5:2 diet Type1

I tried it last year out of despiration to loose some weight. You will need to be careful. I was having hypos later in the evening and overnight following the low calorie day. I found that I could not keep to such low calorie day without a boost of carb (a slice of toast without fast acting) before bed to stay safe. I also found that I was more likely to hypo the next day, I suspect due to glycogen store being depleted. Theoretically dropping insulin doses should have counteracted these hypos. But my ratios for fast acting/carb ration also reduced on starvation days and the day following and it was difficult to keep adjusting the basal. It made BG unstable and difficult to manage. I did loose some weight in the first month, but the weight loss slowed to near stagnant, so it was just not worth the effort

therower said:

Always looking to try something different and currently would like to shift a few pounds post xmas.
I've never tried any sort of a fasting diet and as a type 1 appreciate it would take a great deal of extra care.
Was wondering if any fellow T1's have undertaken such a dietary regime and if so have any tips or words of wisdom or caution they could pass on. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Tony.

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Hi - I am T1 and do the 5:2 regularly. Since I started I have lost about 10kg to take me to 75kg. I am now in maintenance mode doing 6:1 most weeks and stepping up to 5:2 after holidays etc.

I wouldn't recommend doing it without a CGM because the impact is sometimes surprising, especially to start with. I have got into the way of it now. I don't adjust my basel dose at all. I take very little fast acting insulin at all maybe 2-4 units all day because the food I do eat is almost zero carbs. I think it really works and I always feel GREAT on the day after a fast.

One note on motivation: the first couple of weeks are really tough but then it gets much much easier. I hate diets in generally but this one is really easy and you can eat normally most days.

The fast diet webpage is a good resource and I would recommend the book too.

Flakey Bake said:

I tried it last year out of despiration to loose some weight. You will need to be careful. I was having hypos later in the evening and overnight following the low calorie day. I found that I could not keep to such low calorie day without a boost of carb (a slice of toast without fast acting) before bed to stay safe. I also found that I was more likely to hypo the next day, I suspect due to glycogen store being depleted. Theoretically dropping insulin doses should have counteracted these hypos. But my ratios for fast acting/carb ration also reduced on starvation days and the day following and it was difficult to keep adjusting the basal. It made BG unstable and difficult to manage. I did loose some weight in the first month, but the weight loss slowed to near stagnant, so it was just not worth the effort

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Same for me :-(