Like Jeanius (I am a fan of yours) and some other posters my main concern is my inner health with weight loss an important part but secondary component of the “Fast Diet”. I am lazy so my fast days consist of porridge or oat bran, with fruit for slow release energy (and high fibre for certain bodily functions) followed by a ready meal from the excellent M & S range of calorie counted ready meals about 7 pm. It works for me. So I do it. I read an article today in the papers about new research into the connection with a high BMI reading and Dementia. This sits well with comments by Michael about how fasting seems to help new brain cells to grow and may have a connection to mental health issues. Now this is one of the health reasons why I am on the “Fast Diet”. I also have concerns about other health issues following medical checks so I look towards this “Lifestyle” fasting regime as a tool to improve my inner health.
Having said all of that I go to Madeira tomorrow for a weeks holiday. (Gods Waiting Room). Now you cannot get a decent Cheese Board for love or money so I am taking 3 fantastic cheeses including a stunning Montgomery Cheddar to have with my “Al Fresco” lunches on the balcony of my 5* Time Share hotel. I know what you will say after reading my “drivel” but I am only human. I will continue taking my Benicol and other cholesterol lowering food stuffs while on holiday. My next target is another 30 days of “Fast Days” culminating in lower cholesterol levels, lower “Heart Attack” chances, improved all round health benefits and oh yes, another 14 Lb or so weight loss as a sweetener.
P.S. No cheese though.
Good luck and good health to you all.

Hi, so,this is my IF regime!
the day before a fast day I stop eating anything after 6/7pm latest. I then eat nothing until 6/7pm the following evening,then I will have my 500 calories, then I will not eat again until 6/7am the next morning, 36 hours, (sometimes maybe a little longer if I sleep in) then for the rest of the day I eat as I wish, although, not stupidly! I have lost 4lbs this week but to be fair, I have fasted every other day and restricted calories on the feed days too as I have a couple days next week that will be very social ie: eating drinking lots!
I really like this plan and it is working for me at present. It’s not super easy, you have to want to do it and be self disiplined enough to not reach for a bag of crisps when you get a little hunger pang, but its not super hard either if you’re commited.
Many Thanks for bringing this to my attention, I feel better doing this than the standard ‘3 meals a day’ mantra……whether that’s biology/ my body ‘fixing’ itself, or psycosomatic, I don’t care…..works for me!!

Hello, alexcat – As far as I know the only proof you could get of the health benefits would be from having your own before-and-after blood-pressure tests, cholesterol level blood tests, etc, etc. I don’t think the research on humans has gone far enough yet to be able to provide you with the upfront answers you require. Although there are anecdotal accounts of improvements from some individuals who have completed these tests, I doubt there is any study results published to date involving people specifically not seeking weight-loss. I don’t get the impression that the 5:2 system does quite suit you – your choice to continue or not, of course. All best wishes.

Hello all, I just want to share my experience thus far. I have done the 5:2 diet for 6 weeks now, and have gone from 193 lbs to 184 lbs. In addition, my cardio and strength have improved, and I’ve lost almost two belt notches with only 9 lbs of weight loss. I had previously lost 38 lbs by working out and keeping my calories low, but then I gained back about 10 lbs and settled around 193. I am back down to where I was after losing the 38 lbs, and hope to lose another 10 to 15 lbs. I am 5”9. These are all using U.S. measurements, of course. However, I find doing the two days of 600 calories a week difficult, and am modifying the diet. I will instead do a 6:1 diet with 600 calories one day a week, but I will add two days of about 1200-1400 calories. In the 5:2 program, assuming I need 2500 calories a day to maintain my weight, I was at a 3800 calorie deficit a week. Under my modification, I would be at a 4100 to 4500 calorie deficit a week. I think this will be easier for me. Let me know what you think, and if anyone else has tried it this way. Great to see so many benefit from this diet or form of it. Best wishes to all.

thanks Jeanius for your response 🙂

I usually fast for the whole day and then I break the fast at dinner. The reason why I do it like this is that if I start a day by eating, then I find it really hard to stay away from food afterwards. It’s as if I get a ball rolling by having breakfast and once it’s rolling I find it really hard to stop.

I really tried to have breakfast and fast for the rest of the day, but whenever I do that, lunch-time me and dinner-time me feel as if breakfast-time me is mocking them XD Food is taunting me all day if I had breakfast one morning and I have to stay away from food for the rest of the day. I always end up sabotaging myself and spoiling my fast when I have breakfast and intend to fast until the next morning.

So one day I decided that my fasts start in the morning and I prefer to stick to that. I find it much easier to focus  on fasting properly and I’m much more prone to reach my goals =)

But every person is different and what works for me may not work for other people. People may just want to try different approach for themselves and see what works best for them 😉

Tomorrow I start my fast for the sixth week.  Going very well so far with modest weight loss.  I like others find it much easier to delay any meals until dinner of the fast day.  If I eat a small breakfast, it seems to stimulate my desire for food.  My fast day is coffee and then nothing until dinner for 300 to 400 calories. So far, so good.  71 year old male.  Goal 190 from 205 lbs.

i was wondering on 1 of fastdays would it be good 2 only have protein like the dukan diet?

i found a great super low calorie food 4 fastday
has anyone had kelp noodles 6 cal 1/2 cup. no fishy flavor or seafood flavor no flavor really. their great and fill you up. any one have any cool recipes 4 this
food?

I find from lunch to lunch is best for me. Big brunch at 11 or so on fast days (usually Monday & Thursday) and they fast until dinner next day. If I feel the need I’ll have amid afternoon very light snack. Like Sylphadora if I start to eat in the morning I feel really hungry and deprived all day and it is twice as hard. This way works for me.

Hello, wiltldnrUSA – The two big issues with Alternate Day Fasting (ADF) seem to be sustainability, week after week, and the risk of gorging oneself on non-fast days, both issues arising because of the increased number of days in any one week when one is having to fast.
The articles I have checked out refer to a recommended fast day intake of only one-fifth (20%) on the ADF system (i.e. 400cals for the average female – 500 cals for the average male).
If you can keep to that regime, it sounds like it might give a boost to your weight-loss efforts, but, sad to say, any and every eating-to-lose scheme does require keeping to an overall, moderate calorie intake, so, to guarantee success you would still have to monitor your intake to some degree, to ensure it stayed within overall appropriate limits.
Perhaps take a look at this article: Alternate Day Fasting Diet – By Dietitian, Juliette Kellow BSc RD

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/reviews/alternate-day-fasting.htm?utm_expid=2678559-5

wiltldnrUSA – Why not take a break if you need to? Too much force of will and gritting of teeth will eventually cause a reaction, I’m sure. Just ease up for a week or two and then start afresh. Or will the sky fall in if you do that? I hope you can bring some more joy back into it all for yourself.

wiltldnrUSA – Some info for you:

NUTRITIONAL CONTENTS OF BEEF BONE MARROW – Oct 25, 2012 | By Jessica Bernard:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/539722-nutritional-contents-of-beef-bone-marrow/

Hi wiltldnrUSA.
Jeanius is correct and very intelligent with her replies and suggestions. I certainly take notice of her and a number of other posters for support.
For what it is worth, keep it simple, do not look for something that is not there.
From the outset Michael and Mimi kept this lifestyle diet simple.
I get frustrated and bored with it but try and stick with the simple things, I have to so I have porridge on a morning and an excellent calory counted ready meal with a protein portion on an evening.. simples….
Good luck, keep us updated.

Hi…I think this is why I have been still counting (restricting between 1200-1400) on NFD. When I realized how many calories I “used” to consume in a day it was appalling. After I get reset to a”new norm”…then I won’t count during the NFD. Until then…counting is necessary for me.

Good luck.

Tried the soy (tofu) earlier in the year…but just don’t enjoy it. (before even hearing about this diet) so I just do chicken, fish, prawn and turkey.

Hello, wiltldnrUSA – You do work hard at this, don’t you? It sounds good to me that you’re experimenting and discovering what does and doesn’t work for you. I’m afraid this particular so-called guru is now a lazy vegetarian – in my youth I was zealous but my senior years have steadily led to a more casual regime (and, hence, the gradual increase in weight up to my 5:2 starting point: two-and-a-half stone of excess – 35 lb/ or 16 kg). I don’t ‘do’ recipes and, only since focussing on the 5:2 approach this year, have I really bothered to properly consider nutrition. Prior to that, I relied mainly on vegetarian ready meals and simple stuff like jacket potatoes with baked beans and seeds, with the microwave as my daily, best buddy. I trust you can bear the disillusionment!
I think I am unusual, compared to many food-lovers here, in that I consider food more a nuisance than a joy. Having grown up during the thrilling era of the Space Race and the Apollo moon landings, I still feel cheated that the promised meal-in-a-tablet, taken 3 times a day with a glass of water, never actually materialised. My only problem is that feeling hungry is an even bigger – and more insistent – problem than food itself, otherwise I’d rather not bother at all. My kitchen philosophy can best be summed up as: maximum 2 pans, max.10 minutes of preparation and one bowl or plate to serve, otherwise it doesn’t happen.
Actually, I must get used to a new label: I’m now a non-meat-eater rather than a vegetarian. In the past two years, I started to eat eggs and cheese and now I also include some fish because I instinctively felt I needed better nutrition and this was the easiest way to achieve it.
My current delight is whizzing-up home-blended shakes, because they are quick, easy, nutritious and tasty: for breakfast, High Protein Berry Shake with nuts, seeds, coconut oil and silken tofu; then a Pear or Apple with Leafy Green Veg Smoothie for lunch. In the evening, I usually have a simple protein-based main meal (eggs, cheese, or fish, etc) with steamed veg or salad.
For me, tofu is a mainstay: a good-quality, organic block, cut into half-inch-thick slices, doused in Tamari (Soy Sauce) and Sesame seeds, quickly toasted under the grill (I think that is ‘broiling’ in the USA, maybe?). Fits my bill: quick, easy, nutritious and tasty enough. I don’t need ‘Gourmet’ in my portfolio.
On the subject of soy protein isolate, I believe the study that linked it’s estrogen content to a lowering of testosterone has now been challenged and discounted and I’ve not heard of any question about it causing weight-retention. I think it is a good quality source of extra protein for non-meat eaters but the main concern expressed by the mostly-American promoters of natural, good health that I have read is that virtually all soya-beans grown in USA are now Genetically Modified and designed to survive the high doses of pesticides used to spray crops, so, they advise their clients against consuming any available soya products as well as any processed foods (many of which include soya in one form or another).
In case you’re interested, here’s one Wikipedia article about soy protein and, then, a video of Dr Mark Hyman’s recipe for his Wholefood Protein Berry Shake (on which I base my own breakfast treat):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_protein

http://drhyman.com/blog/2013/05/11/in-the-kitchen-with-dr-hyman-whole-food-protein-shake/

I hope you find a good pattern for your own 5:2 plan and reach your targets happily. Keep well.

Wow, wiltldnrUSA, all that info is going to take some studying! I’ll get back to you another day.
Yes, my microwave is also gathering dust now, especially since I heard it specifically destroys the all-important Vitamin B12.

jeanius

did not expect u 2 study 2 🙂 but i’m adjusting due 2 this 4 mth report.
take months 2 reply enjoy life
will not take it personally.

i meant 4 months 4 nutr rprt not 6 shortwave in brain 🙂

that is what he said zaps the vitamins. i don’t know i would think it contains the vitamins and does not evaporate like cooking. i guess i will have 2 research that 2 on the wwww or add it 2 google alert. i miss it 4 popcorn not the bag kind and frozen stuff.

take care

well happy 4th 2 everyone who wants 2 celebrate it.
will have 2 find on the www some fireworks 2night

got back from a cool picnic.
now 2 count the calories. changed my fastday 2 sat. fastday (sun tues now sat)

however, i stayed healthy no junk.
luckily they had some healthy stuff and new foods! bison, not bad, a little dry, chicken uncured sausages nice and spicy.

the best veggies kale chips & all these snacks freeze-dried mangos strawberries all kinds of fruits & tropical fruits
and vegetables nice & crunchy never had those. must find these.

i like it because there is no sugar no salt or added anything & real fruit/veg and they keep 4ever.

there have been many times where the food has gone bad & i had 2 throw it all away. all that waste ugh!

2 think i could crunch all day on fastdays or nonfastdays who hoo :).

they said they bought it from costco online in large buckets. so it will be interesting trying 2 count the cals

since i luv luv this stuff i’m sure there is some caveat somewhere?

goodnight jeanius u deserve a great sleep and thanks 4 responding 2 all. i like reading your replies & i’m sure everyone appreciates ur empathy.

luckily i only ate 20 of each so i could figure out cals that site does not give cals.
tired 2. will research another time.

i think another caveat is probably, would have 2 makeup the water content that is lost

i know a woman needs 2.9l a day i never get 2 that amount normally.

however, crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch
is so so cool.

that site had everything have 2 find a usa version.i can’t c myself buying big tubs of stuff @ costco. again, will research another time.
food that does not go bad is a great incentive. i bet it is less expensive.

thanks again, 4 ur quick informative replies

One of my friends is doing it a bit differently. She eats normally and has dinner at 7:30pm. She then won’t eat anything after that until 1:30pm the next day when she goes back to normal eating. Therefore she is fasting completely for 18 hours. I thinking about doing this as I’m struggling too much with the usual day-long fast. However it seems too good to be true and like it would not work for weight loss. What are people’s thoughts on this?

Hi all,
I am on week 3 of fasting and just wanted to share my story.

I have lost 8lbs in 2 weeks and feel amazing!!
I start breakfast with green tea and then about 3 more cups of green/berry tea throughout the day.
Lunch is usually at 2pm and is a sachet of generic light soup or Miso soup (usually between 30 – 60 cals)
My favourite dinner is a sachet or home-made soup (60 cals) with 150g steamed broccoli (40 cals), 150g steamed prawns or white fish (60 cals), chilli powder and a tablespoon low fat cream cheese (30 cals)
This normally totals about 190 calories and depending on how hungry I am I will add more broccoli or prawns.

This leaves me with calories spare for a tea or coffee with milk or some frozen yoghurt later on.

I find I fast nearly every morning now and then do my dedicated two days of 500 cals.

I LOVE MY FOOD and yet I have lost the obsession with planning every single meal for hours in my head and just enjoy healthy food when I feel hungry.
Also – sugar free jelly can be a life saver when the cravings get too much (especially at the start).

Good luck and enjoy feeling healthier by the day
x

cool!!!!!!!

http://1eb208pajm4k5kdds7liokldq4.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=THE FAT LOSS FACTOR

Hi all – I am slightly confused about the length of my ‘fasts’?

I fast Monday and Wednesday. I have my last meal on a Sunday and Tuesday night no later than 8.30pm, eat a 200 cal soup/vege at about 1pm, 60 cal snack about 4pm and then about 200 cal dinner by about 7pm. I start eating normally again breakfast the following day around 9.30am. When we talk about ‘fasting’ are we talking the periods without food at all or the period where we consume the reduced cals (500ish)? If it is the latter then am I doing a 37.5 hour fast? As long as I am following a pattern which is in line with the concept of the 5:2 then I am happy but if I’m not I’d love some advice on tweaking my approach.

At the moment I am 9 weeks in, lost a bit of weight (based on measurements rather than kg’s as I dont weigh myself) but also a lot of the anxiety around food which is great.

Thanks
R

Hi Paul 🙂

Just need to check that I am interpreting your info correctly.

I assume Sunday is a normal eating day – so that when you have your last meal at 6pm you will have eaten about your TDEE amount of calories over the course of the day.

Then Monday is a fast day, and you are splitting your 460 cals over 3 meals (are you only having this amount cos your TDEE is 1840?).

Then Tues is a normal eating day, and you can have breakfast and your TDEE amount of cals over the course of the day.

If this is what you are doing, this is the 5:2 strategy 🙂

You can of course vary when you have the cals on your fast day (well, you can on any day!). Many chose to leave eating til as late as possible on the fast day, so that increases the length of the actual fasting period, and also seems to help defer the need to eat.

Hope that helps. Good luck with 5:2 🙂
Sassy