The 5:2 fast

I've been meaning to try this since watching the TV programme a while back. Agree - don't see why men should be allowed more calories than women in all cases.

There's one major obstacle to my doing it, 'tho - deciding which those two fasting days are going to be :lol:
Jane

My partner (...well now ex-partner) used this method last year and very quickly got down to a far better weight (from 15.10 to 14 stone, though he is now back at around 14.6 - 14.8 4 months later) in about 2-3 months. It took him a while to get in the swing of it, but once he did, he started doing the fasting days 4-5 times a week. He tended to have something like a huge BLT (whole pack of bacon) salad - no bread, or an omelette with cheese and bacon - basically something mainly low carb, for lunch.

He said it was a very liberating experience not to have to bother with evening meals and breakfasts and saved money too. Generally (aside from a couple of notable blips :shock: ) his non-fasting days were fairly sensible.

But the sheer simplicity of it, and the fact he was able to do it without any real problems, made it his most successful weight loss method ever, and he still reverts to it occasionally when the pounds start to creep on.

However, I know of others (mainly women) who have had to give up early on, due to feeling faint, dizzy and generally not coping well. Personally I'm not sure I could do it, but then I'm lucky to not have to worry about my weight, so don't need to.

There is some evidence that while fasting can have excellent effects for men, the effects on women can be detrimental, especially pre-menopausal women. I'd suggest anyone thinking about trying it read the following blogpost:

http://www.paleoforwomen.com/category/fasting/

Two particular concerns are that women (a) "did not experience increased insulin sensitivity" and (b) "actually experienced a decrease in glucose tolerance" which don't sound like particularly good things for Type 2's.

Have also just located another article about the effects of the 5:2 diet on women:

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/373 ... n-diabetic

Hi Guys. There are a couple of issues I want to raise tonight. My husband is on an all-night working session, so no sleep for a bit.

5:2 - As I've said before, it works for me. I struggle a bit late morning, I can get a wee hypo and it doesn't feel great. Eating cereal for breakfast does not work for me, I have to eat a banana either with oatcakes or toast and peanut butter, that tends to work okay.

I have bought a new book in the last few days, I got it from Amazon for £4 (half the cover price) and it's called 'The 5:2 Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Fasting', by Angela Dowden who is quite a well-known nutritionist. I am happy to recommend it, with two caveats: a) she says in the intro that diabetics should not do intermittent fasting - rubbish, it can definitely be done safely with insulin adjustment, and b) she gives snack ideas of 50 to 100 cals. Now personally, I think this is a bad idea. You cannot snack and make intermittent fasting work! Tough but true!! My understanding as a scientist is that you have to leave a minimum of 5 hours between meals to get the weight loss and body chemistry benefits. 8 hours is better, if you can hack it. I can't. Not and lead a vaguely normal life, work, chase after the kids etc. But, with these cautions, it's a helpful and encouraging book.

The second issue is more personal. Late last autumn, I had major gynae surgery. I am largely over the op now but not feeling good. There is every sign that I am going into the menopause (aged 41) and my GP yesterday confirmed that the blood test results back this up, too. Weep! This was not meant to happen. Can any one tell me how this is likely to impact my BM control? To be honest, I feel very depressed and angry. I feel like I cannot cope with managing another major medical problem and I fundamentally expect minimal or zero support from the NHS. My GP is nice but a bit clueless and overworked. I already spend about two hours a day in actively managing my asthma (via nebulisers and salt pipe therapy) and my Charcot foot/diabetic foot cares. I don't know how I am going to cope, with reduced sleep, night sweats, dizziness, rapid heartbeat etc. I just feel like this is the last straw. I was due a Diabetes Clinic appt in February, a routine review one. The hospital has changed it 5 (yes, 5) times and now it has gone back to mid-July, ironically I will almost certainly have to change it now, as it clashes with our family holiday plans. This is just so ****! I want to weep and throw things when I hear Mr Cameron in the media, wittering about protecting then NHS on his watch. The NHS is fried! I feel it provides only the barest safety net these days.

Ideas, friends?

Dear Vivienne,

I am awestruck at how much better your experiences of the NHS have been than mine. I think I should move N to N Yorks! I was discharged by Gynae after my op without even a post-op check, they just said to ring them if I was worried. The after-care was hence non-existent.

Yes, I am definitely menopausal, they left me some ovarian tissue to try and prevent an early menopause but it hasn't worked and the blood tests confirm that I am. Also, I am getting headaches, night sweats, dizziness, palpitations etc. My GP has recommended a book by Marily Glenville but unless I want HRT, the GP has little to offer. I don't want HRT. I have just found a copy of the book in a charity shop, we'll see if it proves helpful.

All I really want is to have a life and to feel moderately well again but that seems too much to ask. I am really disappointed by the almost total lack of response to my appeal - no offence to you, Vivienne. Maybe it just means that all female diabetics have an experience of the menopause that is just too awful to mention/remember!

Thanks.