5:2 Fasting Diet

... and dont forget ... its not JUST weight loss/control, its also the health benefits outlined in many of the publications on Amazon (MM's book, reviewed on GN, No Nonsense Guide on A etc) ... eg decreased risk of cancer, cardiovascular etc ... and also the prospect of a longer, healthier life!!

I also started the 5:2 diet last week. However, I lost under a pound! I didn't find the fasting days difficult but I think I took the 'eat normally' for the other 5 days too literally!! Which is probably why I need to diet in the first place! I will do better this week.

Jillyfish- you may fnd that this week you are not very hungry on 'normal' days. I certainly find that to be the case.

jillyfish, I have quite a large appetite when eating normally, so I chose to fast on alternate days, with great success - lost 2.5 stone in about 4 months. If you are after quicker results why not give it a try?

I have made two amazing discoveries!! A big bag of stir fry vegetables from Waitrose is only about 110 cals and I just add fresh ginger, a little chilli and some balsamic vinegar. I then add my other amazing find, Slim Pasta. It is a vegetable pasta that has only 14 cals per bag (I got it from Holland & Barrett). It isn't cheap but I figure it is cheaper than paying to go to a slimming club and is excellent for a really low calorie filling meal. Makes this fasting really easy and it is very healthy too. That's got to be good...

I thought H&B had closed?

Not down here Galen. Where are you?

Bristol area.

Just ordered Slim Pasta from Amazon, there was some on Ebay too. Both with free postage, comes in packs of 5 bags - hope I like it! I am not sure whether the Cowley/Oxford Holland and Barrett is still there, can't be bothered to go and look.

It tastes of absolutely nothing Cari, but if it is in with a stir fry or something that has flavour it is excellent, as not only does it fill you, but it also makes the meal appear "normal". I have also put it in a soup to bulk it out which is also excellent and very satisfying too. Go on, give it a go!!!

A couple of the reviews I read mentioned an unpleasant smell which can be rinsed off with hot water after cooking. I shall let you know how I get on when mine arrives (Wed).

I rinse mine before cooking shy, but I must say I haven't really noticed the smell. Think I will send off for some from Amazon too, as it is cheaper than H&B.

nanapug thank you so much - I feel I have found the Holy Grail No cals, carbs and it's healthy. Wow. Thanks too shysal for all the info on this diet, day one for me today - it just seems so easy to fit into a normal life. Ordered £50s of this miracle stuff from Ebay so hopes are high.

Started this beginning of January - lost 10lb so far and treated by self to a new dress as a reward.

It was Julian Graves that closed last year, Holland and Barrett are still going strong

I've lost a stone since I started this 5:2 diet when the original programme was shown in August last year. Feel so much better for it and will continue with one day a week now that I have got down to my target weight.

Sounds as though everyone is progressing well! I lost 5lbs in my first week and my daughter lost 7lbs. Can't complain at that! Have been reading all about the philosophy and science and can't see anything to worry about at all with this regime. 4th fast day tomorrow - scales Friday - will let you know!!

Interestingly, I am really struggling today. Am absolutely STARVING. The only thing different that I can think of is that I normally have an egg fro breakfast on fast days but, as the gannets had eaten them all in their pancakes on Tuesday, I had porridge instead. They say protein is better for staving off the hunger so I have learnt my lesson. I will stick it out though and on another note I am p**ing for England so must be losing ;)

I started properly last week - had a fluey type cold this week so thought I would just do one day - didn't feel like eating much anyway but did go a bit mad on the pancakes. So back to fasting today - and I am just about hanging on till dinner at 7 - between 4 and 5 in the afternoon does seem to be the hardest time - I shifted all the furniture round then had a cup of black coffeee - seems to be working though and I do feel better !

nanaplug, my slim pasta arrived today, so I had some with a huge stir-fry for lunch, it was great, so have gone onto Amazon and ordered 25 more bags! I look forward to experimenting with it in things like 'macaroni cheese' with WW cheese, and bolognese using turkey breast.
Thanks for the tip.

My supper consisted of a pack of carrot batons and a small pot of hummus. I really enjoyed it as it took an age to chomp on and so was quite satisfying. (Looking forward to breakfast tomorrow ;))

I have just done some maths and my flabber was gasted! On this new way of eating, if we only consume 500 calories on two days a week, that means we save about 1500 calories each day (assuming we have about 2000 calories a day and if I am honest I probably have more than that) so therefore 3000 calories a week. That's quite a lot, but if you multiply that by 52 weeks, it means that we are eating 156,000 calories a year less. Now that's a lot of calories. No wonder it works.....

My slim pasta has arrived, so I'll try it next week

I've GOT to get some of that pasta - its sounds great! What about sharing ideas for staving off hunger pangs that happen about 4-5pm. eg:
Change the furniture round (like I did the other day)
Make a pot of coffee and savour
Go for a walk with a bottle of water ???!!

I always go to bed earlier on fast days, as for some reason I don't feel hungry once I am in bed. I too struggle mid afternoon but have a drink and watch some telly and tell myself that it's not long 'till supper. We do eat an hour earlier too.