Flexibility and finding what works for you are pivotal in maintaining a long-term, sustainable lifestyle. You’ll need to watch out for drinks with milk in, as these will use up calories that could be otherwise put towards a meal. Depending on your daily maintenance calories you could have calories spare for extra foods and drinks. If you’re missing crisps, try snacking on a packet of Walkers salt and vinegar French Fries (97cals).

Dinner: Creamy chicken kormasaren’t off the menu, as our version is low cal at (240cals) with 25 blueberries for dessert (20cals). Following the success of the 5:2 diet, Michael Mosley's follow-up weight loss plan has once again grabbed the headlines. You may have read that emerging evidence is suggesting a beneficial role of fasting diets for the control and management of Type 2 diabetes, however, refer to your GP if you have diabetes or have any other long-term health condition.Clinical trials have suggested that intermittent fasting may aid in weight loss, help in the management of type 2 diabetes, and possibly even reduce the risk of cognitive disease. This time I have managed to lose 16lbs so far (it was 18 but I gained a bit over Xmas) but I feel like I'm a bit stuck now, so I'm hoping the feast and famine idea behind the 5:2 diet will kick start the weight loss again. From curry to stir fry, from omelette to soup, our 5:2 diet meal plans below will help guide you through your 500 calorie days with ease.

You could also try two meals instead of three, eating 250 calories at breakfast or lunch and then 250 calories at dinner. Breakfast: a 100gram serving of Onken’s fat-free raspberry and honey yogurt (79cals) will give you a sweet start to the day. Once you make it past the initial adverse effects, though, your body should adapt and you should start to feel normal.So, taking a multivitamin will not only help correct this but also probably contribute to higher energy levels, especially if it is rich in B vitamins. The 5:2 and similar intermittent-fasting diets are said to be easier to follow than traditional calorie restriction, and an advantage is that you do not have to exclude any food groups. The practice of fasting has been around for years, with tests carried out to uncover the potential effects as early as the 1940s.