Whether you’re looking to start dieting or are just interested in a change, you’ll know that there are hundreds of different diet plans available. I’ve been interested in the 5:2 diet for a while and thought it was time to share with you the answer to what is the 5:2 diet?
In a nutshell, the 5:2 diet means you eat normally for five days and fast, or partially fast, for the other two.
The interesting thing about this diet is that it is really more of an eating plan that a traditional diet. There are very few restrictions on what you should be eating.
In fact, this is a great diet for anyone who is busy. For 5 days you can eat normally. You don’t even need to think about your calorie count.
The 5:2 diet requires that you fast for the other two days per week.
It is important to note that these do not have to be consecutive days. In fact, it is better to try and space them out. A good approach is to fast on Mondays and Thursdays or Tuesdays and Fridays. This will prevent your diet interfering with your weekend activities.
On your fast days, you are still allowed to eat. But, your calorie intake must be restricted to a quarter of your daily needs. This is approximately 500 calories a day for most women.
You will only be eating very small meals to stay under your maximum amount. The best approach is to choose foods high in fiber and protein, such as fruit, vegetables, grilled fish, whole grains, and beans. Avoid high-fat foods as these are higher in calories.
Fruit smoothies are great because they are full of fiber! Also, they are delicious, super-easy to make and healthy, like this one. You can also add some oats to help you fill you up. And soup is also a good idea as research shows it makes you feel fuller, compared to eating the ingredients separately. You can also add a piece of wholegrain bread.
You can choose to eat once, twice or three times per day (it doesn’t really matter). But you must stay within your total calorie count.
When fasting you can drink water, tea, and coffee. But, you must remember that if you have milk and sugar, this will count towards your calorie intake.
The 5:2 diet is simply another approach to reducing your weekly caloric intake. The basis of this is that your weekly intake is approximately 3,000 less than it needs to be. This assumes that you eat only your caloric need on non-fast days (i.e. just eat normally).
But, fasting actually does more than just restrict your calorie intake.
Research suggests that fasting for a period of 8 hours or more can retrain your body to start burning fat for energy instead of sugar from food.
You can easily go over 8 hours without food when you sleep. By opting for just lunch and dinner you can extend the time of the fast to get the maximum benefits.
This fat burning stage is known as ketosis. It is the same process that is adopted in the keto diet. The difference is that you are doing it for short periods of time; not constantly depriving your body of glucose.
In fact, intermittent fasting has been linked with several other health benefits:
That’s it! The 5:2 diet is so simple that anyone can start today without having to do any preparation.
But, it is important that you stop if you are feeling unwell and if this continues you visit your doctor.
It is normal to feel hungry and even anxious when you first start fasting. This should pass after doing it a few times; making it a relatively simple process.
You should be aware that if you are suffering from any of the following, intermittent fasting is not the right eating plan for you:
The 5:2 diet requires a basic understanding of food to ensure you know how many calories you are consuming. If you’re not sure, here you can find out how to calculate your daily food intake.
For it to be truly effective, you need to keep your calorie intake below 2,000 on the 5 normal days and at or below 500 on your fasting days.
Remember to keep drinking water, it hydrates you and keeps you feeling full!
Would love to hear from anyone who has tried the 5:2 diet? What was your experience? xx
Hi! Is it ok for me to intermittent fast on the two days of the 5:2 diet (not eating breakfast)? Will this help me lose fat especially around my stomach thanks! xx