It is good for metabolism and prevents the yo-yo effect: The 5:2 diet. This means: 5 days full of food – two days fasting. Here for you: A review of experience, a tasting day and great 5:2 diet recipes!
5:2 – which sounds like the intermediate stand in a tennis match, is a nutritional concept recommended by scientists.
According to various studies, the 5:2 diet does not only work for losing weight: It also helps balance the unhealthy blood lipid levels and blood pressure. It reduces the risk of developing dementia, diabetes and some types of cancer.
The concept of intermittent fasting was developed several years ago by scientists in Manchester who developed the nutritional model for women at high risk of breast cancer.
It still needs some long term studies to show whether the health benefits are really so great, but the 5:2 diet is worth a trial.
The 5:2 diet is suitable for people who find it easier to eat nothing at all than just a little.
How does the 5:2 diet work?
On five out of seven days you are allowed to eat what you fancy – on the other two days, on the other hand, fasting is the order of the day.
This means that women should consume no more than 500 calories on these fasting days, and men should consume no more than 600 calories.
Carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread, pasta, rice or potatoes, as well as sugary snacks and alcohol, are banned on the calorie days – they just don’t last long.
For this, there are plenty of vegetables, some fruit, a good portion of protein and plenty of water, as well as unsweetened tea on the menu.
How does the intermittent fasting work?
- The calorie quota for the two fasting days may be distributed between one or more meals.
- In addition, a lot of water needs to be drunk.
- There are not uninhibited gluttony on the plan on the five non-fasting days, but there are no strict plans and requirements. What is allowed is what tastes and is healthy. The recommended daily calorie intake is around 2000. This is relatively much and can be adhered to by most without much giving up.
- There are no requirements regarding carbohydrates or fat, anyone can eat according to their preferences. Short-term fasting provides positive impulses in metabolism, it does not easily lead to the yo-yo effect, as the body cannot adapt to the deficiency.
Feasting Yes! Overeating No!
Some internet forums advertise that if you stick to the two fasting days, you can feast as you like in the rest of the time.
But Dr. Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer, authors of the book “The fast diet ,” advise against this.
Although the two promise quick success in losing weight – about half a kilo a week in women, a little more in men – do the restriction: “Success also depends on not overeating onds on the non-fasting days.”
5:2 Diet Week: An Experience Report
Strict diet plans are not my thing, but eating disciplined on two days can’t be that hard …
Day 1: Monday, I start the week with the first of the two fasting days of the 5:2 diet. Ideal for getting the hand of the scales after a weekend of good food and wine.
Motivated I stir up 150g of skimmed curd in the morning with 50g thawed berries, a few chopped almonds and sweetener. Mmh! Tastes good and saturates. Until 2pm I drink a pot of green tea.
As a belated lunch, I prepare a salad from spinach, tomatoes, peppers, some kidneybeans, 100g light sheep’s cheese, a few olives, olive oil, lime juice and herbs.
After that, there’s only water left. First noticeable effect: When you have an evening yoga class, nix lies heavy in the stomach.
Day 2: Unlike expected, I don’t wake up with a bear hunger. I even find my obligatory Nutella bread in the morning almost too sweet.
All just conceit? May be, but I still follow my gut instinct and order the light vegetable stew during the lunch break. For dinner there is salad for the whole family.
Day 3: I decided to use Wednesday as a second day of fasting. At breakfast, I reach for the same ingredients as on Monday.
I drop out the lunch so I can eat the second allowed meal in the evening. I am invited to my birthday. There’s pumpkin soup – fits perfectly into my concept.
But then all of a sudden there’s a basket of bread in front of me. It smells so good! When I access, I think, “Tomorrow is still a day! “
Day 4: On a new one. Since the intermittent fasting allows 250g of lean protein-rich foods as a saddle maker, I start the fasting day with an omelette of two eggs and fried vegetables.
I can easily make ends meet with tea and mineral water until 6pm. For dinner, I make a tomato fish stew for the family. But there are no baguettes for this today!
Day 5-7: After the second day of fasting, I weigh 1.5 kilos less. That motivates. I have breakfast Friday and Saturday again skimmed curd and berries, simply because it tastes to me.
Somehow, even the weekend after that, I’m eating a lot of vegetables. But there is still a glass of wine.
My conclusion: With a little planning, the 5:2 diet is quite suitable for everyday use and recommended. I was amazed to be fed up with 500 calories delicious. Important to me: The fasting days shouldn’t clash with dinner invitations.
Recipes for the 5:2 diet
All recipes together for 1 person; About 500 kcal, 30 g protein, 25 g fat, 20 g carbohydrates
Meal 1: Tomato salad with goat cheese
Ingredients:
-250 g solid tomatoes (by season)
-25 g goat’s fresh cheese roll in ash
-1 tsp olive oil
-1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
-salt, pepper from the mill
-2 stems chives
-1 stem basil
-1 stalk mint
Preparation: Wash the tomatoes, remove the strunk. Cut tomatoes into wedges. Arrange with the goat cheese on a large plate.
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and sprinkle with pepper. Finely cut the herbs and sprinkle over them.
Meal 2: Chicken skewers with lemongrass
Ingredients:-1 stalk lemongrass
-Juice of 1 lime
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1 clove of garlic, crushed
-4 stems coriander, finely sliced
-4 sheets mint, finely sliced
-salt, pepper from the mill
-50 g chicken breast meat
-50 ml water
-1 pinch Piment d ‘Espelette
Preparation: Replace the outermost leaf of the lemongrass and cut away the lower end. Chop the delicate part (do not use the dry part of the stem). Mash lemongrass, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, coriander and mint with the water, season with pepper.
Cut the chicken into 3cm cubes and tuck on wooden skewers. Place these in the marinade and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour. Heat a pan on a medium heat and fry the skewers in it on each side for 2 minutes.
Cover, switch back the temperature and fry for another 1 – 2 minutes. Heat the marinade for 2 minutes at the same time. Season the skewers with Piment d ‘Espelette and serve with the marinade.
Meal 3: Steamed broccoli with soy sauce
Ingredients:
-200 g broccolic
-1 tbsp rice vinegar
-1 tsp soy sauce
-pepper from the mill
-1 tsp sesame seeds
Preparation: Clean broccolic. Steam in a small saucepan with little water for 7 minutes, then dip in ice water to stop the cooking process.
Drain the Romans and drain on kitchen paper. Mix the rice vinegar with soy sauce and pepper and drizzle the broccoli with it. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
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