The 5:2 Diet Is Good Way to Help Lose Weight After Gestational Diabetes

Losing weight immediately after gestational diabetes can help in preventing the start of type 2 diabetes. But selecting the most efficient method for losing weight and keeping it off can be challenging, particularly for moms with a newborn.

A study has revealed that the popular intermittent fasting diet known as the 5:2 diet is just as effective as a traditional energy-restricting diet, allowing women greater flexibility and choice when considering weight loss options.¹

The 5:2 diet permits 5 days of normal eating every week while considerably restricting calories for 2 days per week, instead of a standard diet that will require moderate energy restrictions every day.

Gestational diabetes affects one in five pregnancies worldwide, with these women having ten times the risk of getting type 2 diabetes later on in life. Women who are also overweight who’ve had gestational diabetes have an even greater risk. There are lifelong consequences with type 2 diabetes which can result in other chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Regular exercise and healthy eating are recommended for managing gestational diabetes, with the most common method for losing weight and prevention of diabetes being a continuous energy restriction diet, or a diet that restricts calories by 25-30%.

However, the issue here is that new moms typically put themselves last as they’re experiencing fatigue and balancing family responsibilities, so many find it challenging to adhere to a low-calorie diet when it comes to losing weight.

The 5:2 diet could offer an option that is less overwhelming. Because it only restricts calories over 2 days, some women might find it less difficult to adopt and stick to, instead of a continuously low-calorie diet that requires constant management.

This study shows that the 5:2 diet is equally as effective for losing weight in women who’ve had gestational diabetes as a continuous energy-restricted diet, with the added benefits of giving women more control and choice.

Women should of course get advice from a health professional prior to starting this kind of diet, to make certain that it’s appropriate for them.

The study looked at the effects of the 5:2 diet (5 days of normal eating and 2 days of eating 500 calories) as well as a continuous energy-restricted diet of 1500 calories daily on weight loss and risk markers for diabetes in women having a prior gestational diabetes diagnosis. Energy was restricted by about 25% each week in both diets.