Are you tired of following strict dieting plans just to relapse and start binge-eating junk food a few days later? Well, that’s how the human brain works. You only want more of what you’re not allowed to have. That’s why we bring you the 5:2 diet!
The 5:2 diet, also known as the “2 Day Diet” or “The Fast Diet” is a method of dieting that involves intermittent fasting, with no hard and fast rules on what to consume!
How the 5:2 Diet Works
In the 5:2 diet, you spend 5 days of the week eating normally and 2 days of the week on a low-calorie diet. Those two days can be any two days of the week, provided that there’s at least one normal day in between the two fasting days. Ideally, you should choose a day on which you’re not too physically active.
The 5 Normal Days
The important point here is to note that during the “normal” days, you’re supposed to eat normally instead of over-eating! Normally here means consuming the number of calories you’d need to get through the day. This can be measured by your total daily energy expenditure.
You don’t need to restrict your calories on these days, you just need to consume as much as you’re spending. For a typical adult, this ranges from 1600-22000 calories per day.
The 2 Day Diet
During the 2 day diet, you need to consume only 500 calories if you’re a woman and 600-650 calories if you’re a man.
During these two days, you need to consume your calories wisely. Try to eat low-calorie filling foods that have a lot of fiber in them. Some examples include:
You can consume black coffee and black tea without sugar on the 2 day diet. However, sodas and other beverages aren’t allowed and you need to stick to water only!
These two days shouldn’t be two consecutive days of the week! There should be a gap of at least one normal day between the 2 diet days.
According to a 2 day diet review, it’s better to take meals according to your own timing and preference on these two days. Just make sure that the total calorie count doesn’t exceed 500 or 650. You can also skip one meal of the day if you want, and divide the calories equally among the other two meals. It’s entirely up to you.
In the 2 day diet 650 calories, there’s no restriction of what you can and can’t eat, but it’s best to consume foods that have a high amount of fiber so that you don’t get hunger pangs throughout the day and stay healthy.
Don’t Follow This Diet if…
The 5:2 diet is designed for normal, healthy individuals who don’t have any underlying medical conditions. If you fall under one of the following categories, please don’t follow this diet:
If you have any other medical conditions and you feel this diet could make them worse, please consult your doctor before starting the 2 day diet!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal to experience fatigue during the 5:2 diet?
According to many 2-day diet reviews, you may experience fatigue as well as other symptoms like loss of concentration, sleepiness, weakness and headaches during the 2 day diet for the initial few weeks. If it’s too much to bear, you can start by reducing the calorie count to 1000 for the 2 days initially, and then cut it back to 500-600 during the next few weeks! This will make the transition easier for you.
How long do I need to follow this diet to see results?
We recommend making this diet a permanent lifestyle change so that you can stay healthy. According to the 2 day-diet reviews, it takes about 4-8 weeks to see results!
Isn’t this diet harmful to me?
No, this diet is not harmful to you because intermittent fasting has shown to provide many benefits including a decreased risk of heart diseases and other chronic illnesses. Intermittent fasting also lowers your chances of getting diabetes and improves your blood cholesterol and sugar levels.
What if I feel very hungry during the 2 diet days?
According to many 2 day-diet reviews, it’s very common to feel immense hunger during your diet days. Choose the diet days so that you don’t have a lot of physical activity on those days. Here are a few tips that will prevent you from feeling too hungry:
Once your body gets used to the 5:2 diet, you’ll start feeling better on the diet days! According to a 2 day diet review, drinking water every time you feel hungry helps you control hunger pangs and keeps you active throughout the day!
I’ve been on the 5:2 diet for a few weeks and instead of losing weight, I’m gaining weight! What am I doing wrong?
You’re either eating too much during your normal days or not sticking to the calories on the diet days! The 2 day diet 650 calories challenge needs to be followed strictly during the 2 fasting days!
Note down everything you eat for a week and then count the calories to find out where exactly the problem lies. Remember, if you’re consistently eating junk food on the normal days, this diet won’t work for you because this way, you’re overeating on the normal days!
Why it Works
The biggest advantage of this diet is that it doesn’t impose particular food restrictions and it’s a pretty flexible diet! If you find it hard to stick to specific foods, then this diet is for you!
So, what are you waiting for? The 2 day diet reviews are quite promising. Start this 2 day diet today and lose weight!