Recently, Mosley has also promoted The Fast 800, a new 12-week schedule that involves cutting your calories to a limit of 800 per day for the first two weeks before reverting to the 5:2 plan. The benefits, explains Dr Mosley, go beyond just shedding the pounds. “You should not only see rapid weight loss but big improvements in blood sugars and blood pressure too,” he says. With no foods off limits, and the ability to adjust it around your own schedule, fasting’s appeal lies in its simplicity. For men, it represents a challenge to be taken on which can feel more socially acceptable than saying you’re “going on a diet”.