The 5:2 Diet: Top Tips for Success

The 5:2 diet is designed to support healthy weight loss and weight maintenance, all while being simple, easy and enjoyable if followed the right way. In this article, we’ll be guiding you through exactly what makes the 5:2 diet so ground-breaking and sharing our top tips for success, so keep on reading.

What is The 5:2 Diet?

The 5:2 diet was popularised by Dr Michael Mosley after he discovered the power of intermittent fasting. It’s a highly effective eating pattern for those looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

The term ‘5:2 diet’ is used to illustrate the pattern of fasting for two days of the week (by consuming 800 calories) and spending the remaining five days a week eating a Mediterranean-style diet without the need for calorie counting. 

On fasting days, the body enters a state of ketosis where it ‘flips the metabolic switch’ from burning carbohydrates as a fuel source, to burning fat. This process activates autophagy, allowing for old or damaged cells to be cleared out, as well as many other benefits.

Benefits of the 5:2 diet 

There are countless reasons to follow the 5:2 diet, from it being scientifically proven to improve your health to how flexible and enjoyable it can be compared to some other diets:

• It brings significant health benefits: Studies have shown that fasting two days a week can improve your insulin response and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.¹ Additionally, it boosts your metabolism efficiency, delays neurological disorders, such as dementia, and reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease.² What’s more, it’s been recognised to be more effective for weight loss than continuous calorie restriction, particularly when it comes to harmful visceral (belly) fat.³

• It’s easy to follow: While strict ketogenic diets can be extremely effective for rapid weight loss, they can feel quite restrictive. The 5:2 diet is much less intensive, and can be flexible around your plans. For example, if you have plans on Monday and Friday next week, you can make Tuesday and Thursday your fasting days instead, and you’ll still reap the same benefits.

It’s sustainable long-term: The 5:2 diet can be followed long term, making it a great approach to move to after completing The Very Fast 800 (suitable for up to 12 weeks). This intermittent fasting lifestyle therefore avoids weight regain, and ensures your hard-earned results stand the test of time.

What to eat on fasting days 

There are plenty of delicious meals and foods you can enjoy on fasting days. Our Programme houses hundreds of fasting-friendly recipes to guide you through the 5:2 diet, but to get you started these are the kinds of foods you should be prioritising:

• Low carb, high protein: Ensure you hit your 60g target of daily protein, even on fasting days. Foods like chicken, oily fish, eggs and tofu will keep you energised and full between meals, so look out for dishes that are low in carbs but high in protein, such as this Parsley and Parmesan Fish or our Mediterranean Mozzarella Chicken. 
  
• High fibre vegetables: Similarly to protein, fibre helps keep you fuller for longer as it reduces gastric emptying and improves gut motility. This keeps your digestion happy and healthy while keeping nutritious food in your system longer while on fasting days. Aim to eat 30g of fibre daily in the forms of vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale or asparagus.
• Healthy fats: Because a fasting day swaps your body’s main source of energy from burning carbs to burning fat for fuel, it’s important to eat healthy sources of fats. Foods like nuts and seeds, avocados, Greek yogurt and extra virgin olive oil are all great foods to enjoy on a fasting day – they’ll also keep you feeling full, preventing the desire to snack.

What to eat on non-fasting days

Our Programme also caters for non-fasting day meals that you can enjoy as part of the 5:2 diet, but here are some key points to bear in mind:

• Healthy carbohydrates: On a non-fasting day, you may want to add complex carbohydrates to your meals. Enjoy delicious recipes, like our Beef Bourguignon or our Halloumi Fajitas, with sides of brown rice, sweet potato or wholemeal pasta.
• Stick to Mediterranean-style foods: The Mediterranean-style diet is known to be the healthiest way of eating on the planet. Regardless of calorie-counting, it’s naturally low in carbs and ultra-processed foods, but high in the key nutrients we need to live a long, healthy life. So, if you’re sticking to this way of eating while on the 5:2 diet, you’ll know you’re eating all of the good stuff, and none of the bad.

The Fast 800 Programme 5:2 Diet Plan 

If you’re thinking about following the 5:2 diet, then The Fast 800 Programme is here to help. We offer step-by-step guidance for all of our approaches, including the 5:2 diet, helping you lose weight and keep it off. 

Our Programme houses tailored meal-plans, with hundreds of tasty recipes for both fasting and non-fasting days, guided workout videos with our team of health coaches and access to our exclusive Community where you can engage with other supportive members who are also giving the 5:2 diet a go. 

For your 7-day free trial, sign up here today, and see how the 5:2 diet can turn your health, and your life, around.