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I'm a new veteran (one year out as of July 1st, 2014), and the idea of a 5:2 eating plan to help me push to my stretch goal and avoid regaining is really interesting to me.
The "food rest" time on fast days confuses me a little--does it mean that you eat a low calorie meal, then wait at least 12 hours to eat the next meal, with a total of 550 calories for both meals? Thanks for clarifying for me!

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Two non consecutive days a week, eat only 500-550 cals. Many choose mon and ths, but whatever works for you. Eat clean. Get in at least 50 gms of Protein those days. The longer between your last regular meal and your eating on fast day the better. The longer between your last fast meal and your first non fast meal the better. 12-16 hours is good. Read the links here, watch the documentary posted. Thats where they are here for. The explain everything pretty well.

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Two non consecutive days a week, eat only 500-550 cals. Many choose mon and ths, but whatever works for you. Eat clean. Get in at least 50 gms of Protein those days. The longer between your last regular meal and your eating on fast day the better. The longer between your last fast meal and your first non fast meal the better. 12-16 hours is good. Read the links here, watch the documentary posted. Thats where they are here for. The explain everything pretty well.

Just one more quick question, sorry, LOL--can you clarify what "eat clean" means in the context of the 5:2 plan? Should I take it to mean that you eat real foods as opposed to things that are processed? Would that eliminate things like Protein shakes and Protein Bars? Thanks for your help!

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I use Protein shakes to try and get my Protein in with low calories (Im a vegetarian), but eat your veggies, drink your Water, try to eat high nutrition foods, salads, Soups, avoid junk food, booze, refined sugar, extra salt... eat some raw if you can...Its just two days a week, so use them to really be good to yourself. You can spread the cals over the day, or save them for one bigger meal in the PM. I have a 100 cal Protein Drink in the AM, then eat the rest at dinner. The idea is to find a strategy that you can keep up... if its too out of the norm for you, then you won't stick with it. You want to be on this plan more or less for the long haul. Its not a weight loss diet, its a longevity program for overall health.

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There used to be a thread for veterans who were using the 5/2 method and helping people who where just starting it and offering advice and support. It abruptly stops in January 2014. Is there another forum where it picks up? Can't find the continuing discussion. Thanks if anyone can point me in the right direction.

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Would some mind posting their meal plans for the 500 cal days? I am 1 year out right now and I have noticed I am grazing...:( I haven't gained any weight but I don't won't to either and I need to stop this grazing!!! :) thanks

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There used to be a thread for veterans who were using the 5/2 method and helping people who where just starting it and offering advice and support. It abruptly stops in January 2014. Is there another forum where it picks up? Can't find the continuing discussion. Thanks if anyone can point me in the right direction.

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/313875-52/?hl=%2Bfasting#entry3542432

here is one that discusses 5:2

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Would some mind posting their meal plans for the 500 cal days? I am 1 year out right now and I have noticed I am grazing... :( I haven't gained any weight but I don't won't to either and I need to stop this grazing!!! :) thanks

On a given "2" day, I will have a Protein shake (EAS 100 calorie) around 10-11 sometimes or a boiled egg, same timeframe, or 6 slices turkey (50 calories). Then around 2, I might have mini babybel cheese or an apple. I try to maintain the bulk of my calories for my dinner. Which can be chicken stirfry, or a couple of turkey franks and a packet of 100 calorie guacamole eaten with sliced cucumbers or sliced red peppers. Or homemade vegetable Soup. A snack of some sort later. I try not to eat past 7pm.

The ideal is to have at LEAST a 12 hour window of fasting, better is 16. So if you eat the night before at 7pm, wait until 10 or so to eat anything on your fast day, you have a longer "fasting" window which helps speed loss.

You will find it pretty easy to conserve and eat a LOT if you use many veggies and chicken or thin sliced turkey etc. Hope that helps.

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I have asked my nutritionist several times to weigh in on the 5-2 diet. She is not familiar with it but has been very reluctant to learn more. Has anyone out there asked their nutritionist about it? What do nutritionists say? The most mine would say is that she thought it would be OK for a jump start of weight loss but not for any kind of sustained diet plan. I have yet to try the 5-2 but want to keep it in mind as my weight loss has slowed to the crawl. I am inspired by the numerous success stories I have read about the 5-2 reboot for dropping pounds post-long-stall.

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5:2 has lots written on it. It wasn't originally a weight loss thing at all but rather a technique to extend life

I would not do it during weight loss phase. I really think there are other tools more suitable for that first year or two post op.

I have done it on and off since last summer and it works great. I have not discussed with a NUT as this falls outside of their area frankly. Google the studies on it for info.

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Hi can I drink Syntrax Nectar during the no food time ? I can't drink Water without it. It doesn't have any carbs or fat but 1/2 a scoop has 50 calorie and it has 11.5grams Protein.< /p>

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Hi can I drink Syntrax Nectar during the no food time ? I can't drink Water without it. It doesn't have any carbs or fat but 1/2 a scoop has 50 calorie and it has 11.5grams Protein.< /p>

Yes, just count it towards your daily calories. I use a 100 cal Protein Drink in the AM on fast day.

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Yes, just count it towards your daily calories. I use a 100 cal Protein drink in the AM on fast day.

So I can drink it through the fast period ?

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Yes, just count it all. If you read the book, one of the authors spread her calories out through the day, the other just ate dinner. They both lost some weight. I think if this does not work for you, then tightening up the lingth of the "fasting window" might do the trick. I found it worked fine for me though.

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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