I am starting the 5:2 intermittent fast today (Mondays and Thursdays 500 calories, other days normal healthy food choices). I am also not weighing myself until Sunday.

The first thing I noticed this morning was relief about not fearing whether the scale went up or down a pound this morning.

My plan is to rely on Protein shakes today because they are easy to control and satisfy me.

I'm going to post my experiences in this thread. All are welcome to join me.

I'm on the 5:2 protocol too. Except, I'm on it Mon, Wed, and Fri. So I guess it's the 4:3 for me. I've been doing this since early June. It helped me break my 3 month long plateau. I've dropped 18 lbs since that time but it has slowed down for me lately but the scale is still showing progress.

My protocol is a little different than what the book suggests. I stop eating around 7 pm the night before and I don't consume anything with calories until about 2 pm the following day. So, my fast lasts at least 18 hours. I break my fast with one Protein shake around 2 pm and then I have dinner around 6 pm.

I try to exercise during the fast days before noon so that I'm burning fat since I've depleted any carbs leftover from the previous day.

What I like about this way of eating(I don't want to call it a diet since it's so easy to maintain) is once I want to go on a maintenance program all I have to do is cut it back to 2 days a week and increase my calorie consumption by 400-500 calories. Very workable.

For anyone interested in this type of eating here are two videos that explain how it works and why it works.

5:2 Diet Partner For people too lazy to read the book:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9Aj6hRYg4A

And here's the video I based my own program from. I modified it to fit my own personal lifestyle and schedule.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzkVmXe9NMU

Thanks tmf. I'll watch those when I get home tonight.

Our Kaiser support group met in July with an endocrinologist and it turns out he knows Dr Varady from the 2nd video and is actually pier reviewing some of her most recent studies right now. If you don't know, endocrinologists are hormone doctors and many work in the diabetes field. This Endo recommended Varady's work and approves of fasting like this. He was a little afraid that some patients don't get enough Protein on those fasting days but sounds like you've got that handled with the shakes?

I think adhering strictly to the plan definitely works but the plan is so malleable it makes it a great way to modify for our own lifestyles. Wish I would have known about this before surgery, although I don't believe it would have benefited me enough to avoid surgery. It's just that having the band makes the fasting so much easier since the band gives us long term satiety.

tmf

This sounds interesting. I'll be following. Thanks tmf. I'm going to watch those videos. Good luck.

Just had my second shake of the day. Un jury makes a great individual packet that I bought back when I was planning my vacation in May. Our office has small water bottles in the machine, so I drank some water and shook up the packet with the remaining 8 oz of water. Lunch is done!

Edited September 8, 201412 yr by JustWatchMe

wish i'd foun@@JustWatchMe where do you get the shake packets? i've been looking for soemthing like this for a while now. and with a 14hr flight coming up on my badaversay i want to be able to take some shakes with me for it but was worried about how crazy i would look with power in zip log bags.. hadn't quite figure out how to explain that one

wish i had foudn this before i posted about a stall this could be just excatly what i need to shake the lbs free.. as they are holding on like crazy..

Go to www.U njury.com. I got the chocolate. You order them by the individual packet but for travel it's so worth it. I hate sickly sweet stuff and this brand is not sweet. You only taste the cocoa. And it's fine with water. I use a little less than eight ounces and it is really good.

Edited September 8, 201412 yr by JustWatchMe

thanks found the web site that is so awesome you can order as many individual packets as you want.

Just an FYI Justwatch. The 5:2 diet as it's set up is you miss your lunch meal? The idea is to fast for about 12 hours a day and that would include any calorie containing food or liquid from 7 am - 6-7 pm. Maybe you've modified it to fit your own lifestyle? The basis of the fast is based upon a Paleo type lifestyle.

I watched a video with the author, Mike Mosley, and he said you could also just miss your Breakfast meal and end the fast around noon. That would give you nearly 17 hours of fasting.

I missed that tidbit. I watched one video yesterday but not by the inventor of the diet. Oops. Well I guess I have some research to do before Thursday ! Too hungry to skip my dinner shake today. I have 250 calories left. Looking forward to them! Live and learn.

Edited September 8, 201412 yr by JustWatchMe

Here's a real simplified video or two.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rq1jwtFeGvk Nutritionist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pa_ywQV_Pc This is Dr Mosley the author with Mercola, a natural food geek.

I've read studied on the 5:2 and from what I've come across, there is nothing that says you can't spread your calories out over the day. They believe it to be not as effective this way only because based on their research it is harder to stick to the diet.

I've read studied on the 5:2 and from what I've come across, there is nothing that says you can't spread your calories out over the day. They believe it to be not as effective this way only because based on their research it is harder to stick to the diet.

Sandy, it wouldn't be called a fast if you're allowed to eat all day, even if it's 500 cals over the day. There are scientific reasons why Mosley suggests we fast through the day till dinner.

Here's Mosley addressing when to eat about 45 seconds in and goes to 2:20 mins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r8OpT11RjE&index=2&list=PLNJV9yr8AXU4Nt41D6kZ2x1_CylRMAQCL

And this one 3:55 in explains the fast:

5:2 Diet Partner For people too lazy to read the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9Aj6hRYg4A

I'm sure we could lose weight if we stretched it out as you say but you won't get the healing effects of the fast. And I agree with you, speaking from my own personal experience, once I start eating, the eating demons can take over your mind and I end up grazing from noon to dinner if I try to spread the 600 cals over the entire day.

Still catching up on the videos.

Yesterday I semi fasted I guess. My veggie salad at dinner was around 6pm. That was my last food for the day and I was under 500 total. No lie, I went to bed hungry but excited. The mental component is real. I knew I could eat "tomorrow" so it was very doable.

Again this morning I am glad I am not weighing myself. Even though yesterday was a low cal day, I'm relieved I don't have that scale arbitrarily deciding to show me Water weight or an unrealistic loss. Sunday will be soon enough.

Today is real food. I'm looking forward to keeping it clean.

Well one day of low calories and NO junk of any kind including any fried food, and my band is tighter this morning. I was formerly able to eat canned chicken with a tablespoon of mayo. Today only a third of the can. That's okay. Good actually. If I get hungry later I have protein shakes and almonds at my desk. I was looking longingly at those almonds yesterday. Lol

Edited September 9, 201412 yr by JustWatchMe