Week Three of the 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Diet
I’ve only been attempting this 5:2 intermittent fasting diet for a little over two weeks, but it already feels like part of my routine. I do get hungry on those days when I’m restricted to 600 calories, but on the plus side I’ve found that my energy levels are higher when I’m fasting. I’ve also noticed that I seem to be more mentally focused on these days. I wouldn’t go say far as to say that I now look forward to my two days of restricted calories, but I certainly don’t dread them – something that I worried might happen.
No Need to be Good All the Time
5:2 intermittent fasting differs a great deal from any other approach that I’ve turned to for losing weight. I’ve had some success with mindful eating in the past, but the difficulty I had with this is staying mindful every day. The thing I like most about intermittent fasting is that I don’t have to be good all the time. I only really need to focus on my diet twice a week. I do try to eat reasonably well the rest of the time, but there is not the same sense of striving day in and day out as there can be with other diets. This is why I feel hopeful that the intermittent fasting approach is sustainable long term.
Weighing Scales Danger
At the beginning of this attempt I did hope to avoid the weighing scales completely, but I haven’t managed to do this. I’ve being getting on the scales the mornings after my fasting days because I mistakenly believed that the news could only be good. This is why on Saturday it came as a bit of a disappointment to find that I’d put on a bit of weight (0.2 kg/ 0.44 pounds) since my last time on the scales. I know that these single readings don’t mean much, but it did feel a bit disheartening after a day of fasting. This is exactly why I wanted to keep away from the scales altogether. I have not weighed myself since Saturday but so far I’ve lost about 1.4 kg (just over 3 pounds).
My Exercise Regime
I have not had time for any Muay Thai training in recent weeks. My exercise regime consists of the 5 Tibetans in the morning, and I do about an hour of stepping up and down on a wooden step that my wife made for me. Leo left a comment on the last intermittent fasting post recommending that I only engage in low intensity (fat burning) exercises on my fast days, and this makes sense.
If people are interested in following this diet there is now a Facebook Page devoted to it- 5:2 Intermittent Fasting. I’d like to thank Jo for pointing me towards this group.
My Other Posts on 5:2 Intermittent Fasting
Ten weeks of 5:2 Intermittent Fasting
Second Week of 5:2 Fasting Diet
Changes to My 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Plan
Intermittent Fasting as a Spiritual Exercise
5:2 Fasting Diet Update Week 6
I’ve long been a believer in adf (alternate day fasting). The modern idea of feeding yourself constantly to maintain blood sugar’ etc seems wrong to me. Plus, I can’t do that anyway. Still – I am now skipping one meal, which equates to 44 hours fast. Generally have nothing in that time other than a piece of fruit my students bring me in class. I have dropped about 4-5 kilos. It has no effect on energy or any other thing. Hunger is only hungry if you think about eating. I love the feeling, and kind of regret when I do eat.
Thanks Phra Pandit, I must admit that I do enjoy the lighter feeling that I get from fasting. I’m suspicious about any of the recommendations made by those in the nutrition industry – the information changes too regularly for it to be trustworthy. I find it more helpful to go by how food makes me feel.
Hi Paul
Well done turning your life around,long may it continue. This silver surfer is also on week 3, primarily to shift a rather persistant muffin tummy. I only have two coffees and a cup-a-soup on two consecutive days with plenty of water. It works for me. I gym six mornings a week with no loss of energy. I have CLL so it’s even more important to keep as fit as I can.
I plan on weighing at the end of week five , so good luck to us, and all the others trying this eating regime.
Thanks Bub, I might try doing two consecutive days soon. I’m starting to get a real kick out of this fasting – it just feels so right 🙂 Do you mean that you are not going to weigh yourself until the end of week 5? – that is impressive if you can manage to stay away from the scales.
Hi Paul! if I stay away from the scales (which daily grin at me from the bathroom floor) I stay focussed and don’t get downheartened and give up without giving it a fair test. Actually I think this may suit me very well as I’m finding it easy to do and experience no loss of energy. Interesting to see other comments.
Hi Paul, how are you doing?
When I started the 5:2 I also started tracking my calories. Entering what I had been eating before I started this was way below the recommended daily calories, the same as a fast day some days, and even when I thought I was being ‘bad’ I was only hitting 1500 – yet I’m still overweight (5 8 and weigh just under 12 stone so I’m not a closet skinny bird that’s exaggerating). So I started to eat normally at the same time I started the 5:2, 1500+ calories a day on non-fast days then <600 on fast days. Problem is I've not lost anything at all! I am hoping that my body just needs to get back in synch and if I carry on with it I'll start to lose. Otherwise I will have to calorie control even on non-fast days I guess. Any tips/thoughts? How's it working out for you?
Hi Susie, I’ve reached the same conclusion. I haven’t lost any weight following my last two fast days so I’m going to have to be more careful on my non-fast days. I have found in the past that it is harder for me to lose weight once I get below 77 kg. Last year I managed to drop my weight all the way down to 67 kg but I was training full time at Muay Thai and had the help of a sports nutritionist. I want to lose at least another couple of kg, but I’ve still got 5 more weeks of this 5:2 fast.