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Fasting / 5:2 diet

Talk about intermittent fasting and 5:2, including what’s worked for others. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

Starting on Monday - anyone want to be my buddy?

416 replies

SpanielFace · 02/07/2013 10:13

I'm planning on starting next week - it's my birthday on Thursday so want to wait until after then!

I'm 32, 5'7 and have about 5 stone to lose. I have a 10 month old DS and I have recently been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid gland, which slows the metabolism and makes it harder to lose weight - I started treatment 2 weeks ago and am already feeling much better, so I'm hoping to find losing weight a bit easier. 2 stone of this weight has been gained since having DS, which I feel ashamed about, but have been feeling exhausted and depressed (due mostly to the thyroid, it turns out) and have compensated by comfort eating. Confused

I really hope this will be a solution to 8 years of yo-yo dieting, which have taken me from a size 10 to a size 18 Confused A little nervous of the hunger, but I know it won't kill me.

Does anyone want to be my buddy, for a bit of mutual support?

OP posts:
cuttingpicassostoenails · 02/07/2013 10:31

Hi Spaniel. I'm a bit older than you ( quite a lot actually) and have started the great weight loss plan today as well.

I too have a dodgy thyroid and need to get a blood test done as it seems to be playing up again.

Five stone sounds about right for me too and I put most of it down to giving up smoking. I have been tempted to start again but will resist the temptation.

Cheese, olives and spicy stuff are my downfall...not to mention wine!

And possibly gin.

Original poster
SpanielFace · 02/07/2013 12:20

Hi Cuttingpicassostoenails (great name btw!)

This thyroid thing is a pain, isn't it? I was relieved when that's what it turned out to be, I was starting to think I had PND to be honest, but I do feel so much better after 2 weeks on treatment. Just a bit daunted that it's for life.

My biggest downfall at the moment is picking all day - I'm still on mat leave, go back next month but only 2 days a week so will still be in the house a lot, so I need to find self-control and stop grazing. I have not had gin in ages since an unfortunate episode as a student Confused, but do love my wine!

Have you had you first fast day yet? How did it go?

OP posts:
AphraBehn · 04/07/2013 14:10

Happy birthday Spaniel

I started on Monday and have had 1 fast so far. The next was supposed to be today but I am going out for dinner so will make it Saturday instead.

I also have several stones to lose but am only going to think 1 stone at a time, which will hopefully be by September.

SweetBabyJebus · 07/07/2013 20:04

SpanielFace, I could have written your op! I'm also 32, 5' 7" with 5 stone to lose and a 10 month old ds! Plus two more dc. I've been putting on weight steadily for the last 8 years I suppose, and I'm so used to it, I'm sort of afraid I guess. And lazy if I'm honest! I've been reading about 5:2 and it sounds like something I could do.
So I guess I'm 'checking in' so to speak. Going to start tomorrow with a fast day I think.

God, it's so daunting....

Original poster
SpanielFace · 07/07/2013 22:16

Hi Aphra, how was your weekend? Did you fast on Saturday, and how did it go?

SweetBabyJeebus - good luck for tomorrow! I'm all set, I hope! I'm going to have stir fried veg with soy sauce for lunch, grilled chicken with salad for tea. No breakfast. I have DS's first swimming session tomorrow pm so hope I'm not feeling too ravenous!

OP posts:
AphraBehn · 07/07/2013 22:40

My Saturday fast was much, much easier than the first one Spaniel. I wasn't hungry at all although I drunk about 2l of water!

AphraBehn · 07/07/2013 22:41

Good luck for your fasting tomorrow as well.

mnistooaddictive · 08/07/2013 08:09

I am doing my first fast day today. Banana for breakfast, soup for lunch and salad for dinner. I have a meeting tonight and will be making cake for everybody else but need to resist eating it myself!

I need to lose 2 stone, I lost half last year, but list motivation and have put it all back on!

I also intend to shred 3 times a week but not on fast days to help tone up.

Original poster
SpanielFace · 08/07/2013 09:16

I'm wondering how I am going to cook for DH and DS (10 months) without being tempted! I was going to do pasta with chicken, veggies and home made pesto. Definitely more than 500 cals in one plate alone! I'm home today so my job to cook dinner... DH is permanently hungry, never sits still, doesn't have time to eat lunch at work some days so comes home ravenous, and is bordering underweight at the moment - he just loses weight whenever he's stressed at work. So I do try & feed him up a bit. That's why this diet appeals - 5 days a week, we can eat together (although I think I still need to watch portion size).

OP posts:
Neitheronethingortheother · 08/07/2013 12:49

I still cook dinner for dh when I am on a fast day. Usually I will do a turkey stir fry, just slice some turkey breasts and stir fry with a prepared stir fry and put some soy sauce through it. I would do some noodles for dh to make his a bit more substantial.

Other times I have fish and salad and just have some nice bread for dh to fill up on.

Its good to eat light and healthy a couple of nights a week for everyone in the family.

Curioustiger · 08/07/2013 12:55

I'll join you as I've accidentally been fasting today due to a missed lunch, so I might as well carry on! I was going to start anyway. I'm aiming to lose 1.5 stone (2.5 would be ideal but I want to be realistic). I downloaded my fitness pal today, anyone else?

Original poster
SpanielFace · 08/07/2013 20:59

Neither, I would agree with that for most people, but DH really does need the calories - he's 5 foot 10 and currently his weight is 9 stone 7! He's most happy at about 11 stone, and is trying to gain, but is also training for a triathalon, so he really needs healthy but high calorie food, and plenty of carbs. And I really can't expect DS to eat grilled chicken and salad at 10 months old. Anyway I was strong and resisted. Had an omelette for tea instead of salad in the end. Today's been ok, better than I expected, but am fighting the evening munchies now.

Tiger lily, yes I'm on my fitness pal, joined ages ago but never used it until now. My user name is spanielface if you want to add me Smile

OP posts:
Curioustiger · 08/07/2013 21:01

I found it pretty hard today... But am determined to stick to it for a few weeks at least and see how I go. I am by nature a bit of grazer and going for most of a day without food is so hard! Can't wait for breakfast tomorrow!

mnistooaddictive · 09/07/2013 06:48

I had to abandon yesterday due to a migraine, mind you it may count as I couldn't even keep water down for most of the day!

Original poster
SpanielFace · 09/07/2013 07:14

Oh no, mnistooaddictive. Sad Migraines are miserable, I hope you feel better today.

Well, I am 4.5lbs lighter today! I'm well aware that its water weight at the moment rather than fat, but still feels nice. I'm hungry this morning, but no more so than usual. Looking forward to breakfast - just giving DS his morning bottle at the moment. I'm going to do my next fast day on Thursday I think. I think next time I will eat more lightly during the day, and save more calories for my evening meal. I went to bed hungry last night, which is never nice!

OP posts:
AphraBehn · 09/07/2013 09:08

Spaniel on my first fast day I was ravenous when I went to bed, but the second was fine.

Someone on the main thread said that a few hunger pangs are nothing to be afraid of, which is true.

tigerlily Glad it went ok for you, I am fasting today and Friday this week. Enjoy your breakfast Smile.

mn hope you are feeling better.

Curioustiger · 09/07/2013 09:17

I'm fasting again on Friday aphra, best of luck. Btw for dinner last night I found a 250 cal recipe from the telegraph that was really good: griddle a couple of courgette sliced lengthways, add 30g feta, some lemon juice and zest and mint (I'm lazy so used a little bit of concentrated mint sauce but that worked really well, I would do that again). It was delicious! Although I wished it was a starter, not a main.

Original poster
SpanielFace · 11/07/2013 10:07

So much for fasting today!

DS has a thrush infection and a v v sore bottom, so he was awake roughly every hour last night. Confused A bit if a shock to the system, he's been sleeping through since 5 months and I've got used to the sleep again! Today started at 5.30am with a massive mug of tea with 2 sugars, and 2 rounds of toast - I just can't live on salad when I'm this tired! I'm out for lunch tomorrow, so going to fast on Saturday instead. I hope everyone else is doing ok!

OP posts:
Curioustiger · 11/07/2013 10:31

Bad luck spaniel. Check in again on Saturday and let us know how you get on! I am fasting tomorrow and have planned a really busy day to take my mind off it. I might try lunch and dinner not breakfast and dinner, and see if that's easier.

AphraBehn · 11/07/2013 12:33

Never mind Spaniel, hope your boy is ok. Saturday is probably as good a day as any to fast. In fact, the forecast is for it to be very hot again (at least in my area) so you will need to drink loads of water which will curb your appetite.

I fasted on Tuesday, which went ok, and am going to fast again tomorrow. My NFDs haven't been great although I've just about kept within my limits.

Curioustiger · 12/07/2013 21:25

Hi I fasted today (day 2). I have to say it was much easier than I expected (hopefully this will sound encouraging not smug!) I had planned to eat lunch and dinner, but I was really busy at lunchtime, so thought at about 2pm that I would try pushing on and having a very early 500 cal dinner at 5pm ish. Then I was busy again at 5pm and ended up having dinner at 8pm, having had nothing but a double espresso, a cup of tea and sparkling water all day! Which basically means I fasted for 24 hours... Yet while I was obviously hungry, I wasn't that hungry, it was weird. In fact I would say I was hungrier at about 11am than I was at 6pm, if that makes sense... It was a bit like I got used to being hungry. Definitely it helped that it was so hot today, and also that I really was incredibly busy. It was also nice to have a proper meal in the evening rather than a small snack (chicken salad).

I'm quite hungry now but will be OK until tomorrow morning, hope your fast goes well Spaniel.

Curioustiger · 12/07/2013 21:25

Ps also hope your DS is better!

Original poster
SpanielFace · 13/07/2013 12:20

Hi Tiger, I'm fasting today. Currently in the hairdressers getting highlights, not eaten anything yet today and won't have the chance until I get out (maybe 3pm as a guess). I am the same, I was hungry at about 9am but feel fine now. It helps that it's hot! I'm saving as many calories as possible for a proper meal later, going to bed hungry was hard work last time.

DS is much better thanks, his poor bottom is scabbed but the redness has all gone out of it, and he's getting loads of nappy free time in the garden. Back to sleeping through, thank god!

I'm going to get weighed on Monday, as u did last week - temped to weigh myself tomorrow as I know I'll weigh less after a fast day, but I think Monday is more sensible & will give me a more realistic weight.

Have a lovely weekend everyone! ??????

OP posts:
Original poster
SpanielFace · 13/07/2013 12:21

*as I did, not u!

OP posts:
Curioustiger · 13/07/2013 12:25

Sounds good spaniel. I would be interested to know if others do one meal a day (and I am assuming as long as I drink plenty of water it does me no harm...?) It was definitely much easier.

I'm glad your little boy is better; that doesn't sound like fun! Poor little chap!

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