Martin Clunes shed three stone in three months by following the 5:2 diet, an intermittent fasting plan that allows him to eat anything for five days each week. The 64-year-old actor, known for roles in Men Behaving Badly and Doc Martin, credited the approach for his significant weight reduction.
Why Clunes Tried the Diet
Clunes said he turned to the diet after experiencing health concerns linked to his weight. "I was fat – and while I was getting heavy, I had tired knees and stuff," he said in an interview. "So I thought I'd try that diet and the weight came off."
He also noted potential health benefits beyond weight loss. "It's great – and it's supposed to be good for cholesterol, too," he added. His slimmer appearance was noticeable when he appeared in Wuthering Heights alongside Margot Robbie earlier this year.
How the 5:2 Diet Works
The 5:2 diet, also known as The Fast Diet, is an intermittent fasting regime popularised by the late TV doctor Michael Mosley. It allows regular calorie consumption for five days a week, while drastically reducing calorie intake on the other two days.
Those two days are called 'fasting' days, where slimmers typically limit their daily intake to 500 calories for women and 600 for men. Healthline specialists advise: "You can choose whichever two days of the week you prefer, as long as there is at least one non-fasting day in between them."
Former UK Chancellor George Osborne also lost weight on the diet, consuming just 600 calories on two days a week. A colleague said at the time: "Like all busy people, George doesn't always have the chance to focus properly on what he's eating. But he started to look at his diet a bit more closely and decided that the 5:2 was the way forward."
Clunes Adjusts to 6:1
Clunes later adapted his approach, moving to a 6:1 fasting pattern. "Now I do 6:1 and that seems to work fine. I eat anything I want on the other days," he said. "I have a couple of big horses and ride them. I'm very healthy. This is a difficult age, obviously, but I'm doing fine – I'm not on any medication."
Celebrities such as Benedict Cumberbatch and Jennifer Aniston have endorsed similar fasting programmes. "It's easy and seems to keep the weight off me," Clunes said in a 2017 interview.
The British Heart Foundation acknowledges the diet's advantages while noting potential drawbacks. Its website states: "There are a few reasons why you may find the 5:2 diet a useful way to eat less calories. Some people prefer only having to eat less on certain days of the week, instead of every day."
It adds: "And unlike other, more restrictive diets, you do not have to cut out different types of food or food groups completely on the 5:2 diet. It's also relatively flexible – you can choose to fast on any 2 days of the week you prefer."
The foundation also warns: "However, some people may feel more hungry, tired or irritable on fast days. It's worth leaving at least 1 non-fasting day in between to manage these symptoms."
