UKC

Starting to try this diet as a way of controlling the ongoing battle with the belly.

A few questions how do you fit it in with your training, fasting day on a rest day or on a easy training day?

Seems to be two thoughts on the diet full fasting or a limited supply of calories ie 500
What's the best im edging towards limited supply as i have a pretty physical job.

In reply to ffati:

The limited supply works fine, no need to full fast. Also if you are a bloke the figure rises to 600 calories.

In reply to ffati:

I've been doing the 5:2 for a few years and it's worked for me. I've reached my target weight but I still do it to maintain target weight. I do the two diet days (eating 600 calories) on climbing/training days.

In reply to ffati:

I would do some light cycling on a fast day to distract me from food and hunger, then low calorie hot chocolate drink (Options) and an early night. Could never maintain this diet for more that 6 weeks but it seemed to work quite well.

In reply to ffati:

I did this diet for over a year and it worked well for me. I would climb on a fast day and your body gets used to the fast so after a few months I could run also. My trick was to have tea / coffee / fruit until about 5pm, then have stir fry, then train about an hour or two later, cup of tea, then bed. Exercise tends to reduce my appetite in the short term.

In reply to ffati:

I tend to find that a fingerboard & stretching session works best for me on a fasting day, but I've not really tried to climb on a fasting day.

The diet itself worked really well for me, it pretty much all came off in body fat (seem to remember my lean muscle mass going up, but I don't know enough to know if that's an obvious link )

Steve

In reply to ffati:

I'm on a similar diet to this at the moment - fasting 10pm-midday the next day, then the usual low-sugar/carbs and high-protein for the rest. I'm getting through on two main meals in that time, and maybe a small snack if doing a bit more work.

My job is fairly physical, a mixture of standing around/chainsaws/hillwalking/lifting stuff and I'm doing OK. I've been on it for around 2 weeks so far.

Not lost much weight, but body shape/size has changed dramatically. I'm a bloody weird shape anyway - there's a 12" difference between waist and chest circumference even at my skinniest...

In reply to ffati:

Try 16:8 as per leangains

In reply to ffati:

Just change your user name - works wonders!

In reply to ffati:

Did the 5:2 for a while and found I was fine climbing on the days fasted. I climbed in the mornings to early afternoon. For me fasting days meant limited calories rather than full fast and I would eat after climbing. Once I started climbing I was fine because vigorous exercise always seems like an appetite suppressant for me.

I don't think you have to be particularly strict about the amount of calories either IF you're just having one meal. Just don't purposely overeat or eat junk. I found a normal meal satiating enough. I did get hungry in the evenings so it took a bit of will power (and a few hot drinks).

Getting a decent amount of fat in your diet too I think helps. It makes you feel fuller and for longer. It's carbs that cause blood sugar spikes and crashes. From what I've read intermittent fasting and high fat/low carb diets work well together because they're basically doing the same, or a very similar thing.

Another variant is the 16:8, ie. fast for 16 hours out of each day. When/if you finish with 5:2 this is a good successor to follow. Definitely easier but positive results too according to a recent study:

https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-01...


I found the fasting diet really helped me tune in to when I was properly hungry rather than just the expectant hunger you tend to have at every meal time.

In reply to The Ivanator:

Thats very true but once a fat man aleays a fatman!

Interesting reading about the high fat low carb thing which is what i was planning on following, does anyone cycle the 5:2 diet as a way to getting lean for a project then eating normally rest of time or is it better sticking with it then get onto the 16:8?

In reply to ffati:

I'm trying this at the moment and started quite well but I've hit a little bit of a brick wall.

I have kidney disease so diet is important already but not in the manner that would ideally help to promote weight loss. I have to watch my potassium intake and high protein is also off the cards. I'll admit I haven't been super strict with the 500-600 calories on the fasting days.

Therefore managing the hunger pangs can be a little tough. Exercise and being active helps but having a desk job doesn't. Evenings are the worst.

I like the principles etc. but need a slight rethink on how I go about things. I'd like to lose roughly a stone so its not a massive amount. Just the stubborn bit