Does the three 20 seconds exercise figure in the Fast Diet?

This topic contains 25 replies, has 12 voices, and was last updated by clematis24 10 years, 8 months ago.

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clematis24

9:34 pm
16 Aug 13
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I’m wondering if the other project that Michael Mosley presented on the BBC, the three 20 second exercise programme, is necessary to do, alongside the Fast Diet, in order to achieve success? My husband has been doing the exercise for about 6 months now and thinks this is so. I think I will also have to try it, in combination with the diet. (The programme, I think, involves biking as fast as possible on an exercise bike for twenty seconds three times, resting in between, three times a week). Anyone else doing this?

Couscous

10:12 pm
16 Aug 13
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Hi clematis24, read some of the posters comments on exercise and the 5:2 system. Some interesting reading, concerns and results. I do exercise on fast days if I feel the need with no adverse effects. Basically experiment, we are all individuals and what works for some may not work for others.
Michael kept the research separate and the programmes did not appear to link up but I believe you can exercise and diet. Do whatever works for you.
Good luck.

Beavergong

10:17 pm
16 Aug 13
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Clematis24
I’m so glad you posted. I’m Australian and saw the exercise program on utube. I,ve been 5:2ing for 24 weeks and have lost 24 lbs but I hit a plateau and tried to find information on the HIIT exercise program. couldn’t find anything online and no.one who answered my post here seemed to have done Michael’s program so 3 weeks ago I did just what you wrote,3 times a week rode as fast as I could for 3 20 second periods with a warm up and rest in between . I tried to ride over 100rpm for the 30 seconds although sometimes I get 130. I had to put the resistance of the bike on 4 though after the gym bike moved the first time and everyone laughed at this 60 year old!!!
I’d love any other information you have. By the way the weight plateau broke and I lost 2.2lbs in a week.

wiltldnrUSA

11:16 pm
16 Aug 13
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hi Beavergong,

i guess it got lost in this gicantic forum

THE-TRUTH-ABOUT-EXERCISE By dr mosley

http://vimeo.com/51836895

Eat, Fast and Live Longer, Michael Mosley

http://documentaryheaven.com/eat-fast-and-live-longer/

TidyChick

6:47 am
17 Aug 13
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I started doing the exercise along with the diet a couple of weeks ago, and I think it might be helping.

ljc1011

7:23 am
17 Aug 13
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Been on fast diet a month now. Weight down from 10st 4 to 9 st 12 but just watched eat fast and live longer. Amazing.

clematis24

4:44 pm
17 Aug 13
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Thanks Beavergong (what a great username, it sounds really Australian!). I decided to try doing the HIT exercise, although I have no idea what my RPM or whatever it is, is! I’ve done it three times this week. My knees ache, it’s so damp here in Northern England (Northern Lincolnshire), that dodgy knees are a side effect of living and being 59 doesn’t help! Still, shall persevere! Glad you managed to break your weight plateau. I don’t have much more information, except that I watched all Michael’s BBC programmes, including the one on overcoming being a pessimist, which also applied to me. I got an old mindfulness CD out, that I had, by the American meditation teacher, Jack Kornfield, and it’s helping me a great deal. Michael seems to do such good programmes, can’t wait for his next idea! He seems to plug into all our modern problems, somehow.
Thanks for all the other replies. Yes, Couscous, it seems a shame that the reserch is separate. Everything should link, really, to help heal mind and body and complete the picture.

clematis24

7:21 pm
24 Aug 13
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I’ve decided to give up on this diet, it’s just making me feel ill. I also find it suspicious that neither Michael Mosley nor Mimi seem to have bothered to post on this site for ages (only bothered about the sales of their book perhaps?). Also, the NHS say there is only evidence for it working on animals. I think I will keep to my low saturated fat, sugar free diet, at least, at the age of 59, I have been within my BMI for years and I don’t feel hungry on it and I don’t have to spend ages counting calories.

Humphrey

8:00 pm
24 Aug 13
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If something is making you ill clematis24 then that’s a good enough reason not to do it anymore – good luck with the alternatives. Just wanted to say tho, that in this day and age of online fora, where sharing is so helpful and useful, I neither hope nor expect the originator of the concept to spend their time online for our benefit – they are living their lives and are in no way beholden to an audience. The book and the film are there for us to refer to, as is this site. I’ve noticed that Clare, Michael’s wife, does however post fairly often, which is wonderful and above and beyond the call of duty. I don’t believe for a moment that the 5:2 is a cynical ploy to make money, but it IS an idea that has grown legs, wings and fans. We must thank M&M for that.

Westozzybloke

11:52 pm
24 Aug 13
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That’s your choice clematis…..
If you find it suspicious Michael not posting here then you should go, and not read this forum any more. It is not for you. Personally I have found it great and motivating.

For me one of the big benefits is I DON’T count calories. 2 days a week I eat nothing, 5 days I eat whatever I feel like. You seem to have missed the point.

wiltldnrUSA

1:00 am
25 Aug 13
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clematis24

michael has posted

52 times actually

i’m waiting 4 the moderator 2 put his link of his replies and mimis and clare his doctor wife

in fact he replied 2 my suggestion

all his replies

http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/users/michael/replies/

http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/users/mimi/replies/

http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/users/clare/replies/

clematis24

9:14 pm
28 Aug 13
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I don’t think I’ve missed the point, Westozzybloke, I can’t remember Dr Mosley suggesting anywhere in the BBC programme that we should go with out food altogether, on the fast days. Why else would he suggest 600 and 500 calories respectively for men and women on the fast days? Yours sounds a very unhealthy regime to me.
I suggest you all check out the NHS data, which suggests that there is no real scientific basis for this diet being suitable for humans.

rockyromero

10:46 pm
28 Aug 13
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5:2 lifestyle has brought a structure to what I’ve been doing on & off in my life: fasting.

I was first introduced to fasting when I trained for collegiate wrestling that lasted consistently for almost 6 years of my early years.

In those days, we called it cutting weight. We weighed in before a match and if we didn’t quite make it, we had a little bit of time to get rid of those extra ounces before weighing in again. Those were anxious moments & there were some unsavory ounce-reducing techniques that resulted from that.

Weight is a factor still in many sports that depend on that. I can appreciate what those athletes go through.

Now, as modern day life athletes, fasting & conditioning is important to many of us.

I embrace this lifestyle & modify what I learn to what my circumstances provides for me.

The rewards are worth it for me now, just as it was in the past.

Westozzybloke

12:08 am
29 Aug 13
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Then dont do it Clematis24. I do what works for me.

vicki

5:17 am
29 Aug 13
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Hi clematis
Sorry it doesn’t work for you, so it probably is time to give up
Personally, for me, it is a lifechanger
I decided at the start not to eat on fast days, because I find it easier (I still cook dinner for my husband and he has his wine with it – I drink water). I also do 60 minutes on crosstrainer 6 days a week, including after a fast day.
16kg after 6 months, cholesterol from 7.2 to 5.4, tryglicerides from 3.2 to 0.8. To me the joy is not counting calories, but I find I’m eating less all the time – hunger (or greed perhaps) has lessened, and I can still have wine and that piece of Lindt after dinner
Good luck

Westozzybloke

6:18 am
29 Aug 13
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Sounds like you have same approach as me Vicki… water only 2 days a week and lots of exercise every day. Its working great and I’m feeling very very good!

Puny

1:25 pm
29 Aug 13
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I’ve only just started and am losing weight. This is one of the simplest diet plans I’ve followed. It’s not going to appeal to everyone nor will it necessarily be suitable for everyone.

Good luck with whatever diet you choose to follow.

For anyone concerned about what the NHS has to say about this diet might want to read this

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/01January/Pages/Does-the-5-2-intermittent-fasting-diet-work.aspx

TracyJ

3:32 pm
29 Aug 13
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Wow! Thanks for the link Puny. That article seems really biased against and admits itself that it has not been extensively researched – crazy!

I can totally understand why the NHS would try to steer us away from any unhealthy, faddy sounding diet, so maybe that’s all it is and it does the same for all of the other diets out there too. It just seems that the list of side-effects and arguments against were so slight and/or based on supposition and the kind of bedding-in side-effects that many of us do have to begin with but quickly move past.

It would be sad if it put people off who might really benefit from this lifestyle. It’s definitely the ONLY diet I will ever have from now on and it’s the only thing that’s ever shifted any weight for me, throughout my entire adult life.

rockyromero

5:43 pm
29 Aug 13
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I did 8 repetitions today, after stopping yesterday after 4 reps.

Full speed for 20 seconds, get off the treadmill for 10 seconds, and jump back on again. 8 times.

It’s 4 minutes of intensity and I think that I could possibly do this daily.

Michael Mosley’s documentary was done on a stationery bike & I don’t have access to one like the one on the video.

THE-TRUTH-ABOUT-EXERCISE By Dr mosley
http://vimeo.com/51836895

It recommended 3 times a week, to ride as fast as possible for (3) 20 second periods with a warm up and rest in between.

I took that to mean as a minimum, and that I could do the 4 min speed runs just about every day.

On a treadmill, that consistency is possible. It’s always indoors, very accessible, limited amount of time & it’s simply a lot of fun to do.

I wonder what physical effects there would be on the body over a long period of time.

Has anyone else considered doing this?

wiltldnrUSA

6:36 pm
29 Aug 13
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Michael M’s documentary ‘The Truth About Exercise’ was first broadcast in the UK by the BBC in Jan ’12

THE-TRUTH-ABOUT-EXERCISE By dr mosley

http://vimeo.com/51836895

whereas the 5:2 feature ‘Eat, Fast and Live Longer’ went out in Aug ’12 – and Michael’s weight loss, using 5:2, is very apparent when you compare the two.

Eat, Fast and Live Longer

http://www.disclose.tv/action/viewvideo/110651/BBC_Horizon_2012_Eat_Fast_and_Live_Longer/

i have been doing both

success

clematis24

6:57 pm
29 Aug 13
Permalink

You are very rude Westozzybloke. It’s a free country (at least Britain is) and I think I have the right to question the scientific evidence for this diet, if I wish.
Thanks for all the other replies, you raised some good points, without being rude. I’m glad that you are all getting on with the diet and that it’s helping you. I do question whether it’s suitable for older women, whose alloted daily calories are going to be less anyway, so will be eating more than a quarter of their intake, even on 500 calories.
My husband is doing well on the three twenty seconds exercise, so I shall continue with that and just be more aware of my calories on every day, as well as fats. The Fast diet has at least made me more aware of calories, not just fats. I was shocked to realise how high pasta is, for example.
I do think Dr Mosley should moniter the site more regularly, as there seems to be a great deal of dodgy advice posted by some contributors on the forum.

clematis24

7:38 pm
29 Aug 13
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I just read an article by women’s health problem writer, Marcelle Pick, on http://www.healyourlife.com in which she talks about the problem that I posted above; that not any one diet fits all. She speaks about the despair of her female clients, who despite eating less calories and doing more exercise, do not lose weight. This is a good site, started by Louise Hay. Might be of interest to older women not losing weight on the Fast Diet.

Beavergong

10:10 pm
29 Aug 13
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Clematis24
I just read her article and wondered if you had read her book and what was her premise of the Core Diet?

vicki

5:08 am
30 Aug 13
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Hi again Clematis
I don’t think age is the issue, i am 63 and its worked so well for me, even through a cold Hobart winter. But it obviously doesn’t suit everyone, so good luck with something else

clematis24

9:06 pm
30 Aug 13
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I have not read Marcelle Pick’s book, Beavergong, but I have listened to her on http://www.hayhouseradio.com regularly and have visited her own site, http://www.womentowomen.com, which is full of good advice for women’s health. She is an OB-GYN Nurse Practitioner of many years experience. I believe her premise to be that all women are different and need to be treated as such, with a decided holistic view towards medicine.
I beg to differ Vicki, I think age is very much an issue, particularly after the menopause.

clematis24

8:01 pm
2 Sep 13
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I’ve noticed, since giving up the Fast Diet, that although I lost no weight on it, my stomach seems to have got bigger again. Although my weight is unchanged, on it or off it, the diet seemed to keep my stomach flatter. I’m wondering if I should have stuck it out. I wonder if I felt ill on it because I was not eating enough protein? I saw somewhere that Dr Mosley suggested eating as much protein as possible on the fast days. The problem is, how do you eat your five vegetables a day and get enough protein, all on 500 calories?