5:2 Fasting Diet

I had a blip last week- did not lose any weight but thinking back I may have overdone the normal days. Chocolate left over from Easter!
I find I can miss breakfast with no problem- I had lunch today at 1ish- a can of Wonton soup which was gorgeous- filling & well worth the 100 cals.
I tried those cracker breads- not bad - a bit like crispy cardboard but they do give a variation n texture

I have made a big pan of Dhal with spinach that will do me for dinner today (about 6pm usually which is an hour earlier than I would normally eat dinner)& the next fast day too -maybe more when I weigh it out.
For the first time I am going to have to fast 2 days in a row due to having to go out on Thursday & Friday. Not sure how it will go but I'm sure I'll manage.
Really sending you Good Luck Annodomini!!

annodomini, I've just popped into the Tesco across the road and the place reeked of sugar! They were stacking the shelves so goodness knows what it was... getting ready for end of school time? ...even though they're on hols
I just bought some blueberries (anthrocyanins and other good-sounding stuff ) and some full-fat milk! I make my own yoghurt and full-fat milk makes all the difference.
The yoghurt is for my five up-coming non-fat days
Sapph

Another 'fast' day. Decent breakfast: yoghurt, canned pear (in juice) with a little oat cereal. Lunch, 12 cals-worth of bouillon and a Benecol drink, 36 cals. I am trying to halve my dosage of statins by supplementing with Benecol. The yoghurts are full of sugar, so not for fast days. Evening meal will be low fat cottage cheese and salad. I walked through M&S this morning. The aroma of bread baking was pervasive which is intended to make one's mouth water. I managed to control myself.

I've read a lot of good reports about this and it makes sense to me so I've ordered the MM's book and I'll give it a go... fingers crossed!
I did the 'Atkins diet' - zilch carbos, 14 years ago and that was amazing.
Annoyingly, and with an, in retrospect unlikely, link, I was diagnosed with MS during this time - the brain is made of fat (lipids) so it should have helped!
The 5/2 diet seems to be a realistic balance between bonkers Buddhist fasting and a kitchen reeking of fatty frying smells - sorry about the lazy alliteration... we'll see
We are going on a cruise in six weeks' time and I'd like to wear a lot of my body-con clothes - I'll report back along the way there!

Amenhotep : Sorry that you have shingles, hope you recover soon.
I have adopted the alternate day version, fat and thin days and this seems to work better for me. Changing the regime may work better for you. It evens out the calories over the week. I have also noticed that on 'fat' days my taste has changed and I no longer want crisps or chocolate.
The weight loss is slow, but every little makes a difference. I like the freedom to eat anything, no forbidden food! I am looking it as an eating style which I shall maintain. Good luck, hope the weight soon goes. X

Am still struggling with this. Have not lost any more weight apart from the few pounds when I started. It seems that each time I have a feast day, although not gorging myself, I just put on what I lost! I have shingles at the moment so am not feeling special bu am persevering.

Thank you, shysal. Just what I was looking for - ordered it a minute ago!

I've just installed My Fitness Pal on my phone. DS swears by it and he has lost a lot of weight in the past year or so.

this book , which lists foods alphabetically, so quick to use.

How do you work out how many calories your bowl of home-made soup would have, shysal?

Nellie, I eat lunch and dinner on fasting days, then don't eat breakfast the next morning. However I don't think it matters much, but as you say a long time between is good.
I would suggest homemade soups, roasted vegetables or salads to fill you up, something that looks like a good plate full, so you don't feel deprived.
Let us know how you get on.

I am intending to start this but I need to organize myself a list of low calorie vegetarian menus for the fast days.

I hope that getting a variety of tasty recipes in mind will make it easy to stick to on a fasting day. Its not as if I haven't got a vegetarian slimming book to hand. Any tips gratefully received.

I would be interested to know what sort of times of the day others have their 500calories. A longer time between is supposed to be better which to me would been say breakfast and lunch only. I really do need my breakfast.

I began it today. I was really hungry during the morning, but have had 2 mugs of Oxo at 13 cals each and an orange (about 100 cal) so far. The Oxo is tasty! I'd bought the book last month and then decided the diet wasn't for me, however, having read others' posts and re-read the book, I think it will be ok. I'll fast on a Tuesday and a Friday. Going to have a look on the Facebook site now. I'd like to get about half-a-stone off.

I took my courage in both hands this morning and weighed myself. I am half a stone lighter than I had feared, so that's a good start. Just had a cup of bouillon made with Marigold stock powder - 12 calories. Now for a and I am lucky there in that I never take tea with milk.

I agree shysal I have also used the sachets they are good and make economic sense. Sometimes I'm lazy!!

anno, 3 stone by the end of July sounds a big task. The 5:2 & alternate day are quite slow, 2-3 lbs a week at best, but it does stay off. Good luck I hope you achieve your goal. Xx

J52 , I use the sachets of Hartleys sugar free jelly, usually make 2 pints at a time, sometimes with some added fruit. Then if I find myself looking into the fridge for a snack I can have a bowl full, with some squirty low fat cream if the calorie count allows.
Good luck anno, I look forward to hearing how you get on. To be realistic, I think you will need to do alternate days to achieve 3 stone by the end of July.

I have decided to do it. Today is Day 1. For almost two years I have been on steroids for Polymyalgia Rheumatica and it's easy to blame them for the weight gain. I am sure they are responsible for around half of it but the rest is just my own lack of control. Now I am down to a very low dose - reducing today to 2.5 mg. I would like to lose at least three stone though two before the end of July would be good. I will be contributing to the weight loss thread from next week onwards. Wish me luck, please.

Hartley's Low Sugar jelly. 10 cals a pot. Great for a sweet taste on low cal days. Xx Keep going!

It is odd but I actually look forward to the fast days now. I'm sure I feel more 'alive' if that makes sense. I was eating too much on feast days for a week or so & weight loss slowed but it was soooo cold! I'm certainly going to give those Crackerbread things a go. I like something to munch when having soup. I'm trying to have my fish on fast days as it is lower calories than most meat so you can have a bit more & I do find I drink a lot of water those days too.
I just think we all find different diets effective. Dukan works for me but it is too restrictive- this fits into my life without me really noticing I'm doing it.

Just debunking it on radio4

Am trying 2pm to 2pm, it was mentioned on the 5:2 Facebook site. fingers crossed, has anyone else tried these times for fasting?

Thank you, shysal. My weight seems to have stuck after having lost 2.5 stones as well, and it just won't go any lower! I wonder if our bodies do just settle at the weight they 'like' to be?

Marelli, I fast on alternate days with no problem, but think I am gradually eating more in between, hence my weight is at a standstill. I am not too concerned though because I have lost all of the 2.5 stone I put on when on medication for an overactive thyroid. I think I am now at the weight that my body likes to be, although still in the overweight range rather than obese.

Have you managed it ok, shysal? Don't you get really hungry and then overeat the next day?

It doesn't matter Marelli, as long as the fasting days are not consecutive. Just fit them in around your life.