What Is the 5:2 Diet? Basics and Benefits

The 5:2 diet is arguably one of the best ways of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is a form of diet that involves periods of fasting followed by a fixed window of having meals.

Also known as the fast diet, the 5:2 diet involves having meals regularly for five days of the week while restricting caloric intake for two days. This method was made popular in 2013 by British journalist and former doctor Michael Mosley, who wrote about the same in his book, The Fast Diet.

In the 5:2 diet, calories are limited to 600 a day for men and 500 a day for women on the two fasting days. You are expected to consume your usual daily calories on the other five days.

The 5:2 method is simple, as it doesn’t come with any major restrictions or rules. There are no meal plans or specific workouts to be followed; nor is there a need to monitor and keep count of every single calorie going into your body. It pays more attention to the timing of your meals rather than the specifics of it.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean going all out or over-indulging on those five days while severely restricting yourself on the other two. You are still expected to follow a nutritious, balanced diet.

It all boils down to personal preference. It is recommended not to have two consecutive fasting days in a row, as your energy levels end up taking a massive hit if you do so. However, you are free to choose how to disperse your fasting day calories through the day.

If you’re following the 5:2 diet, there are certain foods that are recommended to be had to get the most out of this diet. The best food groups are:

• Healthy fats

• Lean protein

• High fibre

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Whole grains.

Beverages are not recommended on fasting days. However, one can indulge in a cup of green tea or black coffee without any sweeteners or milk.

---

Benefits of 5:2 diet

Let’s take a look at some of the ways this unusual form of dieting is good for you:

Weight loss

Of course, the main reason people even start this diet is for weight loss. The 5:2 diet is an effective way to shed fat without feeling too restricted. The fasting days are days of caloric deficit, i.e. consuming less calories than your body needs in a day. That's a big contributor to weight loss.

---

Helps control type 2 diabetes

The 5:2 diet has been linked with reduced insulin levels and improved insulin sensitivity. That makes it suitable for individuals with diabetes, as it helps control the side effects of the issue.

---

Customisable

As this diet doesn’t have a solid list of foods you can and can’t have, that makes it an easily customisable format for anybody to follow, giving one the freedom to tailor their meals and fasting windows as they see fit.

---

Reduced cholesterol levels

Studies have shown that the 5:2 diet is effective in reducing the count of low-density lipoproteins in one’s body, i.e. LDLs or bad cholesterol. There has been no evidence so far to suggest that it increases HDLs or high-density lipoproteins, but at least, it helps keep the LDLs in control.

---

Although eating significantly less on certain days of the week may come off as unreasonable, that eventually leads to many health benefits.

The 5:2 diet may just be what you’re looking for if you’re trying to lose weight while still getting in your macros. There are plenty of suitable meal plans available on the internet for your reference. Find something you like, and try the 5:2 out.