Tips and links for those practicing Intermittent Fasting (IF). 5:2 or Alternate Day Fasting (ADF)

[Breadandwine]

This is where those posters who have been IFing for a while can pass on any tips they may have on how to get the best out of this new WOE (way of eating).

It's also where you should post any new links on the subject that you come across - and would just get buried in a very long thread.

I just wanted to get this thread underway, so that GreenEggs can link to it in the new 5:2 thread (the 5th in just 2 months!) that's she is currently planning.

I don't know if this is completely against the rules but I am not actually a mum - but this is by FAR the best thread chatting about 5:2 and I have felt like a bit of a weird lurker over the past couple of weeks. Happy to head off elsewhere if this is only for those with offspring!

I started 5:2 six fasts ago - so three weeks, today is my seventh and I'm struggling as I had a glass too many last night.

In the past I lost 5 and a 1/2 stone through weight watchers. At my lowest after work and home stress I was down to 11st4 from a high of 16st10 five years ago.

I am now at a starting weight of 11st13 (I'm 5'10) starting at 12'4 three weeks ago and I want to see 10st on the scales for the first time in my life! But I just cannot bear to go back to the days of counting everything and having a nightmare trying to eat out with friends. And WW low calorie wine is just a depressing thought.

Two questions:

1. Am I fasting right? I stop eating after dinner on a normal day and then try and make it until about 3 or 4pm before having a miso soup or some avocado or fish - never more than 100 cals. then wait until 8pm for a fullish evening meal. Then I start to eat normally again the following morning.

2. I find is that I need at least 400 cals in the evening meal to have any chance of getting to sleep -which leaves me with barely anything to play with during the day - I almost always go to 550 / 570 during the days as I just cannot seem to stick to 500 once you factor in every sip of skimmed milk or every extra pea. Is this ok or would I be getting much better results sticking to the 500?

Any advice would be welcome!

Sorry to dash without replying eastlondonlite but the thread below is the main 5:2 thread with lots of new and old fasters on it who'd be able to help you quickly:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/fasting_diet/1786736-The-5-2-Thread-number-22-Put-down-that-biscuit-you-can-eat-it-tomorrow
Post there. Welcome by the way :)

Fasting and cancer.

This thread on the 52fastdiet forum contains some serious research into the subject couched in layman's terms:

www.52fastdiet.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=3940

It's well worth checking out the rest of his blog. (Although he's into selling stuff, his research and his willingness to share are to be applauded.)

How Fasting Fights Cancer:

www.marksdailyapple.com/fasting-cancer/#axzz2XRlpFRfu

Here are several useful links I've gathered over the past few days that you might want to peruse. I'm not certain they're all new to this thread, but most of them are:

This is an absolutely brilliant article on the subject of fasting, with many historical references plus some personal experience:
www.colorado.edu/eeb/courses/buchwald/1040/hrap_files/Starving.pdf

?Benefits of fasting help kill cancer cells?
www.naturalhealth365.com/food_news/kill-cancer.html

Do Intermittent Fasting Diets Actually Work?
www.thevine.com.au/life/news/according-to-study-do-intermittent-fasting-diets-actually-work/

Many of you will have seen this, but I?ll include it anyway - What the Science Says About Intermittent Fasting:
lewrockwell.com/mercola/mercola279.html

And:
fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/08/24/intermittent-fasting.aspx

?Chemotherapy and fasting to treat cancer?. (I found it easer to go to ?Show transcript?)
www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/chemotherapy-and-fasting-to-treat-cancer/3963102#transcript

Some stuff about the thyroid (not related to fasting)
www.askthelowcarbexperts.com/2013/06/39-dr-michael-ruscio-all-things-thyroid-thyroid-201/

How Plant-Based to Lower IGF-1?
nutritionfacts.org/video/how-plant-based-to-lower-igf-1/

Why you should starve yourself a little every day:
io9.com/5979523/why-you-should-starve-yourself-a-little-bit-each-day

Hope you'll find something of value amongst this lot!

Snacks
crap aren't they.
Whoosh 1000 calories used up between meals, not even on things you really wanted to eat
in fact on thing you know you'll regret
or on things you know are bad for you
and never shared with those you love

Meals
wonderful things
plan ahead,
structure the menu
enjoy the preparation
enjoy the presentation
enjoy the eating
even more so when those you love say thankyou at the end for a delicious repast and a pleasant hour sat together eating well without distraction

Ooh that horizon programme was scary!!

I've started treating my body nicely on Fast Days. I have a long luxurious shower with my best gel, and I've got a bottle of Clarins Body Lotion that I ONLY use on fast days. I think this helps me to look forward to them and get in the right frame of mind, rather than see it as a negative deprivation experience. I also try to time any hair appointments or facial or nails for Fast Days too. If all else fails, I'll paint my toenails.

Interesting thing I just clocked on TDEE
put in my height and weight and then played with age .....
18 years = 1669 calories
28 years = 1613
38 years = 1557
48 years = 1500
58 years = 1444
68 years = 1387
78 years = 1331

Hello

Talkinpeace kindly pointed me here but tbh I am a bit overwhelmed by the length of the thread and trying to read and remember it all.

I need to lose 2 stones, ideally by October but I know that isn't possible really and is a daft goal.

I will get my notepad out later and make notes.

hiya Strawberry,
your best bet is to go to the main thread (number 24)
and you will get to surf the wave of support and cheeriness

My biggest tip is to have some little treat that you only ever ever have on a fast day. Mine is a low calorie hot chocolate. I know I can only ever have it last thing on a fast day and it gets me through.

Yours might be smoked salmon, luxury prawns, whatever.

On one day, when I was very tempted, I allocated calories to one very, very small (75ml) glass of very good white wine we happened to have in the fridge. Knowing I could have that if and when I kept to my fast was a real motivator. I don't drink on fast days, or on more days than not, but this was a day I needed motivating.

I will, thank you Talkinpeace.

abra
I like that ..

:)

Why Exercise? or Exercise Is Dangerous to Your Diet

Interesting thread here about the effects of exercise and weight loss.

www.52fastdiet.co.uk/5-2-diet-chat-f6/topic6543.html

Couple of blog posts on the benefits of taking a daily cold shower. Seems to make sense to me:

Getting stronger

www.marksdailyapple.com/cold-water-therapy/#axzz2cnGbJGSb

And there is an ongoing discussion about this on the 52fastdiet forum:

www.52fastdiet.co.uk/chat-f12/cold-showers-t7786.html?sid=124a47b67ed320f9bf514d69165d69d7

LOSING WEIGHT WITH A DIET

As an adult a person has a pattern of eating ( method z ) that results in them being overweight (at size a )
They go on a diet restricting calories all the time ( method y ) until they get down to "target weight" ( size b ) and then they come "off the diet" and rapidly return eating as per method z and hence size a

But actually "diet" just means "what you eat"
So you need to eat the right amount to stay stable at size b for ever ( method x ).
By chance, if you are starting from size a eating method x you will lose weight.
But because method x is nice : healthy meals, no excessive restriction, it becomes the new normal and you stay at size b for the rest of your life

If you see what I mean

Here's a visual to motivate you: Look at this double scan of two women, one 250lbs, the other 120lbs. The visceral fat, the joints, the enlarged liver and heart... Let it motivate you to lose the excess weight and get to a healthy BMI.

I used to be over 200 lbs and felt fine. I had no idea! I will never let my weight creep up like that again.

THose pictures are absolutely shocking : look at the body cavity ....

creamtea1 a huge well done to you for losing 3 stone! That is fantastic, it's given me great encouragement. Can I ask how long it took you ? Did you fast for more than 2 days per week ? On the NFD's day you limit calories or did you eat normally.

bumping for sweetiepie

Feeling cold
Yup, you will. You've done the equivalent of taking off two or three winter coats.

TiP's tip 1 : stand up to be on the computer. Adjust your desk or put the laptop on the kitchen counter. You stay MUCH warmer standing up.

TiP's tip 2 : do not turn the heating up in the whole house. Pick a room - ideally one with a sunny window. Colder houses make you burn more calories so aid your weight loss.

TiP's tip 3 : If like me you get really cold hands (Raynauds) , get a big fleece or jumper and keep the sleeves down over your hands .... remember to remove said manky jumper before going out to places

TiP's tip 4 : If you are really struggling, these are great www.marksandspencer.com/Heatgen-Long-Sleeve-Thermal-Top/dp/B0038FRUJS - or any thermal top ....

TiP's tip 5 : If in doubt, move around. Activity breeds activity, warms you up and burns calories. Blitzing a cupboard is a good workout and makes you feel better.

LOOK AT EVERY BITE YOU TAKE
Eating mindfully and with awareness seems to have made a big difference to those starting from high weights and with past food issues.

Eat what you like

• 400g bar of dairy milk in one go. Fine. But look at each and every square before you put it in your mouth and decide if you actually want / need to.
• Family pack of crisps after supper. Fine. But do not just shovel from bag to mouth. Lift out each crisp and look at it before scoffing.

Mealtimes
Turn off the telly, turn down the radio unless it is music, sit around the table
Make a point of looking at your food on the fork before you eat it.
Also then you'll stress less over what the kids are doing.
Meals will take longer, but you will savour them more.

And I'll be gobsmacked if eating mindfully makes fat people eat more or scrawny people eat less.

Good stuff, Tip!

Here's a fascinating way to estimate your overall level of fitness.

My VO2MAX and fitness age are both 46 - and, for new readers, I'm 76.

Could this explain the dreaded 'plateau'?

www.52fastdiet.co.uk/5-2-diet-chat-f6/the-famine-effect-interesting-article-on-aus-radio-national-t8533-15.html