5:2 and NHS diet

Hi everyone - I see that no one has posted on here for a while. I started 5:2 last month and so far is working for me, I have already lost 6lbs and feel quite content so far to stick with it.
I enjoyed reading all your comments and stories of your approach to 5:2 and other diet/lifestyle changes, please keep us updated to how you're getting on.��

I've been on the 5:2 diet for a few months this year, I usually have a single egg omelette for brunch around 11 and salmon with grilled tomato for tea with grapes and water when I get hungry. M & S also do 300 cal meals which is useful if you are cooking for others and you are the only one dieting. I have lost a stone and half so far and 6 inches off my waist.

I don't have any problems driving when fasting, and try to visualise any hunger pangs as my fat cells being gnawed away from inside! It is easier than ordinary dieting as you can basically eat what you want on other days, but in reality I find I don't go mad those days as it is just more weight to lose.

I did read or hear something the other day that part of the trouble of modern living is that our stomachs are too large for today's requirements. They are built for famine and feast, storing large amounts of food every few days and slowly digesting it until next time. These days we are forever filling up and frightened to feel hungry. Well it sounded like a good theory to me!

FlicketB

I do not measure or count carbohydrates, just avoid too much in one day. A lot of my substitutions date back to our generally unsuccessful calorie counting only diets. Like Mamie I use vegetables like, cauliflower, broccoli, root veg etc instead of potatoes as toppings for shepherds pie etc. I serve curry with chappatis.

Fast days aren't food free days. On yesterday's fast day we had a chicken casserole with mixed veg for lunch, followed by a small bunch of grapes and in the evening we had a chapatti and veg curry for supper. DH used his 100 extra calories on a scrambled egg and grilled tomato for breakfast. I skipped breakfast. He went for a swim, I went for my usual 2 - 3 mile walk, we did all our usual activities. I did a 25 mile round drive to check on some voluntary work I do. I didn't feel hungry or have flagging concentration or feel drained of energy. Just felt as alive and active as normal.

The idea that eating less than required for one day is likely to affect one's health fitness etc, unless you have a some medical condition is rich western life style conceit.

kalexie completely agree with you

jingl there is an awful lot of fear over being hungry. For myself I have never had a problem on fast days. It is possible to still eat, some tuna say and salad for lunch and then a piece of fish for dinner and still be within the recommended 500 calories. Today I am fasting and went to an exercise class this morning with no ill effects. Sometimes I feel like I have more energy on fast days. The main thing is to drink lots of water. I completely agree that anyone with major health issues or who is concerned should consult their doctor first, but if you are fit and well there is nothing to lose but weight - and all to gain by way of good health. The Michael Moseley Horizon documentary makes very interesting watching.

I can only speak from my own experience but I can say that my concentration is definitely not affected for the worse on a fast day and so I do everything that I normally would do on a non fast day including driving.

I hope no one even thinks about driving a car on these "fasting" days. Concentration is bound to be down. And anyone over the age of 65 should get their doctor's advice before starting on this diet. It is not sensible for older people.

I don't know how many of you are on Facebook but here is the link to a brilliant support group (of which I am a member) for those doing/would like to do 5:2.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/187492001383720/?fref=nf

Very supportive and full of inspiring experiences, before and after pics and very good information.

I've been doing the 5:2 diet for a couple of months now. I am really enjoying the challenge of planning my two meals of 250 calories each. OH is doing it with me.
I have a problem this week though. I have to make lunch for my Dad three days this week so will have to forego one of my diet days. I want to stick to Tuesday and Saturday for the diet.
A 5:2 diet club would be a fabulous idea. I'm only 5' 3" and was 10 st. 2lbs. When I got married I was 8st. 3lbs. I was skinny then though. If I could lose a stone I would be happy.

You don't have to count calories on low-carb, but I would be interested to know how many calories they contain.
I am going to try shepherd's pie with celeriac mash and fish pie with cauliflower mash at some point.

Love vegetable curries especially in the cold winter months. Thanks for that Mamie

I am sure they would work well for breakfast too!

No, we eat them as an accompaniment to curry. We have had a vegetable glut this year and made lots of veg jalfrezi (sp?). They work well with that. We also cut them up cold in a salad the next day.

That soundo tasty Mamie. When would you eat these? I mean is it a breakfast perhaps?

Thanks Mamie

This is the one I use.

1 cup chickpea flour
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
pinch cayenne and salt
1 cup water
1/2 small onion or 1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped

Mix together the flour, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Stir in the water until smooth. Stir in the ginger and onion. Let the batter sit for a bit. Heat a heavy frying pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add about a small ladleful at a time, turning when it is lightly brown.
The first one never seems to be as good, no matter how much I heat the pan!

Mamie do you have a good recipe for chick pea flour fritters . Years ago my mum used to but a product called Frizzets which I think were made of that. From what I can remember they were lovely, probably
loads of salt though.

That is interesting, Flickety. We limit carbs to 150g a day and have low GI ones. We have no sugar, one small slice of bread a day, which is half wholemeal and half spelt flour, pearl barley or pearled spelt as a rice substitute or in salads and new potatoes a couple of times a week. Basmati is a rare treat and we make chickpea flour fritters, which are brilliant. We have chickpeas and beans of all sorts. We have been doing a lot of Middle Eastern and Indian food, which makes it easier. We haven't limited fruit at all.
I thought about 5:2 as our daughter and SiL have done really well on it (I have inherited a lot of DD's clothes as she has gone from size 12 to size 10), but OH wasn't keen and low GI has suited the way we eat. It has obviously worked really well for lots of people though and I know my DD just does the odd fast day now to maintain her normal weight.
I find the diet threads on Mumsnet good as they have so much more traffic and there are some interesting low-carb recipes.
It would be nice to see more focus on healthy food on here instead of the endless stuff about cake.

Hello, I am also on the 5:2 way of life. I have lost well over a stone since I started in June this year and feel great! I don't know what effect this has had on my cholesterol or blood pressure but I know my blood results are perfectly good. I have reduced carbohydrates quite a bit. I was a 16 but went and bought a top from Fat Face the other day and came out with a 10 . I was expecting a 12 as I know their tops come out on the large side, but I feel like wearing it inside out! I also feel much better in myself, I have more energy - and its soooo easy, I recommend it to anyone .

Mamie we are keeping up the low-carb because DH seems to react very strongly to significant portions of carbohydrates. He will put three or four pounds on overnight if he relaxes when we are out and has steak and chips rather than steak and salad, even a relatively high calorie salad. The weight gain is wildly disproportionate to any extra calories consumed and it can take up to a week to lose again.

Fortunately, for minor health reasons of my own, we have always had an eating pattern that includes a lot of fruit and veg, particularly veg, I love them, so we have been eating even more veg, although after the tv programme 'Trust me I am a Doctor' last week (see separate thread) I am now cooking, cooling and reheating the carbohydrate part of any meal to reduce its GI value.

Some people have expressed health and safety concerns about this, but so far everything I have cooked, cooled and reheated has gone through the whole process in less than 2 hours, so I am unworried.

I am maintaining at about 8.5st that is a loss of about stone over a year which I am happy with. I was told by a friend I would look gaunt if I lost much more.

I agree completely with the observation that you realise you do not need to eat so much and if you do your feel overfull. That is probably one of the big advantages. It has clearly done well for a lot of GNrs. I am impressed.

I have found this last week that one way of losing weight is to have your kitchen refitted, but that is rather traumatic, expensive and not to be recommended.

Same with us on low-carb and small portions Flickety. I have lost two stone, OH has lost three, he is out of pre-diabetes and his cholesterol is right down. We have been losing roughly a pound a week and now ready to go on maintenance. I guess on 5:2 you may just be looking at dropping to 5:1, but I am not sure how to tackle it with low-carb. Don't really want to eat more carbs as we feel so well on this diet. Maybe just increase portion size?

I have lost 21 lbs and, although now on maintenance, hope to loose 7 lbs more. The fast day pattern of eating is also meant to be protective against Alzheimers.

Blood pressure rise is associated with weight gain and DH, who has lost more than me, has already had to discontinue one BP medication and thinks that his diabetic state, which is marginal, has also coming under control and his GP may be able to suspend medication.

wow Kalexi - what an achievement - for you. Your bp going down is also amazing and has inspired me to have a go at this now. Will have to do some googling this afternoon to look it up.