Intermittent Fasting Protocols: What is the 5-2?
As you begin doing more research about intermittent fasting, you will notice many different protocols people try.
These include LeanGains (18-16), the 24-hour protocol, and the Warrior protocol. Another you might want to try is called 5:2, which has you eating what you want 5 days out of the week, then fasting the other 2 days. Take a look at what this type of intermittent fasting protocol entails.
What is the 5:2 Protocol?
First of all, here is how the 5:2 intermittent fasting protocol works. You want to eat what you normally would for 5 days out of the week, then fast for 2 days out of the week. This is very similar to the Eat-Stop-Diet, except with that diet, many people only fast for 24 hours, and there are often more rules for the fasted days. With the 5:2 protocol, you are told to eat a small amount on the two fasted days, often 500-600 calories for the day. You do not want the 2 days to be in a row either; have at least one normal eating day in between.
The Eating Days
One thing you want to keep in mind when doing the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet, like most IF protocols, is that during your eating windows, don’t worry too much about what you eat. It shouldn’t turn into a binge eating session, but instead you should just eat like you normally would. If you are on a special diet like keto or Paleo, then you should still stick to that on the eating days. Otherwise, just have average days of eating 5 days out of the week. Intermittent fasting is meant to simplify everything for you, so don’t worry about counting calories on the eating days unless you are following a low-calorie diet.
The Fasting Days
When it is time to fast, make sure the two days are not consecutive. You should not be fasting for more than 24 hours at a time. On these days, they are a little different than other fasting days, since you aren’t having zero calories. For women, you can have up to 500 calories, or up to 600 calories for men. This is still very low, but allows you to have a small amount of nutrients to fuel your body, from broth to fruit or veggies. Make those calories count with the most nutrient-dense foods you can find.
Did You Know?
We are offering a Course where we teach how to do Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss safely and healthily*. It is meant to introduce you to this mode of healthy eating and give you tools and resources to implement it into your life. Periodically, we are doing a FREE 7 Day “Jump-Start Your Weight Loss” Group Program to help you get started on the “right” foot…. Check for the next challenge here: https://docchristine.com/finally-thin-forever-challenge
Check out the Intermittent Fasting Course HERE or click the button below:
*Disclaimer: If you have health issues or take prescription medications, please consult your personal healthcare provider before you implement any lifestyle changes. If your individual healthcare provider has no objections, you can try Intermittent Fasting. Read my full Disclaimer here.
For individual questions regarding the course or challenge, please book a free Call with us: https://calendly.com/5dwellness
