The 5/2 diet or two-day diet is a method for losing weight in
which the person eats only 500 calories, in the case of women, or 600 calories,
in the case of men, two days a week, preferably one day after the other. During
the other days, individuals can eat up to 1500 calories.
The method was created by British physician Michael Mosley
and has variations made by other specialists. The modifications may involve
fasting for two days, a regimen that increases the harm of the low-calorie
version, or reducing only simple carbohydrates for two days and not worrying
about the calories.
Although it can provide weight loss and some other researches
point out benefits of this diet for health, the method for losing weight may
have the opposite effect and over time lead to weight loss and malnutrition.
Understand better the problems of the 5/2 diet and why it is slimming.
Why You Lose Weight
In reality, it's not the two days with limited consumption of 500 to 600 calories that will make you lose weight, but the other days with consumption of 1500 calories. "The average consumption of the population is 2,500 calories; the real deprivation is just the days when the person believes there is no diet.
The two days eating less are just a ritual because these trendy diets need that," explains nutritionist Amanda Epifânio from the Center for Integrated Nutritional Therapy.
Probably people who already have a balanced diet would not notice any difference in their weight when adopting the two-day diet. Moreover, proposing the same calorie restriction for all people is not recommended. "These fad diets treat all bodies in the same way.
I, for example, have a need for 1600 calories a day, if you give me 1500, I won't lose anything. Besides, the diet needs to be adapted to the person's needs to be able to maintain it", says Epifânio.
Problems with The Lack of Calories
The number of calories proposed in the two days of great restriction doesn't even reach the minimum of calories a person needs for the body to perform its functions. "Consuming this amount of energy for two days in a row doesn't cause any serious harm, but you may lack energy, have headaches and dizziness", says nutritionist Daniela Jobst.
One of the
diet's recommendations is to keep exercising even during the 500-calorie days,
however, with such a low energy intake this may cause the person to feel ill
and even faint. However, after some time the body's stores of nutrients are
depleted and the problems become more serious. "For a long time, people
suffer malnutrition, because this diet does not offer the necessary number of
vitamins and minerals," says Epifânio.
The Risk of Binge Eating
The day after those 500 calories, the risks of anxiety and
compulsive eating are high. "The problem occurs because the person has not
eaten for a long time and wants to replace it, which can even trigger an eating
disorder," warns Epifânio. This compulsion to eat more the next day will
also contribute to weight gain.
Does The 5/2 Diet Prevent Diseases?
Some researchers have verified that the 2-day diet helps
prevent several health problems, among them breast cancer. However, it may not
be exactly this specific regimen that provides the benefit. "What causes
cancer prevention is weight loss. Breast cancer is extremely stimulated by
female hormones, and excess or very low weight alters these hormones,"
explains Epifânio.
One point that may be interesting is that some versions of
the diet propose to decrease the amount of carbohydrates consumed. "The
excess of this nutrient is inflammatory, so when the consumption of
carbohydrates is reduced, the risks of inflammatory diseases, such as high
cholesterol and diabetes, decrease," says Jobst.
Studies have pointed out that the 5/2 diet would help control
cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. "These positive
points also occur just because of the weight loss, the benefit of losing weight
is giant, even when this occurs with a diet that is not good for health,"
notes Epiphanio.
Warning for People with Diabetes
Although the 5/2 diet can decrease the sugar levels in the body and involves carbohydrate restriction, it is not recommended for people with diabetes. "It is forbidden for this group, because by following a 500-calorie menu, patients run the risk of suffering severe hypoglycemia," says Epifânio.
How the Diet Affects the Metabolism?
By proposing calorie restriction, the 5/2 diet can even lead
to weight loss, however, over time it can harm the metabolism and favor weight
gain. "This happens because the body thinks you have a small caloric
intake, and then it slows down the metabolism to retain energy. Then, the body
doesn't understand that consumption has increased and tends to absorb more
calories than it needs," explains Jobst.
Another problem is that on restriction days the creators of
the regime recommend that the person should fast for long periods between one
meal and another. However, this will also contribute to slowing down the
metabolism.
The Correct Diet
The best way to lose weight is not with fad diets such as the 5/2. The right thing to do is to restrict calories not so abruptly. "The orientation is to eat more times a day with less volume", says Jobst. Invest in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats, such as fish and chicken, and reduce the consumption of foods with refined sugar, industrialized and those rich in saturated fats, such as red meat.