5:2 diet

[SteveW]

Hi all,
Is anyone here on this diet?? I've been on it since August and it's great. It's not all about weight loss but improving your overall health, weight loss is just a bonus. I've lost a 1 1/4 stone now and feel really good on it. I think I can happily continue it for the rest of my life. For those who haven't heard of it you fast for 2 days a week (600 calories a day for men and 500 for women on fast days) and the other 5 you can basically eat what you want (within reason of course). I've tried so many diets over the years but either haven't stuck with them or put the weight back on a few months. If you're like me and have a tendency to put weight on easily I would recommend this diet/lifestyle.

[Titus A Duxass]

I've been on this life style since January this year - I'm on a fast day today - 2 boiled eggs on a slice of toast fro Brunch and lentil curry for dinner this evening.

I've dropped half stone since I started.

I'm off to the quack this afternoon for my main MoT which include the results of some blood testing.

[saucisson]

It will be interesting to see if they note any improvement, I've got my MOT next month

[SteveW]

hey Titus,

Welcome to the forum.. it's good to hear from other people on the diet. So far I've not heard any negative feedback from anyone doing it. I struggled with the fasting for the first few weeks but now I've found the best way for me to eat on a fast day it's easy, I even look forward to them now. I'm steadily losing 2lbs-3lbs a month, once I reach my goal weight I'll either eat more on my 5 days or go to 6:1 to maintain. Let me know how you're getting on in the future.

Steve

[Titus A Duxass]

Well she didn't tell me the actual values but she did say that all my blood work was back in the green zone (despite my best efforts). So something is working.


Oh, and the prostrate is also Gut!

[wheels]

I'm not on this diet, but am 'on a diet' and am losing weight. When I say 'on a diet', what I mean is that I've changed certain aspects of the way I prepare food, rather than I'm on a set regime.

The main one has been to have G & T instead of beer when I drink at home.

I've lost 16kg (about 2½ stone) so far, so I must be doing something right.

The 5:2 system looks a great way to lose weight; regrettably, certain health problems mean that it wouldn't be suitable for me.

Phil

[SteveW]

Hi Phil,
Sorry to hear the 5:2 isn't suitable for you but I know that there are some medical conditions that prevent some people adopting it as a lifestyle. It sounds like your doing really well with your diet anyway. 2.5 stone is a great achievement. Are you watching what you eat every day or allowing yourself a day off now and then?

[wheels]

I know it sounds daft, but basically, I eat less.

The major changes I've made, other than the gin: beer swap are to use a spray bottle for oil, it's one that you fill up with your own choice of oil, not an aerosol - ten sprays are 14 cals. I use a low calorie mayo on bread and as the basis for salad dressings, and don't have as much fat and sugar as I used to.

I regularly enjoy 3 or 4 G and T's, chips etc. and I've got to the stage where I can roughly calculate the calories in things I cook and keep them below my target.

There are things that would surprise you: I made a pavlova on Thursday - double cream, the works! it served 8 good portions with one left over for my lunch today! Each portion was 244 kcals, plus the fruit (very little).

People don't realise that all the calories in eggs are in the yolks.

Phil

[tomwal]

I've been on this life style since January this year - I'm on a fast day today - 2 boiled eggs on a slice of toast fro Brunch and lentil curry for dinner this evening.

I've dropped half stone since I started.

I'm off to the quack this afternoon for my main MoT which include the results of some blood testing.

Hi Titus, could do with shedding a few pounds or more, so I wouldn't mind giving this a try, on you fasting days what sort of things would you eat and have you purposely cut out any other foods on your non-fasting days, any pointers would be a great help, due a full MOT in July.

Wal

[Titus A Duxass]

As we only fast 2 days a week breakfast is always 2 boiled eggs on a slice of wholemeal toast which I eat at lunchtime.

Dinner is varied, lentil curry, roast fish, chicken breast wrapped in parma ham .
All with lots of steamed veg.

Have a look on the BBC good food website for 200 - 300 calorie meals.

For the rest of the week we have cut down on the wine intake and reduced the amount of fat and oil used during cooking.

I was concerned about starving on the fast days but I actually like them, I feel more alert when hungry.

[wheels]

I can really recommend the oil sprays that you can buy from some supermarkets. Not the aerosol ones, but a spray that you can fill with your oil of choice.



I got this one from ASDA.

HTH

Phil

[tomwal]

Thanks for that, going to give it a try starting this Monday.

Wal

[SteveW]

Hi Wal,
How are you finding the diet?

Steve

[tomwal]

Hi Wal,
How are you finding the diet?

Steve

Hiya Steve, was going to wait a month before I posted, but here goes I'm on the 3rd week, finding it remarkably easy compared to other diets I have tried, have lost 11lb so far, instead of the 5-2, I decided on 4-3 after the 1st week as I found the fasting days easy to cope with so this has really helped with the loss, been a little more careful about what I eat on none fasting days, but so far so good and not really feeling hungry or like I'm missing out and seem to have a bit more energy. Will update regularly, if I can do this then anyone can.

Cheers


Wal

[SteveW]

That's good to hear Wal. I did think about 4:3 but decided against it in the end. There's a great 5:2 forum http://www.52fastdiet.co.uk, have you been there? I'm not a member but browse regularly, they have a lot of useful information. Apparently the average weight loss for the members is the same for 5:2 and 4:3, about a pound a week. It's worth a look if you have 10 minutes.

Steve