The 5:2 Diet— Again

Published 8.23.2026: One of the good things about deciding to reformat my old work is that I read my old writings. This gives me a chance to rework them if needed (in this case not) or realize that what I’ve done in the past I still agree with. I should note that all the links in old pieces worked when they were published, whether they do now is hit or miss. That realization is why I have tended to use links less, and not on the front page, because I don’t know how to get the links there using cutting and pasting. That’s a problem on my end, and I have no solution currently— except to use less links in my first paragraph.

I had success with the 5:2, in that I lost weight. Not rapidly, but I did lose weight, and I haven’t put any of it back on. That’s due to my gym sessions and the fact that I added cardio back into my gym routine. In fact, I have a couple of days of only cardio that I added to my gym routine. The running (the original intent) didn’t work out, but walking on an incline did. I stopped doing the 5:2 when I started having gastrointetinal distress, but I think I’ve solved that issue by upping my fiber and water ingestion. So I’m going to try it again.

I also eat more protein, some of it plant but not all (sorry vegans). Basically, I want to lose weight faster, and so I’m going to skip lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays and eat a lighter dinner meal. I am not informing my husband of my intent, though of course I will tell him in the unlikely event that he notices my change in lunch habits. I’m not going to go through my rules again, because I’ve published they previously, and I’m not changing any of them.

My breakfast will remain the same— in addition to my breakfast pudding, I’ve added a smoothie as a “fiber bomb” for my gut. I may skip the cookie and walk "fasted" on those mornings. The smoothie should handle any gastrointestinal distress that my body feels. I should also mention that I’m not altering my workouts at all, and I’m not really changing my breakfasts. The sole calorie deficit will be from skipping lunch. I will try to eat a lighter dinner and drink a bit less. “Fasted” is in quotes because I will still have food in my gut from dinner, so it’s not really “fasted".

Lyle McDonald has written a new book, and I listened to him describe it on the Chasing Clarity podcast earlier. Essentially, his “new” diet is a combination of his rapid fat loss diet (wherein you eat tons of lean protein and nonstarchy vegetables) and internittent eating. I swear he was describing a higher protein 5:2; In fact, I said that out loud while listening. His big idea is that most people can hard diet for a day or two, IF they know that a day of higher calories is coming.

I don’t have a argument against this, but it IS the idea behind the 5:2 way of eating, though Michael Moseley didn’t focus on protein. Essentially McDonald doesn’t proscribe total calories, just total protein. You can eat whatever you want as long as you get in the amount of protein, and doing that you won’t want to or need to eat more. I should emphasize here that the portein is suppoed to be lean. Tofu (which is what my breakfast pudding is based upon would not qualify. But I’m not following McDonald’s diet, and I’m not a bodybuider. Which is by and large the audience for the Chasing Clarity podcast.

I just realized that I didn’t discuss water. I am drinking more water (in the smoothie but also in general too) because I have faced the reality that I drink more if the water is icy. We do have an icemaker, but it makes only a minimal amount of ice, and there are three adults in our household. So I have started making ice in trays the old fashioned way. We have a LOT more ice, and I notice that I am drinking more water. That too should help in the gastrointestinal department.