Oh the struggle...5:2, can I do it?

[Teachamy 1,042]

So here I am in my mid-winter/almost spring funk. Mired in it. Calories have been good of late, then yesterday I ate over 2000 calories and napped in lieu of exercise. Yup. I don't feel guilty, just feel like everything is a bit of a struggle this week. Work, kids, bills, etc. etc.

Sooo, this may be a bad time to introduce a 5:2 plan. (Which I've never done.) I read up on it and think I am ready to give it a try. Any final words of advice?

Thanks!

Amy

[JamieLogical 8,708]

You don't really say why you need it. You said your calories have been good. Are you trying to lose more weight?

[Djmohr 6,965]

What's a 5.2 plan?

[JamieLogical 8,708]

What's a 5.2 plan?

It's an intermittent fasting diet. You eat normally five days a week, but two days a week, you limit your calorie intake to under 500 calories.

[VDLT 244]

From your stats in your profile it seems you are over two years out and are at goal weight. Have you regained? Not sure why you would want/need to do a 5:2 at this point. Sounds like you had a high calorie day but that should not break you if you go back to your norm...

[Teachamy 1,042]

I posted this in the veteran's forum looking for advice from fellow veterans. (1 year + post-op.) I gained a couple pounds recently, and am looking for strategies from veterans who have BTDT. I don't feel broken, per sé, but some people seem to like it. Just wondering...

Thanks!

[JamieLogical 8,708]

I'm 18 months post-op and have done 5:2 in the past, but not since surgery. It was definitely one of my successful dieting strategies when I did it. I liked that I was able to eat more most days and didn't have to restrict my calories as much as I had on previous diets. If I remember correctly, I was usually eating about 1400 calories a day on normal calorie restriction/exercise diets. But with 5:2, I could eat more like 1700 calories a day. My strategies for fast days were to coordinate those with my cardio rest days and just eat one "large" meal for dinner. I sipped hot peppermint tea at various times throughout the rest of the day and ate all 500 of my calories for dinner, because I had found that eating smaller meals/snacks earlier in the day just made me hungrier.

Of course, this was all pre-VSG, so I think things would be very different post-op. First off, I can't possibly eat 500 calories in one sitting now. Secondly, I have found that I get "hangry" now if I go more than 3-4 hours between meals/snacks. So I might have to come up with a better strategy for spreading my 500 calories throughout the day. I'd also want to make sure that close to 100% of my calories were coming from Protein on the fast days, because that's the only way I'd be able to get anywhere close to my 100 gram daily target.

Certainly interested to hear from some sleevers who have done 5:2 post-op and how they approached it.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

There is a 5:2 thread on the vets forum that has many tips and tricks. We also have a few really experienced 5:2 vets - if notifications work,perhaps @@Georgia @@feedyoureye or@@Oregondaisy will chime in!

It's very effective, I used it as a maintenance tool as well. Also, it is a longevity increasing diet - appears to have many health benefits.

Downside, for some people it triggers anxiety. I do a very modified 5:2 because I eventually figured out the negative impact it had on my emotional state. I haven't experimented enough to say for sure, but I think the combo of low carb with the 2 really low calorie days per week was just not enough brain nourishment. I think I have heard this from a handful of others but MOST people do ok on it.

It helps you curb cravings, it tends to drive you to eating smaller quantities, it is not too hard to follow. Many of us sleevers use 500 calories as the target for "fast" days and then whatever you would normally eat - say 1500 as your normal 5 days. This is slightly different as standard 5:2 would have you eat 1/4 your normal on fast days....it just seems like that can be awfully low and many of us found the 500 calories to work well. It is key to NOT overeat on the normal or"feeding" days. I tend to avoid th a that term"feeding" as it does not mean 5 days of overdoing it.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Oh, you don't eat the 500 in one sitting, but you do try to keep from eating at night etc. When I am following it I do stuff like don't eat after 7pm and on a fast day try not to eat until say noon or 1 the next day. It gives your pancreas etc a chance to rest and not constantly digesting and managing blood sugar.

Truly-it isn't that hard and it's very effective. You don't need books, everything you need to know is available on the internet.

[Baconville 578]

I am very intrigued! I have never heard of this but will definitely be looking into it. I am coming up on 3 years post RNY and am up about 3-5 pounds from where I want to be. I have been trying to find a way to drop them, but nothing seems to be working - this just might. Thank you all for the information!

Carol

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I am very intrigued! I have never heard of this but will definitely be looking into it. I am coming up on 3 years post RNY and am up about 3-5 pounds from where I want to be. I have been trying to find a way to drop them, but nothing seems to be working - this just might. Thank you all for the information!

Carol

Just google intermittent fasting. There is a lot of stuff online about it. I've had really good success with it and I didn't read a thing. It's just what CG Jane said. I do Mondays and Thursdays where I try to eat as little as possible. Raw veggies, anything low carb is good. I never seem to get as low as 500, more like 700 calories. My problem of course are weekends. I can easily undo what I've lost during the week just by socializing on the weekends and thinking a bite of this or that is not going to matter. I have to stick with 3 small meals and 2 even smaller Snacks.

The other thing is not to not eat at night, and postpone eating as long as possible so you have at least 12 hours with no food.

[Teachamy 1,042]

On second thought..I think I could do 600-700 calories a day, but I am not sure of the health benefits for me. First, my pancreas doesn't work. (Type I diabetic) and although it would mean taking less insulin, I am not sure cutting out my healthy carbs (fruit) is a good idea for my nutrition. It has taken me so long to get my fruit servings in again. I am losing those couple of winter pounds, and am VERY close to my goal weight, so for now, I'll stay where I am. Thanks for your help!