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ISBN: Print 978-1-62315-147-8 | eBook 978-1-62315-148-5
CONTENTS
Introduction
Chapter 1: What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Chapter 2: The One-Month 5:2 Fast Diet Weight-Loss Plan
Chapter 3: 10 Tips for Motivation and Success
Chapter 4: Exercise on the 5:2 Fast Diet
Chapter 5: Other Health Benefits of the 5:2 Fast Diet
Chapter 6: Fasting-Day Recipes
#1: Greek Breakfast Wraps
#2: Parmesan Egg Toast with Tomatoes
#3: Curried Chicken Breast Wraps
#4: Baked Salmon Fillets with Tomato and Mushrooms
#5: Protein Power Sweet Potatoes
#6: Avocado and Fennel Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
#7: Penne Pasta with Vegetables
#8: Hearty Shrimp and Kale Soup
#9: Pork Loin Chops with Mango Salsa
#10: Lemon-Sesame Chicken and Asparagus
#11: Spinach and Swiss Cheese Omelet
#12: Grilled Chicken Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
#13: Quick Miso Soup with Bok Choy and Shrimp
#14: Broiled Halibut with Garlic Spinach
#15: Quinoa with Curried Black Beans and Sweet Potatoes
#16: Toasted Pepper Jack Sandwiches
Chapter 7: One-Month Fasting-Day Meal Plan
Chapter 8: Healthy Recipes for Non-Fasting Days: Breakfast
Nutty Peach Parfaits
Salmon and Tomato Egg Sandwiches
Cocoa-Banana Breakfast Smoothie
Cranberry-Walnut Whole Wheat Pancakes
Scrambled Egg Soft Tacos
Herb and Swiss Frittata
Vanilla-Almond Protein Shake
Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms and Onions
Grilled Fruit Salad
Hearty Hot Cereal with Berries
Easy Granola Bars
Pecan-Banana Pops
Chapter 9: Healthy Recipes for Non-Fasting Days: Lunch
Shrimp and Cranberry Salad
Tuna and Bean Salad Pockets
Chicken Breast with Roasted Summer Veggies
Easy Chicken Pasta Soup
Seafood-Stuffed Avocadoes
Chopped BLT Salad
Power-Packed Green Smoothie
Toasted Ham, Swiss, and Arugula Sandwiches
Quick and Light White Bean Chili
Vegetable Market Scramble
Eggplant, Hummus, and Goat Cheese Sandwiches
Chapter 10: Healthy Recipes for Non-Fasting Days: Dinner
Tangy Orange Chicken Breast
Grilled Shrimp and Black Bean Salad
Mustard-Maple-Glazed Salmon
Tuscan-Style Baked Sea Bass
Portobello Cheeseburgers
Flank Steak Spinach Salad
Chicken Picadillo
Chicken Florentine-Style
Easy Black Bean Soup
Hearty Vegetable Soup
Mushroom-Stuffed Zucchini
Zesty Beef Kabobs
Chapter 11: Low-Calorie Dessert and Treat Options
Conclusion
Glossary
INTRODUCTION
F
asting, in various forms, has been practiced for centuries.
Many people practice fasting as part of their religion or in preparation
for some type of spiritual experience. Others use fasting as a means of
periodically cleansing their bodies of built-up wastes and toxins. Some people
claim that periodic, short fasts sharpen their focus and clear their minds.
Fasting has also been used by many people as a way to lose weight and
body fat. This reason for fasting has become extremely popular in the last few
years. This is partly due to many books and websites that have come about
promoting fasting as a weight-loss strategy.
There are as many types of fasting diets as there are reasons for fasting.
Some are meant to be long-term weight-management plans and others are
intended as short-term solutions. While there are healthy versions of
intermittent fasting plans, many are far from nutritionally sound. These diets
often recommend fasting for too long, invite dieters to eat whatever they like
on non-fasting days, or lack guidelines that will help the follower make good
nutritional decisions in the future.
The 5:2 Fast Diet is an intermittent fasting plan that encourages followers
to eat plenty of whole, nutritious foods on both fasting and non-fasting days.
It’s not only a healthier alternative to some popular fasting plans, but is also
much easier (and more pleasurable) to stick with than some of the more
extreme intermittent fasting diets.
Losing weight and body fat is about more than looking good temporarily;
it’s about feeling good, learning to eat in a healthy and sustainable way, and
improving your overall health and quality of life.
That’s the mission of the 5:2 Fast Diet.
WHAT IS INTERMITTENT FASTING?
I
ntermittent fasting is not a starvation diet. On the other hand, it’s also not a
way to eat a steady diet of junk food and get away with it.
Intermittent fasting is a planned schedule of eating that allows you to eat a
normal, healthy diet most of the time, and then requires you to spend a short
period of time consuming far less food. There are some intermittent fasting
plans that divide fasting and non-fasting periods into mere hours, such as
eight hours of eating followed by twelve or sixteen hours of fasting. More
commonly, intermittent fasts are divided by days of the week. On the 5:2 Fast
Diet, you eat a “normal” diet for five days of the week, interspersed by two
days of fasting.
Although the research on intermittent fasting is still in the beginning
stages, there is sufficient evidence that eating in this way can help to shed fat,
regulate some of the hormones associated with obesity and hunger, and even
improve overall cholesterol levels. (We’ll discuss the many possible benefits in
greater depth in Chapter 5.)
Because intermittent fasting can have a beneficial effect on the hormones
that stimulate fat storage and hunger, it can be a very useful strategy for losing
weight and shedding body fat. It can also be a very good way for people who
don’t otherwise follow a healthy diet to break addictions to foods that are
unhealthy and learn to make healthier food choices overall.
On the 5:2 Fast Diet, you eat a healthy diet that is close or equal to your
daily caloric requirements for five out of seven days. On the two fasting days,
women consume 500 calories per day while men consume 600 calories.
Because you’ll still be eating during the fasting days, this method of
intermittent fasting does not generally lead to overeating on non-fasting days,
which can be an unwelcome side effect of other fasting plans.
Who Should and Should Not Try Intermittent Fasting?
Most people can safely follow the 5:2 Fast Diet; however, you should consult
your doctor before beginning the diet, since it is not recommended for some
people.
People Who Are Not Good Candidates for the 5:2 Fast
Diet
In particular, women who are pregnant or nursing should not attempt
intermittent fasting. The calorie guidelines for the fasting days are simply too
low. However, once you have had your baby and/or have finished nursing,
intermittent fasting can help you get your pre-pregnancy body back.
People with type 2 diabetes should not undertake this diet. Although some
evidence shows that it may correct imbalances of or insensitivity to insulin,
once type 2 diabetes has been diagnosed, fasting is not advised.
People with a history of eating disorders should not go on a fasting diet. If
you feel that you may have an eating disorder or that you’re at risk of
developing one, it is not recommended that you try the 5:2 Fast Diet.
Children and adolescents should not go on the 5:2 Fast Diet. Please
consult a pediatrician or nutritionist if you are seeking a weight-loss plan for
anyone under eighteen years of age.
People Who Are Well-Suited for the 5:2 Fast Diet
The 5:2 Fast Diet can be a great plan for anyone who is otherwise healthy but
would like to lose weight and shed body fat. However, the format of the diet
can make it especially beneficial to some specific groups of people.
People who currently eat an unhealthy diet: People who eat a good deal of
fast food, processed foods, and sugar can benefit from the 5:2 Fast Diet’s
nutritionally balanced approach. The focus of both fasting and non-fasting
days is on whole foods: primarily lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-
fat dairy, and whole grains. Many people find that after eating this type of diet
for a few weeks, they are better able to appreciate healthier whole foods and
have a better understanding of what makes a well-rounded diet.
