Breakfast - newbie help

[VillaVillekulla]

Hi

I started on this diet yesterday. I don't actually really need to lose weight but DP does and I said I'd do it with him. Anyway, I did the fast day and - even though I don't think I'm someone who usually eats a lot - I was bloody ravenous all day and went to sleep with a rumbling stomach.

I've read a few threads on here that suggest skipping breakfast. I'm wondering if that's where I went wrong.

I had:
Breakfast: very small bowl of porridge with water and a splash of soya milk
Lunch: about 200 cals worth of sushi
Dinner: very small veggie stir fry with half a portion of noodles

I think it came to roughly 500.

So, is the reason why lots of you recommend skipping breakfast that you achieve quicker results that way (longer fasting window between dinner the night before and the next meal) or because it's an easier way to manage the hunger?

Right now I'm not sure I'm going to stick with it. If I do another fast day I might try just having lunch and dinner rather than three miniscule meals.

[Eatriskier]

Hello and congrats on starting 5:2!

Its a bit of both tbh. The longer the fast, the better the health benefits including burning fat over calories. But also eating tends to set off the hunger monster so many of us find it easier not to bother with brekkie. I find it easier to eat nothing until dinner on a fast day. Several here don't bother with brekkie even on a non fast day.

You need to find what works for you on fast days though.

Good luck

[BigChocFrenzy]

Welcome, Villa
Most of us also avoid starches on FDs, or have a very small portion of complex carbs.
Protein and veg, soups, stews, stir fries are great.

[VillaVillekulla]

Thanks. I'm doing the second FD today and I'm going without breakfast. It's not yet 9am and I'm really hungry. I'm going to try to keep on going until lunchtime (sushi again). I don't think I could go all day without food until dinner time.

The other thing I'm struggling with is the example I'm setting for DD. I've always been quite anti-dieting and I try to set a good example to DD about healthy eating, positive body image etc. I don't want her to think that skipping meals is ok. Does that make sense? I'm trying to do it without her noticing.

[VillaVillekulla]

Thanks Footle :) I think I agree with you. I've been asking myself the same question...

[Boleh]

I can definitely only cope with a FD if I don't have breakfast. I find that of I'm really struggling a cup if tea with milk stops the grumbling until lunch. A good bowl of veggie soup then comes in at under 100cals and is surprisingly filling, some carrot sticks if you really want to add something solid.
By 6pm I'm ready to eat my own arm but the remaining 350 cals or so gets me a huge veggie/prawn stir fry, cauliflower and chickpea curry, bean and lentil chilli etc with broccoli (or other veg) instead of carbs. I try to leave it as late as possible so I go to bed still feeling full.
If you don't want to loose weight you'll need to eat the FD calories back on the NFDs - sorry if that's stating the obvious!! Best done with healthy nutrient dense as well as calorie dense foods rather than chocolate though sadly

[Breadandwine]

Everyone should fast at least once a week for the health benefits alone.

I've no more weight to lose, but I'm in the middle of a 24 hour fast ATM. Feeling great.

Come and join us on the Maintainers thread - lots of advice and support on there.

[VillaVillekulla]

Well spotted Footle. Yes, I definitely want her to be a strong lass :)

And Boleh, how did you guess that I'd made up the extra calories yesterday with chocolate :) An Daim bar and a big peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie went down a treat!

So maybe I need to be on the maintainers thread. Is that for people who don't particularly want to lose lots of weight? I'd be fine with losing a couple of pounds but I wouldn't want to lose any more than that. My BMI is 20.

[Boleh]

The mainters thread is probably the place to be for you as you are only doing this for health reasons but pop into the main thread too as it has loads of info
Depending on your daughters age I'd either try not to make it obvious as you suggest or have a discussion with her about possible health benefits, how proven it is (or isn't) look at different sources and the difference in reliability between a website promoting the diet for money and a peer reviewed study. (Can you tell I'm a scientist?!). You could even get your cholesterol tested now and in 6 months! Just don't make it about body shape and weightloss. Be really clear that you are catching up the calories and fasting for the potential health benefits.

[Boleh]

Or if she's a bit younger and notices maybe just simply that daddy is on a diet, you are eating less some days to keep him company but eating extra on other days...

[VillaVillekulla]

Sorry but I have no idea!

[TalkinPeace]

OP
First off : welcome
second : drink more, lots more, pint of water at a time
if you are not overweight, the health benefits are different but still there

as for your DD - its simple
"my bones are no longer growing so I do not need to eat three times a day. But I need to ensure that my brain stays healthy so I skip some meals and eat healthily at others"

and interestingly both of my kids now regularly skip meals - they eat when they are hungry, have stopped snacking and both look better for it.