5: 2 diet: Lose weight according to the part-time principle

The 5: 2 diet is based on a simple weight loss strategy: you can feast for five days, the rest of the week is fasted. Can that work?

What is the 5: 2 diet?

Weight loss without yo-yo effect and faster tapping of fat deposits – that's what the 5: 2 diet promises. A simple version of interval fasting, where you can eat whatever you want five days a week before two days of fasting follow. The idea behind the 5: 2 diet is quite simple: The body needs fasting days to regenerate itself and to reduce its fat reserves in the long term. The omission of certain foods is manageable through the diet days, which makes the concept easier to maintain.

It is important that the fasting days do not follow one another directly. Because: The longer you withhold the usual amount of food from your body, the greater the risk of cravings. In addition, the two fasting days should be fixed days, for example always Tuesday and Friday.

One of the biggest advantages of the 5: 2 diet: On the five days of the week you should eat a balanced and healthy diet, but it is also allowed to feast from time to time. For example, a little chocolate or fast food is not a problem as long as they are on the menu as an exception. On the other hand, on the two days of fasting, there is strict fasting, but here, too, you do not have to completely do without food.

How does the 5: 2 diet work?

On the two days of fasting 500 calories are allowed for women and 600 calories for men. This small amount makes it almost impossible to grab carbohydrate-rich foods such as pasta, bread, rice, potatoes or pastries. In fact, these foods are also prohibited on fasting days. Instead, the following low-calorie, but protein-rich foods can be eaten:

  • lean meat, for example poultry
  • lean fish
  • lean curd
  • tofu
  • fruit and vegetables
  • Vegetable broth
  • healthy fats, such as olive oil

Most of the time you can’t make three meals a day with just a few calories often one or two small meals are eaten with the 5: 2 diet.

Advantages of the 5: 2 diet

The 5: 2 diet program is therefore touted as particularly suitable for everyday use, because you can lay off the fasting days at your own discretion. The diet is also said to have other benefits:

  • Fat reserves are reduced
  • Sugar metabolism is stabilized (thus less cravings)
  • moderate, long-term weight loss
  • Jojo effect unlikely
  • no strong waiver of fast food and sweets necessary
  • Study shows improvement in inflammation levels in the gut

Researchers at the University of Graz have also been able to use a study to show that the unhealthy visceral fat that surrounds the organs and the blood pressure decrease through this form of nutrition. The bad cholesterol level can also be reduced by the 5: 2 diet. In the long term, the 5: 2 diet should even be able to protect against various diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Beware of this mistake in the diet

The 5: 2 diet is not entirely without discipline. Since you can theoretically eat what you want on the five days of the week when there is no fasting, there is a high risk of eating too much. But if you do not pay attention to a healthy diet and, for example, eat too many carbohydrates, you will not be able to lose weight with this form of fasting. It is about the right control – if you are burger with fries on one day, you should rather only eat a small turkey steak with lots of vegetables the next day.

Tips for the 5: 2 diet

Do you want to start the diet and eat five days and fast two? These tips will help you:

  • On fasting days, counting calories and low carb help you not to exceed the permitted number of calories.
  • Exercise should be on the schedule two to three times a week – ideally for at least 30 minutes each. The sport should be done on days when you are not fasting. On the fasting days you can go for a relaxed walk or perform light movements like doing yoga.
  • A calorie deficit should be avoided on non-fasting days and the diet should consist largely of healthy foods.
  • Too much salt is generally considered unhealthy, so you should also salt as little as possible when fasting. Herbs and various spices help to ensure that the dishes still have sufficient taste.
  • Speaking of spices: sharpness boosts the metabolism. If you season more often with chilli or ginger, for example, you can support the weight loss even more.

How much can I lose with the 5: 2 diet?

Studies have shown that women on the diet lose an average of 0.5 kilograms a week, men a little more. These are good and healthy values ​​- if you want to lose weight in the long term, you should not lose more than two kilos per month. The diet is ideal for this.

Disadvantages of the 5: 2 diet

The new concept is considered balanced and healthy. Nonetheless, fasting beginners in particular could struggle with one or two side effects at the start. Possible complaints are:

Therefore, it can be useful start the diet at the most stress-free time possible, for example on vacation.

Can everyone follow the 5: 2 diet?

It is generally a good idea for everyone to speak to your family doctor before you start fasting. But there are also groups of people who should better look for a different nutritional concept. These include:

  • pregnant women
  • breastfeeding women
  • People with chronically very low blood pressure
  • People with eating disorders
  • People with certain metabolic disorders

Recipes: Example of a day of fasting

Would you like suggestions on how best to organize a day of fasting? Here are our ideas for recipes:

In the morning should be eaten with as much protein as possible. For example, quark or eggs are suitable:

  • 150 grams of low-fat curd cheese with fresh berries, such as blueberries or strawberries, or an omelet with herbs. It also tastes like a homemade smoothie made from green vegetables.

At noon or in the evening it is best to use a mixture of protein-containing foods and vegetables, for example poultry or fish:

  • 100 grams of chicken breast fillet, fried in a little olive oil. As a vegetable side dish, for example, fried zucchini slices or colorful paprika vegetables taste great. As an alternative to the chicken breast fillet, you can also use low-fat fish such as pollack or pike. Vegetarians set z. B. on colorful vegetable pans or zucchini and carrot buffers.

A lot of water should be drunk in between, and some herbal tea is fine. If you are very hungry, you can also drink some vegetable broth in between. You can find even more recipe ideas for your Lent in our article Intermittent Fasting Recipes.

Reading tips: Here we explain everything about intermittent fasting, juice fasting, detox, and light food. You can find out how water fasting works here.

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