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Are you ready to fast for weight loss? The good news is that there is an easy way to do it and you will get results really fast. 5 2 diet is the answer to deal with your unhealthy pounds and leave you energetic and in enviable shape.
I have been an enthusiast in weight loss and believe me when I say the 5:2 is something that will work for you. But I do not propose you take my word for it, but let’s take the walk together and you will be the judge of it all.
What is 5 2 diet?
The fast diet or the intermittent fasting is what is referred to as 5 2. The name comes from the mode of eating whereby you dine and wine normally for 5 days of week and fast for the remaining 2 days. For the fasting days your calories intake is limited to a maximum of 600 calories per day. It is for you to decide whether to call this one a diet for there is no much of a restriction of what you will eat, a requirement in most of the weight loss diets. But that the good about this one as you are left to your own devices to decide what to eat; but from the healthy package.
But all the same many people find it easy to follow and that is why it is popular among the masses. And you need to know about it.
The non-fasting days
You will have 5 days that you will not fast. You should eat normally and to your fill. Many people tend to take this to mean that you have to include all junk in your plate since there is no clear limitation on what you should not eat. But you should not fall into the same boat if you want this diet to work. You need a balanced plan and it should be from healthy foods. Do not eat what comes your way; be disciplined. The freedom here is to create some flexibility to your appeal and make it easy for many people.
Do the fast days mean eating nothing at all?
Many would be scared if they have to go an entire day without eating (I would be shocked too if that was the case). But that is not what it means to fast here. The fasting here means you have to reduce your food intake to as low as a quarter of what you are used to eating in a day. For women you are allowed to take a maximum of 500 calories while men should take a maximum of 600. You can spread this limit in 3 meals but do not be tempted to exceed on your intake. For those who are used to fasting, they can go for an entire day without eating anything but you do not have to copy what they do. For your fasting days these are examples of what you can eat with no negative effects;
· Vegetables soups: they contain nutrients that can sustain your body for the full day.
· Black coffee and herbal tea: these ones will keep your body energized. Your day will not be so hard on you.
· Loads of water: you will need to keep your body hydrated. Water will also help in dealing with toxins produced from your body.
· Yoghurts and berries: the yoghurt should be natural to help curb taking more calories.
· Baking or boiling eggs: 2 eggs should be enough for a day but they should be either baked or boiled.
· White meat and grilled fish: be sure you do not go for some kinds of fish such as Herring and tuna. Lean meat is the best for it has safer proteins.
On the fasting there are no established patterns you should eat. You can find what works for you through experiments.
Please be advised that fried foods are not welcome both on the free-ride and fasting days. You should have them fully out of the equation and your challenge would not be a mountain anymore.
12-week expected results
As long as you on course of this diet, here are the results you should be looking forward to;
· Decreasing leptin levels by 40%. Leptin is the hormone that regulates weight loss. When it is low you will be able to achieve your weight loss goals faster. This is the diet you should go for and you will not struggle much to get your leaner muscles and healthy weight.
· In 12 days you will lose as much as 5 pounds. This is a good rate recommended by diet experts. It is a good rate that will leave you with energy and will not negatively affect your body system.
· Reduction in fat mass by 3.5 pounds. This reduction of fat will not affect your muscle mass which is a good thing to leave your body in perfect shape. There are diets that will leave you looking hollow once you lose weight. This one takes care of that and you will be looking good once you are done.
How long should you keep on this diet?
The 5:2 diet is one that you stay on for life. Even after achieving your weight loss goals you can go on. This diet is not only on weight loss; it is diversified and approaches health from many fronts. It has so many benefits to your body and should help you lead a healthy lifestyle. If you do not want to further lose weight you should change to 6:1 whereby you eat normally for 6 days and fast for one. Who would not want to keep on enjoying the benefits of such a diet?
Who should not take this diet?
Intermittent fasting is for anyone who is in perfect health and would want to lose weight. However, there are groups who should not try it at all costs. They include;
· Women who have a history with infertility and would want to conceive. The diet is a no-no for this kind of women for they have to be fully nourished at all times.
· Invalids: anyone sick or recuperating should not try this diet. The fast phase is not good at all if you are trying to get back to your full physical being. Wait until you are fully recovered and you will have it for sure.
· Those who have lasting eating disorders should not try this one. It will complicate everything for them and cause more eating problems.
· Pregnant and nursing mothers: these one cannot take into this diet especially the fasting phase. They need to be nourished at all times to remain healthy.
· Teenagers and children: these ones are still in their growth and development stages and need nutrients to keep on the right course.
· Those malnourished: people who do not have adequate access to food should not try this one out. After all they will not have the need to lose weight in their condition.
If you are doubtful on whether you should go for his diet or not, you should consult your doctor to get the green light. There is another thing you have to note. The diet may be better for men than it would perform on women. Men will find it easy to lose weight with this diet as opposed to women.
Exercise levels for those taking this diet
Different people can partake in this weight loss diet. From the old to the young, active to less active; everyone would require some physical exercise to ensure success. Here is a breakdown of what each group needs to do in terms of physical activity;
· Least active: this is the lot that cannot take any sort of physical activity. They are either old or sick or in a physical condition to do hard work. There are those who can’t incorporate physical activities in the daily life due to what they do for living. These people take stairs or have to drive while going for work.
· Light active: this is the lot of people who walk to work and can do some exercises for at least a single day per work. They do not have strict exercising schedule.
· Medium activity: this group can find some time for exercise and can do it for 3-5 days in a week. They can afford 30-minute continuous physical exercise for at least 3 days in a week. If you are here you have an established exercise regime in your lifestyle and you strictly follow it.
· Super-active: these are persons who exercise daily. They may not be professional athletes but they take exercise very seriously. They take at least an hour of continuous physical exercise.
· Ultra-active: for those who are deep into exercise will do it for more than 1 time in a day. Each of the session will take at least 1 hour. This is the group of professional athletes who need to be fit at all times.
Benefits of 5 2 diet
You should not try a diet that will not give you the desired results. The 5 2 diet is a promise that will deliver on what it says. Here are benefits you will draw if you enrol in it;
· Fast and effective weight loss: here is what you have been looking for to shed your unwanted pounds very fast. It comes to you easy as you do not have to sacrifice a lot.
· Improved metabolism: a streamlined metabolism is what you need to have any chance against unhealthy weight. Your food intake will be equal to what you use in your body. There will be no build-up of fat that is the major culprit in causing weight gain.
· Living longer: this is a diet that you can live on for as long as you want. It improves your body immunity and health. Comparative studies on the efficiency of healthy diets show that those who rely on the 5:2 diet plan have a higher change to live longer.
· Reduced chances for cardiovascular diseases and cancer: it is time that heart diseases and cancer are taking toll on the masses. Weight loss diets are good in fighting the chances for getting these conditions. While on this diet, you will have high chances to avoid them.
The expert’s opinion on this diet
Kerry Torrens is a prominent therapist practising in the US. Her experience in dealing with an array of therapeutic procedures has given her an authority in this field. In her opinion about the 5:2 diet she says that it is much easier to be on this one than it is with traditional weight loss diets. She says that fasting is a weight loss principle that has been used for many years and has proven effective. The lack of restrictions is one thing she thinks attracts many people to this diet. She however says that the hunger experienced during the fasting days is a reason why some people still do not want to try it.
Torren lauds this diet to be among the best when it comes to safely losing weight in the long term. It does not mean because you have lost enough weight for the first or 2 weeks that you should let the diet go. You can keep on with it in your normal eating plans. The long term advantages of this diet is something you should be walking into and have no regrets afterwards.
Well, now you have heard it from the expert. I believe you should not have any fears as you walk into this diet. It is all clear for you if you are not in the category of those forbidden to try it.
Is this worth your try?
The testimonies that come from those who have used this diet are solidly pointing to the effectiveness of this diet. If you have been disillusioned in the past, do not be afraid that you are making another mistake. One thing that should draw you to this diet is how easy it is to follow it. There is no that strictness you have to deal with other diets. Even scientific studies have supported this diet’s effectiveness in weight loss. I would recommend that you go for this diet and you will not regret you read this post.
