Trending diets are all over social media at the moment, but it is difficult to know how healthy they are and what works for you. In last week’s article the pros and cons of the Keto, Paleo and Whole 30 diets were evaluated, and this week the focus is on 5:2 and Intermittent Fasting.
5:2
The ‘5:2’ diet has become very popular recently, with people raving about its magical effects. The diet operates on a basis of only controlling calorie intake on 2 days of the week, reducing calories to a quarter of your normal amount, e.g. 500 calories if your maintenance is 2000.
From the outside, this seems quite achievable – 5 days of the week you don’t even have to think about dieting, you just eat normally. The 2 days of reduced calories are spread across the week, and could even be significantly less hassle than a normal day, as you realistically only eat one meal, so you also save money! Many have reported significant weight loss from the 5:2 diet, improved digestion, and that after time your appetite adjusts and you find that you don’t need to eat quite as much.
On the other hand, eating only one meal a day takes a little getting used to. At the start of the diet, it is quite likely that you’ll feel a bit dizzy or lightheaded due to a lack of food…..If you often get dizzy or suffer from nausea, this might not be the one for you. This said, the 5:2 diet is perhaps one of the most effective diets for something that is not too strict or too much hassle, especially when compared to the Whole 30 rule book…
Intermittent Fasting
As the name suggests, this diet works by extending the period between your last meal of the day and your first meal of the following day, resulting in a period of controlled ‘fasting’, where your body will turn to fat as the energy source. Typically, this would be a 14-16 hour fast, and a 8-10 hour eating window in the day.
Similar to 5:2, there is potentially less hassle with this diet, as an 8 hour eating window allows for fewer meals, making it easier to plan and buy your weekly food. The benefits of this diet have predominantly been enhanced fat burn and a boosted metabolism, meaning that you can ’lose weight’ without losing muscle mass, important for athletes and anyone who wants to ‘tone up’. Many have also reported a huge improvement in their digestion, as the extended period of fasting allows the digestive system to fully empty and process foods before starting the process again.
A potential downside is that this can be quite a difficult diet to get into as an 8 hour eating window is really not much time – for example, 10am to 6pm. Many of us are used to having breakfast as soon as we wake up in the morning, which for some is very early. Furthermore, waiting until much later in the morning to have the first meal may not be practical if you have a busy, active job and get up early. However, perhaps this is even more reason to adopt this diet. Even those who rise at the ungodly hour of 6am and have tried Intermittent Fasting have reported the benefits. They found that they actually felt better and noticed fatigue less when they were not constantly seeking out the next snack to keep them going to the end of the day.
If you wish to try Intermittent Fasting, the advice would be to wean yourself in slowly instead of jumping straight to the extreme 8 hour eating window. Simply extend your overnight fast by an hour every few days until you reach a 14-16 hour fast. Having tried Intermittent Fasting myself, I can vouch for the fact that it certainly becomes easier with time. Whereas I used to wake up hungry and ready for breakfast, some mornings I am now able to wait until 10 or even 11 am, and am rarely hungry before 9am. My digestion has undoubtedly improved, and I definitely think my metabolism has become more efficient, meaning my body can deal with more food and still be losing weight/toning up. Also there is less time for snacking, making it easier to stick to a healthier, more whole-food based diet.
It seems clear from this comparison of diets that the most effective form of weight loss, both short and long term, are the diets that adopt a ‘whole foods’ approach and don’t restrict the dieter heavily. A diet should not really be a quick 4-week fix before your holiday, but a lifestyle choice that ultimately helps to achieve a happier and healthier you. Eating unprocessed, natural foods, without added sugars or excessive saturated fats, is the diet that will result in a little weight loss and, more importantly, have you feeling like a new woman, with renewed energy levels and a love for life. That’s not to say that we can’t all indulge a little now and then – everything in moderation. Remember, carbs are not the enemy, and neither are fats, it just depends on the types!