It’s the start of a new year. It’s a time for reflection and the setting of the annual New Year’s Resolution. I’ve asked many of my friends what their 2014 new year’s resolution was. I don’t think any of them were able to remember. I think this speaks volumes. Mostly we’re guilty of setting ourselves vague and unobtainable weight loss goals, making our resolutions intangible and thus forgettable.

Having seen the original Horizon TV programme on the subject of fasting a while ago, I have only just read the 5:2 book, which outlines information on the research and medical benefits of fasting in greater detail. I bought the book really to revise the health benefits and re-affirm why I am doing this not as a ‘diet’ (I have qualms with this word), but as a sustainable lifestyle choice.

It’s the prime time of year for the marketing and media frenzy around new fad diets, weight loss pills and gym memberships, with advertisers tapping into the standard January ‘health drive’ messaging. My issues around the word ‘diet’ lie with its connotations. A ‘diet’ has become something temporary. I will always avoid using this word when referring to the 5:2 because I believe that unlike fad diet plans and slimming programmes, the 5:2 has staying power.

No shallow promises- results are down to you

Part of the problem is that people want there to be a magic ‘make me skinny’ solution to dieting. There isn’t. You have to want it, you have to work at it and stay focused. The 5:2 doesn’t make unnecessary claims that it will make you look like Cheryl Cole or Taylor Swift. The USP is that it makes biological sense, so we trust that it works if we stick to the rules.

It’s a part-time diet with long term results

We 5:2ers only have to worry about calories for 2 days out of our seven day week. Needless to say we have to be sensible during the other 5 but it doesn’t give us the permanent 24/7 low blood sugar headache that most diet programmes do.

It’s viable

The 5:2 teaches us that hunger is not excruciating and shouldn’t be feared. It therefore helps people to overcome the mind over matter challenge which is a constant battle if we felt we were depriving ourselves and incessantly counting calories all the time. We can enjoy the food we want tomorrow. In fact, more than 2/3rds of our week is spent enjoying food, this makes it unbelievably tolerable, a very viable alternative to any other diet.

It’s proven

I’ve lost 2 stone in 6 months. Many others have achieved even greater success. The weight loss is a given. Although the medical research is still in the early stages, there is no denying that there are major health benefits aside from weight loss. Prevention of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s and other age related diseases such as cancer have all been cited in relation to fasting. I have heard stories of GP’s recommending the 5:2 to their patients for reasons outlined above. Hopefully we will see more of this in the coming months.

Contrary to popular belief, I don’t own shares in the 5:2, in fact I haven’t had to fork out any money at all apart from a small and worthwhile investment in the book. I am simply an ambassador, a 5:2 evangelist. I like the science, I like the sense and I like the simplicity. While many of the diets and weight loss solutions and programmes we see at this time of year are fleeting, the 5:2 has staying power. It is the tortoise of the dieting world. I predict that 2015 will be the year of the steadfast faster.