First day and starving!

[WongTobyWong]

This is my first day of 5:2. It's my FD and I've only eaten 500 calories but I am starving! Did anyone else feel this way? I'm wondering if I can get through it.

Although I need to, of course. I am the heaviest I've ever been - 211lbs - and even at 5'9 that's far too big. I should be around 170. I actually went for a consult last week for a tummy tuck and the surgeon told me I needed to lose weight first.

Did you have a quick drop of a few pounds at the beginning, which helped with the motivation?

[BigChocFrenzy]

Hi Wong Most folk take a couple of weeks to get used to fasting.
Those who have a lot of weight to lose usually lose quite quickly, especially the first couple of stone.
Several 5:2ers have come down from high BMI bands to healthy weight - and are maintaining.

On fast days, you stay fuller if you go healthy low GI, so plenty of protein and veg, but only small portion of complex carbs.
No fruit juice or breakfast cereals, because they are very sugary and start cravings. Obviously no sweets, crisps, cake etc or booze
Many folk cut out starches and fruit on those 2 days.

You eat normal food on the 5 non-fast days, not dieting, not bingeing.

You are welcome to join our friendly support group on 5:2 / IF Thread #57
Lots of info there in the OP, too.

[Dowser]

Just come back from holiday/ honeymoon and my DH is heaviest he's been while with me.

He did a fast yesterday having just one meal in the evening, stir fried pork with a little boiled rice . This morning he is 4 lbs lighter.

He is eating normally but lightly today .

[MartinRohdesBellybuttonFluff]

OP, I hope your day got easier. I am three weeks in and find fast days really hard, especially with having a family to still cook for (DH & 3DC's). By the evening time I feel a bit weepy and am chewing my knuckles. However, the following morning I don't feel like gorging myself and feel happy that I've gotten through the previous day.

I am interested in finding out how you get on as I am toying with the idea of a tummy tuck too (although I haven't been for a consultation yet because I need to lose some weight first as well).

This section of MN is brilliant for ideas, inspiration and consulation!

[MartinRohdesBellybuttonFluff]

*consolation

[WongTobyWong]

Thank you for your messages! The first FD went surprisingly well, I had a protein bar for breakfast, skipped lunch and had a chicken Kiev and spinach for dinner. Just under 500 calories. What really surprised me was that when I woke up the next day I wasn't particularly hungry. I thought I'd be ravenous! Today is my second FD and I'm already peckish (I'm in the U.S. And it's only 8:30!) but I am determined.

The tummy tuck surgeon was lovely but very honest. I need to lose some intra-abdominal fat before the surgery otherwise the results will be compromised. I'm aiming for next March. Fingers crossed!

[BigChocFrenzy]

Best of luck for your tummy tuck next year, Wong

Martin It's must be tough, cooking for a family on FDs.
Some ideas:
. Breakfast is usually a rush, so it's not so tough or noticeable if you just have a cuppa or black coffee
. Some folk have a small lunch & supper; others find it easier to save all cals for supper.
To avoid hunger spirals, keep it low GI and avoid starches, breakfast cereals, juice, fruit.
. Keep the protein, veg, starches and sauce separate, so you can eat together more easily.
e.g. roast dinner = masses of spinach, carrots, cauli and some lean meat for you, with a dash of horseradish. The others add roast pots, yorkies, gravy, cauli cheese.
Similarly with pasta: you have meatballs and veg, they add the noodles.

If 500 cals is too tough to start, ease your way in, say with 800 cal FDs next week, 700 the following werk etc, until you are comfortable with 500.

[MartinRohdesBellybuttonFluff]

Thank you BigChoc

[OohMrDarcy]

Hi Martin and Wong

Hope you are both ok? I am on week 4 on the 5:2 (and on BigChocs very supportive thread mentioned earlier - do join us!)

Are you drinking enough water? I always get through 4 or more pints of water on a fast day - sometimes more than 6. I find that my body is craving the water it normally gets in food, so drinking plenty stops me getting too hungry.

I tend to have either soup & slice of bread, omelette and veg or chicken and veg on fast days. I chose my fast days as ones where I am busy with the DC and work so I wouldn't normally have time to eat until they were in bed anyway.

hope that helps!

[katydye87]

Well done on sticking to 500kcals. Im following a diet where you have to have 750kcal and the first few days I started it I have so hungey and felt like I wanted to eat my arm off.

You could try these noodles that you can buy from holland&barretts they are called 'zero noodles' I would give them a google if I was you. They have no carbs and hardly no calories whatso ever. Give them a try!

I have tried them before, not recently though and they did help hugely but weren't for me. It prob is a good idea for you to try. x

[Excited101]

How are you getting on op? It's my first day today- I've just had half a carton of Covent Garden tomato soup and will have my normal dinner of steamed chicken thigh fillets and veg with some couscous and light cream cheese mixed in. So far so good!

Rhe hardest bit for me has been cutting out the constant snacking which I've got into a bad habit of... Which at least is 'only' a mental problem to overcome.

[oobedobe]

It is my first day today, I have done 5:2 before and it has worked well (I am a bit crap at maintaining though). I have 25 pounds to lose.

I skip breakfast (just cup of tea), then lunch is two eggs and half an english muffin (approx 200 cals)
For dinner I have a weight watchers dinner (approx 300 cals).

I usually do Mon/Thurs as fast days.

[Excited101]

Great oobe I did Mon and Thurs too... No weight lost so far but I know it's early days yet. I'd like to lose about 3.5 stone but time will tell, I'm still eating my way through the Christmas chocolate- it'll be easier once that's gone!