This topic contains 23 replies, has 11 voices, and was last updated by Merryme 9 years, 3 months ago.
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I don’t know what cult like mentality is, and I think you are being equally disrespectful in saying so.
I understand that you are interested in fasting, but I think that the vast majority of contributors to this forum are interested in using it as a weight loss tool, and quite a large number, which includes me, are interested in any health benefits that fasting might bring. There might be a few who are interested in current research, and in fasting per se. There might be a few who have read Krista Varaday’s book, but the only person who can say if it is worth you spending money on it is yourself.
So, you come onto Michael Mosley’s website that is dedicated to 5:2 IF, criticise him and his approach, claim that 5:2 is not based on science – but you have not even read his book?
You claim that you are interested in science, yet you have not even read what you try to deconstruct? Has nobody ever told you that to disprove a theory you should at least have knowledge of it?
To say it in your words: that is bad science. Bad, bad science, Demidog.
Okay Stef, maybe people need to be more careful about semantics.
You mention one Book in your post:
“Actually Michael has based a lot of his arguments in his book on her research.”
Demidog then answers without specifying which book he is talking about while indicating that he has not read it yet:
“Is there references in the book to the research? I’m keen to have a look.”
Rules of grammar say that he refers to the book mentioned in the statement he is referring to – and that would be Michael’s book.
If that is not what he meant, he needs to make clear which book he is talking about by mentioning title or author.
Critique is allowed but to be taken serious you should have knowledge of the subject of your critique. Additionally, this is a site made by Michael and Mimi for those people following the 5:2 diet. To come here and try to deconstruct 5:2 is perhaps not the cleverest idea; a bit like turning up at a Leeds FC match in your ManU gear – and then being surprised that you cannot make friends in the Leeds fan block.
Let’s not split hairs…his original post clearly states that he is interested in reading Varadi’s book, so my post referred to her book re the research and Michael’s book in regards to using her arguments. Might have been my mistake, not everybody here is English native speaker.
I am not sure that everyone here believes that this is a fan site, but would rather love to think that we as grown ups can have a fruitful discussion regarding the underlying research that the 5:2 diet is based upon.
It is great to see how people, including myself benefit from the 5:2 but it is equally important, at least for me to be open minded regarding possible tweakings that might result in even better outcomes.
There have been so many diets around, Atkins, just to name one, that have been considered as the holy grail only for one to find out many years later that statistics did not support the original hype.
I agree with a lot of the 5:2’s tips for a new way of life, but there are quite a few points that I don’t, or that I would have loved to have seen expanded. In my opinion there is so much more to a healthy life style, than eating twice a week under a quarter of your TDEE and losing weight is just one piece in a much bigger puzzle of extending your life expectation.
For what it’s worth, I have been on the 5:2 diet and alterations of it for more than a year, have reached goal weight and am maintaining for about four months now, but I have adapted it to my needs.
Stef.
I have read Dr. Varady’s book – and as an aside, I’ve read extensively on this website, and I notice that Dr. Mosley is generous enough to mention many authors and different takes on 5:2. His generosity in mentioning and even promoting Dr. Harvie’s Two Day Diet book comes to mind. So I think we’re all open to discuss all versions of 5:2.
But I digress.
Yes, I’ve read Dr. Varady’s book, and I even tried alternate day dieting, but for me, it is not sustainable. And I really tried.
I’ve done 5:2 before and it works, but like every other eating plan, you must make it a lifestyle, not just another diet. That finally clicked. It’s much easier to follow than the every-other-day thing, and it works.
But I will say, Dr. Varady’s book has a lot of great tips you can apply to 5:2. And it was her explanation of the dangers of artificial sweeteners that finally got me me off them, and my constant cravings went away when I did.
I suggest you save your money and buy Dr. Mosley’s updated version of The Fast Diet, due out (here in the States) in January. I’m really looking forward to it, particularly the latest research he promises. I’m putting it on pre-order for the new year.
Well, here’s to all of us shrinking in the new year! I’m glad to be back on 5:2.
Stef, I really like what you say about adapting 5:2 to your needs. Exactly. When Dr. Mosley mentioned Dr. Harvie’s Two Day Diet books back in January of this year, I immediately bought them.
But it’s taken this long to come back to 5:2. This time I’m doing it a bit differently. One of the reasons I went off it after a while is because I got lazy and never got around to doing my second fast day. After reading Harvie’s take on 2 day consecutive fasting, it clicked that’s what I need. Do ’em and get ’em over with for the week.
I think so many people would be successful if they took the basic concepts of 5:2, read all they can on it, and run with it, tweaking it to suit their needs.
I am confident that I will finally get all this weight off for good. And I’m grateful I got the good sense to become part of this forum!
I saw this and felt obligated to register for the site to comment.
Dr. Varaday’s book is good but she or her ghost write are not as good of story tellers as the writers of Mosley’s book and there is an element of sour grapes about Dr. Mosley and the success of 5:2. I would be much more enthused about her book if she took a more positive view of what Dr. Mosley has achieved and the practical aspects of his contribution to helping people to live healthier. I think a lot of people are very grateful for the Horizon program and the books he has put out and would not have discovered this without those things.
That said it adds some value beyond what is in the BBC Horizon program and Mosley’s book and if you would like to know more about modified intermittent fasting her book is valuable. You could get this by reading the research literature but this can be somewhat daunting. Just remember that she is putting forward a particular view based on what worked in her studies.
Personally I feel the best use of her book and of modified alternate day fasting is for those that either have trouble sticking to 5:2 or who don’t get results with it. This is some portion of the population (including myself). I got great results with modified alternate day fasting prior to Mosley’s entry on to the scene and then tried 5:2 because I liked the idea of more regular days. This turned out not to work for me for some reason. Personally I do much better on both the fasting days and regular days when I am alternating. This is not most people’s experience and a lot (possibly the majority) of people find 5:2 to be a sustainable lifestyle that produces the desired results. But for those of us (and if you are super-obese you are probably like to be in this category) for whom this isn’t true, the good news is that there is stronger medicine available that isn’t bariatric surgery. Another piece of good news is that the popularity of 5:2 makes this a more socially acceptable lifestyle and we should be glad for what Dr. Mosley is doing to make the population more aware of modified fasting as a weight control and health promoting lifestyle.
Hi Demi:
You keep showing up and asking for information. Virtually everything you want is posted somewhere on this site.
For instance, if you search for ‘Varady’ you will find 8 pages of references.
I have posted many clinical studies on various threads, including this one: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/. If you find a paper you are interested in, search for it and you might find it.
If you are as interested as you say, just look around a little.
Good Luck!
I’ve watched a number of documentaries on various medical subjects by Michael Mosley over some time, and I’ve been impressed by his thoroughness and train of thought leading to conclusions that seem very logical and reasonable. One of the 1st things I noted that gives his journalism more credibility is that he is a medical doctor by training. To cite him as ‘a journalist’ rather than a doctor who is a medical journalist is, once again, disingenuous.
No, I haven’t read Krista Varady’s book, but I suggest you buy one or borrow one from a library.
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12:37 pm
10 Nov 14