Plant the seed to better health.™
1. A Lifestyle You Can Live With
One of the main reasons traditional plans fail is that they call on you to eliminate (or drastically reduce) specific food groups. Let’s face it - if one of your favourite “guilty pleasures” falls within these - can you really be expected to turn your back on it long term? I think not - you’ll just end up craving them even more which can only lead to diet disaster!
2. It's Only 2 Days Per Week
The beauty of 5:2 is that you only have to be truly disciplined 2 days per week, sticking to 500 calories on your “Fast Days” - that’s much easier, right? Now that’s not to say you go totally bonkers the other 5 days a week, but no food is totally off-limits, so as long as you are sensible, you can eat normally without depriving yourself of the foods you love.
3. The Magic Bullet
With most diets, on-going calorie reduction sparks your metabolism into survival mode. Believing there is a shortage of food, metabolism slows down to compensate so your weight loss peters out over time. Alternating between high calorie and low calorie intake days on the 5:2 confuses your body - there’s no famine, so no need to dial down the metabolic rate - Result!
4. The Science
The science is simple. The calories you consume get broken into glucose, which your body uses for metabolism. On high calorie days, this glucose is what your body uses for energy and helps you avoid muscle breakdown when you work out. On Fast days, your body doesn’t get enough glucose to function, so starts burning fat reserves instead, even if not exercising.
5.THE ICING ON THE CAKE
Studies show it’s easier to follow than continued calorie restriction; is really effective in reducing insulin levels; can quickly and simply be adapted from 5:2 to 4:3 (3 fast days alternated with 4 higher calorie days) to further boost weight loss; has also been known to improve symptoms of asthma, seasonal allergies, heart arrhythmias, menopausal hot flushes and more.