 'starving' and not losing (in some cases actually gaining) weight, I gave up. However, what had happened is that, although the lbs did'nt drop off, my jeans size did - I went down a dress size. Now I've restarted but don't weigh myself. I find personally the 4:3 works better, so I fast on Mon, Wed, Fri, which leaves Sat, Sun to mix 'n' match with. I have a hefty amount of inches (possibly miles) to loose, so that size 10 LBD is hanging on my bedroom wall tempting me to get back into it, which I will - sooner rather than later (I hope). As I'm writing here a few months on from the start of the thread, I wonder how all you 5:2 folk are faring? How many stuck with it???

I started the 5:2 way of eating two years ago. I lost about 17lb over a few months and am maintaining now.

Disadvantages of 5:2
You have to count calories.
You are hungry on two days a week.

Disadvantages of conventional diets:
You have to count calories or pay someone else to e.g. slimming world, weight watchers.
You are probably hungry every day.
Chances are, you will give up and put the weight back on.

Advantages of 5:2
Calorie restriction to 25% of total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) twice a week has been shown to switch on the body's repair mechanism so has a protective effect against age related conditions e.g. heart disease, raised cholesterol, dementia, arthritis, cancer, type 2 diabetes etc. Research has begun to suggest wider reaching effects e.g. reversal of MS (look online)

Personally:
I am only hungry on two days a week.
I am helping myself to avoid the age related conditions my mother had.
I can vouch for the effect on arthritis. Two years ago I had pain in both wrists and thumbs. Now I have little or no pain. 5:2 can't cure the wear and tear on those bones but it has reduced the inflammation and the everyday pain I was experiencing. I take no medication.
Two years ago, every time I sat down I needed to loosen my belt and undo the top button on my jeans. I no longer do that and I have a waist. That means I have reduced my dangerous visceral fat.
Two years ago I had an ugly hump of fat at the top of my back that made me look round shouldered. That has gone.

This is my experience. I will keep going with 5:2.

gettingonabit I think there is a lot of evidence to show that extreme dieting, especially when young does affect the metabolism.

In the last few days I have read an article in one of the papers from a researcher saying that our brain adjusts to a certain weight as being our 'natural' weight and if you have been overweight for any time it resets itself at a higher level, making getting back to a previous weight more difficult because the brain is trying to keep you on the new higher 'right' weight it has adjusted too, so you feel really hungry, very cold etc when you try to get below it. Again, if you manage to lose weight and keep that lower weight steady for a couple of years, the brain will reset itself yet again to that new lower weight, making keeping the weight off there after much easier.

I had wondered about that recently as I have had three weeks of visiting or being visited by family and any attempt to keep to any kind of regime, dietary or physical, has been impossible. I noticed during that time even when I felt stuffed to the gills the amount extra I had actually eaten was relatively small and I weighed myself today for the first time in three weeks and was amazed just how little weight I had put on, only 4 lbs.

I find that low carb diet works well for me. Unfortunately food poisoning this weekend has taken me below what I want and I have had to wear a belt today which I hate. Not recommending this as a diet?

I agree it's harder as you get older. I used to be able to lose 7lbs easily in a week. I think I've somehow buggered up my metabolism due to being very low cal up until my daughter was born. That's not an excuse, by the way, I genuinely think it may be the case. I don't find it hard-just relentless.

I get very jealous when my friends can lose so much so quickly-but of course they put it all back on straight away once away from the bagging voice of Slimming World!

I've found exercise helps enormously-not as a weight loss tool but to build strength and a sense of wellbeing.

Well done on your weight loss, monica.

Obviously people vary but if you read most literature on weight loss, including NHS info they say aim at a weight loss of 1-2 lb a week, that being a maximum. Obviously it varies from person to person, and, of course age comes into it. The older you are the harder it is to loose weight. I didn't have a weight problem before the menopause but then piled on 2 stone and could not shift it.

Two years ago, on the 5:2, I lost the 2 stone in 18 weeks, roughly 7lbs a month and have dropped another 2 or 3 pounds since on the maintenance system.

monica no, I haven't confused it with another one! I didn't know about the 500 limit, though.

Actually, I think 2lbs a week IS a fast loss, actually. The best I can manage on MFP is 2lb a month, which goes straight back on if I dare look at a doughnut. I'm on 1200 per day, which is easy, so try to come in under that, at about 1000.

Not looking for a magic solution-been weightwatching since I was a student. I can't seem to shift the final stone....for good.

500 calories a day is the minimum suggested amount for fast days, so there is no need to get it any lower. It only has to be done two days a week.

Neither is this a fast weight loss diet, the normal 2lbs a week is what most 5:2 followers aim for.

I am left wondering whether you have confused the 5:2 with another, quite extreme fasting diet promising magic weight loss.

I couldn't quite do it. I managed to get down to about 500 cals a day, but no lower. I'm fairly strict anyway, so sticking to counting boring old calories, and losing weight slowly.

I think there ARE benefits to fasting, though, if you can do it.

I did it for 3 months and lost 1 stone. That was all I really wanted to lose. Now I just do one day a week to maintain it. When I am on leave I don't do it at all. I found it easier to leave all the calories till the end of the day. I found if I ate a small breakfast, I was even more hungry by 11am than if I didn't have any as it gets the digestion working. I do it on an early shift so just get up and go!!

Tips for weight loss: Most people have the habit of eat-and-run, massive-portion-sized culture, which in turn can cause maintaining a healthy weight to be tough—and losing weight, even tougher. toodlehub.com/tips-for-weight-loss/

I am only sorry the word "diet" is used as this is such a sensible regime for the health of every cell in your body! But it's also great for stubborn weight. Love this way of living and I have found the easiest way for me to do it is to have my last meal no later than 7.00 pm. Have my normal breakfast (a smoothie with coconut oil and all sorts of goodies) that always keeps me going till at least 3.00 pm. A small snack at about 4.00 pm. And then a normal dinner at 7.00pm. I don't seem to want to eat a huge amount and have done 500 calories in 24 hours easily 'cause I have been asleep for 8 hours of it and don't go to bed hungry. Hope that helps others. (I am a nutritionist btw.) I do it on Monday and Wednesday, Pilates days when I am less likely to socialise! x

tabletop I think you are exactly right. The proponents of the diet recommend that you choose a 24 hour period that suits you and do suggest an evening to evening time period for the fast days. I did try this but it didn't suit me so I returned to calendar days. Again eating 'sensibly' on the non-fast days is also recommended. I have lost the two stone I needed to lose doing exactly what you are doing.

tabletop you sound as though you've found something that works for you.

I have just started it. Doing it a bit differently (evening to evening - ie between 8pm one night and 8pm the next night only 500 cals max) as I found doing it the other way made me feel unwell whereas this is relatively easy. My bil and sil both lost a lot of weight doing it this way so I think it also works but I am making sure I don't overindulge too much on the other 5 days and stick to 1200-1500 cals max. I have a stone to lose and I do plenty of exercise but it is proving hard to shift any other way so fingers crossed. I'm finding it really makes me think about what I eat and I'm getting my 5 a day about 3 times over so that is also good.

Thanks monica. So far I've managed to come in at under 1000 cals a day. I'm eating what I normally eat, but halving the serving. I'm enjoying the focus and discipline but I'm not sure about the very low calorie days!

I definitely think there's something to be said for fasting, or skipping meals. The more I read up on it, the more convincing it becomes.

Back on the topic after 5 days away. Suggested meals on a Fast day? Small piece of salmon, poached in the microwave with a couple of spoons of water with sweetcorn and potatoes, weighed and measured, I think about 3 oz of each. Cauliflower cheese. 8 oz cauliflower.Make sauce with 1 1/2 oz quark, 1 oz cheddar, 1/2 teaspoon corn flour and dash of milk. Stir fry with ham or prawns Home made veg soup, just veg (any) and stock cube then liquidized with a soft flat bread (Waitrose, 103 calories) quark and salad veg, boneless chicken thigh casseroled with a small courgette, some tomatoes, fresh herbs and stock cube.

I have built up a collection of about 2 dozen recipes by searching online plus adapting recipes I already have.

watermeadow don't give in. You've achieved a marvellous weight loss and you can do it again. .

I did 5:2 for a year, adapting the diet to suit me, and lost three stones.
Then I thought I'd better stop for a while as my face looked drawn. I wish to goodness I hadn't stopped, I've never been able to get back to the discipline and have put back nearly a stone.

I have had no acid reflux and sleep much better.

Well, how weird is this?! The persistent thrush (sorry if tmi) has gone, after hanging around for ages, and even my dodgy bladder has improved. I can only put these improvements down to the diet.

No headache, no problems, and apart from an unfortunate encounter with a doughnut, no falling off the wagon either.

I'm pleased with myself .

Thanks, bbevan. The headache has gone!!