Just going to get this rolling. Here is an "official" 5:2 fourm.

Not all links are equal, just some reading if your interested...

This is where I linked to the 5:2 FAQs page:

FAQ: http://www.52fastdie...c.php?f=1&t=246

Home Page: http://www.52fastdie...7ab7bbb545beb71

Intermittent Fasting May Help Those With Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130426115456.htm

Effect of intermittent fasting on lipid profile and hematological parameters in healthy volunteers in Jordan

http://universalresearchjournals.org/ujmd/pdf/2012/January/Fararjeh%20%20et%20al.pdf

The Power of Intermittent Fasting

http://healthdivas.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-power-of-intermittent-fasting.html

some recipes:

http://www.lavenderandlovage.com/2013/05/the-fast-diet-menu-planning-and-recipes-revisited-for-the-52-diet.html

grain and sauerkraut.....and more...

So what do you think of prebiotic Fiber supplements....

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22555633/

Might be the lower carb way to go... but perhaps eating high probiotic fibers in their natural state would be good/cheaper too... whole oatmeal (I made some for breakfast.... I have been trying to eat less carbs in the AM) Also they say eat more cultured sour foods to diversify the gut microbes. I was looking up the lowest carb, highest fiber grains and oat bran is quite high in fiber and protein...

Question on the oat bran, you are eating it in the form of hot Cereal? Do you have any ideas on anything cold but not overly processed?

muesli ?

Laura, do you think you could "pin" this topic? Thanks!

Laura' date=' do you think you could "pin" this topic? Thanks![/quote']

I will get Alex to do it.. I do not have the authority!

Yet

I will get Alex to do it.. I do not have the authority!

Yet

What does pin mean ?

On other boards they call it a sticky.

I know there was some discussion on Artificial Sweeteners on here. I was doing some searching and found a couple of alternatives. Unfortunately for me, they are almost impossible to get in Canada, but hopefully soon!

True Lemon now has a new line of other drink mixes like Black Cherry Limeade, Raspberry Lemonade, and Lemon Iced Tea. All sweetened with Stevia and 5 calories per package.

http://www.truelemon.com/products.html

The other one is called Stur. It has zero calories and also sweetened with Stevia. It only has 3 flavors at the moment, but the site says they are working on more!

http://www.sturdrinks.com/Cart.aspx

Both are also available on Amazon.com (which won't ship to me ). Anyways, if you are looking for alternatives, there are some to try!

I mostly use Stevia, but the studies are saying that ANY sweet taste will trigger the bodies hormone response to sugar... so it may still cause insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome..... Its the sweeting of our food in general, whatever kind that is the problem , not the chemical composition of the sweetener..... BIG SAD FACE. I am trying to just cut some of my sweet choices during the day... I used to like unsweetened ice tea.... not any more! I'm working on getting back to that.....

I keep thinking if I could just get back to plain Water it will be good! That's my biggest artificial thing and its everyday all day! I did buy some stevia drops though.

Yeah, I just can't with the plain water. To this day, it still makes my tummy upset a lot of the time, and sometimes it still tastes weird. I am going to stick to my artificial sweeteners for now! I do sort of feel still like natural sweeteners might be a better way to go, but who the hell really knows! Stupid research sometimes, going and bursting my bubble!

Lol! I know as I'm sitting here drinking my artificially sweetened and colored orange crush water enhancer!!

why is it so hard to maintain a reduced body weight

http://www.drsharma.ca/why-diet-and-exercise-is-not-a-treatment-for-obesity.html

http://www.drsharma.ca/obesitywhy-is-it-so-hard-to-maintain-a-reduced-body-weight.html

why is it so hard to maintain a reduced body weight

http://www.drsharma.ca/why-diet-and-exercise-is-not-a-treatment-for-obesity.html

http://www.drsharma.ca/obesitywhy-is-it-so-hard-to-maintain-a-reduced-body-weight.html

Well FYE that's a little depressing!