5:2 fad...

I’m not a fan of fad diets. I am a firm believer in healthy food and exercise; if you want to lose weight, exercise more and eat less. Simple.

With my amount of running, I’ve been able to eat pretty much anything I like and not gain weight, and I’ve considerably slimming down from my pre-running days. But as I’ve not been able to run properly since March I’ve noticed that I’m getting a little rounder on the edges. I still do a lot of walking, cycling and swimming, but it doesn’t quite compare to when I was running. I don’t eat particularly unhealthily, but I could probably do with cutting out the treats and reducing my portion sizes.

I’m hoping to be back running by the end of the year, but in the meantime, I’ve decided to kick-start a bit of weight-loss. A good friend of mine has been doing the 5:2 diet and has had brilliant results. On the 5:2 diet, you basically eat as normal for 5 days a week, and fast for 2 days (usually non-consecutively). By a fast, it means 500 calories a day for women and 600 for men.

So here’s the science bit. The fast days allow your body to take a break from toxins normally ingested, allowing the body to rest and naturally cleanse itself – leading to a more efficient digestive system. Fasting is also linked to reduced levels of IGF-1(insulin-like growth factor-1) - this helps weight loss by increasing the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which regulates glucose levels in the blood. Dips and peaks in glucose levels are linked to cravings and drops in energy levels, so regulating levels can help to prevent overeating.

One of the main attractions of the diet is its manageability on a psychological level. Rather than trying to stick to a diet all the time and berating yourself for any slips, it’s supposed to feel more like a two day break out of your usual routine in order to reconfigure your system. You can also plan your social commitments around it and if a fast day is really difficult, you can eat normally the next day.

The theory sounds ok. So today is Day 1 – I’m weighed and have taken before photos for comparison (not blipped). I’m determined to do this as healthily as possible, and stick to the idea of a cleanse. These photos show today’s 478 calories - It's amazing how much fruit and veg you can eat for that!

My freezer is full up of portioned food - I have little 100g bags of chicken and cod and 200g bags of frozen fruit - to try and make it as easy as possible to stick to and not go over the limits. I just need to weigh out the veg each fast day.

Anyway, I’ll let you know how I get on with the experiment!

In other news, tonight I went to see:

24. The Duck Pond. An innovative re-telling of Swan Lake. Review to be posted soon.