5:2

I wasn't sure if I wanted to write a post on this, but a few people have asked how I'm finding 5:2, so here we go! I've tried most diets over the last few years and generally they all work with a little motivation and willpower thrown in. Before starting 5:2 I had been swapping between Weight Watchers and calorie counting via MyFitnessPal. A few of my friends have been waxing lyrical about fasting and had had genuinely amazing results, but the whole idea of fasting just put me off. If you asked O if I could survive on 500 calories, two days of the week he would've laughed in your face. I get hangry after going about three hours without food (no lie!). 

I decided to watch the Horizon special: Eat, Fast and Live Longer with Michael Mosley, which examines the science behind it and the health benefits. I won't ramble on about all that here, but if you're interested, click on the link and have a watch. This documentary really changed my mind on the whole fasting thing. The benefits seemed to outweigh the fear of fasting, so I decided to try it. I was lucky that my friends were there to answer all my questions (there were lots of them!) and let me tell you, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be! 

So, the skinny (get it?!) of 5:2 is that you fast for two days out of seven. On fast days you're allowed 500 calories (600 for men) and you then eat normally on the remaining five days. I like to stick to my normal calorie allowance (I use MFP to do this) on the non-fasting days, as I'm not so good at eating "normally" hence why I need to lose some weight! But most people I know don't count calories on these days. 

Here's what a regular fast day looks like for me: 

AM :: I drink plenty of fluids. Normally just water, water with lemon or herbal teas. You can drink sugar free squash or fizzy drinks, but I think they tend to make me hungrier. 

PM :: I try to keep most of my calories for dinner. But if I'm feeling really hungry I'll have a low calorie cup-a-soup and a sugar free jelly. For dinner I tend to have some sort of protein (like chicken or fish) and vegetables (a salad, roasted veg or stir-fry are my staples!). I stay away from carbs as they just eat up my calories and don't fill me up. 

Honestly, it's so much easier than I thought. If there's anything I'm really craving I just tell myself that I can eat it tomorrow. I've never been so hungry that I thought I'd have to give up, it's really just mind over matter. I find on the days that I keep busy I hardly even notice that I've not eaten. From a weight loss perspective, it's definitely working. I don't want to tell you how much I've lost yet, but it's a significant amount and I'm so pleased! It doesn't even feel like I'm on a diet, it's that easy. 

Do any of you guys follow 5:2? What do you think of it? I'd love to hear your opinions! :)
{PS This is my 100th post...say what!!??}

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