Is the 5:2 diet a good way to lose weight? (2024)

FAQs

Is the 5:2 diet a good way to lose weight? ›

The 5:2 diet is an easy, effective way to lose weight and improve metabolic health. Many people find it much easier to stick to than a conventional calorie-restricted diet.

Because the diet involves following a variety of food choices, the results differ from person-to-person. However, people can typically expect to lose between 1 to 2lb or 0.5 to 1kg a week. This result is based on people eating a healthy, balanced diet for 5 days of the week.

How to do it. The New 5:2 approach involves restricting calories to 800 on fasting days, then eating a healthy lower carb, Mediterranean-style diet for the rest of the week. The beauty of intermittent fasting means that as your insulin sensitivity returns, you will feel fuller for longer on smaller portions.

Intermittent Fasting

There are many different fasting regimens and it is unclear which may be the best. One of the most popular is the 5:2 system. This involves 2 days a week of fasting or VLCD and 5 days a week of eating your normal diet. Diets that incorporate fasting can cause rapid weight loss.

The 5:2 diet should be very effective for weight loss if done correctly. It may help reduce belly fat, as well as help maintain muscle mass during weight loss.

There are no restrictions on the types of food you can eat, however a balanced diet is emphasised and it's suggested that women, following the diet, may expect to lose about 1lb a week, with men losing about the same or a little more.

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that an ultra-low-calorie diet recipe such as a 500-calorie diet can lead to severe micronutrient deficiencies. The study showed a significant decrease in serum vitamin D, vitamin C and zinc levels in obese subjects on a 500-calorie diet for more than 12 weeks.

Very Low-Calorie Diet (VLCD)

On a VLCD, you may have as few as 800 calories a day and may lose up to 3 to 5 pounds (1.5 to 2 kg) week. Most VLCDs use meal replacements, such as formulas, soups, shakes, and bars instead of regular meals. This helps ensure that you get all of the nutrients you need each day.

How much should a 5'2" female weigh? ›

"If you're on the 5:2 program, you're consuming only 25% of your calorie needs two days a week, so I would reserve exercise for the other days of the week when you're eating normally," she advises.

A 2023 review of research found that the 16/8 method and 16/8 combined with restricting calories were effective strategies for weight control in adults with overweight or obesity. An eating window starting before noon led to greater weight loss than one that began after noon.

You will likely lose weight on any diet if you eat less than 910 calories a day. But losing 10 pounds in 3 days is both unlikely and unhealthy. To lose just 1 pound of body fat, you need to reduce your daily calories by about 500 a day for a whole week. That's giving up 3,500 calories over the course of 7 days.

Implementing fasting for the belly type can yield positive changes in both weight loss and abdominal fat reduction. However, it's important to approach fasting with a balanced perspective. On the positive side, fasting can help reduce insulin resistance, lower inflammation, and improve heart health.

Without medical supervision, on an 800-calorie diet, you will eventually lose muscle mass, bone density, skin elasticity and, quite possibly, some of your hair.

Instead, the 5:2 diet consisted of 5 days of normal diet. On the other two days, you could eat a total of 500 calories. Those 500 calories could be taken all in a single meal. If, for example, this is taken as dinner, it would be identical to a 24-hour fast.

A typical 500-calorie fasting day might include oatmeal with fresh blueberries for breakfast, a tangerine for a snack, and a chicken and vegetable stir-fry for dinner. You will drink lots of water and may also have calorie-free beverages such as tea, coffee (no milk or sugar), and club soda.