I thought I might try to move the hot topic of the new 5:2 diet a few of us long timers are trying here, rather than in the "Gonna Get to Goal, Wanna Join Me?" Thread, so that that thread could go back to its original topic.

I do not have access to the book or video or anything that some of the other 5:2ers have, but I've been to the website and read up and today is my fourth day; so far I've done Fast Normal Fast and now today is a Normal. I aim for 500 on the fasting days but don't seem to make it under 600, and I aim for 1600 on Normals, but don't seem to make it past 1200, so I guess I'm not the poster child for this. Also, the morning after my first fast day, I was down 4 lbs, but the morning after my first Normal day I was up 3 lbs and this morning I was down 3 lbs so - no progress.

Since today is a Normal day I will do my cardio. I will report back what the scale says tomorrow morning!

I'm doing my first fast today. I've done the 16:8 method before but this is my first attempt at 5:2. I'm half way through the day already and it's going well. Fish and bell peppers tonight will hold me over. Aiming for 600 calories.

Question for you ladies. It's my understanding that the "500 calories for women" is based on 25% of the average TDEE' date=' is that not correct? If so, as a sleever if you've been eating 1000 or 1200 calories per day, shouldn't your fast days be 25% of that? If not, should you eat closer to TDEE on non fast days? Just curious what your thoughts are, since most of the info out there is definitely not geared for sleevers.[/quote']

Yes, I believe the premise is 25% but with most sleevers that would be an ungodly low number of calories. Listening to the GMA broadcast and reading FastDiet book he constantly talks about 500 women 600 men. Ideally 12 hour "rest" between meals if at all possible. He tends to do 7/7. I don't get a full 12 in during day. Usually around 9 am and 7 pm them nothing after which gives me over 12 hours at night the optimal period.

So on your fasting days with rest periods how long do you go between meals?

Recommended is 12 hr. morning and night

So, before I get banned for something I said in another thread, I want to say that this first day of fasting has sucked big time. I'm right at 600 calories so I'm happy with that. I wasn't hungry at all for the first half of the day, then I had my first meal and all hell broke loose. Even though it was a typical meal for me, I was starving right after and stayed that way until my 2nd and last meal...then I was full.

But, even though I was full, the carb cravings went bezerk at that point. I was dying for anything sweet. Still am frankly. I know it gets easier with each fast day, but let me just say this first one is enough to test a fellow.

The first day hit me by surprise too, on just how hard it was. It seems like when you know you can't have something you want it all the more.

I went to bed with actual hunger like real hunger last Thursday though. So I'm still figuring out what's good, not good for the last meal of the day..

Oh and way to kill a thread on that other one!

I think you may have scared a few people

My mission accomplished then.

There is some flexibility with timing on this plan. Roughly, you have your last meal on your feast day, and on your fast day you can spread out the calories, or stick to one or two meals. Eat low glycemic foods, try to get 50 gms protein, lots of veggies, and lots of water, and tea or black coffee if you wish. when you finish your 500, you are finished for the day and until after you finish your next sleep. The is called the "36" hour plan or the "two sleep plan", where you only eat 500 (or 600) cals in 36 hours. Some say the more time you are not eating, the better it is, others say spreading your calories out to 2 meals or including snacks from your 500 works fine too. One of the authors ate breakfast and dinner, the other just dinner on fast/rest day. I am eating protein drink throughout the morning, cheese and raw veggies for lunch and a 265 cal dinner.

also.... most of us (at least I know I am) eating low cal (less than TDEE OR BMR- 1200-1600 depending on exercise) on feast days...just eating normally for me. I think this may be one reason I am losing faster than 1 pound a week as predicted by the plan. I believe the 500 comes from the general daily recommended intake for women of 2000 a day. I sure as heck am not going to eat less than I already am!

Question for all of you: Would 5:2 diet be a good way of eating even if I do not have any scale weight to lose?

One of my present goals is to lean out more for increasing lean muscle body composition. however, i do not wish to drop any scale weight beyond maybe 5 pounds. I want to be fairly honest about one thing. I eat all the time. Every hour or two I try to eat some lean Protein in order to feed the dietary needs of muscle (.92 * 180 ideal weight = 170 g a day). My current weight is 180 and I have good body fat composition of 15%. However, I am always on the look out for trying better and more efficient approaches to maintaining health through diet and efficient fitness. Not eating much on two days would Los help my budget as eating lean protein and drinking shakes is expensive.

I could not imagine *not* eating for long periods of time. As stated above and in other threads i really do try and eat TDEE - 300. However, I do end up falling short due to most of my diet consisting of lean protein through meat or supplementation. It is a Paleo diet that works fairly well for me. Would this fasting 2 days a week actually benefit my fitness goals and also promote even better health?

I am not a gym rat ( not for me), but do put in 20 minutes or so a day of hard core fitness exercises at home with 20 minutes on both ends to warm up and cool down in addition to 2 cross fit sessions a week (also has roughly a 20, 20, 20 timing structure). How would there be energy to be active on those fasting days? I primarily do body weight fitness exercises now which is very intense, yet extremely effective in terms of time management.

Appreciate any insight you have as the non scale health benefits of 5:2 you all talked about in the last few days sounds intriguing.

Fiddle how many pies are you going to stick your fingers in???

I would suggest reading up on it there is a forum and book.. But I know that the maintenance part is 6:1...

Oh and to the newly sleeved this is not a smart thing to do.. Let your sleeve work for you.

I know I will get told off for this again but I need to get that out there.

Ok now I'm leaving for vacation!!

Wish me luck

One day a week will improve longevity stats in the maintenance phase according to the 5:2 book. I have also seen reference to exercising on fast days before dinner (it assumes you are not eating before exercising on those days) to help get super lean body fat numbers. If I see the information again I will post here.

I do have to admit that I struggled to do the days of fasting. I had an emotional time last week where I have to make a decision that is not in the benefit of my client. So I turned to some emotional eating. I also went up to the mountain and have learned that our property is a MONEY PIT.......It's one thing after another. Uggggggggggg! But I got on the scale this am and I have gained 5 lbs. So today i have no excuses. i see the evidence where everyone is successful by doing fast days. So today, I am on a fast day. I will stick it out no matter what....I just finished my protein shake and it actually took me a long time to finish it. That's success. Today will be a pure protein day.........I will have a protein bar for lunch and a protein shake for dinner. I am going to my fitness pal right now and log it......It's done, in writing and cemented. No more excuses for me.......

Question for all of you: Would 5:2 diet be a good way of eating even if I do not have any scale weight to lose?

One of my present goals is to lean out more for increasing lean muscle body composition. however, i do not wish to drop any scale weight beyond maybe 5 pounds. I want to be fairly honest about one thing. I eat all the time. Every hour or two I try to eat some lean Protein in order to feed the dietary needs of muscle (.92 * 180 ideal weight = 170 g a day). My current weight is 180 and I have good body fat composition of 15%. However, I am always on the look out for trying better and more efficient approaches to maintaining health through diet and efficient fitness. Not eating much on two days would Los help my budget as eating lean protein and drinking shakes is expensive.

I could not imagine *not* eating for long periods of time. As stated above and in other threads i really do try and eat TDEE - 300. However, I do end up falling short due to most of my diet consisting of lean protein through meat or supplementation. It is a Paleo diet that works fairly well for me. Would this fasting 2 days a week actually benefit my fitness goals and also promote even better health?

I am not a gym rat ( not for me), but do put in 20 minutes or so a day of hard core fitness exercises at home with 20 minutes on both ends to warm up and cool down in addition to 2 cross fit sessions a week (also has roughly a 20, 20, 20 timing structure). How would there be energy to be active on those fasting days? I primarily do body weight fitness exercises now which is very intense, yet extremely effective in terms of time management.

Appreciate any insight you have as the non scale health benefits of 5:2 you all talked about in the last few days sounds intriguing.

Check out this guy's site:

http://www.leangains.com/

He is very fit and does intermittent fasting. I think it would be a good resource for you. From what I have read, it is especially good for abdominal fat. The maintenance schedule is fasting only 1 day a week, so this might be more up your ally?

Well, the bad news, my feast days were not great this weekend. My hubby has been away and I was getting very stressed taking care of my children (3 and 6) alone for a longer period than what I am used to (8 days). Plus I am hormonal, so I found myself turning to junk. Not like the the old days before my sleeve, but still more than I usually do. Thank goodness that I don't keep junk food in my house, or it would have been a disaster!

Now the good news. Even though my feast days weren't great and my weight did bounce up a little, I am still down a total of 2.8 pounds. Today is my fast day again and I will stick to what worked for me the last time. No breakfast, lunch of yogurt and berries and then supper. I am going to try fast days of Mondays and Thursdays. I like having them a little further part in the middle and a little closer from end to start. I think if I had 4 days in between, I might struggle a little more than having 3 days (Friday-Sunday) and 2 days (Tuesday, Wednesday).

Keep posting everyone, your posts are keeping me inspired!

One thing I've noticed here from all trying 5:2. When you do a shake or yogurt Oma NORMAL day (prior tostarting5:2) did it hold you for the allotted time between meals? It wouldn't me. I don't really get hungry between meals on on the fast days but I eat either oatmeal or eggs for breakfast then usually a string cheese around noon then a good dinner. Yes, I know the high Protein level in Greek yogurt is supposed to help with hunger but it really doesn't for me. Just a thought if you find yourself getting hungry. To have shakes, yogurt, etc. all day would NEVER enable me to long term handle it and we are trying to establish long term lifestyles I think. At least I am. Just a thought.

And Laura and Coops, happy vacay!!!!!

For Breakfast I have been mixing a esa low carb Protein Drink with a 16 cup of decaf coffee. I then pour it over ice, and that makes about three cold coffees. It really keeps me busy drinking this. It lasts for a couple of hours of sipping and working. By lunch Im ready for my cut up veggies and laughing cow cheese. I like eating with my hands, it keeps me busy too... which helps me keep my mind off of any hunger I might be feeling (not much). Cooking dinner keeps me busy too, chopping veg and layering up with sauce and cheese etc. And I feel full after I eat this meal. When I get feeling "peckish" is later in the evening. I find a tall ice tea with peach Torani hits the spot, along with the "There is always tomorrow" thought.

The idea is keep what I eat low carb before dinner. (even dinner is pretty low) to keep the fat burning going.