Woo hoo from me too, AngeYorks – WOO HOO, even! I would have loved to see those surprised faces at your charity bash. Your story is just so good. May your wonderful progress continue, giving you ever greater joy and good health. With every best wish to you.

Thought I’d add to the success stories. I’m in my 24th week of 5:2 and reached my final target of getting my waist to be less than half my height at the end of week 23. I’m doing 3 more weeks of 5:2 to take it to half a year and then switching to 6:1 to maintain the results.

I found setting a few targets helped. I started at 14st 12lbs on a 6′ 2″ frame. To get a BMI of 25 I needed to lose 15lbs which I did after 10.5 weeks. The 2nd target was merely a wish to see if I could ever get back to my teenage weight (over 30 years ago) of 13st. After another 8.5 weeks I was there. The final target was the waist:height ratio which took another 4 weeks.

I’ve typically lost 1.5 lbs per week, which seems like a nice steady, non-extreme loss. As I like numbers I’ve weighed myself every morning and found my weight can go up and down very regularly by as much as 1.1kg (2.4lbs) – but the overall trend was always downwards, so I soon learnt never, ever, to be discouraged by an overnight weight gain. (I would post a graph to show how it went up and down but I don’t think I can do that here.)

Each week I’ve measured my neck, chest, waist and hips and they too have all steadily gone down. I started at 108cm (42.5″) for my waist and am now at 93cm (36.6″). I’m having to get all my trousers taken in and make extra holes in my belts to keep them up in the mean time.

The symptoms of reflux I’ve had for 13 years seem to have stopped entirely (although I haven’t yet stopped the lansoprazole tablets – I must visit the GP to discuss that). In fact, I haven’t seen the GP once whilst on the 5:2 – and as I’ve usually caught every virus going for the last 10 years that seems like a minor miracle in its own right.

I’ve had two walking holidays during the 23 weeks when I didn’t 5:2 at all and shared a bottle of wine every night – it had virtually no negative effect at all. Maybe a few lbs back on but they disappeared again just as quickly.

Overall I have vastly more energy than before I started – I now do 25 press ups 3 times a day, when I struggled to do even 10 just once a day only a few months ago.

There have been times when the weight seemed to plateau for a few weeks but I just kept on doing it and it soon started going down again. Even if it hadn’t, the way I felt meant it was a no brainer to keep doing the 5:2. I really haven’t felt this fit and positive since my 20s and its a feeling I want to keep!

After years of letting my weight gradually creep up without even really realising it and feeling a bit depressed about how I looked, I now look at myself in the mirror and think what great shape I’m in.

It is no exaggeration to say that 5:2 is a real life changer and I shall forever be grateful for it – and the fact that I’m an avid Horizon watcher. Bravo Dr. Mosley!!

Congratulations Mr. Data, and thanks for posting. Sometimes it’s just good to hear some genuine success stories to keep you going. Having said that, I’m not finding this difficult at all and have now been on since April 15th this year and am still going! Longer than I’ve ever lasted on any other regime. I’m below 200 lbs for the first time in over 30 years and can’t even begin to describe what it was like for me the day I stepped on the scales and saw the magic ONE in front of my weight 🙂 Huge psychological boost!

Hi all, new to the fast way of life and also the forums. Was really inspired by all your stories and as a serial none dieter this was the only plan I have read in 10 years that I thought I could do and stick to for life. Started just over 2 weeks ago ( admittedly after 2 week holiday in spain and then long weekend in London for sisters wedding) and 5 fast days in and I have lost 1 stone. I feel great and just another 2 to go. Good luck to everyone and thanks for all your stories which really helped. X

Halloooo! So far for me my story has been a success. 7.5lbs (3.4kg) loss in 3 weeks. Woohoo! I don’t feel the need to splurge on non fast days which I didn’t think would happen. I count my calories on non fast days but after I’ve eaten them. I wanted to see if at the end of the week I stay within my weekly calorie intake. And my average daily intake over a week.

I’ve only had to switch one fast day because I just had to eat more than 500 calories! Lol. But that’s what is great. That just because I messed up me day, I could make up for it the next day. I tend to not eat at all on a fast day. Eating and planning food on a fast day makes my stomach and head obsessed with food. Not eating and just having water or herbal teas lets my mind just forget.

Hope everyone else is getting on well! Xxx

Hi i’m in need of some encouragement please.. 5:2ing since May lost just under 1 stone but suppose not bad results for being peri- menopausal! Trying to stay positive looking at health benefits as well as loss. The thing is i’ve broke my fast for the 3rd day running this week (tried fresh start everyday. Just scrapped through last week.. i can’t seem to stick to the 500kcals!! I really dont want to start counting cals on ‘feast’ days but am worried i’ve hit a weakness and it will be the end of my fasting.. is this normal and what can i do, i feel much more hungry this week but don’t know why i can’t control myself. Has any one changed pattern of fast windows and will this help.. would really love some feedback.. feeling down in the dumps!

Happiness: 60 years old woman
6 weeks = 6 kg off my body

I have fairly consistent 2.2lbs (1kg) per week weight loss. I love the fasting days albeit the first 2x-3xs hard but now my body & mind look forward to it, feel lighter, more clear headed, happier, sleep less but deeper.

For me, the BIG difference is in the exercise.

The weight falls off when I hike/walk 1-hour a day. But my body is pretty sore & unreliable from a 2-year physical illness that left me unable to take more the 5-6 steps without help…walking now but the muscles are weak and easily stop working. But when that happens I just rest and try later in the day for 20-30min. I’m determined to succeed. I’ve not weighed 145lbs in 20 years! Enough with the fat now! FAT BE GONE!

I ONLY weigh myself 1x per week as a guide.

START DATE : 16 June 2013, height 5’6″(170.6 cm), weight 196lbs(89kg)
GOAL: 145lbs (65.7kg) plan lose 2.2lbs (1kg) per week
END DATE: 16th December 2013!

It’s inspirational & motivating to read all your successes and challenges

I now look forward to Fast-Day …a good clean out. here is my typical FAST-Day menu
1) 2 cups coffee w/1/2cup trim milk (1/2 trim milk=70Cal)
2) 3-egg whites with steamed veggies and soy sauce (85+/-Cal)
3) Bowl of tomatoes with balsamic & salt (1cup=25Cal)
4) lots of green tea & water.(0cal)
5) yummy purred fresh veggie soup with cumin, soy sauce, chilies and garlic 1cup=60cal
I can have a quick cup when I get peckish.. (3-cups=180Cal)
OR
6) Apple (1 apple=36 Cal)
7) TV FOOD: raw veggies scooping low-fat cottage cheese w/spicy salsa
(1cup veggies + 1/2cup cottage cheese=130cal)
TOTAL: 526 Calories…and I’m not hungry at all

My pleasure. We are all in this together!

Fantastic to hear that there is a big difference with the tape measure.It feels fabulous doesn’t it?

I have had a huge cupboard sort out and discovered clothes in boxes, that I forgot I had and hoped to slim into…but now they are too big!Hurray.

Remember, this is a marathon and not a sprint.

As you feel lousy, could you get out now and go for a walk for a couple of hours? Even if only to find your next shoe/bag fix?

Fantastic! I bet you made the postman’s day.

I have discovered handbags and shoes that I forgot I owned and I now have half a dozen dresses that are much too big but I hope can be altered when I reach goal.

I’m off out for a run with my son this evening.

Are there any dance classes local to you? I go to Ceroc every Tuesday evening-great fun, aerobic and don’t need to go with a partner as lots of folk go on their own.

Ceroc is fun and no fancy footwork either.

I started to run after watching a local half marathon and took part in March this year. Staggered round with the goal of getting round, uninjured. Achieved that goal…just. Then I found out that I am a tiny bit competitive and want to do much better in March 2014. So, training for another local half in Sept(aiming for 2 stone loss and BMI 25 by then). My logic is that I must be able to run faster if I am much lighter.

Short run in a cool breeze.

Fasting on Friday.My plan is a swim in the morning without breakfast, light lunch and light dinner.

I haven’t got a clue how much I’ve lost because I am yet to purchase scales BUT who cares when the weight is falling off like this !!!? I’ve been on it just over three weeks and have gone down a full dress size (from a 16 to a 14) and the highlight of my year so far was when someone asked me if my skirt fitted me ok as it seemed to be rather loose! Wait a minute, maybe it was when I went into a shop and had to ask the assistant to bring the top into me in a smaller size and then had to ask again for a size 12 – very loudly! I have never counted calories and it’s been an eye-opener for me. I love cooking and thought my diet was so healthy because we never eat fast food, never have fizzy drinks, never fry our food. But, I guess I didn’t notice how much oil I use or with what gay abandon I heaped cream into things. I’d like to say I eat what I want on my non-fast days but that wouldn’t be strictly true because I’ve got a smaller appetite and have lost the desire to eat high calorie stuff when I have lower calorie options. So I thank this diet for changing not only my metabolism but also my mindset. Mondays and Thursdays will be like this from now on and I thank you for giving me my body back (at age 52)!

Hello from USA! I often watch PBS channel if I watch tv at all and saw Dr. Mosley’s special about the Fast Diet in April. I was not looking for a new diet to lose weight per se, but I’ve had high cholesterol since I was first tested in my 20s. Now I’m in my mid-40s. So I was very intrigued by Dr. M’s results. I’ve been on Lipitor (statin) which caused permanant memory loss, so I stopped it after only 6 mos. Then the dr tried me on a fibrate, which elevated my liver enzymes, so I stopped it. I tried low fat and low carb diets, which didn’t help much. I do take krill oil and red yeast rice tablets daily which have helped a little. When I started IF I weighed 125 lbs (56.6 kg) and now I weigh 118 lbs (53.5 kg) and at a towering 5’1″ that makes my current BMI=22.3, so I have been and remain in the healthy average range as far as my weight. My dr had a Lipomed blood profile done on me in Jan 2013 (before IF) and my results were:

Total cholesterol=233 (high!)
LDL-C= 166 (high, supposed to be <100)
HDL-C= 47 (okay, as long as >40)
triglycerides= 101 (normal, supposed to be <150)
LDL-P= 2911 (way, way high…supposed to be <1000)
HDL-P= 28.3 (50th percentile, the higher the score the lower the CVD risk)
Small LDL-P= 846 (very high, should be <=527, High risk for CVD!)*
LDL size= 21.7 (good, should be >20.5, Large Pattern A)*
LP-IR score= 29 (should be <=45)

Here’s the description of LP-IR for those may not have heard about it:
“The LP-IR score combines information from lipoprotein particle concentration and size to give improved assessment of insulin resistance and diabetes risk. Small LDL-P, LDL particle size, HDL-Particle, and LP-IR Score have been validated by Liposcience but not cleared by US FDA; the clinical utility of these test results has not been fully established.”
Insulin Resistance Marker
<—Insulin Sensitive Insulin Resistant–>
Percentile in Reference Population
Insulin Resistance Score
LP-IR Score Low 25th 50th 75th High
<27 27 45 63 >63
* LDL Particle size: I’ve done some research on-line trying to figure out what #s really count on a person’s cholesterol labwork. I don’t smoke, rarely drink, I’m not diabetic, my blood pressure is normal/good, and there’s no history of heart disease in my family…so other than the usual life stress and not exercising enough (I need to change that!), I don’t have any risk factors for heart disease. From the more recent research it appears the LDL particle size matters. Supposedly the bigger particles don’t stick to your arteries like the small ones do. So keep that in mind as you see my latest lab results on July 17 after 3 months of IF (I just got these results from dr today):

Total cholesterol=305 (higher now, but read on!)
LDL-C= 230 (higher than before IF…hmmm, mysterious, was hoping it’d go down)
HDL-C= 65 (18 points higher than before, this is good, because it’s the good cholesterol and past research has suggested it has a protective factor)
triglyerides= 51 (this is good, half of what it was)
LDL-P= 1953 (this is still very high, but it has lower almost 1000 nmol/L in only 3 months of IF)
HDL-P= 29.0 (good)
Small LDL-P= 115 (whoa! This a normal, healthy score. This huge improvement really grabbed my dr’s attention! <117 puts me at very low risk of CVD. So maybe IF really is helping improve my cholesterol profile.)
LDL size= 22.0 (good, Large Pattern A…these particles are bigger than before IF)
LP-IR Score= 5 (good, much lower than before, insulin resistance is very low)

Okay, so if you’ve read this far, you should be congratulated! Sorry for the long post, but I just wanted to share my cholesterol story and how IF appears to be helping. My dr gave me her blessing to keep on IF and we’ll retest in 6 mos. I’m very curious to read about whether other folks have seen improvements in their cholesterol. Your stories inspire me to keep at it. I’m proud of all of you here who have chosen life & health! God bless you all!

Hello from Croatia!
From 115kg to 105kg in 3 months following the 5:2 system.
I must say that this was the easiest 10kg I lost in my life. The system is extremely easy to comply with and I do not have a feeling of dieting, not one bit. I fact, this is the first time in my life I’m eating “like a normal person” without thinking – should I or shouldn’t I.
I feel great on my fast days – alert, full of energy, light… a bit nervous in the evening but hardly noticeable by my family. I fast on Tuesdays and Fridays and run on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Friday run (in the evening) is slightly more difficult, but the feeling I’m burning tons of fat during it – keeps me motivated.
BP from 135/90 to 120/80.

Well done all. I am now 6 weeks in and 20lb down. This is the best ‘diet’ I have ever found as does not feel like one. I usually do my fast days together now and find a Monday/Tuesday best for me. Wore a dress to my sisters wedding the beginning of July and was going to wear to another wedding in 2 weeks but was hanging off me. My mother who is a great seamstress had to take it in by 4 inches at the bust and 6 inches at the waist so was well chuffed. Good luck to everyone but this is fast becoming a way of life and actually look forward to my fast days. Xxxx

Hey guys! I want to share my story as I’m soon 2 months in my 5:2 diet journey 🙂

I’m a 32 year old woman, mother of a 14 month old girl.

I almost reached my goal-weight already. I started at 75 kilos and now I weigh about 68-69 kilos. That’s 5-6 kilos less!

Someone asked how people eat; I don’t drink alcohol but I do eat candy once in a blue moon but not as much as before (I don’t get that sugar craving anymore and I enjoy eating healthy food – today’s dinner was chicken liver with apple on the frying pan and mashed carrot, turnip, horseradish and potato — what? My husband is part Polish! haha at least it’s not chicken hearts (he loves it- me- not so much. Friday nights usually mean taco night and a good movie, but I’ve started to make vegetarian tacos. I realised that glass noodles are perfect to replace pasta, I still have it, but not as often.

I eat “normally” on non fasting days, normally meaning I eat lunch and dinner but doing smaller portions than I used to do, I’m just not that hungry anymore.

My husband has lost the same amount as me and we’re both over the moon happy with our weightloss, although we started on this journey with the other benefits in mind as well.

I don’t fast when I have my period though, so despite not sticking to it one week a month I’ve kept loosing weight. I get lots of compliments now and I feel I finally look my good old self when I look in the mirror. When I reach my goal weight (around 65-66 kilos) I’m thinking of fasting here and there and not necessarily twice a week. And I’ve also considered having another child, so I can’t fast if I get pregnant 🙂 But this is the best thing I’ve ever done – and so wallet-friendly too! The amount of money we save is a plus side we never thought of haha

Bit of an update, seeing as I’ve posted on this thread a few months ago. I’ve been on the 5:2 since May now, and have lost 2 and a half stone to date (think thats about 20kg for those working in metric!?), and 3 stone altogether since last October. Saw my hip surgeon today for the first time since February, and he nearly fell off his chair.. so did the dumpy nurse who said my BMI was 40 (when in fact it was 37, but she just couldn’t reach to measure my 5ft9 height and decided I was 5ft7!). Anyhoo.. I now have a BMI of 31 and am in a size 16 (from a 20) and its still falling off. With having a bit of a rough year (lost my dad amongst other things), I didn’t want my hip surgery this year, so am postponing it til the Spring, but hopefully that will mean I will have lost at least another stone or so by then (with Christmas/Winter in between I probably won’t be eating as many salads!).. but I think my eating habits have changed so much that it will be pretty straight forward.

I don’t want to loose my curves, and at 50 soon, my skin isn’t jumping back as much as it used to do. There is that old adage about choosing your face or your butt.. so I will be happy to only lose another stone/stone and a half. Will then go to 6:1 to maintain.

Really this is the best thing … well since sliced bread, but I don’t eat that anymore! Another of my friends has started the 5:2 after seeing my photos on Facebook. I think I’ve converted 4 or 5 now! 🙂 Keep going everyone.. its bloomin marvelous!

I wondered how you were getting on AngeYorks. You’ve lost what you wanted to lose for October and we’re not nearly there yet! Very inspiring!

Hey everyone,
going to start the diet this week after watching the documentary. Mostly for weight loss but also to feel more healthy and fit. 20 years old and sitting a bit overweight. Was never really a skinny person but put on more weight in the last year or two. Tried a few diets but always end up coming off too easy.
5:2 seems like its quite easy to maintain and more of a way of living.
Going to start now and my goal is to loose 30 lbs by Christmas hopefully so about 2 lbs a week and I will be really happy.
Intend on updating on here also as it is a way of sticking with it and reading other good news stories is making me look forward to starting. Thanks for reading!

Thanks for the kinds words folks, and I’m glad to see that other people on the forum are as inspired as me, when people post their successes.

I have to admit to reaching a bit of a plateau on the scales.. but after reading other posts, I am determined not to let this phase me, as I am definitely so different as far as clothes go. Its got a little chilly up here in the wilds of Yorkshire, so I went to get my Winter clothes out.. hmm.. how did that happen.. these must be someone else’s clothes in my wardrobe.. everything is too big! (yayy… but boo.. can’t afford it). I’ve sold a lot of clothes already, but it looks like I shall have some more to sell! My Winter coat is a size 22. I’m now a 16. Hell, I’m not complaining really!

The big day coming up soon (my 50th) and I am having a birthday dinner with a lot of friends.. I haven’t seen some of them properly for a while, so I am hoping a few jaws will drop. I gave myself a goal of being a UK 16 (which I’ve reached) and into the 14 stones (2lbs to go) by my birthday on 10th October.

Oh and my mother said “your knees have gone boney”.. good grief.. I don’t think I’ve ever had boney knees.. I’ve discovered I really do have knee caps. And oh another fantastic thing.. I can get in ordinary knee high boots. Not those bloomin fat calf ones I’ve always had to buy – just regular off the peg slim leg boots!

Great to see how folk are getting on. Well done!

Well done lesshelley

It’s great that you have lost the weight but much much better is the quantifiable improvement in your health.

Go girl (and hubby too)

I am currently six weeks in. I am using Alternate Day Fasting, rather than 5:2. (I want faster results.) So far, the results have been amazing. By far, the easiest weight loss ever. I have lost 25 lbs, and I figure I have about another 75 to go. I should be able to easily hit that by Feb 2014.

I’ve been doing the 5:2 since May and I’ve lost 25lbs and two sizes in pants/dresses. I’m a competitive swimmer and biker, so I’m in good shape but have had trouble losing the extra weight. I’m at 175lbs now– I’ve got about 12lbs left til I’m at a “normal” BMI, something I thought was completely impossible, and I’ve noticed that I’ve lost weight faster than my psyche could keep pace with. It’s odd, I thought losing the last bits of what I assumed were impossible weight would be a relief, but I feel a lot of anger for not figuring this out sooner. At the same time, I feel like I’m finally in control of food for the first time ever and that seems so MONUMENTALLY important and wonderful. I find myself telling everyone about 5:2 when they ask about how I’ve managed to lose the weight so quickly and I advocate it for the peace it’s given me regarding changing my own habits and relationships. Congrats to everyone, and hopefully the more we share with each other the more we can learn about how the 5:2 impacts every part of our lives, not just our waistlines.

Hi Nicola
Here is a link to the original program by Michael
http://tobefree.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/bbc-video-eat-fast-and-live-longer-with-mike-mosely-when-igf-1-levels-drop-the-body-slows-production-of-new-cells-and-instead-repairs-existing-cells-dna-damage-gets-fixed-and-age/

I am a 63 year old female in Hobart. In January new GP made threatening noises about type 2 diabetes which scared the hell out of me. I thought I was “fat but fit”!!

I had read about 5:2 in the Weekend Australian, got the book from Amazon and started. I don’t eat at all on fast days, just 2 x 40 hour periods of water a week, gym 5 mornings a week on crosstrainer for 1 hour.

When I started in January I was 90.8kg, BMI 34.8, cholesterol 7.2 and tryglicerieds 3.2.

12 weeks later 80.7kg, BMI 30.1, chol 5.9, tryglicerides 0.8
So the weight loss certainly contributed to the chol and trygliceride losses (I found that on eating days I now eat less and am not hungry), but still have wine every (non-fast) day.

Weight is now 74.4, BMI 28.0, will do the blood tests again next month after 40 weeks, hopefully my cholesterol has dropped further and tryglicerides have stabilised at the low reading of 0.8ish.

Many people are obviously happy with the 500/600 calories on fast days, but quite a number also do total fasts, it really depends on how you feel and if it makes YOU feel good. I personally find that food stimulates my taste buds, so for me it is just easier not to eat at all 2 days a week (I still cook dinner for my husband and drink water while he has his dinner and wine)

To me the really wonderful thing about this LIFESTYLE (not diet) is the lack of guilt, I have dieted for at least the last 40 years of my life and achieved absolutely nothing! Now, if I occasionally lapse, the next day I have a fast and repair it – I have my wine every day (not on fast days) and that 1 piece of Lindt after dinner and feel happy about it (I used to eat the whole block). And I KNOW that the 16kg is NEVER going back on. EVER!

But still aiming for 70 – it just gets a bit slower as the weight goes down.

Me again! 3 days to the big 5 oh!! And yesterday I achieved my birthday goal which was to be in the 14 stones again.. ok.. its 14st 13lb but its in the 14s!! Had a stutter at about 15st 5 where it wouldn’t seem to shift, but the clothes seemed to be getting bigger, so I knew I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I have tried chocolate again, and I find that my body really doesn’t like it now, so I will just have to give it up for good (eek did I say that out loud?).

I must sort out some before and after photos. I’ve had two people stop me in town today to say how slim I am looking.. what have I been doing? Of course, I dive in with the 5:2 speech. Despite a rotten 3 weeks of a virus and my m.e. not playing nicely, I am so looking forward to this week of celebrations for a change. Spa tomorrow, 3 and a half stone lighter than my birthday spa last year. See you all when I’m 50 🙂

I love this diet. I have tried every diet out there I think during my lifetime. Always, up and down. The last successful weight loss of 30 lbs was on the Atkins but after I started gaining it back I was never successful on getting back on the diet and losing. I was very skeptical about this fasting diet but decided I would give it a try. The first couple weeks I got a headache and maybe a little tired. But I was actually losing weight even tho I was eating what I wanted on the other five days. I’ve had some weeks I couldn’t diet because of family activities, etc. but I went right back to it and I didn’t gain my weight back while I was off the diet. I am so excited about this way of eating. When I eat too much on my 5 days off I feel really bad and sometimes see to be a little depressed. I know this is a healthier way of eating for me. I have been on this diet since June and I have lost 20 lbs. Some weeks I will lose 2 lbs. and gain 1 back and then lose 2 lbs and gain 1 back. I don’t care because I am still losing 1 lb. a week and feeling great. I have more energy and feel like I can do this forever. I do my fasting 2 consecutive days because I find it easier. I snack on carrots and celery thru out the day and eat two boiled eggs, usually around 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. I have a snack of turkey deli sliced meat around 3:00 p.m. At night I have 4 to 6 chicken wings for supper. I fix these on Sunday (so I don’t have to cook on my fasing days)with Cayenne pepper and red pepper, and then I bake them. I have a salad using lemon jucice for the dressing. I sometimes add green salad olives and jalepeno peppers to my salad. If I want a snack I will eat a few almonds. Sometimes I know I go over the 500 calories a little but, hey, I’m still losing weight and it works for me. Thanks Mimi.