Personal Trainer doesn't like 5:2 MOE

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pinksta66

7:34 am
29 Oct 13
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I’ve been going to the gym since June, starting again after quite a long break and a foot op. Actually put on weight and was starting to feel a bit disheartened about my weight. Felt more toned and could see an improvement in my fitness and flexibility.
Started the 5:2 MOE last week and have already lost 2.7kg. Feeling really positive and convinced that this will be my way of eating for the foreseeable future. I was so happy with the weight loss that I mentioned it to my gym instructor who immediately responded ‘ probably not the best way to lose weight’. Left me feeling a bit deflated but then I started to think about the lack of awareness out there about not only the weight loss benefits but also the health benefits.
Has anybody out there encountered similar lack of knowledge/support?

KimG

8:50 am
29 Oct 13
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Yes I am very hesitant to mention it to anyone just yet because people are so fixated on the low cal & exercise health regimes. If the public was more accepting of different ideas it would be easier for us all! The reason I joined here is because I happened to ask on a healthy eating FB group if anyone had tried this WOE and I got shot down in flames for mentioning something so ridiculous and irresponsible 🙂

For now it will be our little secret and when people start commenting on my weight loss I will then decide whether or not I feel they are forward thinking enough to handle the concept…

Kim.

Iwant2Bincontrol

9:14 am
29 Oct 13
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I can imagine that would have been really deflating!! Use it as morivation to show your instructor that it is actually the best and most sustainable way for you to lose weight and improve your health.

I am also hesitant about telling people about it as it sounds like an extreme fad diet that you starve yourself twice a week and binge the others. Agree on keeping it on the down low! I like the phrasing of ‘I eat a bit less two days a week’. Secret fasters unite ;p

Nursebean

9:19 am
29 Oct 13
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Oh yes I agree…it’s probably best to keep shtum about it until the results speak for themselves. At least, that’s what I’m doing 🙂

Nika

9:24 am
29 Oct 13
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Basically, if your personal trainer doesn’t agree, get another one who is willing to work with you together with IF. There are a lot of instructors out there who are a huge fan of IF and see the benefits, I think it could be a huge boost to work with someone who supports you in this!

Tomorrow

9:25 am
29 Oct 13
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Hi, pinksta66. One of the most impressive aspects of Michael’s journey depicted in his BBC Horizon programme and the fast diet book is that the system is so solidly based on what seems to be excellent science. Another is that IF in some form (5:2, 18:6 etc) offers the prospect of sustainability, avoiding the futile yo-yo effect that typifies other regimes. Yet another plus is the clear personal investment that Michael made in IF, in pursuit of improving his own health prospects.

If your gym instructor’s immediate reaction is that they know better than that, my money would absolutely be on Michael. Nutrition for health is incredibly important, complex, fascinating, and littered with real & apparent contradictions. There are so many instances of flawed science, unwarranted conclusions, vested interests, ignorance, prejudice etc. Myths and mantras based on bad science can and do endure for decades. The epidemiological study of communities round the world has so much to tell us, is so rich but so difficult. We can impose and study relatively precise nutritional and activity regimes on genetically selected rat populations, but not on people.

Stay feeling positive. I am confident that Michael and the researchers he has visited & quoted are making important progress – on a variety of health benefits as you point out, not just weight.

To answer your question, I’ve encountered some bemusement, and anxiety that I must be harming myself by fasting, but no ridicule. It would be a brave or foolish person who would scoff at me on this particular subject. I’d say to them read the book, watch the programme: then and only then tell we what you think – or I’d maybe say something less polite, more pithy…

Great initial result, and there is a range of tactics if it seems to stall. As I’ve said elsewhere, I am leaner and fitter even though my weight loss has plateaued, and my appetite is as big as ever. Best of luck, R

vicki

11:06 am
29 Oct 13
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Hi Pink
I think your experience is one reason why this site has grown so much. Many fasters still find the reaction to be one of shock, disbelief and fear that we will damage ourselves by fasting. After a big initial drop (9kg in 12 weeks) I have averaged out at about half a kg a week over 40 weeks, hardly a dangerous drop, but one I have never achieved (or had any hope of maintaining) before.
I changed gyms in late 2012 (it didn’t have a pool and I needed to swim) but after success with fasting took issue with an article in my old gym newsletter (where my husband still goes) and which constantly wins awards as the best gym in Hobart.
I started fasting in January, along with solid exercise (3 or 4km swim or 60 minutes on crosstrainer 5 days a week), have gone from 90.8kg to 73.3kg this week, feel great (and look it), huge drop in cholesterol and tryglicerides and will fast in some way for ever.

Following are 3 quotes – from my old gym newsletter, my response, their response.
It does show that what I thought of as a really advanced, open minded gym is actually very narrow, whereas my current gym (the council aquatic centre/gym) has staff who are open minded and supportive.

So sorry for the length of this but I think it is instructive about entrenched attitudes, which we can overcome, and are, in our thousands!

From original newsletter article:
Information on Fasting
Recently I flicked onto a program on TV in which Dr. Michael Mosley attempts to test various phenomena in order to ‘live longer, stay younger and lose weight’. In the episode I watched he tried different fasting diets.
A couple of fasting diets in particular, and his results on them, caught my eye and got me thinking. He tried a 3-4 day fast at one point and tested his blood glucose and insulin levels before and after the fast.
The other fasting regime was the 5:2 diet, 5 days of eating what you like and 2 days of ‘fasting’ (actually 500-600 calories were allowed). For more information of his diets please check out this link:
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/02/28/3700802.htm
From memory his results were as follows; his glucose and insulin levels were extremely high pre fasting, he fasted for 3-4 days and they dropped significantly, he then ate as normal and after a few weeks they were actually higher than the first test.
Then after 5-6 weeks of doing the 5:2 diet his levels dropped back down again (and he lost weight).
Now what is really interesting is not the results, which could have been predicted fairly easily, but what Mosley attributes to the weight loss and improved blood glucose and insulin levels.
Dr. Mosley talks about the restriction of calories as being what improves his blood levels and his weight and not counting calories every day making it easier for him to stick to.
Well I have some news for Dr. Mosley, and unfortunately it is well over 100 years old so I can’t claim it as my own, you can lose weight while NOT attempting to restrict calories and without feeling hungry at all. You simply restrict carbohydrates! In fact, that is almost what Mosley was doing (without directly thinking about it), hence the strong improvements in insulin and glucose levels in his blood and a healthy weight loss. On his “fast” days I noticed he was carefully planning what he ate; eggs and ham for breakfast, then fish/meat and vegetables for dinner to make up his 600 calories. Well hardly any carbohydrates in those meals (certainly no processed carbohydrates). Well done Dr. Mosley you were partaking in a low carbohydrate diet for 2 days out of 7, and for Mosley, that was enough to bring down his sky high insulin and glucose to almost normal levels.
“…Actually what your body needs is periods of downtime when it’s not having to process food, when your blood is not filled with glucose.” Dr. Michael Mosley.
Let me repeat that, ONLY 2 days out of 7 of carbohydrate restriction was enough for him to lose weight, improve blood glucose and insulin levels. But make no mistake Mosley could have eaten more food if he wanted to, as long as the food he ate was protein and/or fat and NOT carbohydrates. What really makes us fat and ruins most other aspects of our health is carbohydrates, particularly processed, refined carbohydrates (see link below).
I challenge anyone who wants to improve their blood lipid profile, blood glucose, insulin, blood pressure and waist line measurements to try a carbohydrate restricted eating plan. But keep in mind that while carbohydrates are restricted you should never feel hungry and should eat fat and protein when you feel hungry, just stop eating when you feel full.
Is it really that simple? Well, the short answer is probably not for most people. We are individuals and need individual tweaking to find what works best. Other things that may need addressing could be: vegetable oils, dairy, alcohol, nuts, beans, lentils (and yes, possibly intermittent fasting, it does have a place for SOME people). But what I mentioned above is a good starting point, so good it seems, it was enough to help Dr. Mosley out of sight.

My response:
I read your review of the Michael Mosley fasting program and I thought it was a bit glib.
I read about the program before Christmas and sent to UK for the book (still haven’t seen the program and NOW you can buy the book here)
Doctor said my cholesterol and tryglicerides were up and I should lose a “few kilos and see how it affected things before trying drugs”
I have tried diets to no avail for 30 years (I am 62) and also had little success with the gym (my lack of INTEREST and commitment)
So I joined the Aquatic Centre (I love swimming, haven’t been for 8 years after solid training in my teens) and here are my results on fasting 2 days a week
I DO NOT EAT on fast days, I find it easier to just drink water (and I still cook dinner for my husband on fast days – cooking his dinner has made me realise that I am not hungry, it’s just habit). Also it means 2 wine free days a week (and this from people with an extensive cellar who love wine, have all our holidays around wine regions in italy). I sit while Tony has dinner and a glass of wine with my water!
Starting on 22/1/3 I was 90.8kg. 14 weeks later 80.7, cholesterol dropped from 7.2 to 5.9; triglycerides from 3.2 to 0.8, BMI 34.8 to 30.1 (still a way to go). I now swim 3.5km 5 days a week, and my 2 fast days are total (water only). On the days I swim at 7am I don’t eat breakfast (or I can’t swim), so am actually doing 2 x 24 hour fasts and 3 x 17 hour fasts per week . AND I feel great.
Now 3 weeks after that, 78.6kg.
It works, and I think it is a lifetime commitment.
Fasting 2 days a week is easy, you know tomorrow you can have wine and normal food, and the fast days can be adjusted for commitments, functions etc.
I really believe anyone who can’t face the regimentation and deprivations of dieting should at least try it, but you do need to exercise as well, my swimming takes 90 minutes solid swimming (no breaks) to do the 3.5km but it feels wonderful.
I hope you might give another side of the story

Their response (very politically correct and I think condescending):
Thank you for the feedback on the article from our May newsletter. Firstly I would like to congratulate you on your achievements so far, you are further down the path to success than many others. We encourage people to find something they love doing to help them move more and swimming sounds as if it has helped you with your goals.
As Ryan mentioned in the article it is possible that intermittent fasting does have a place for some people but perhaps the biggest issue for most is starting the lifestyle change in the first place and even harder is making it a lifelong change. Your efforts in committing to your plan are paramount and commendable.
Our experience and research in this area shows us that most people will find it easier to start and continue their wellness journey through carbohydrate restriction whilst managing protein and good fat intake.
We would certainly be interested in your ongoing results in the future and as a team we enjoy the challenge of creating lifestyle changes, an individual and complex issue.

Carla

11:15 am
29 Oct 13
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Hello Pink…

You are certainly not alone. After a few weeks I stopped using the word “Fast” around friends and fmily after being chastized for how “terrible” or “wrong” or “unhealthy” it must be.

Today I am 15 pounds lighter with 15 to go for my IBW….and have lost two sizes. My labs are wonderful and I feel great 🙂 Much more energy and stamina.

Results speak louder than words.

Good luck!

(((hugs)))

TracyJ

12:18 pm
29 Oct 13
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Hi All,

I started the lifestyle in the first week of August 2012 and didn’t really mention it to anyone for the first month or two. I hadn’t really expected to lose any weight, as I never really consistently had on any diet before and being a regular swimmer, walker and Wii Plus Personal Trainerer, I knew damn well that exercise had never made a blind bit of difference to anything either. Noone noticed my initial weight loss, including myself but I wasn’t doing it to lose inches (I’d resigned myself to my ‘natural size’ in my teens) I was worried about the visceral fat mentioned in the documentary, as I had always weighed even more than I looked. Once I finally started to notice my trousers hanging a bit more comfortably about 6 weeks in, I thought I should probably see if I had lost any significant weight. I was hoping for about 10lb, which was about what michael lost during his 5:2 experiment in the documentary and I figured that would account for any visceral fat on me too. I lost 14lb+ in the first 2 months on 5:2 and at that point I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut.

The actual weight loss tailed off gradually over the months following that initial weigh in, to the point where I do get the odd month where I only lose 1 lb but I usually average about 2lb per month. I still have about 20lb to go before I am approaching (what my Wii says is) my ideal weight. My colleagues were all on one weird faddy diet or other anyway, so they did the usual ill informed “Oooo fasting’s not a good idea, you’re body’ll think you’re starving & hang on to fat.” etc. etc. comments but noone actively tried to stop me and as the weeks passed they could see that I was obviously losing weight (bizarrely, noone noticed when I lost 14+lb in 2 months but when it gets to the 3, 2, 1 lb a month stage everyone notices) and was still tucking in whenever we did a team lunch or someone made cake or cookies or something for the office. I WAS fasting during work days but I was able to flex my fasting schedule or just delay the gratification until tomorrow, so it never affected anything and they hardly even noticed.

I now fast every day for at least 16 hours (even on team lunch days) and usually just go right through the workday and eat after 6pm every day, fast day or no fast day. They’re all used to it now and it’s obviously working and sustainable, so they’re just jealous that most of them feel they couldn’t do it themselves or if they think they can, they’ve joined me. Win, win.

When people try to knock you, just smile to yourself and carry on. We are all proof that it works and is a sustainable lifestyle.

I would just say – well done on your success Vicki but I wouldn’t want anyone to assume that you do have to have a fitness regime of some kind in order to make the 5:2 lifestyle work. It’s ideal obviously, as it will help you tone up as you lose the weight and probably will help shift it faster after the initial muscle build but I actually probably do less exercise now than I did 2 years ago when I was over 15 stone. So it’s not necessary to be exercising and I wouldn’t want to put anyone with mobility issues, or who may feel that they can’t exercise regularly, off trying 5:2.

Good luck everyone

Cathyork

12:38 pm
29 Oct 13
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Hi Pink,

I have certainly encountered this attitude – I’d say from most people I’ve told.

I must admit that when I had only a vague awareness of what the diet entailed, I thought it sounded extreme and faddy too. But when an old friend of mine who I regard as sensible and thoughtful (and who to my knowledge has never dieted) told me that she was following this to shed a few excess pounds, I decided to find out more.

I think it is the idea of ‘fasting’ that people regard as crazy – probably because they don’t understand it. And many people are so wedded to the “little and often” or “low carb” ideas that they don’t want to hear something different. But if those diets really worked no-one would yo-yo the way they do.

I also question why when you tell someone of your success that people become so argumentative and dismissive. It is a very negative outlook – and as many others have said – just let your success speak for itself.

I do 2 x 24 hour “fasts” per week – dinner one night to dinner the next, but really that is only 12 hours with no food as I am asleep most of the time. I save my 500 calories to have a nice evening meal on fast days so I have something to look forward to – and it makes everything very simple. It is hardly extreme – and in 10 weeks I have lost over 11lb reasonably effortlessly. And that is with no exercise at all as I am awaiting a hip replacement and completely sedentary at the moment!

I wonder if this will become a bit like internet dating. 10 years ago I met and married my husband via internet dating and many people were really negative and dismissive – in fact downright rude about the way we met and the fact we’d been ‘desperate enough’ to use this method of meeting. And this despite the fact we were (and still are) madly in love and happy. However, now it is almost the norm for all age groups to meet partners online. Maybe a few years down the line the combined success stories of all us fast dieters will make people think again and eat their words! 🙂

rockyromero

12:51 pm
29 Oct 13
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@tracyj
“I wouldn’t want anyone to assume that you do have to have a fitness regime of some kind in order to make the 5:2 lifestyle work. It’s ideal obviously, as it will help you tone up as you lose the weight and probably will help shift it faster after the initial muscle build but I actually probably do less exercise now than I did 2 years ago when I was over 15 stone. So it’s not necessary to be exercising and I wouldn’t want to put anyone with mobility issues, or who may feel that they can’t exercise regularly, off trying 5:2.”

Yes, 5:2 lifestyle is a great starting point for everyone. The exercise discipline would follow soon after to compliment the fitness. Strengthening and cardio can be minimal and intensive to be effective.

I liked your success story.

➰

ginny

2:07 pm
29 Oct 13
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Hi Pink,

Just want to see if i get what you wrote.. Thanks for indulging me. You eat 500 calories at dinner so 1 meal at say 6 pm and then you don’t eat again until 6 pm the next day. Then you do normal eating from 6 pm on until the next fast day and that starts at 6 pm. Thanks so much. Ginny

Quick

3:10 pm
29 Oct 13
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Hi Everyone,

I started a threAD awhile back on Why people Quit 5:2. I believe that many people are so into instant gratification that even waiting until tomorrow for that ice cream is undoable.

For myself, I know I can’t sustain the idea of NEVER eating ice cream. For me 5:2 is the ideal way of life. I can literally “have my cake and eat it too.”

I personally don’t like to exercise so I can understand people who just can’t do this. I have upped my exercise and am really concentrating on upping my NEAT but the thought of going to a gym is repugnant. Besides that, if I really want to exercise, I can mow my own yard, do my own housework and wash my own car, Instead of spending money for a gym. I can save money doing things for myself. UGH!!!

What I especially like about 5:2 besides not feeling guilty about any type of food I eat on non-fast days is that it is adaptable. Not only as to days but also on maintenance, if I see the scales moving up I can add an extra day fast for a week or 2. And for myself and others, it teaches us some self-control around food.

Good fasting and don’t let the naysayers get you down.

Quick

toms mantis

3:10 pm
29 Oct 13
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Hi all, just to say that a lot of cultures around the world use fasting for religious and other reasons, as everyone knows. There is an Indian gent who ran marathons in his 90’s, (don’t know if he still does it). He was interviewed after his run on TV via his family. He put his fitness and longevity down to eating small amounts. My own father in law sadly passed away earlier this year at the age of 102. He didn’t fast but ate very sparingly. He took no medication throughout his life and was fit up until the last 12 months. Hardly scientific, I know, just an observation. Don’t know why everyone gets their knickers in a twist over fasting. Most people don’t do without food altogether on fast days and according to what we read on here don’t usually stuff themselves on eating days. We all must have our moments, I’m having a bad week up to now, but it will pass. Fast on.

pinksta66

3:38 pm
29 Oct 13
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Thanks to all for your positive comments and support. They have all really helped. I think I’ll go back to my original plan and NOT mention this again to ‘outsiders’ – just couldn’t help myself!
Thanks again everyone and happy fasting! X

pinksta66

8:05 pm
29 Oct 13
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Hi Ginny
I think it’s cathyyork that follows that plan. Please see her previous post. X

hardjudge

3:35 am
30 Oct 13
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It is the results that shuts up the doubters. I have lost 22.5 lbs in 11 weeks,mostly doing 4:3, but then I have a lot of weight to lose. It has been noticeable. A couple of my doctors have shut up and started encouraging me. Historically groups that have practiced fasting have lived a long time. It has worked for thousands of years. Most doctors oppose it because it you lose weight, get well and off their meds, it destroys their pill oriented education. Get good blood work done. Find out what supplements your body needs, take them, fast and live long.

Nika

5:22 am
30 Oct 13
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I actually just remembered it was my coach who set me up for IF… the world is funny that way.

I do think it’s important to be able to talk to people who support you to help you keep on track. Maybe they won’t all be doing IF (like all of us here) but at least they respect and support your decisions. My dad and brother (a paramedic and a Sports Health professional) have both always told me to eat 6 meals a day and do a lot of cardio, the standard stuff. But I’ve just told my brother this is what I think works, and he even agreed to be my long distant personal trainer (I’m in China, he’s in the Netherlands) and to read up on IF and some other stuff to be able to support me!
Now I wouldn’t have been able to just replace my brother with a new one if he hadn’t (no matter how much I sometimes wanted to growing up), but that’s what you CAN do with a personal trainer or sports professional! (It’s not like you’re not paying them to help you realize your goals!). Spending money on a trainer that doesn’t agree with how you want to do things is like throwing it down the drain as far as I’m concerned.

I actually think I already replied something similar earlier, but just wanted to say it again 😉

pinksta66

7:13 am
30 Oct 13
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Thanks Nika. Your brother sounds fab and a great support.
I’m just going to keep quiet about 5:2 and let the results speak for themselves.

woolly101

2:12 am
18 Nov 13
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I can imagine “they” don’t like it. I mention “they” because “they” have all completed the same course with the same exams, taught by the same people using the same text books. However, after speaking with a nutritionist over the weekend, she mentioned “they”, as in nutritionists, love it. From my results, lost 16 Kilograms and my wife 9 Kilograms, in roughly 3-4 months. Going strong. I wanted to address one point I see coming up recently in a lot of blogs about 5:2. That’s muscle wastage. As a former body builder in my youth (I am now 45), I have embarked on a number of serious “ripping” diets to be ready for competitions. At least 3 times during my active body building years and have used the same technique at least 2 other times later in life to shed the extra kilo’s. The usual super lean, high protein, eat every 3-4 hours style thing. they work for sure, but you lose a LOT of muscle mass along the way. Every body builder knows this, either amateur or professional, its all the same. Since embarking on the 5:2 diet, I started back at “the gym”, the same time as starting the diet. Hence, I know all the exercises, tricks, routines, the works. I have been smashing the weight training along with losing the 16 Kilo’s. I keep waiting for the weight I can lift to drop, but it just keeps going and the image in the mirror is getting tighter and tighter. the 5:2 diet seems to be a slower process, and I have noticed some up and down in weight, but the long term trend is always down. Ignore your 1 dimensional personal trainer, get them to name 1, just 1, professional body builder who gains muscle while “ripping” for a competition. There isn’t one.

Nika

7:58 am
19 Nov 13
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Hey Pinksta, how have your results been like since then?

Also Woolly, that’s a great story. I’m worried about working out while fasted, but I keep hearing all these great stories. I’m doing to work out in about 3 hours when I get home from work, that’ll be a 22 hour fast by then… looking forward to it, but also kind of dreading it.

Do you usually work out fasted or with some carbs / protein in your system?

woolly101

11:30 pm
19 Nov 13
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Nika, I have my own Gym setup at home. A good one. So I can be as flexible as possible with my workouts, but I have come to settle on working out twice a week (I’m 45 now, not 25). I train the night/evening of my fast day. So the next day when the muscles are aching, I can fuel up. This is working well. There have been times when I have been half way through my workout and I can tell I just have nothing in the tank and I stop. No point pushing too hard and risk breaking down or getting sick. I have also come to realise, the 5:2 diet I can stick to easily. Its a bit of a longer road, but its a flatter and easier road than trying to diet for 6 days a week, so I know its a long term thing, so it doesn’t bother me skipping a session here and there. I have also tried training the night before a fast day, but its a real struggle the next day. As you may imagine, my physical appearance and that of my wife’s has started to take on a dramatic change and people are asking questions about the routine. I explain it as thus. Any and every diet will work. No question. Any one. If done properly. The trick to big weight loss is persistance and duration. I have never come across a routine/diet like this that I am looking forward to my fast day and that means I am sticking to the routine and that means weight loss and health benefits continue to increase. That is the 5:2 secret from my experience. Its a diet you can stick to and look forward to doing and actually makes you feel good doing it (I have come to love that empty feeling, that I am giving my body a break from endless digestion). You don’t get that a month into drinking diet shakes or eating eggs “again” for breakfast, let alone 4 months. Cheers all.

Nika

2:08 am
20 Nov 13
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Hey Woolly! Sounds amazing to have a Gym setup at home, beats going to the gym! Although going to the gym (especially with a buddy) can be motivational as well but doesn’t sound like you need the motivation 😉
I do bodyweight training, I don’t want to bulk up because I need to be quick, lean and strong to win fights, not slow, bulky and strong. So a lot of jumping, squatting, plyometrics and sooooo much more.
I worked out fasted the last two night for the first time, and it went OK. Monday was a fit test (doing as many reps of a move in a minute) which was tough and I got noticeably worse results than 2-3 weeks ago. Not sure whether that was because I did it fasted or because I flew back from Hong Kong that morning after two nights of bad sleep, but we’ll see in two weeks when I do the fit test again.
Last night I was still very sore from Monday so it didn’t go as well as I remembered but I still pushed myself close to my limit so I’m pleased with myself on that. Can’t always measure yourself on past results, can you? 😉

pinksta66

4:05 am
20 Nov 13
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Hi Nika
Thanks for the post. I’ve now lost 3.5 kgs. Celebrated my birthday and my mum’s – so a couple of weekends with lots of nice food and wine! Now weigh 74.2 and hoping to dip below the 74 kg mark this week. 73kg was the target I originally set myself when I joined the gym in June and is where I wanted to be when I went on holiday in August. Ideally I like to get down to around 65 kg.
I do a gym session in a Monday which coincides with a fast day. The first time I did this was quite difficult, however this week felt totally energised. My 10 minute row is always a challenge but really pushed myself!
Don’t know how you manage a fast on water only? I love my pot of 0% Greek yoghurt for lunch and pear for lunch. Lots of herbal/fruit teas.
Take care

Nika

4:58 am
20 Nov 13
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I can’t really explain how I do it, it helps that I’m at work weekdays so I just have to skip lunch when everyone else goes down to the cafeteria. Then I just hang at the computer until work is done, then I go home, work out and eat a lovely nice meal.

It tends to be harder after a fast day though (logically) so I tend to schedule those before the easier workouts (or Sunday, on which I don’t work out at all!)

I hope my body gets used to working out fasted as well, didn’t feel great the last two days – and today I’m really, really sore (so I guess I did push myself far enough despite my lethargy).

musicgirlalaska

7:14 pm
21 Nov 13
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Pinksta66- I posted this same message on another post, but feel that this is such a common problem we are facing as 5:2 people and we should not have to feel discouraged.

I am getting the same responses from people. I met with a fitness trainer and he was concerned too. He told me that he would like to touch base with me in a couple of months to see if it is working. I talked to him about the mice studies related to this plan. He then said I would be his human “lab mouse” because he did admit that if it works, he would like to use it to help others. The thing to remember is that people are skeptical of things they don’t know or understand. I am going to use that cynicism as a motivator.

I don’t feel like this is a diet at all. In fact I tell people it is a 5:2 “plan”. The two days of low calorie eating are having a great impact on my overall lifestyle. I am more aware of calories in my typical food choices, eating more vegetables even on non-fast days, drinking more water, and felt energized to start a work out regimen. After some tweaking, I am also discovering that you can still eat a good amount of food on your fast days if you are making smart choices.

After 5 weeks, I have lost 7.7 pounds. My husband has lost 9. I can’t wait to go back to that trainer looking slim and trim. 🙂

pinksta66

9:44 pm
24 Nov 13
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72.9 yeh!!!!!

Nika

1:20 am
25 Nov 13
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Grats pinksta!! Can’t wait till I’m that low!

pinksta66

1:29 pm
11 Dec 13
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Well – quick update…..
Just over 1/4lb to go until I’ve lost my 1st stone and best of all my BMI is now in the healthy range!
Soooooo happy BUT again made the mistake of mentioning this at the gym when booking a review with PT. Not only did he proceed to give me a hard time but then called over another trainer who really went to town. Saying I haven’t lost any fat just muscle! I should eat breakfast (I’ve never eaten breakfast my whole life), I won’t be able to sustain it BLAH BLAH BLAH!I can’t wait until my review when he does my stats – hopefully they will prove them both wrong.
Still so much ignorance out there!
I really must learn to keep my mouth shut!!
Happy fasting to my enlightened forum buddies x

sylvestra

2:45 pm
11 Dec 13
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pinksta66 – that’s why I haven’t told ANYONE. I did mention it to hubby as he is going to notice me fasting over the holidays – to everyone else I just say ‘I’m doing calorie controlled’. Funny how people seem to think that’s OK until you mention fasting.

I’m more than happy with 5:2 but I just can’t be bothered defending my WOE or arguing the benefits so I take the easy way out 😀

Nika

9:56 am
12 Dec 13
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Why not let them take your fat%? That should shut them up…

aitch51

5:20 am
13 Dec 13
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How does this smarty pants know that you’ve only lost muscle? What method did he originally use to determine your body fat %?

Scales are not good for determining body fat % but they will let you know which direction you are going, up or down.

Skin fold measurements require a good practitioner to be repeatable.

DEXA is another option, and I don’t know much about this.

Water weighing is the gold standard, both for accuracy and repeatable.

From what you say, my response is that your PT is long on opinions and short on both science and expertise! Remember, living well is the best revenge.

bulldozerme

7:22 am
13 Dec 13
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I mentioned the 5:2 to my gp yesterday and he said oh yes I saw the documentary on sbs (Australia) he said sounds good – whatever works for you is fine by me. He said he’d be interested in seeing my bloods after a few months and maybe start recommending it to a few patients.
Nice to have an open minded gp!

ghostgirl

7:44 am
13 Dec 13
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lol – I have to admit that I am a bit of a chicken and haven’t mentioned the diet side of things at my gym. They are just happy to see that I am making progress, obviously building muscle (I just Looooove the weights area) and burning fat, so they are happy with my progress and I am happy with my progress.
For the first four weeks of my gym membership I was trying to eat healthier and cutting back on the treat foods while working out hard. The weight side of things hardly shifted. Started the 5:2 and that is when the weight started dropping off and I got a waistline again. I’ve been doing spin classes on my fast days and not had any problems.
The science of dieting and exercise is so constantly changing I wouldn’t stress too much about the gym trainers, if things are working for you, no need to change them. (But I’ll still just keep my mouth shut about this at the gym. 🙂 easier that way. )

Sue Denim

2:56 pm
3 Jan 14
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Generally I think they are not positive, I think it goes against everything they ever learned about nutrition. my morbidly obese mother also thinks it can’t be good to starve yourself. 😉

I think one of the things about the 5:2 is you don’t need to join expensive clubs, buy special foods or subscribe to books and magazines to make it work.

Speedy

10:30 am
6 Jan 14
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I’ve also mostly come across this attitude. But I understand because – especially nutritionists – have ivested years leaning about calories in – calories out…
so it’s a threat to them, their livlihood and their methods if a simple diet actually worked.
I only find it sad that they don’t look around themselves and wonder: ‘Hey if this is right, why are most people gettig fatter?’ But then, the easy solution to that is to put down to an individual’s greed and laziness.
If you think of those guilt laden television programmes where they pile up on a table what someone eats in a week, the before and after photos where the ‘before’ often look like police mugshots and the ‘after’ look like smiling happy people!
Or where they pair a fat and a thin person up and make them stand almost naked on the scales. That’s a punishment isn’t it? It’s pretty medieval and easier to blame the individual rather than to question the advice they have been given.

But, slowly, more and more science is backing up fasting. Only this weekend I heard that the team in Newcastle who can reverse type 2 diabetes but extended very low cal diets had received a big grant to explore further. That’s going to have implications for the pharmaceutical industry’s sales so of course they will put out negative progaganda!

Dr Atkins made a big step in the right direction saying go low carb. Personally (just my opinion lol) he went a bit heavy on protein. He was pilliaried by the establishment at the time.

I know people look at my weightloss and think: ‘Fab diets never work in the long term.’ I understand that though because there have been hundreds of fad diets that do work in the short term but are not sustainable because we are not good at restricting some foods forever if we walk down a supermarket aisle containing that food most days, see adverts on television – eventually our resolve will crumble.

I also know people who support me but who find it hard to eat when I am not. I can say; ‘it’s fine!’ till I am blue in the face but they feel so guilty eating when one person isn’t!
I used to accommodate them sometimes by eating on what I had planned to be a fasting day, but now I don’t do that. If I was giving up smoking they wouldn’t encourage me just to have a few drags to make them feel better because tobacco has been through this and has come out the other side as being unhealthy! Bread so far hasn’t been through that! But because eating has so many cultural and social as well as health related customs and fables, it’s not easy for others if we step back from the norms for a day or two.

And then there is no money to be made – though people will find a way. Wait for Fast holidays, Personal Fast Trainers!
🙂

sylvestra

2:34 pm
6 Jan 14
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I agree, speedy.

I use My Fitness Pal to record calories and occasionally have a quick look at the forums there. My goodness!! If I don’t eat my full TDEE EVERY day my body will….go into starvation mode, lose muscle, organ tissue, bone mass; I will crash my metabolism, gain all the weight back plus more and I will have a weakened metabolism and less muscle and a much unhealthier body. I will also experience greater amounts of bad side effects such as lack of sexual desire, extreme hunger, metabolic slow down, mood swings, extreme fatigue, and goodness knows what else.

I may just turn green and glow in the dark too 😀

Speedy

5:43 pm
6 Jan 14
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Lol! All us water fasters glowing green and slumping around glazed eyes! Would be a good sight 🙂

Robinpilot

3:04 pm
7 Jan 14
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The 5:2 diet and going to the gym works: big test was last May after 4 months on diet was weight down 6 kg and blood pressure so normal that at my PPL medical I had to ask my examiner my blood pressure (I normally get white coat syndrome and my blood pressure shoots up)and he was very happy.

I find that an hours boxing training in the evening of diet day works best of all -no complaints from the trainers who are all ex professional boxers.

Recently they have accused me of training somewhere else as they cant believe health benefits of training once week so only cause must be 5:2 diet 🙂

Tmadl

5:49 pm
30 Aug 14
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I’m borderline everything, glucose, bp, hc, high tryg. My dietician was ok with IF though. She didn’t have a lot of experience with it, but try it out. I’ve been out 5:2 for two weeks. If I believe my scale, I’m down 5 lbs. BS is responding well too. I can’t do 36 hour fast. So I do 3 24 hour fasts with maybe 400 cal on fast days. Dr appt is in a month!