Joy, l do like the 5/2 regime - where you eat only 500 calories on two days of the week. And it does not have to be consecutive days. lt surprising what you can eat for 500 calories. So l suppose it is not really fasting. l will look at the Telegraph article.
I’ve been doing this for about a year now, I do not take 500 cal on my fasting days I eat nothing but drink plenty of water.
You find it difficult at first, but can easily be built up to. Just do not eat anything after dinner until you go to bed. Once you’re comfortable with this start putting breakfast off until 9 AM then 10 AM and keep building it up until your first meal of the day is your lunch. That can easily be a 20 hour fast to move on to 24 hours is just not eating until dinnertime.
When they say you can eat what you want the other five days. This may be true for losing weight, but to stay as healthy as possible, try to add healthy choices. For example, change the cooking fat you use to a healthier choice e.g. coconut oil. Try to cut out or at least cut down processed foods.
I do feel great on it, whatever it is doing. I’d be slightly cautious about the claim regarding cancer. I don’t know the ins and outs of chemotherapy, but some people I do know have had horrendous weight-loss so fasting on top of this surely adds to some problems.
I’ve only skim-read, but the theory is that it should boost your immune system, yes?
I go out of my way to avoid anything that claims to do that, as MS is not due to (and does not cause) a weak immune system.
On the contrary, it’s already doing things it shouldn’t, so doesn’t need a boost to help it do more of it.
Be very careful about any supplement or therapy that claims to boost your immune system, as that might not be a good thing with MS.
Tina
I do this too. I’ve lost a lot of weight and feel good, but if hunger overwhelms me, I eat a raw carrot or celery or 1/2 an apple. I eat about 300 calories on fasting days.
I have gone back to work after many years away and find fasting easier with the distraction of teaching. When I’m in the house, it does get tempting to just have a small piece of this or that.
I’m not sure if it has the side-effect of boosting the immune system, but it’s supposed to reset it and repair damage. I like the sensation of waking up after a fasting day, knowing that I’ve lost weight.
K
This is very encouraging - l have the book on 5/2 The Fast Diet by Dr Michael Mosley, [cheap on amazon] He did a BBC2 programme Horizon about it. The outcome was a much healthier body - lowered cholesterol the weight loss was more of a bonus.
lt also shows that you do not have to be overweight to still have too much fat inside - TOFI - Thin on the Outside Fat lnside. Which is the most dangerous type of fat. Visceral fat - because it wraps itself around your internal organs and puts you at risk of heart disease and diabetes.
To feel fuller longer - try making a good nutritious soup- well blended. lt will help stop hunger pangs. And l find if l drink a glass of water when l feel tempted to nibble at something - it helps.
Also - do still do some exercises on fasting days. You will burn fat - rather then using carbs you have just eaten.
l had scambled egg for breakfast today - no bread. And tonight l will have grilled salmon and spinach.
I use the book as a sort of support group. I keep reading bits over and over, just to give me a boost. It’s odd counting calories again as well, after years on low-carb diets.
I definitely have visceral fat. I prefer my soup with bits in. We make chicken stock, or buy it ready-made without fat or salt. It’s amazing how satisfying it is - and cheap too.
I like broccoli, cauliflower, onion, mushroom, a small amount of turkey, leek and a bit of garlic and bring the whole lot up to a simmer for 10 minutes. Mixed with a teaspoon of homemade harissa, some cider vinegar and maybe a bit of yoghourt and it’s filling.
Tomorrow I eat normally. Not that I’m counting the hours or anything…