5.2

Excellent comment GPR! How did you get on BTW after your fast day (veg curry - great idea) on Sunday?

Can't bear the things, there's so many more of them

Ooh I can eat today ha! Such a nice thought ...
I’ve lost 1lb but it will probably come back on today or tomorrow but I plan a fast day on Thursday so that should hopefully keep it off. It was just good to see a different number on the scales! Proves they are not stuck. ?

Actually does anyone weigh themselves in kgs? Curious.

Yes Urmstongran, I ate the last of my M & S meals, with runner beans, tenderstem broccoli and roast butternut squash. I then couldn't resist mopping up the gravy with a small slice of bread. Brunch was 2 rashers and an egg. In between I had a few berries and a caramel rice cake taking the total to about 800 cals. Anyway, I am another pound down this morning so can't be bad.

Ha, it got me through the evening GPR! I’m a bit less empty than I was at 6pm.
And I’ve done it!
Tomorrow I can eat .... ?

I hope the Horlicks was worth the wait!?

shysal!
I thought you’d got yourself sorted with those M&S ready meals?
How come you’ve gone over 500 calories?
It’s not easy, granted. The only way I can do it at all is to skip breakfast and just have a milky coffee mid morning, 2 pieces of fruit - an apple and a satsuma today - and beans on 2 slices of wholemeal bread for tea.

What have you eaten today then on your fast day? See how it compares....

I am fasting today and have consumed 800 cals despite aiming for 500. From now until bedtime is the worst part of the day for me. I have been buying a selection of berries and melon and portioning into small pots worth about 50 cals in case I get the munchies. I lost 1 lb over the non-fasting weekend so think I am back on track after gaining last weekend. I expect it will be a bit up and down for all of us, but don't be discouraged ladies. We will get to where we need to be.

Well GPR I’m fasting and just fallen on my beans on toast! I can enjoy a Horlick later this evening as I skipped breakfast. I’m joyous.

How is today going for anyone fasting? I have felt hungry all day, despite eating normally, as if my brain wants me to make up for yesterday's fast, sigh

Thank you for the link toscalily.I have just ordered the book.My weight isn’t too bad but I am really struggling with my blood sugars at the moment.

MOnica, sorry to hear about your last week and congrats for not gaining.

Thank you shysal and Urmstrong, good tips. For me coffee is a good hunger suppressor. Often we just miss the action of eating and what having a meal means psychologically. It means sitting down, taking a break and taking care of ourselves. So I make a good espresso and sit down and enjoy it as if I was sitting down with a friend (reading a book or so).

Quite right GPR (hope you don’t mind my familiarity ha!) 1lb a week is amazing over a year. Sure but steady. Weight creeps on steadily and they say it’s better to come of steadily too as it demonstrates a change in lifestyle rather than a ‘diet’.

You’ve done so well today. Have a Bovril or Oxo drink to keep you going!

By the way, you may have gathered we switch over to 5:2 GWI (Grand Weigh In) to post how we’re doing on the 1st of every month. So next one 1st March.

This is the thread for generalchat and support about 5:2.

It’s a fast day for me tomorrow!

Weigh in for you in the morning (good luck) and enjoy whatever you’ve been fancying today!

Apparently if you only lose 1lb a week, that would be a 3 stone loss over a year, so don't worry about small weight losses, they all add up.
Have just had a vegetable curry & feeling hungry!

Oh MOinca what a week ! Next week has to be better.You've done well, I'm sure under the circumstances I'd have been dipping into the biscuit tin . I'm starting again tomorrow too. Good luck.

Oh MOnica! Whatta week! Best laid plans and all that.
Yes you’re right about a fresh Monday start. ?

Mind you if I’d had a complete week ‘off’ I just KNOW I’d gain weight! So well done you lady - your portion control must be pretty good on the whole. Take a bow!

Well, this last week has been a complete disaster, not so much over eating as no fast days. Last Saturday I was down with migraine, Sunday, I skidded on a bit of grease on the floor and went over with a real thump, no real damage, but it left me all shook up. Monday CH boiler broke down. House was freezing cold. Repairman arrived at lunchtime but the repair took all afternoon. Tues-Thurs, down with winter bug. I then decided to just leave everything until tomorrow and start again. There is something very cleansheety about starting again on a Monday. No weight gained, but no weight lost either.

Hi all - I’ve just remembered another little tip for fast days which does seem true. I read that hunger comes in waves & you learn to ride them. Have a glass of water. You don’t actually hit a brick wall. The hunger pangs pass and quite honestly you feel more empty than actually hungry.

Shysal, thanks for tip. I'm already wondering when I can have my next milkshake!

Good morning everyone, it's a lovely bright day, and we've been clearing up some of the havoc wreaked in the garden by storm Edward. That should have burned off a few calories..
I'm going to try slimfast milkshakes on my fast days, they're 230 cals so I could have 2 or 3 a day. As you say Urmstongran, it's just a day to get through, albeit with gritted teeth.
Sorry that you're struggling Katyj, but I think that going to work with tinnitus and a bad back shows great willpower!
Lumarei, I don't know about my BMI I just know that if I could drop a couple of dress sizes, I'd have a whole other wardrobe of lovely clothes I could start wearing again, I've missed them!
Good luck everyone

Hello Grannyparkrun. Urmstongran is so right about the 'I can eat it tomorrow' attitude, it helps me too.

Last week I felt lazy so went into the M & S food hall and bought a few extra-low calorie meals for fast days. I am pleasantly surprised at how tasty and filling they were so thought I would mention them. I added lots of vegetables to fill my plate.
Mini cottage pie-214 cals,
Count On Us chicken and leek filo pie-161 cals.
Mini meal roast beef dinner-225 cals.

Hi, Grannyparkrun.A very big welcome from me too.I've not had much success so far with the 5.2 diet (There's always one lol ) Urmstongran, maybe correct in asking if I'm eating too many calories on non fast days.I don't feel as if I'm eating too much, but starting again tomorrow, I will be counting those calories! .I don't feel too well at the moment, been struggling with back pain, and blocked ears, making my tinnitus horrendous.I've started on new tablets yesterday, which is making me anxious, I hate taking tablets, but needs must, I have to try.
I'm going to work tomorrow, so hoping that will keep me occupied, as long as my back holds up! We have a grand weigh in the 1st of the month, so hoping to be back on track by then.
I have trouble with willpower too, as I think most people do, otherwise we'd all be slim.All you can do is give it a shot, and remember it's going to take time .Good luck

Ladies, how do you determine what your goal weight or ideal weight is.
Is it BMI, the doctor, your own gut feeling or some other statistics? Do you factor in your age ie not the same as when in our thirties and forties?

Hi, Grannyparkrun a very warm welcome to this thread. The more people the more support.

We are all experiencing the huge fluctuation, which feels a bit like a rollercoaster ride. I have experienced exactly the same. I believe water retention happens with too many carbs. For me the first month was too good to be true; probably a lot of water weight. Unfortunately I have lost only about a lb in the last 12 days.

Must say my mojo took a little dip since 1st Feb but yesterday I found my determination again. There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to why fasting is sometimes impossible and at other times a doddle. I can lose determination because I am doing well (oh well never mind you can take it easy today) or not well (I am so rubbish what’s the point).

As long as we are hanging in there. MOnica, you are so right. It’s the long term we have to have in sight.

Thank you for the warm welcome! I think I'll start tomorrow as I'm on my own for the day. I have a very poor record on willpower though, so I'll walk the dog a lot, and calculate how many mars bars need to be jogged off! How is this diet working for you, & everyone else?