The Definitive Diet Guide That Works – for Seniors too.

How to Lose Weight and Keep it off for Good.

Since I first wrote about the 5:2 diet asking the question, “Is it the Best Weight Loss Diet for Me” I have decided to add seven more “need-to-know” facts about this seemingly successful eating style.

I am sure you will have seen it written, and discussed, in many different places, that it is much harder to lose weight as you get older.

So much so, I think many older people believe it is just a natural part of aging without giving due consideration to the real cause and the effect it can have on your lifestyle and longevity. Media brainwashing so to speak.

That’s why I believe sticking to a calorie restricted two days a week fasting type diet (or you might like to call it an eating style) is far more achievable than seven days of restricting calories as you are far more likely to persevere with the 5:2 diet and successfully lose weight.

It has been shown that two days a week on a restricted diet can lead to greater reductions in body fat, insulin resistance and other chronic diseases.

Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD is the NBC News Health and Nutrition Editor and in one of her articles I read recently she mentioned, “Evidence continues to mount that intermittent fasting for weight loss can work for the long term, if it’s a plan that connects with you.

By making healthy food choices, intermittent fasting can be a safe and effective weight-loss tool for both the short and long term. In fact, this term “intermittent fasting” might be better referred to as “intermittent eating,” because it’s not about deprivation, it’s about boosting mindful eating and a new relationship with food.”

It would also be worth your while to read what Madelyn has to say about Why Intermittent Fasting Works.

And here is a compelling Harvard study which uncovers why fasting can lead to a longer and healthier life plus there are also these new discoveries into the effects of fasting on metabolism and aging which are very promising.

Already lots of good reasons to give it some thought.

In the quest to lose weight, whether it be just to shave off a couple of unwanted kilos or pounds or to shed a few stone, slimmers, over the years, have turned to all kinds of crazy and faddy diets only to find they put all the weight back on again.

That’s why I believe sticking to a calorie restricted two days a week fasting type eating style is by far more achievable than seven days of restricting calories as you are more likely to persevere with the 5:2 diet and successfully lose weight.

It has been shown that two days a week on a restricted diet can lead to greater reductions in body fat, insulin resistance and other chronic diseases.

And here is a compelling Harvard study which uncovers why fasting can lead to a longer and healthier life plus there are also these new discoveries into the effects of fasting on metabolism and aging which are very promising.

Already lots of good reasons to give it some thought.
In the quest to lose weight, whether it be just to shave off a couple of unwanted kilos or pounds or to shed a few stone, slimmers, over the years, have turned to all kinds of crazy and faddy diets only to find they put all the weight back on again.

In short, diets simply don’t work.

The Raw Food Diet saw meat eliminated, persuading followers to abandon their ovens and chomp on uncooked fruit and veggies, while the Atkins Diet was almost the reverse, scrapping carbohydrates and advocating the consumption of steak, bacon, and eggs.

And of course, who can forget the rather unpleasant side-effects which accompanied the Cabbage Soup Diet.

The 5:2 Diet is different; there’s no need to feel compelled to sacrifice all your favourite foods for an extended period and you, don’t have to count calories or points regularly.

It’s an efficient yet deceptively easy way to lose weight in a controlled, healthy, and sustainable manner.

7 “Need-to-Know” facts about the 5:2 Diet.

1. The 5:2 Diet in a Nutshell

Most diets require pages of explanation, with elaborate diet plans and points systems, but the 5:2 can be boiled down to one simple sentence: 5:2 means five days of normal eating and two days of scaling back your calories to a quarter of an adult’s average intake.

These “fasting” days don’t mean you can’t eat anything, but you do reduce your caloric intake substantially, typically 500 calories for women and 600 calories for men.

Portions are small, but it’s surprisingly easy to get used to filling up on healthy, low-calorie alternatives, especially when it’s just for two days a week.

On a fasting day, you might have two scrambled eggs and ham for breakfast with grilled meat or fish plus vegetables for lunch. Green tea, coffee or water are typical of the fluid intake.

Therefore, although you restrict your calories for the day, you won’t feel starved or weak with hunger. You will be surprised at how much food you can eat for 500 calories if you plan prudently.

Fasting days, ideally, should never be consecutive, so the best part of the 5:2 diet is that you only have to cut back on your calories for one day at a time.

On the remaining five days a week, you can eat what you usually do, and that includes pudding if you want.

The 5:2 diet has soared in popularity not just because it works, but also because it is easy to implement.

Even if you don’t particularly enjoy the fasting days, by the next morning you can resume eating as usual. That’s why it’s so easy to stick to the diet.

2. The History of the 5:2 Diet

Humans have been fasting for centuries; it’s not a new concept, and some cultures and religions regularly use it as a way of cleansing and detoxing.

The 5:2 diet uses the concept known as intermittent fasting (IF) which came under the spotlight with scientist Dr. Michael Moseley’s Horizon documentary Eat, Fast and Live Longer, which aired on BBC2 in August 2012.

It’s worth pausing for a moment to consider the name, “5:2 Diet.”

Strictly speaking, it’s not a diet, it’s a way of developing new eating practices, breaking the cycle of overindulging out of habit rather than hunger.

You might see people who are naturally slim eating calorific foods and wonder how they manage to avoid putting on weight.

Although they may have great genes and a fast metabolism, the chances are they listen to their body’s instincts; on some days they probably don’t eat that much.

That is what the 5:2 diet can help replicate. It’s a way of helping you to stop overloading your body, giving it a couple of days per week to take a break.

To return to the subject in hand, following the broadcasting of Dr. Moseley’s program, the 5:2 diet was officially created, feeding the demand for an eating regimen which would meet the criteria described.

Unlike many other food trends, the 5:2 diet was pioneered and developed in the UK, but since its launch has spread out across Europe and into the US.

3. Understanding the 5:2 Diets Popularity

Every decade there’s a diet which grabs the public’s imagination, but in most cases, it takes either a leap of faith or a stoic stubbornness to be able to follow the instructions to the letter.

How many diets have you been on where a tasteless low-calorie yogurt or a tiny square or two of chocolate needs you to save up your points, treats or calories?

Trying to convince yourself you don’t miss a glass of wine or being able to eat the same as the rest of your family can wear quite thin after a short while.

And this is one of the fundamental reasons that many diets just don’t work.

Rather than re-educating the body about how much food it wants and when, by the time a diet fails, the individual is ready to eat their body weight in chocolate.

Tell someone they can’t have something, and they will crave it even more; it’s in the hardwiring of human nature.

The 5:2 diet is different in this respect. While there is undoubtedly a period of sacrifice and restriction, it’s just for two days a week.

If you want a piece of cake, you only have to wait until the next day, and it’s all yours. That makes the food reduction far less stressful; most people can cope with not eating as much for just one day.

Knowing that there are no restrictions on feast days (the days when you are eating normally) means that you don’t get the overwhelming cravings often associated with stopping dieting.

If you want to eat out, enjoy a glass of wine or tuck into a bar of chocolate, you won’t be breaking your diet. And what’s more, you will still lose weight.

The first couple of times you do a fasting day, it can feel strange, and you’ll need to get used to it. But once you know the kind of foods you can eat, and how much, you will be able to prevent any real hunger pangs.

Some people even look forward to fasting days as they say it allows them just to forget about food for a short time.

Once you’ve been through the cycle of fasting days a couple of times, you will realize just how easy the diet is to follow.

There are no meetings to attend, no expensive books to purchase, and no need to eat different food than the rest of your family for most of the week. The 5:2 diet slots alongside your lifestyle neatly, and will quickly feel like a natural way to eat.

4. How the 5:2 Diet Works

The 5:2 eating regimen is not yo-yo dieting. Instead, it is a system which mimics the natural eating habits people would have had in the past when food was not quite as abundant.

Having short periods of sharply reduced calorific intake triggers a unique metabolic state which kick-starts repair and recovery at the cellular level.

Fasting days give the overburdened digestive system a chance to rest and recuperate, in particular, the pancreas which is the most sensitive to the intake of carbohydrates and sugar.

That, in turn, can make the body more sensitive to insulin in the long run, thereby not just controlling weight gain and loss more efficiently but also reducing the likelihood of developing diabetes.

You can follow a slightly adjusted version of this diet even if you aren’t seeking to lose weight.

By only having one fasting day per week you will maintain your present weight but still enjoy the other benefits.

Although most 5:2 novices may be apprehensive about fasting days at first, they often learn to look forward to them.

Surprisingly, many followers report that they feel better on fasting days, more alert, lighter and more energetic.

If you know what to eat, it’s possible to stave off hunger pangs, so it doesn’t become a regular test of endurance!

The other reason that the 5:2 diet works is that although for five days a week people are free to eat what they want, most opt for more sensible food choices or moderate their portion control.

That isn’t something stipulated by the 5:2 diet, but a natural selection as people become more aware of their physical needs and what their body wants.

It is worth mentioning at this point that on feast days, although you are free to eat whatever foods you choose, consistently bingeing and overeating won’t help you lose any weight.

You can indulge yourself when you want to, but if you continuously overeat and consume the wrong food, you won’t shed the pounds.

You don’t need to count calories on your feast days, but balancing a weekend of splurging with a couple of days of more sensible meals will help you achieve the weight loss you want.

5. Are There Any Other Benefits of the 5:2 Diet?

Although billed as a weight-loss program, as described above 5:2 can be adjusted for those who are no longer hoping to shed pounds and merely want a maintenance program. The 5:2 is more than an aid to losing weight.

Insulin sensitivity has been touched upon briefly, but it’s impossible to overstate the hormone’s physical impact.

Insulin plays a considerable role in the body and finding a way to make the body recognize this hormone more effectively will slash not just the risk of diabetes but associated conditions such as heart disease too.

Studies have also indicated that other indicators for disease drop when the body experiences intermittent fasting too.

These include total blood cholesterol and triglycerides (a type of bad cholesterol), glycated hemoglobin (another way of measuring the risk of diabetes) as well as IGF1 (a growth hormone believed to be linked to the presence of cancer).

And it’s not just the body; the brain benefits too.

Research points to a range of advantages, including a reduction in the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and age-related cognitive decline. It may also lead to a longer lifespan.

The full extent of the benefits that intermittent fasting brings is not yet known, but the early signs are that it’s not just your waistline that will benefit; it’s good for your body in ways that we don’t yet fully understand too.

6. Dealing with Fast Days on the 5:2 Diet

In the modern world, people are taught to fear the sensation of hunger, but it’s a natural sensation which doesn’t do any harm.

Although on fast days you will consume just a quarter of an adult’s normal caloric intake, you don’t need to feel hungry if you make smart choices.

You can use up your entire day’s calories in one meal if you choose to, or you could spread them out across the day, using lots of low-calorie foods to add bulk. As with the rest of the 5:2 diet, you have the freedom to choose what suits you.

Some people find that a hearty breakfast helps them stay full for most of the day; other people say this stimulates their appetite. Pick whatever option you think you have the best chance of sticking to.

You can pick which days of the week you want for your fasts.

Some people prefer to fast on the days when they won’t be out and about, as they find it easier to manage their food consumption at home.

Conversely, other people prefer to stay business on fast days, so they don’t feel tempted to snack.

For the first few fasts, you may experience some strange sensations, such as altered bowel movements. That will soon pass as your body becomes accustomed to your new eating habits.

Some people report headaches; this is frequently due to not drinking enough. We get lots of fluid from foods so if you are eating less you need to increase the number of drinks you have.

In many cases, hunger pangs are transient and will pass within 15 minutes. If you feel hungry, a good tactic is to distract yourself: go for a walk, pick up an engrossing book or even browse through Facebook.

You might find that you forget you were feeling hungry and the moment passes.

If you genuinely have the munchies, have snacks on hand that you know you can eat without blowing your fast day.

Low-calorie hot drinks such as Bonox, Bovril, Vegemite if you are an Aussie, or vegetable stock can help fill an empty hole without ruining your plans.

You will probably find that fiber and protein are the most satisfying and will help you feel fuller for longer. These types of food could include meat, fish, and vegetables.

7. Can Anyone Follow the 5:2 Diet?

The 5:2 diet is safe, easy, and straightforward, but like any eating program, there are some circumstances in which it may not be advisable.

Children and teenagers should not be on this weight-loss program, and although there is no stated upper limit, anyone who is elderly and frail should also find an alternative.

That is in part due to the risk of falls which may arise as a result of the period of acclimatization to the intermittent fasting.

Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not fast, nor should those who are underweight or have a history of suffering from an eating disorder.

Anyone with Type 1 diabetes or on insulin should also refrain from following any eating program which includes periods of fasting or extremely low-calorie intake.

If you are taking medication or have a diagnosed illness or condition, it’s advisable to see your GP first before embarking on the 5:2. If you are on Warfarin, the diet could increase your INR so you should talk to your doctor about monitoring your blood first.

You should also skip your fasts if you are feeling unwell as this could put more stress on your immune system.

Intermittent fasting is a long-standing and established pattern of eating; for example, Muslims all over the world use Intermittent Fasting every year during Ramadan.

However, it is essential that you place your health first. If you feel unwell, or any symptoms of an existing illness worsen, you should stop the program and seek medical attention if necessary.

So there you have it……..everything you need to know about the 5:2 diet.

And just before I go here is one more observation. Being in contact with so many people over the age of 60, I notice one constant. Most of them have one common issue in life…….I’m sure you can guess what it is; and you are spot on – it is their expanding waistline as they start to slow down.

But one thing I can say is of all these over 60’s who have lost weight and kept it off, the most successful methods have been with Dr Michael Mosley’s new and improved Mediterranean 5:2 diet combined with an appropriate exercise program.

I consider this to be Active Ageing at its best – give it a try and let me know how you go.

Cheers – John – your Active Ageing Mentor and Coach.

P.S. Help a friend to a healthier and happier lifestyle – like and share.

To save you some research time here are a few 5:2 Diet Fast Day Recipes you might like to try.

http://www.lovefood.com/journal/opinions/19083/a-month-on-the-52-diet-does-it-work

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/big_slim_whatever_weight_loss_club/1567814-5-2-Fast-day-recipe-ideas

http://www.london-unattached.com/topics/recipes/5-2-diet-recipes/

http://weeatthings.com/2012/08/08/the-52-diet-recipe-ideas/

http://www.lavenderandlovage.com/2012/09/weekly-meal-plan-and-a-new-52-diet-recipe-for-fast-days-creamy-garlic-mushrooms-on-toast-190-calories.html

http://www.lavenderandlovage.com/2012/09/weekly-meal-plan-and-a-new-52-diet-recipe-for-fast-days-creamy-garlic-mushrooms-on-toast-190-calories.html

http://pinterest.com/eclectic_gal/5-2-diet-recipes/

http://www.alldishes.co.uk/s/5-2-diet-breakfast.html