Eat, fast and live longer - the 5:2 lifestyle

[Amy :-)]

Holy moly Jude, I couldn't live like that. I love food too much

[Jude59]

LOL Amy - so do we -  and we can have what we like guilt free.  It is a very free-ing lifestyle to not have to count calories or worry about how much to eat and what to eat etc and still have the health benefits associated with intermittent fasting.  We have found that we naturally lean towards healthier foods because that seems to be what you crave at the end of the 19 hours.  Yesterday at break - fast I had a handful of almonds and cashews, an apple, a bread roll with butter and blue cheese and then a small helping of homemade pasta and tuna with homegrown broccolini (showing off my veg patch here) and of course my usual wine.  It was a very small amount of pasta and tuna because I couldn't fit in a lot after the other bits and pieces You feel as full as and yet  you have probably only had a modest amount of food.   I really think this is the beauty of it.  There is no way you can eat in a five hour period what you would eat in a full day of eating regular meals. You just don't want to eat any more after the first hour or so I would say, stomach must shrink through the day,  although sometimes we have some chocolate or something if we are still feeling like something else.  haha and I was down 600 grams this morning from yesterday morning

[Jude59]

I should put all that in the "What's for Breakfast" thread!

[Wonder]

I definitely don't think I could eat this way. When you say 'breakfast' is that between 5pm - 10pm? I'm assuming so given you had a wine 

[achookwoman]

Like Judy,  I am doing the 5.2 and am losing 500 g a week.  Not a lot but over time it is making a big difference. Have lost 7 + Ks and 10 cm around the middle.   I also like the flexibility as we eat out a lot and entertain a lot.  I still need to reduce what I eat on 5 days, but the 2 days have made me aware that I don't need much food.  I need to exercise more, have had a sore back, and daughter is giving me a walking machine so will be able to exercise inside in wet weather.   I am also watching and cutting down on carbs.  I will stick with this until I reach goal weight and then will probably have to do 1 fasting day for ever.  Still better than yoyo dieting.  I find MyFitnessPal an app , a great help as it counts the calories and carbs.
Jude, do what works for you.  After years of dieting,  I have come to this conclusion.   The 5.2 works for me because of our life style.   I would encourage  members to try it and see if it fits.

[Jude59]

Yes, Monday - Friday our break - fast is 5:00 - 10:00 unless there is a social event at lunch time in which case we swap things around. 

Agree so much achookwoman about the social side of things.  This is a way of eating that does not impinge on those lovely social events and entertaining.  Like you we are out and about a lot and enjoy entertaining. 

[Rogizoja]

Wahay! Great to see the 5:2 is slowly attracting more proponents (especially JD - if she's doing it then it's a no-brainer  ) and well done to all of you who are seeing the outward benefits. DW and I have now stabilised at our target weights - I'm down 5kg and DW is down 6kg and so we're now only doing 1 day "maintenance" fast per week as we still want to enjoy the health benefits as well as the weights shift. Both of us have lower blood pressure and my cholesterol is heading in the right direction - all good.

One downside of all this weight loss is that DW has now informed me that none of her clothes fit her any more, so I can see the credit card is going to take a hammering shortly  .

I find if I'm feeling really peckish on a fast day, I make a cup of miso soup and that keeps the hunger pangs at bay - must be something to do with the umami taste satisfying the inner wolf.

Keep up the good work everyone and... Happy Fasting!

[achookwoman]

Thanks Rog, didn't post at the start as I thought it would go the way of all other diets,  but it hasn't.

[Cuilidh]

Do you have to do the two fasting days consecutively, or can they be any two days, i.e. Monday and Thursday, for instance?

My colleague mentioned this diet the other day - he said that his parents had started it as it was good for memory / mind health as they get older, does anyone know whether this is the case or not?

[ElleG]

 Cuilidh, you can choose which ever two days you wish to do. I am doing Monday and Wednesday this week as it fits in better with what's happening.

Also trying something different. I always make work for myself  by stressing over calories and a friend said she buys a very low cal meal already prepared the has two eggs for tea. This allows her extra for milk or some fruit. I found a couple of brands that meet my very strict requirements (got to be food and not numbers) and did that last week. So easy.

I had started following the 8 hr fast, a bit like Jude's 5 hr fast - managed to put on a little weight, so back to an easier version of 5:2. My husband maintains his weight on one 5:2 day.

Good to see you there Rog.

My colleague mentioned this diet the other day - he said that his parents had started it as it was good for memory / mind health as they get older, does anyone know whether this is the case or not?
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[achookwoman]

Elle,  there are lots of claims about the health benefits,  but have only been tested on animals. 

[ElleG]

Hi  Chookie, I must have gremlins in the system as I did not add that last quote! Don't know where it came from.

When I  following the 5:2 or the 8hr diet my BP and pulse both dropped. Pulse by 10. To 15 beats a minute and the systolic BP was under 120. I had been keeping a watch on my BP as I was close to being medicated. A month off either diet and the figures have started rising again.  So, I think I do benefit from this diet.

I agree time will tell about the health benefits, but I am hopeful there will be benefits.

[Rogizoja]

I think ideally the fasting days should be consecutive (more of a "shock" to the system) but it's not essential. DW and I started consecutive but then after a couple of months went to Mondays and Thursdays. Just do what suits you best.

Well done on getting your BP down ElleG, but a pulse rate of 15 beats a minute ? - I'd be moving soooo sloooooow at that rate! Good on the systolic but really it's the diastolic (resting) pressure you really want to watch. I started off at about 140/92 (I know, too high) but am now down to about 120/85 so heading in the right direction.

Regarding the memory benefits, I must admit I do still sometimes go upstairs and then can't remember what I went upstairs for only to then remember why when I go back downstairs again - and so the loop continues!! I should have done a before/after count of such episodes I guess!!

Happy fasting.

[ElleG]

Rog, my diastolic has always been normal, but they still medicate if the systolic is high. Yes, my pulse was in the 80s and sometimes 90s, so that why I could achieve such a result. Back into the5:2 swing, so all good.

I had a week in hospital and even though I did the 8 hr fast, still managed to put on a kilo or two. So, after falling off both wagons decided I would go back to 5:2, and the supposed health benefits did have a lot to do with that decision.

Great to see others joining I. 

[Rogizoja]

Hope you've fully bounced back from your hospital stay ElleG. Great to have your Thermomix to mix up lots of healthy food to get you back on top - a couple of green smoothies will soon have you firing on all cylinders. Keep well.