Examining the 5:2 Diet - Does It Actually Work?

5-2 Diet is the only diet that I have lost weight with. It really works!!! It also dropped my blood pressure, I stopped taking my low dose medicine. Watch the movie, it also lowers IGF1 (helps heal the cells in body).

My daughter Rosie and my best friend Sue have been doing the 5 and 2 for a while - both live in England. At first they found the hungry days difficult but have now got used to them. The two days are not consecutive so that is nice. They have both lost about 20 pounds and look fabulous and feel great too. I am so proud of Rosie as she was about 40 lbs overweight and at 5'5" she was pretty chunky. She looks soooooo much better and is full of energy and enjoying her new body! I weigh about 120 so don't need to do it but apparently they are finding all sort of other health benefits that are occurring like the excess fat round the heart is disappearing; I think that's what she said.

I have intuitively done intermittent fasting for years...a meal at 11 am and another at 6 pm with no snacks. While this isn't calorie depravation per se, it has kept my weight in check for years. The minute I start adding additional meals or snacks, my weight goes up and I feel groggy all the time. I also do not get many colds, flu or any joint pain when I use this method of eating. It works!

I am not overweight but by dropping 10 lbs means I'd in a lower bmi band. 5:2 suits me - a modest breakfast then nothing other than calorie free liquids until 5-6 pm when I eat a mountain of vegetables with a little carbohydrate like a baked potato. I do not count calories as +/- 100 calories is not going to make much difference to this regime which has to become a way of life and it also reduces the stress of counting calories.

So far 4 lbs have melted away with no sign of gaunt cheeks, flat boobs etc and there's good news for males too, the weight drops off even quicker. My husband has lost 10 lbs but he had more to loose. On the calorie reduced days I make sure that I am extremely busy so that skipping lunch does not bother me.

This is the first time I have ever followed a "diet". I believe it is good to under eat occasionally even though I am not guilty of overeating ever!

Hi this was common practice when I was a child due to religious and health reasons and is as old as time its self. I just love it when some one remembers what their elders or the ancients used to do and the benefits it brings about. Then wrap it up in a cover, add their name and end up in 'The New York Times' as 'The latest diet Guru???'

Think I'll go build an ark and go around screaming about 'Come the great flood!! ' Beware of rancid cellulite!! Maybe I might make the times as well!! Lol!!

Whatever, it's common sense that taking time out and resting your bodily functions will do you good. All work and no rest and play? it's all as natural to us as breathing. We are in a 'lack of common sense' crisis as much as anything else that's cascading amongst our species methinks sire.

Too much brain wash going on today about body image rather than a healthy body. 'You ain't nothing but a sin unless your thin???' Crap!!!

Rubens had it right Women should be voluptuous, healthy, and rounded and soft. I got the opposite problem due to ill health. I look like one of those dumb wits that bought in to the media brain was that 'thin is in??'' I am trying to put weight on and it's a real big struggle to maintain the weight I am and I eat 1000's of calories a day.

Whatever happened to a happy and healthy weight non diet but eating well? Stop believing the Media look where it got everyone with Allopathic MEDI-SIN? You wait until ALL so called 'Celebs' are obese what then? ''Eat until you can't walk?'' Aim for good health by nutrition and common sense. We all know what we need to know without making some one else rich with buying in to some new 'fad'?? This planet is ruled by 'fads' how sad.

love Andrea C xxx

In Islam it is recommended to fast every Monday and Thursday.

Intermittent fasting has become very popular for athletes especially for the recent finding that missing meals triggers the Pituitary gland to produce more Human Growth Hormone (HGH). This could potentially add yrs to one's life, as well as a big factor in quality of life.

Yea! I started intermittent fasting several yrs ago after reading a book called, "Eat Stop Eat" by Brad Pilon. So this is nothing new to me. His book is based on his experience as a nutritionist for athletes. He suggested to stop eating at 6pm one evening and not eat til 6pm the next evening. Then you have fasted for 24 hrs. The health benefits are as amazing. I had more energy, and yes more mental clarity, and weight loss. Some people fast to detox their body. I want to point out that you don't have to fast for days. I fast every other day. Usually 3 days a wk and that's perfect for me. Remember Jesus' also fasted!

I have been on the 5:2 diet for 5 months now and I have lost 6 kg, slowly, very slowly and even took some time off the diet when I went on holidays. I feel it is a kind of plan I can sustain in the long term until I get to the weight I want to be at. I am so happy with it because I am a proponent of quality and traditional foods which include meat, raw milk, butter etc.. I feel my body benefits from those but of course, it was hard to lose weight Ha!

I had to get myself organised and have in the house the food I need for my "2" days. And I still provide my body with the optimum nutrition it needs. Brilliant!!!

Yes, I think the 5:2 diet really works. I personally know about 10 people here in Los Angeles are doing or have tried (and given up) the diet. I started it a few weeks ago. I find it easy to cut back to 500 calories 2 days a week. The trick is not to go to the gym on those 2 days! I made the mistake of going to a hot yoga class on one of my low calorie days and had to eat more that day. But I feel so much better on this diet! More energy, increased mental clarity. It's helping me eat better on the 5 days of higher calories too.