The 5-2 diet. Anyone tried it?

[Peter H]

I know, diets are for fat women. Or are they?

 

I need to lose a few pounds after my trip to Greece. (Tzatziki, could eat it by the bucket)

 

Im 6 feet tall and weigh in at 83 kilos (13.1 stones) which isnt bad in a bmi way but most of my weight sits around the gut.

 

 

The 5-2 diet is based on the fact that humans did not always manage to eat every day until recent times. Like the stoneman diet (nuts and stuff every other day and some meat and roots and shit)

 

Eat all you want 5 days a week and starve yourself for two days. (Not 2 days in a row), workout every day.

 

Anyone tried it? Does it work?

Edited October 5, 2013 by Peter H

[MikeO]

Bugger that !

 

Funny enough I got weighed yesterday for the first time in ages...and I was 78.2 kilos, just under twelve and a half stone (I'm about half an inch short of six feet). Got a bit of weight around my gut also but if I want to get rid of it I just lay off the beer for a bit .

[Matt]

all dieting is a load of nonsense.

 

I lost 3kg after my 30th, by eating smaller portions and very simple exercise (stairs instead of lifts for example). The only real diet that works is moderation + exercise, everything else is a scam. I did notice that eating a bit less bread and not drinking beer during the week made a massive difference to my shape.

 

This diet sounds terrible! If you starve yourself for 2 days, when you eat again your body will put on extra reserves in case you need to fast again. Enjoy what you eat and drink, but maybe in slightly smaller portions, with a wider variety in your food planning.

[Kohen]

Eat healthy and exercise.

 

Starving yourself is only a short term fix.

 

I love that they're basing this diet on cavemen who didn't have beer, games consoles, the Internet, McDonald's and had to hunt for their food.

 

'Ah they weren't fat, let's try that'

[Matt]

you can blame Louis for this new obsession of mine, but this is quite a good representation of how I feel:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7EpAWQiF4

[Fearthainn]

I was 90 kg after my holiday in Portugal in the Summer (not really fat because I'm 188cm tall but the 90kg mark got me scared). Started following this diet in early July, by the end of August I was down to 82kg which is acceptable. Have stopped it as I was happy with my weight loss and quite honestly I don't think it can be healthy to starve yourself twice a week, haven't put any weight on since.

 

So in my experience it can be good if you want to lose some weight relatively fast but I wouldn't do it long term. Those 2 days when you starve yourself can also be REALLY long. A balanced, reasonably healthy diet and moderate exercise are more than enough to keep you in good shape.

[Peter H]

I was 90 kg after my holiday in Portugal in the Summer (not really fat because I'm 188cm tall but the 90kg mark got me scared). Started following this diet in early July, by the end of August I was down to 82kg which is acceptable. Have stopped it as I was happy with my weight loss and quite honestly I don't think it can be healthy to starve yourself twice a week, haven't put any weight on since.

 

So in my experience it can be good if you want to lose some weight relatively fast but I wouldn't do it long term. Those 2 days when you starve yourself can also be REALLY long. A balanced, reasonably healthy diet and moderate exercise are more than enough to keep you in good shape.

Great result. 8kg's in a couple of months?

[Hafnia]

i'm 17st at the mo, 15st 8 would be ideal weight for me, for my wedding last year I went from 17st 10 in the March to 16st in May and was probably at 16% body fat.

 

Back on the weight loss - biggest changes for me is no ale (I can stick it away like nothing else). With no ale, I have better focus, sleep better, more energy = gym and lifting weights. After doing hard work in the gym you are less likely to eat shite.

 

My aim is to get to 15st if I can, i'm 5ft10 but after years of weights am pretty heavy set and wouldn't want to sacrifice too much muscle - it helps burn calories.

 

I tried a variation of a fast diet - the 16/8 - fast 16 hours and eat for 8. Just before you eat go the gym - basically you are in a primitive "hunting" mode. Awareness levels and adrenaline are high and you can lift more, use fat for fuel and basically behaving like your are needing to hunt your meal - you are starved. Basically when you have trained (use caffeine and bcaa's pre workout) eat- your body is in a state where it will suck up the protein and carbs and recover, the muscle cells not fat cells take in all these nutrients and you do get lean.

 

The protocol I followed is - last meal 10pm, TV, sleep etc etc, go to work, coffee, bcaa's and at 1pm go the gym, after gym protein shake and a decent sized lunch, carbs and protein and then snack and eat as per normal till 10pm. It does work, go on www.leangains.com to see more.

 

good luck

[Fearthainn]

Great result. 8kg's in a couple of months?

 

Yeah I was quite happy! Although I suppose if you barely eat for 2 days out of 7 it's only to be expected that you'll lose weight. I found that on the other days I didn't really have any impulse to overeat as well which was good. On the 2 diet days I tried to save the calories for dinner, that way I wouldn't go to bed hungry and the next day wouldn't wake up wanting to eat the whole cupboard.

[Dalziel Kane]

Not necessary to give away relevant information but only to say no small-fry or ever had sand kicked in the face. Have lost weight in recent years but never been what you could classify obese, and all those 'fat american' stereotypes, take a look around any town center or street in the United Kingdom. I'm more worried about losing pounds in fucking casinos right now than gaining any by way of food indulgence. I don't need to diet. Just say away from the larder and food retailers and see a more slimline appearance. It's not tough to do.

[rubecula]

best way to lose weight is to not be a lazy greedy fucker. Eat properly and not binge, and do have an active lifestyle.

 

 

I really must take my own advice one day.

[Dalziel Kane]

best way to lose weight is to not be a lazy greedy fucker. Eat properly and not binge, and do have an active lifestyle.

 

 

I really must take my own advice one day.

 

I do have an active lifestyle. I actively drink, gamble and lose my temper, not to mention one or two other things.

 

Look if people want to eat their own body weight in food I see no problem, what they do is their business.

 

Just stay away from elevators and public transport is all I ask.

[Peter H]

all dieting is a load of nonsense.

 

I lost 3kg after my 30th, by eating smaller portions and very simple exercise (stairs instead of lifts for example). The only real diet that works is moderation + exercise, everything else is a scam. I did notice that eating a bit less bread and not drinking beer during the week made a massive difference to my shape.

 

This diet sounds terrible! If you starve yourself for 2 days, when you eat again your body will put on extra reserves in case you need to fast again. Enjoy what you eat and drink, but maybe in slightly smaller portions, with a wider variety in your food planning.

 

Ive now been doing this for 1 month. Replaced lunch with a low calorie nutritional shake and smaller portions in the evening. Along with normal exercise. (Play footy 1-2 times per week, stairs instead of lifts etc) and I have now lost more than 16 pounds in just 4 weeks.

(8.6kg) i now weigh in at 78 kilos. (Had gone up to 86.6 since opening this thread)

[Peter H]

Great result. 8kg's in a couple of months?

Lol so I actually smashed this by a month.

[johnh]

I swear by the whisky diet. I'm on it and I lost 2 days last week.

[msloan78]

I bought this book http://fourhourbody.com/contents/ about 2 years ago and had amazing results, after I'd packed a load of weight on following a knee reconstruction. Went from touching 14st down to around 12st 8 in about 4-5 months.

 

Based on eating what they term 'slow carbohydrates' from vegetable, beans etc and then going mad on 1 day which gives your body almost like a reset and triggers fatburning whilst your eating all the high suger/carb foods.

[Hafnia]

I'm at my highest weight now. 18st, to be honest I don't look that heavy, but I'm out of shape.

 

As someone who's done weights since 20 years old I went from a lean 11 stone to a lean 14.5 st - approx 10% body fat.

 

The problem is to facilitate that lean mass increase I had to be able to eat 3000+ calories reasonably clean whilst lifting heavy. that appetite remains when not training which means bad news for the belly, especially when eating pasta, buffet food etc.

 

Back into things from next week, got a squat rack, bench and Olympic weights in garage so I'm gonna go back to what I know.

 

Weight lifting is the best way to lose fat and get in shape without any doubt in my mind. By weight lifting I mean doing compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench press, power cleans.

 

A twenty minute session done with intensity will leave you breathing heavier than you would after a 6 mile run but the best part is your body is burning calories up to 24 hours later due to EPOC, after a jog the metabolic rate normalises very quickly as its aerobic exercise. big heavy lifts like squats actually change your hormone profile and boosts testosterone and growth hormone.

 

In short, a good clean diet with high protein, low g.i carbs, monosaturated fats, and smart timing with a good weight routine will get fast results.

 

I'll do a weekly update on here as a form of motivation for myself and much needed support. Means the ale will need cutting out too.....

Edited September 20, 2014 by Hafnia

[MikeO]

Good luck with it Haf, sounds like hard work to me .

[Hafnia]

Good luck with it Haf, sounds like hard work to me .

That's why I try to delay doing it! Once fully committed to the regime it becomes addictive.

 

One routine is the 20 rep squats. Basically you get a weight on the bar that you can do for 8-10 reps, instead of racking up when out of gas you take a few breathes and squeeze another rep, repeat the process till you get to 20. At the end you are nearly spewing.

 

In the space of 2-3 weeks I went from doing 20 reps of 100kg to 140kg. A 10 minute workout that actually works. That night you find yourself craving chicken, beef, tuna and sleep like a log.

 

It's tough but it really works.

[MikeO]

That's why I try to delay doing it! Once fully committed to the regime it becomes addictive.

 

One routine is the 20 rep squats. Basically you get a weight on the bar that you can do for 8-10 reps, instead of racking up when out of gas you take a few breathes and squeeze another rep, repeat the process till you get to 20. At the end you are nearly spewing.

 

In the space of 2-3 weeks I went from doing 20 reps of 100kg to 140kg. A 10 minute workout that actually works. That night you find yourself craving chicken, beef, tuna and sleep like a log.

 

It's tough but it really works.

I'm like Bambi on ice after a half mile walk at the mo and can't lift my right arm more than ninety degrees so I think I'd find that a bit tricky; but as I've lost about three stone in the last year (from about 13st) I need to put weight on rather than lose it . I get blown over in a heavy breeze !

[Hafnia]

I'm like Bambi on ice after a half mile walk at the mo and can't lift my right arm more than ninety degrees so I think I'd find that a bit tricky; but as I've lost about three stone in the last year (from about 13st) I need to put weight on rather than lose it . I get blown over in a heavy breeze !

Ooohhhh, pasta, corned beef hash, pizza, ice cream, racks of ribs, steaks. That will sort that!

[MikeO]

Ooohhhh, pasta, corned beef hash, pizza, ice cream, racks of ribs, steaks. That will sort that!

If only! Can still eat very little, most of my calories come from Complan; getting better slowly though :-).

[Matt]

I guess I take my body for granted then. I can get by by restraint on intake alone. My metabolism is insane, to the point that I can have a "sugar crash" if I have a coffee too many, very similar to hypoglycaemia. I basically collapse within 30 mins I've I don't have fruit or something similar

 

Started the below which is proving very successful. No dieting involved!

 

http://30dayfitnesschallenges.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/30-day-plank-challenge-chart.jpg

[Cornish Steve]

In recent years, I've become more diligent in what I eat: very few sugary or processed foods, virtually no bread or potatoes, quinoa instead of rice, more fruit and veggies, more nuts. It's also true of what I drink: no sugary drinks, no creamer in coffee (and little coffee in the first place), no iced drinks, and plenty of green tea. My principal problems are threefold: (i) I don't drink enough, especially water; (ii) I'm not diligent about exercising (especially since I caused bone stress last year due to too much running); and (iii) eating out and eating too much when traveling on business (and I travel a lot). I'm struggling to overcome all three of these issues. If I can somehow get back on track, I have no doubt that I'll lose more weight.

[Newty82]

I think diet fads just allow people to find something that suits them. But really it's just a case of calories in vs calories out. That simple. And often people gain excessive weight because they kid themselves about how much they actually eat and/or don't realise the calorie breakdown of that innocent bag of crisps, biscuits, beer etc.

 

I always think that if people want to lose weight they need to do an honest food diary for a week...just eat normal and write down what they eat...then do the micronutrients (cals, protein, carbs, fats). And also be honest about activity levels. Then tweak the intake (food) down and tweak the expenditure (activity) up. Weight loss 100% guaranteed. No gimmicks. No products to buy. Dead easy.

 

You'll probably find that most of your calorie reduction can come from carbs...This will lead to greater weight loss anyway as carbs help your body to hold water. As does all that salt in your crisps, takeaways, ready meals etc.

 

This is how commercial diet fads grip you. You do lose weight straight away. But it's mostly just water and very little fat. Fat burning takes a little longer to kick in.

 

I've tried all sorts over the last 5 years. I'm a short arse (5'6") with a real small natural skeleton (titchy wrists). My old regular weight was around 9st 7lb (133 pounds,60kg). My heaviest was almost 2 years ago 12st 10lb (178 pounds, 81kg)...achieved through heavy compound lifts and constant monitoring of weight vs food intake (so when I stalled, the total calories taken in got upped). But I wasn't happy with how I looked. So last year I decided to strip back ready for an August holiday. This meant still training as heavy as I could but bit by bit dropping the calories mainly via Carbs. Come August 2013 I was 11st 4lb (158 pounds, 71.5kg). I looked ok, but just ok. I'd lost a lot of strength and muscle.

 

This year I think I have got upto 12st 4lb...but currently weight 11st 12lb as I again try to chip away at stubborn far around the middle by slowly and steadily decreasing carbs and maintaining heavy intense training.

 

I've tried tonnes of supplements too. And can safely say most, not all, but most are a bag of shite and you might as well eat the money.

 

So, basically....you want to lose weight? Adjust your food intake (carbs being the biggest winner) and get some intense exercise in. But start steady. Take your time. Get to know your body.

[Hafnia]

I think diet fads just allow people to find something that suits them. But really it's just a case of calories in vs calories out. That simple. And often people gain excessive weight because they kid themselves about how much they actually eat and/or don't realise the calorie breakdown of that innocent bag of crisps, biscuits, beer etc.

 

I always think that if people want to lose weight they need to do an honest food diary for a week...just eat normal and write down what they eat...then do the micronutrients (cals, protein, carbs, fats). And also be honest about activity levels. Then tweak the intake (food) down and tweak the expenditure (activity) up. Weight loss 100% guaranteed. No gimmicks. No products to buy. Dead easy.

 

You'll probably find that most of your calorie reduction can come from carbs...This will lead to greater weight loss anyway as carbs help your body to hold water. As does all that salt in your crisps, takeaways, ready meals etc.

 

This is how commercial diet fads grip you. You do lose weight straight away. But it's mostly just water and very little fat. Fat burning takes a little longer to kick in.

 

I've tried all sorts over the last 5 years. I'm a short arse (5'6") with a real small natural skeleton (titchy wrists). My old regular weight was around 9st 7lb (133 pounds,60kg). My heaviest was almost 2 years ago 12st 10lb (178 pounds, 81kg)...achieved through heavy compound lifts and constant monitoring of weight vs food intake (so when I stalled, the total calories taken in got upped). But I wasn't happy with how I looked. So last year I decided to strip back ready for an August holiday. This meant still training as heavy as I could but bit by bit dropping the calories mainly via Carbs. Come August 2013 I was 11st 4lb (158 pounds, 71.5kg). I looked ok, but just ok. I'd lost a lot of strength and muscle.

 

This year I think I have got upto 12st 4lb...but currently weight 11st 12lb as I again try to chip away at stubborn far around the middle by slowly and steadily decreasing carbs and maintaining heavy intense training.

 

I've tried tonnes of supplements too. And can safely say most, not all, but most are a bag of shite and you might as well eat the money.

 

So, basically....you want to lose weight? Adjust your food intake (carbs being the biggest winner) and get some intense exercise in. But start steady. Take your time. Get to know your body.

From a supplent perspective here's my two cents:-

 

Protein powder - essential, on a diet and heavy training schedule mix it up with oats and milk, 250,calories which gives you a healthy meal replacement

 

Fish oils:- excellent for the brain, insulin sensitivity, muscle gains

 

Creatine:- it works, the only natural supplement that will make you stronger.

 

Caffeine:- forget £30 pre workout supplements, caffeine is the magic ingredient.

 

Green tea:- forget £30 fat loss capsules, green tea combined with caffeine is all you need. Suppresses appetite and speeds up metabolic rate.

[Newty82]

From a supplent perspective here's my two cents:-

 

Protein powder - essential, on a diet and heavy training schedule mix it up with oats and milk, 250,calories which gives you a healthy meal replacement

 

Fish oils:- excellent for the brain, insulin sensitivity, muscle gains

 

Creatine:- it works, the only natural supplement that will make you stronger.

 

Caffeine:- forget £30 pre workout supplements, caffeine is the magic ingredient.

 

Green tea:- forget £30 fat loss capsules, green tea combined with caffeine is all you need. Suppresses appetite and speeds up metabolic rate.

Yeah. Agreed.

 

Got to be careful with the protein intake though. No, not from a 'too much is bad for you' angle, but from the fact that you don't need as much as the supplement companies tell you. So its ends up being extra calories, unused = more chub!

 

The other ones you mention...bang on, these are what I have. Nice and simple but effective. Also a good slow release Vitamin C and a multivitamin. I am sure I benefit from these as my immune seems pretty solid when all around me are coughing, spluttering and whatever!

 

Nail this lot...diet, training and basic sup ' s and you are onto a winner.

 

That's why I don't grow more...I'm not consistent enough with both training and diet together. One or the other seems to go astray! But hey, still enjoy it!!!