Big thanks to everyone who has been entering their data into The Fast Diet tracker. It is brilliant to see how you are getting on, and it is also a really helpful way of keeping yourself on track. Logging your data this way is one of the best ways of keeping yourself motivated and for losing weight.
The main finding so far is that people have, on average, lost 5-6 kgs (11 to 13 lbs) over the course of the first 3 months (12-13 weeks). In fact those of you who have entered your data so far have lost well over 2000 kgs, which is a fabulous result.
This is really encouraging and a lot better than other online weight loss regimes, where weight loss is typically less than 2kg at the end of 3 months.
You could argue that these results exaggerate the benefits because the people who go on entering their data are going to be those for whom the diet is working. I’m sure there is an element of truth to this, but what I find encouraging is that these findings are consistent with properly supervised research done by Dr Michelle Harvie from Manchester University.
In her study on intermittent fasting, published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2013 (“The effect of intermittent energy and carbohydrate restriction v. daily energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic disease risk markers in overweight women”) she randomly allocated 115 women to a standard low calorie Mediterranean diet or to a low calorie/low carbohydrate diet two days a week. There was some drop out in both groups but the women cutting their calories two days a week were far more likely to stick to the diet and they lost far more fat.
In fact those who managed to stick to the diet most of the time (and many of these women had tried other diets and failed) lost an average of 6.4 kgs (14 lbs) over the course of the first 3 months. Those who moved onto a 6:1 approach were able to maintain the weight loss and other health benefits.
I also thought I would begin sharing with you some of the emails I get. This is from Chris, who said he was happy to share:
“I am 26 years old from Northern Ireland, I always struggled with my weight and found it very difficult to stick to diets. My dad passed away last March completely unexpectedly from undiagnosed heart disease, he had also struggled with his weight. He died at 57 and I knew I had to change my ways. After a trip to the U.S. in August I returned at 103.7kg, this is when I heard of the 5:2 diet, since then I have dropped to 87kg (2.5 stone off) and my asthma which bothered me for years is near non existent. This is just a quick email of thanks and please feel free to use this story”
1:54 pm
14 Jan 15