The FastDay Forum

[Moogie]

I've been discussing with the mods the possibility of putting out a sort of press release/story about the overall stats we've gathered through the tracker - something to bring a bit of positive, evidence based reporting to the 5:2 scene in the media (and also it would be so cool to see this site's name in the paper! I remember how proud I was when a gaming magazine featured my other site in it's hallowed pages... and when they published an interview with me!).

Anyway, with some amazing help from Caro & Dominic we've put together a great press release.

Now I'm not quite sure how to go about this and wondered if anyone has any tips/advice?

I've been thinking I'll just send a brief covering email to some key papers/magazines telling them about it and then sending on the actual press release if they're interested.

Or should I just send out the release with the email from the onset?

Or should I find a PR person to liaise with the press about this? (seems to be making a bit of a big deal about it though, not sure I want that)

Thoughts? Or is this whole thing a bad idea?! Will they tear us to pieces?!

No Moogie, no! It’s bad enough that so many people are unhappy with the 5:2 diet in its basic form, without Fleet Street getting hold of it.

Sorry to disappoint you but, as a recently-retired journo from that very Street of Shame, it would be manna from Heaven for the nationals.

I’m a relative newcomer to the diet and the forum, and what I have read so far has had me licking my chops in anticipation of making a few quid as a freelancer, simply by repeating all the adverse criticism of the 5:2.

As a successful advocate of the Atkins Diet, I have combined it with the 5:2 diet in an attempt to burn off an unwanted kilo, while sticking to my low-carb diet for the other five days.

Unfortunately, it has made no difference, and I’m still that kilo heavier than I’d rather be. But, the two fast days do make me feel so much sharper and more alert than before.

So much so that I haven’t the heart to alert various features editors in the Street. I’m sure someone will raise the alarm soon enough without my intervention.

Meanwhile, feeling fairly smug with the 21 kilos I shed in 2011-2 - and have kept off for 14 months - I will persevere with the 5:2 diet a while longer, and expect to read even more criticism from those who cannot understand why they are not losing enough weight on this so-called, magical diet.

As has been pointed out on occasion, if the 5:2 were that successful overall, why do so many contributors offer so many variations of this way of eating?

So, Moogie, the answer to your question “will they tear us to pieces?” is in the affirmative, I’m afraid.

Ooh - can't really comment on the pr side and they may well latch onto the negatives for a story. However, i've looked at the forum stats (particularly filtering for those doing diet for over 3 months) and the diet is clearly a success with hugely positive changes in the pie charts. The loss may not as fast as some would like (myself included!!) but i think problem stories are naturally over represented on threads as people seek advice. But surely the forum stats would speak for themselves... (famous last words!!)

[Moogie]

Thanks for the feedback folks. Still in two minds as the tracker does show the positive results. I don't see how people varying the diet means that it's not successful overall, the basic principles of 5:2 are that for 2 days a week you eat up to 25% of your TDEE. The variations on this are predominantly in how people split their calories/meals, how many calories they consume and what times they eat. It's all still 5:2 Yes, some people choose to mix & match it with other diets but that is just as often down to impatience or personal preference as '5:2 not working'.

There certainly aren't any negatives in what we've written as the basis of the 'story'

...and as I always say with forums, there is almost always a silent, contented majority. Those who ask the most are the ones who are struggling or need answers. Those who are getting on well with it don't tend to need to post as much except in the form of answering people's queries. Surely the sheer volume of helpful responses indicates that although there are a lot of people who need encouragement/advice/help to get started/lose weight, there are a far greater number of people who are already succeeding and sharing their knowledge?

But I guess I'm a bit naïve and like to presume all people to be good at heart - perhaps this isn't true of the press

Maybe it would be best to approach some Women's magazines and supermarket/shop mags (eg Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Boots etc) and see if they'd want to do a story on it. I imagine they're a bit less mean hearted than standard journos?

The 5:2 diet seems very topical at the moment, I'm always seeing various magazines publishing recipes for the 5:2 diet. Just this week there was supplement in the Sunday Mirror entitled the Bikini Panic diet which was effectively the 5:2 fast diet. My son, who mixes with a lot of media types tells me "everyone is on it". So I would go for it. I have a suspicion that some of the slimming clubs are critical of it because its something one can do one one's own so is cheaper but then I'm probably just being cynical. So I would go for it.

[Moogie]

Wondering about just trying the Guardian - they seem pretty 5:2 positive...

I think that's a good choice. I would send them the press release and then if they're not interested you could try one of the magazines

The Telegraph have been pretty positive so far about the 5:2 diet. <disclaimer>I don't go there to read their editorials </disclaimer> but having missed the original Horizon prog it was an upbeat article there that first alerted me to 5:2:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink ... t-too.html

You should contact Xanthe Clay.

It seems the advice is do your press release, but do it in the right way - whatever that is?

Speaking personally, as a Registered Nurse I am pleased to be able to recommend a diet to people that works. Before this diet all my advice was empty, because my body didn't support me.

Yes, someone needs the evidence, we need to do something. The obesity epidemic can only get worse.

Best of luck with your promotion and I hope you find a good spin doctor,

Moogie, go for it! It's never the stuff you do that you regret (well, not permanently!) usually, but the stuff you don't. So many people on here are very modest and don't shout too loudly about their fantastic weight loss but I'm sure they would be happy to do so if it helps in spreading the word about this great wol.

I am one of the inactive (in forum terms) satisfied majority. It almost seems mean not to get the message out there. There must be so many people who could benefit, who do not yet know about this system. A friend has asked to borrow my book tomorrow - that is just too small.
If you go for it, tell us. If the reporting is negative we can all pile in (it seems there is a way to comment on most news stories now) and that should just put the egg on the face of the journo who is not looking at the evidence.
One very happy 5:2er (and 4:3 sometimes).

I agree with Lassemista as I often read and am encouraged by posts and topics although I don't always contribute. However, if detrimental comments were made by the press I would come forward and support 5:2 as it has changed my life! I am lighter, fitter and generally feel better than I have for years.
However, no PR experience.

[Moogie]

Just giving this a little bump in case anyone else has any thoughts

Moogie,

I think you should go for it. Yes, there will be brickbats, and criticisms, there are with every single diet story you ever read about. Atkins, kills you etc, F-plan, gives you wind, etc, WW, too restricting, etc, Beach plan diet, for nutters, etc, Cabbage soup diet, oh, just don't go there! It will NEVER be without it's detractors so, just stand up and be counted. You have hundreds of us on here behind you, good luck,

Ballerina x

[Moogie]

Okay, I bit the bullet & emailed the Guardian - didn't send the release yet, will first see if they're interested!