I have been reading a book called ‘Fat Around the Belly’ by Marilyn Glenville. She advocates cutting out all sugar and refined carbs which we would all agree with. However, she also advises going no longer than 3 hours without eating during the day. The reason she gives is that by eating every 3 hours you train your body into believing that food is abundant, and prevents it going into panic mode (low blood sugar?), and releasing cortisol and adrenaline, which make the body hold on to fat. Before I started this diet, I had to eat every 3 hours or so otherwise I got hypo attacks. However, since starting the diet, this hasn’t been so much of an issue, but I am not losing inches from my waist. I just wondered whether anyone had any thoughts on this, ie. dividing the 800 cals into snacks. At the moment, my instinct is to go as long as possible without eating. I read somewhere that this allows the liver time to recover between meals. I know we are following Michael’s regime, not another one, but much of what Marilyn Glenville says seems to agree with the BSD. I’m feeling bit confused. Any thoughts?

The original 5:2 is based on quite long periods of fasting, 18 hours or so. The 800 is based more on at least three (small) meals a day but I don’t think there is anything in the book that prescribes exactly how many meals to have or when to have them. Dr Mosley has presented plenty of evidence to suggest fasting is good at fighting type 2 diabetes but I think it is still early days in drawing cast iron conclusions in the way to go. At the moment I think a lot depends on how you feel personally and how many hours you feel able to go without food.

I agree with that, Janet1973, and my instinct is to go as long as possible without eating. I was just confused because the other book is specifically about belly fat, which at the moment, for me, is not shifting.

Yes, I think these are quite confusing times malkay with all these new studies chucking our firmly held beliefs out of the window. I think our generation are the guinea pigs for the new paradigms and its probably our children who will have more certainty over what really works as a result of the evidence we provide.

Hi Malkay
I read that book a while ago. I do find Michael more convincing as he s talking about scientific studies. So I’d go with what he says. I’m not having hypo attacks now either. Isn’t if wonderful to not worry about that all the time!
Also Marilyn says a lot about physical stuff then brings in the idea of stress and sort of days ‘ deal with your stress’ which I must say annoyed me as really she doesn’t give more details. Also I’m not convinced now that stress is really the problem. I think if you fed loads of carbs and sugar to calm happy people they would become addicted like we have and have unstable or high sugar readings if they had the right genetics!
The difference I suppose with Michael, apart from the science base, is that he goes into detail about everything.
Penny

Hi pmshrink. I am inclined to agree with you. Although, frustratingly, I have still lost nothing from my waist, I do feel so much better that I know this diet must be doing me good. I am assuming its just a matter of time before my waist shows some results.

Hi Malkay
Yes. On the other hand I’m such a slow loser! Day 22 I’ve lost 5 1/2lb! But 4″ off waist. Weird. That whole 5 1/2 must have come from just there.
Penny