What Is The 5:2 Diet? You may have also heard of the 4:3 diet, which is the same concept but you are required to fast for three days instead of two. The 5:2 diet is a form of fasting where followers eat about 25% of their recommended calorie needs (about 500-600 calories) on two scheduled fasting days and then eat normally the other five days that week. People generally intersperse their fasting days (like planning them for Mondays and Thursdays) so they’re not back-to-back.

There aren’t any hard-and-fast rules about what to eat on the 5:2 diet, so you can essentially eat whatever you like on fasting days as long as it stays within the caloric limits. Typically, people will eat lower-calorie foods on their fasting days. These could include vegetables, fish, soup, eggs, and lean meat, plus zero-calorie beverages like water and black coffee or tea. You can eat up to three times a day on a fasting day. Since there isn’t an official list of 5:2 diet foods or 5:2 diet recipes, you just have to keep track of your caloric intake rather than macronutrients and the like.

 

There is very little research on the 5:2 diet period, not to mention over an extended period of time. A gradual and moderate reduction in calories, coupled by stay hydrated and choosing more nutrient-dense foods, can lead to lasting sustainable weight loss over time. The 5:2 diet has some pretty extreme caloric fluctuations throughout the week. I’d argue for a more modest yet sustainable caloric reduction daily where you can still incorporate your favorite foods and not starve yourself. It makes me think of the phrase hara hachi bu, a Confucian saying recited before every meal in the community of Okinawa, Japan (which is considered a “blue zone”and is home to the longest-living women in the world). The phrase reminds Okinawans to stop eating when they are 80% full and helps to prevent overeating. Eating mindfully, staying hydrated, and planning ahead are your best secrets for weight loss/management success in the long-run.

What Can You Eat?

On fasting days, the 5:2 diet restricts calories two days of the week to just 500 a day for women and 600 a day for men. On the other five days, you eat normally. But according to “The Fast Diet” book, eating “normally” means that you eat the number of calories your body needs to perform daily functions (also known as TDEE or total daily energy expenditure).7 That means you shouldn’t necessarily overindulge on your non-fasting days. Instead, you are encouraged to eat reasonable portions of a wide range of foods.

A large part of the appeal of the 5:2 diet is its simplicity. There aren’t any complicated meal plans to follow and you don’t have to measure portions or count calories. That said, you should aim to consume nutritious foods on any eating plan to promote both weight loss and weight maintenance.

Both protein and healthy fats are important on fasting days, as they’ll provide your brain and body with sustained energy. While it’s best to stick to lean protein most of the time, a few servings of red meat on occasion won’t hurt. Try incorporating lean ground beef or a lean cut of steak, for instance. Fruit generally has a healthy place in any diet; enjoy citrus fruits, starchy fruits, berries, and more on this eating plan.

On fasting days, you should also try to eat high-volume, low-calorie foods to fill up space in your stomach. Foods high in fiber, such as carrots and broccoli, are good choices that will help keep you full. You can drink anything you want on your regular eating days, but on fasting days, you should stick to plain water or zero-calorie beverages like black coffee and herbal tea in order to stay within that day’s calorie limit.

Keep in mind there’s a good chance you’ll experience side effects on fasting days if you’ve never tried fasting before. Side effects of fasting include

• Hunger
• Headaches
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Trouble focusing
• Loss of productivity
• Sleepiness 
• Mood swings
• Nausea 
• Weakness