During the two “fasting” days, integrative medicine doctor Amy Shah, M.D., says to eat about 25% of your normal caloric intake (about 500 to 600 calories). On the remaining five days, you eat a normal, healthy diet. Practicing the fast on selected days of the week makes the 5:2 diet unique from other variations of IF, which confine eating to 12-hour, eight-hour, or six-hour windows every day. However, in order for the diet to be healthy and effective, you should stick with nutrient-dense foods. “On the restricted days, the type of calories consumed is just as important as the number of calories,” Pedre says. “The focus needs to be on whole foods: protein, healthy fats, and vegetables.” More specifically, the focus should be on low-glycemic whole foods. Some of those benefits include healing the gut and calming inflammation, Shah says. Periods of fasting show these proven anti-inflammatory responses: The two restrictive days may be hard to adhere to, Gandhi explains, and sometimes people will overeat when the fast is over, which can inhibit weight loss. Eating a 5:2 meal plan may be a good way to kick-start a healthy weight loss journey. Learning to transition to a healthy, long-term eating plan afterward, however, is essential. To better understand various types of fasting, these five books may help. Always consult your physician before radically changing your diet.
