Questions about the 5-2

This topic contains 6 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Grolub 7 years, 11 months ago.

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Grolub

5:20 pm
8 Jan 17
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Hi all,

I started the 5-2 diet 1 week ago and it’s going great. I have some questions though that I was hoping some of you could clarify:

– Is it beneficial to have less than 600 kcal on the fast days? I think I can get away with around 300-400

– During the non fast days I’m trying to keep my calories to as minimum as possible, which turns out that I’m counting everything which doesn’t seem too positive. Should I not care totally and just get away with my normal life routine on the non fast days as it was before?

– In the non fast days, if for example I know I’m having a dinner with friends which naturally is going to be high in calories, I try for lunch to have a soup or something very low in calories to compensate. Is this a good procedure?

I need to lose around 10-15kgs so it’s a long way…

Thanks for all the clarifications.

bcjmmac

1:28 am
9 Jan 17
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Not the final authority, but this is my take.
Consuming less than 500/600 calories is beneficial. Lots of folks go for zero calories on FDs.
Reducing calories on non-FDs may be counter productive in that your body may interpret that you are on a calorie restricted diet (I.e. Traditional diet) and begin to reduce it’s resting metabolic rate to compensate. Not sure. I personally don’t worry too much about caloric intake on non-FDs as long as it is in the ballpark of My daily requirements.
I will do similar things &/or skip a meal (breakfast/lunch) if I plan ti “indulge” – makes the wine more enjoyable! That said; Moseley does say that you can consume 120% of your normal caloric intake on non-fast days. Sticking to 100% will of course cause the kilos to melt away quicker.

Good luck with the 5/2. I found that over a few weeks my body adjusted to the new “routine” and it is easy to follow.

QuietOne

3:49 am
9 Jan 17
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I strongly suggest sticking to 5:2 as written for at least a month and more is better. For some starting is difficult enough without trying to tweak 5:2.

That being said…. I regularly fast for 3-10 days and I have nothing to eat during those fasts or my “normal” fasting. After 2 years I am now down to the weight I was when I was 32. I’m going to be 63 next month. I still fast and no I still haven’t reached my goal, maybe I never will. I will keep at it though. I keep losing a bit of weight every week though I had a period where I gained 8 pounds in a month. Holidays and lots of beer and BBQ.I was able to peel it all off in 6 weeks.

I’ve lost just a squeak over 74 lbs.It’s not quick, at least for me. Follow it and you will loose weight. The one suggestion I can make is to set your calories at what you would eat if you were at your goal weight. If you weigh 250 and want to weigh 155 then calculate your fasting calories as if you weighed 155. you won’t be recalculating and you will never have to worry about how to maintain as you’ve been working on that premise all along.

Good luck and keep at it. It isn’t “easy” but it does work. Other thing is toss your clothes when they no longer fit. it’s a “I’m never going to be that heavy again so I sure don’t need them.”

I did keep one pair of jeans 42″ waist. When I need a poke of “you can do this” I put them on, zipped and buttoned and then let go and watch in the mirror as they fall to the floor. I now wear a 34″ though I can squeeze into a 32″ waist just not real comfortable. by summer I’ll be in a 30″ I think. It’s got to be “normal” to you then it works you just do it and don’t have to work so hard. You do still have to think. It’s a miracle and you do have to think and plan.

simcoeluv

6:08 am
9 Jan 17
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Hi QuietOne – welcome back!

Grolub

8:18 am
9 Jan 17
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Thanks for your answers.

I need to stop overthinking about it during my non fast days.

bcjmmac you mention: “I personally don’t worry too much about caloric intake on non-FDs as long as it is in the ballpark of My daily requirements.”, but how can you not worry much about your caloric intake if at the same time you need to make sure that it’s in the ballpark of your daily requirements? I suppose you still need to count everything that you eat on the non fast days right?

Amazon

9:21 am
9 Jan 17
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Hi,

Some count calories on non fast days, some guess and some assert they don’t think about it.
If you are just starting it’s a good idea to count calories every day for few weeks so you get a good idea of what your daily intake looks like on the plate.

Losing weight is all about creating a calorie deficit so the less you eat the more you lose. If you don’t want to eat 600 calories on fast days then don’t, many 5:2ers don’t eat anything on fast days as they find it easier not to eat at all.

Good luck 🙂

Grolub

9:28 am
9 Jan 17
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Thanks, that clarifies it. In essence, there is no golden run for it