In this episode we go through a detailed overview of how to 5:2Who can fastOver committing !!The nitty gritty of the dietMonitoringWho can fast ? Fasting diets are not recommended for the following:-People who are underweight or have an eating disorderChildren (under 18 years old)Type 1 diabetics and diabetics taking medication for their diabetes (other than Metformin)Pregnant women or breast feeding mothersPeople recovering from surgeryThose who are frail or have a significant underlying medical condition should speak to their doctor first, as they would before embarking on any weight-loss regime.Those who are not sure about whether it may affect their prescribed medications should to speak to their doctor first.People feeling unwell or have a feverThose taking Warfarin should consult their doctor first as it may increase their INR.People with a history of serious mental health problems.Don’t Over CommitConcentrate on the basicsWhen I started the 5:2 diet I committed to fasting twice a week and watching my calories on the other daysThe Calorie Bit Again. The week is divided into two sections:-5 days of the week you eat 2000 calories for females or 2500 calories for males2 days a week you eat 500 calories for females or 600 calories for malesHow many days to fast ?Initially I would stick with 2 days of fasting and 5 days of non-fastingI would pick the same days in the week to fastWhen to have your meals on a fast dayIdeally you want to get three twelve hour periods where you are not eating food.Plan your meals in advanceAt the very least plan out your fasting meals each weekShould my meals be super healthy ?Ideally you should try and be as healthy as you can be but don’t give yourself another reason to failWhat to drink ?If you can you are best to stick to waterBreaking a fastI would strongly encourage you to follow through on a fast day and not break a fast. If you do it once for the wrong reason it is going to set you up to fail.Is it hard ?Initially it does seem to be hardLike any habit it does take 2 or 3 weeks to make it feel normalPreventing TemptationRemember one of the main mantra’s you can always have it tomorrow. Thanks very much Mimi Spencer (co-author) of the Fast DietBasic MonitoringWeight yourself once a weekTake body measurements. (I wish I had)Monitor your calories each day. I would use an app to do this. See advanced monitoring.Advanced MonitoringGet a fitness tracker and scales to help youGo to https://www.tdpod.com/Resources for more details.