5:2 Fasting Diet

Goose, it also occurs to me that you might have been eating too little on eating days, hence your body feels it is being starved and is holding onto it's reserves. I think studies have shown better results when normal and even large amounts are consumed between 'fasts'. Even eating unhealthy foods did not affect the improvement in cholesterol, BP, blood sugar etc. The diet from Heaven!!

Goose, do you always weigh the morning after a fast day? Otherwise the readings will be all over the place. Please don't give up, blame the weather! I have to admit that I doubt whether I would have had much success with the 5:2, I did alternate days from the start, with great results. I still eat less on every other day, but anything from 500 up to 1000 calories, and have managed to maintain my weight since reaching my goal before Christmas, despite eating very well on the other days. I am enjoying my food without any guilt for the first time for years!

Fluid retention? Also I have found that it can take a while for any sort of diet to take effect - which is why I have fallen into the trap in the past of thinking I have "got away" with a bit of a binge because the effects were not immediatley apparent.I had my first fast day yesterday and thanks to the hot weather and keeping incredibly busy, I did not feel hungry. In fact I still didn't feel hungry today and didn't have breakfast until 11 o clock. BUT I feel very "wired" as if I am firing on all cylinders and I wonder if the fasting does something to your metabolism, which would be brilliant as my metabiolism is somewhere between a sloth and a snail's. I have had a slice of quiche ans some chicory and beetroot salad and some strawberries and honestly feel uncomfortably stuffed.
Don't get dispirited, Goose the hot weather is probably making you retain more fluid.

I've just reached the end of week 3 (fast day yesterday) on 5:2. I feel despondent and could really do with a bit of (okay..a LOT of) encouragement.

Week one (with 2 fast days) I lost under 1lb. End of week 2 had lost well under 3lb in total, this week have put 2lb on and I can't understand WHY.

I'm very enthusiastic and have thrown myself heartily into the whole '500 fast' days, and have found that on non-fast days I'm not very hungry, so am not eating anywhere near as much as I would of before.
So optimistically standing on the scales today and finding that I've lost very little (maybe an ounce) in three weeks is very disheartening.
Is/did anyone else have this problem. I really feel like jacking it in - but don't want to

Mention of your swimsuit caught my eye, shysal, because I'd just decided [probably brought on by the hot weather] that I should try swimming again. Even my daughter has bought a swimsuit with legs of some kind. I've never been able to swim but, with it being such a good form of exercise it's time I tried again.

Judy, I look hideous in a conventional swimsuit, but recently bought a 'boyleg' version, with shorts-like legs. I now feel much more confident.

I think, depending on salad contents and any dressing, also type of bread, you should be well within 500 calories. I find accurate calculation is helpful, using this book If you read through previous theads on this subject (under 'diet' heading) you will find various ideas for more substantial-feeling meals which make cheating less likely.
Good luck if/when you get started.

I will have a go at this. I tried some time ago and felt funny, not on the fasting days but other times. Sort of whoosie. It was hot at the time, like now funnily enough, so maybe I wasn't drinking enough.

Anyway, I find eating breakfast makes me hungry, if I eat it, by 10:30 I feel hungry so I won't eat anything until lunch time.

Do you think this will fit into 500 cals. Boiled egg, salad, thin slice of ham and 1 slice of bread with scrape of butter?

Judy well done. I suppose it depends how much weight you've lost. A friend who had a gastric band fitted has lost 10 stone and she now needs surgery to remove all the excess flesh. I guess at 72 you are covered up most if the time and look so much better?
Incidentally I think you're great taking you granddaughter swimming and I don't suppose she cares about the flabby bits.

Don't have an answer to the question, but just wanted to say well done for reaching your target. We had three lovely weeks in Italy so I have lost ground to make up!

I've got down to roughly the weight I wanted (now around the median of "normal" BMI). My overall shape is better BUT without clothes on I am hideous. All flapping wrinkles and bony bits sticking through. I am determined to keep at this weight as I want to stay fit so any suggestions (short of wearing a burkah )?
I take my youngest granddaughter swimming among all the shapely mummies in their bikinis so I guess that at least I am acting as an object lesson in not leaving it until 73 to successfully loose weight!

Reddivile3: thanks. It will make interesting reading!x

Think ill have to start again when I return on Sunday!

OK, I'll start a new blog called 'Low Calorie Foods' under? Dieting ? Health? Any suggestions? Will do it in a couple of days when I have the right 'shaped' bit of time.

Would it be a good idea to haven a list of products that we have found which have low calories, such as the quorn cottage pie, chivers jellies etc? I have no idea where it could be posted, but it would be nice to know what other people have found and it would bring variety.x

I haven't cooked at all (apart from scrambled egg for breakfast) during our last 4 fasting days because I have found Quorn Cottage Pie. Half a pack is 185 calories, and I serve it with a huge pile of vegetables. Tonight's dessert was fresh raspberries @ 30 calories for 100 grams. And they call this fasting!
Might start doing alternate days it's so easy.
The only problem is that my favourite trousers are falling down!

I've now lost about 5lbs. and dropped from a size 16 to a size 14 (I was probably a size 15 - if there was such a thing!!).

To day I had a boiled egg and a cup of tea for breakfast. Lunch was Heinz minestrone soup and a rice cake and supper was some wafer ham with asparagus and a low fat yogurt. Maybe slightly over 500 cals but only 40 or 50 more!

Just returned from a cultural exchange over the channel, where we were wined and dined remorselessly for 4 days.
Fasting today and Saturday, but a bit worried about weighing myself on Sunday morning- have I undone all the good work I have put in since 17th May?

I might try that, Red. The weather isn't exactly conducive to all the salads I've been consuming. I could do with a good hot meal this weekend - tomorrow is a 'fasting' day. Thanks for that.

Just created another super "fasting day" dish.
350gram pack Quorn mince, 2 big onions, 2 tins chopped tomatoes, lots of seasoning. Make sauce, add Quorn for 10 mins, simmering.
Topped with mashed carrot and parsnip. Divide into 2 smallish casseroles, each for 2 people - Quorn is 92 cals per serving and I cannot believe the veg bring it up to 200 cals- so a super dish for much less than 200 per person!
Eat one that day and freeze the other one. Serve with large helping of Aldi mixed veg- pack is 99 p.
Yummy.

same with me, janthea, but general trend is downwards and some clothes definitely looser. Just hoping I can be disciplined on holiday - have never managed before as I do love good food!

MrsJamJam I seem to have lost about 3lbs in about 3-4 weeks as well. When I weigh myself after a fast day I seem to have lost loads, but then put some back on on 'normal' days, though not as much.

Am doing really well on this, steady weight loss although not as fast as I might like, about3 llbsgone in a month. Now off to Sicily for three weeks, so do hope that all my good work is not undone. I shall try to eat sensibly, but fasting is not a realisitic possibility.

Am also doing this 2 days a week, find it a great boost.
It's knowing you can eat "normally" the day after, although have to admit not always as hungry as I thought I would be, hence no breakfast till 10am yesterday!
Am going to keep at it, as have a couple weddings next year, and at the moment I feel like a BLIMP!!!

I must stop weighing myself every day, Shysal You are right. I only want to lose about half a stone or thereabouts.

Today is my fast day. I've had a cup of tea and a boiled egg for breakfast. Lunch has been a tin of Heinz Minestrone soup and two rice cakes (I'm in the office). Tonight some chicken and losts of broccoli.

I'm definitely going to try your butternut squash suggestions.