Started 5:2 this week, struggling with non-fast days

[moosemama]

Hi

The year before last I lost just over 4 stone, doing MFP logging and exercise (walking, plus 30 Day shred and other JM instruments of torture!). I loved finally being thin and more importantly fit, but then had a serious ankle injury and also developed a long-term health issue (unrelated to diet/weight) which meant I spent many months pretty much sofa-ridden and gradually the weight crept back on.

I absolutely hate being overweight now, it feels so much worse being able to remember what being fit felt like to be fit and healthy, than it did when I was overweight long-term, iyswim. So, I have finally decided I've had enough and want to do something about it and having read about the health benefits of 5:2 decided to give that a go this time.

I'm logging on MFP, have it set to maintenance at my TDEE and just eat up to my 1/4 TDEE intake on fast days.

Fast days are no problem, I tend to eat a bowl of porridge, a large mixed salad with either cheese or nuts for protein and lots of herbal teas in between and don't struggle at all. It's non-fast days I struggle with.

I think it's because my extra weight has come out of eating rubbish mostly chocolate on top of an otherwise health vegetarian diet, so now I've cut out the rubbish I am struggling to make 1,200 calories let alone my TDEE of 1,887.

To clarify, I'm not just eating normally on nfd, as I want to seriously reduce the amount of sugar I eat (due to being seriously addicted beforehand) so even on nfds I'm not eating snacks/treats or processed food.

Having gone through the pain of 'coming off' sugar, I am loath to start eating it again just to make up my calorie deficit but I'm struggling to see what else I can eat to make up such a big calorie deficit.

Today I have had a large bowl of porridge made with water and a splash of milk. A bowl of chunky tomato soup with a slice of granary/seeded bread and butter. A bowl of natural yoghurt (full fat) with fresh, strawberries, blueberries and nectarines, plus a few cups of decaff coffee, a couple of herbal teas and several glasses of water - and I have an cheese, onion and spinach omelette planned for tea. I also plan to have some cashew nuts this evening, in place of my usual chocolate snack, but am already not hungry, even before my evening meal and can't see how I can get any more calories.

I can see me being able to eat my old mfp 1,200 kcals a day by increasing portion size and maybe even getting to 1,500 on days when we have a big meal (eg Sunday lunch) but eating my TDEE of 1,887 seems like an impossible task. Will it harm my weightloss if I only eat 1,200 on nfds and if so, any suggestions for how I can up my intake without eating unhealthy/sugar laden foods would be much appreciated.

(Oh and by the way, I am only at the walking stage at the moment - a long way off getting back to 30 Day Shred level, so am not doing excessive exercise on top of my calorie deficit.)

I know , only too well, exactly what you mean !!! My current situation is almost identical !! I'm upping my yoghurt and fruit intake - as I figure they are good and they do satisfy my non savoury cravings !
I've hurt both ankles - tendon damage - been limited to waking only 1000 steps a day for months !! I've almost cut bread out - as it just makes me feel bloated ! My friend, who's a personal trainer, suggested I add hardboiled eggs into my diet - so have one a day ! Nuts are a good way to add in calories !

Hi OnePlan, thanks for replying.

Sorry to hear you are in a similar position. It's so frustrating when you can't exercise isn't it?

I was on crutches for just shy of 6 months and have been left with a chronic nerve/pain condition that flares up both if I do too much or too little - so exercise is Hobson's Choice for me really. Then as soon as I was off the crutches the other health problem hit and I was totally immobile again. I tend to keep my ankle condition under control by dog walking, but am desperate to get back to proper interval training. Am planning to build up my walking then start with floor/ab circuits when I start to feel fit enough.

I'm trying to stick with lower carb fruits, like berries, as much as possible - at least for the moment, until I get past the post-sugar-detox stage. Same with white carbs, which means limited potatoes and pasta, both of which would of course up my kcal intake.

I know I'm making it hard on myself, but I was very strict last time and found within the first month I was totally past craving rubbish and just enjoying a really healthy balanced diet, which meant I could reintroduce fruits, potatoes and wholegrain pasta within reason.

I have almost the full 4 stone to lose all over again though and don't want to stall weightloss by being too strict and eating too little.

I'm only in my first week of 5:2 though, so maybe it will become clearer as I go along.

Managed to get up to 1,258 including my evening nut snack, by adding an egg and upping the quantity of cheese in my omelette and am going to try and plan tomorrow's food tonight in the hope of getting closer to at least my BMR.

That's good ! Tue and Thursday are my fast days ! Soup is the Oder of the day !! My poor dog is missing our walks !!!

I had two dogs when I was at my least mobile and they did miss out a lot, as dh ended up taking them when he was home, which meant nowhere near as much exercise as they were used to.

I now have two again (we lost our elderly girl last Spring) and one is a very lively 7 month old pup so I have to go - even if it hurts. I think it's done me good though, as with my nerve condition, it's now painful, but no longer damaged, so exercise won't cause a problem - it just hurts. Difficult to explain, as it's such a weird condition.

Didn't get round to planning tomorrow's food in the end, but have a rough idea of what I'm going to have. My fast days are going to be Monday and Thursday and I'm actually looking forward to Thursday, so I don't have to think about trying to eat enough. I never thought I'd be saying that!

Hmm, starchy carbs are out, as are meat & poultry.
Can you close ypur eyes and eat oily fish by any chance ?

OK, looks like healthy fats are the way to go. Some ideas:

1. Peanut butter and almond butter are healthy calorie bombs

They don't require bread, although there are some delic low-carb crackers available.
5:2 invented a "Deviant Porridge" which involves adding a spoonful of peanut butter. Add a banana (if that is ok ?) and cinammon.

2. Salad with lovely olive oil & vinegar dressing

3. Stir fried veggie dishes , being generous with the oil, adding almonds or cashews

4. Cheese fondue with slices of apple or celery etc to dip in

5. Cheese omelette / fried eggs with fried mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans

6. Hummus with veggies, e.g. pepper slices, to dip in

7. veggie curries with coconut milk

8. veg/fruit shakes with coconut milk and / or peanut butter

I hope you soon regain health & fitness.
btw: Do pop into the 5:2 exercise thread, see if any ideas there suit you.

Wow ! Great ideas ! Think I might have a bowl of porridge with peanut butter and a banana right now !! Yummy !!!

Avocado too? Yummy Good luck x

I'm vegetarian BigChoc. I gag when I give the dogs sardines for their dinner .

Peanut butter is a great idea, thank you. I have some of the wholegrain stuff with no added sugar, so might have that for a snack when the dcs have their after school snack.

I'm not completely avoiding bread, but am limiting it and attempting to choose brands that aren't full of sugar.

Not sure about peanut butter in porridge, but have gone back to the recipe I used to have on my old diet this morning. Porridge oats, 1 finely chopped apple, half a tsp of cinnamon. Make with water and top with 20 ml milk. It's lovely, tastes like apple pie and comes in at less than 190 calories. If I know I'm going to be too busy to have sensible snacks I tend to make a bigger bowl and that will keep me going for ages. Ideally I'd be avoiding the apple for another couple of weeks, but I don't want to be obsessive and set myself up to fail.

Haven't tried using coconut milk, so will give that a go.

Also thought of avocado - speaking of good fats.

Thank you. Will try and pop into the exercise thread soon.

Cross posted!

Thank you j200.

I completely understand why you would want to cut out sugar and processed carbs. I don't however understand the desire to cut out potatoes. They are a vegetable, they are good for you, they are not processed.

see this article gives a good summary of what I mean.

Fair enough if you are low carbing and need to go into ketosis but otherwise there is no need to avoid the humble spud.

I'm not cutting out potatoes permanently. Just trying to avoid too many simple carbs for a couple of weeks while I get past my dreadful sugar habit.

That article is interesting, suggesting they have been listed incorrectly on the GI index. I have always been told they are simple carbs and therefore best avoided while you're trying to kick a sugar habit.

I've done this before, to stop the sugar cravings and it worked. I went on to lose 4 stone without bothering about missing out on sugary treats and potatoes did feature in my long-term diet. It's only for two weeks - well one really now though, so I think I can manage that much.

Managed much better yesterday. Upped my portion sizes of still very healthy meals and managed to reach my BMR - still working towards my TDEE though.

Second fast day today. So far so good.

How about milk only with porridge?

Also soup with lentils or pulses, you can use proper butter on bread.

I hadn't thought of having a drink of milk. Would have to be full fat though, skimmed is just reduced down to liquid sugar really.

Lentils are a good idea. I have none in at the moment, but do like them in stews and soups.

I already use proper butter. Can't stand any of the supposedly healthy alternatives and if I'm going to eat something I want it to taste nice, not just oily, iyswim.