Irritable on fast days...

[catquestioner]

Can anyone please advise me...

I have been attempting the 5:2 and tend to fast on Tuesdays and Thursdays as they are work days so less opportunity to eat. I save my 500 calories for a decent tea but by the afternoon I am beyond irritable so much so that people have commented!

I have tried eating a small snack but this just makes me hungrier. Is there anything anyone can suggest? I really want to be successful with this but it really can't be at the expense of me being horrible for 2 days of the week!

Thanks in advance.

On FDs, I usually eat half my cals as a late lunch, because I train evenings and I perform better like this.

Could you have lunch and supper instead ?

Oh and I don't know what you eat, but we recommend protein and veg.
Most people do best with little or no starches on FDs.

I totally avoid yoghurt, fruit, juice, cereal, crackers etc on FDs

i started at around 750- 200 calories through the day on things like breakfast/ almonds/hard boiled eggs and a 550 dinner.

now i manage with 100 on snacks thorough the day and a 450-500 evening meal.

gradually i think psychologically and physically you get used to it. lots of cucumber water helps me!

My top low cal snacks are newly discovered Laughing Cow cheese triangle and asparagus. The cheese triangle (25 kcal) you can put on your tongue and let it melt and so it stays there for a while and so gives you enough of taste for a longer time. Asparagus.. you just munch without guilt.

I've been practicing this WOL for over two years, now, and this thread has reminded me of how life used to be.

Pre 5:2 if a meal was delayed, for whatever reason, I could be incredibly ratty.

Now I'm almost zen-like when I'm fasting - can't remember how long that took, but I don't think it took all that long. Hang on in there, OP, it will get easier as your body gets used to fasting!

I tend to have vegetable soup for lunch, only 80-100 cals but feels like a proper meal - could you take a flask or travel mug into work? I also used to nibble on carrot sticks but I seem to have lost the need for those.
Failing the soup option I'll have an apple for an emergency lunch, I know BCF doesn't recommend fruit as the sugar can set off the munchies for some people but it seems OK for me.
My main saviour however is a mug of tea with milk, 20 or so calories but I find it much more filling somehow than without milk.

For some reason although I am still a total grump if I go unexpectedly too long without food, I seem to be fine with fast days now.

I have 400 cals at lunchtime and then a small banana mid afternoon and find I can get through the day fine although I mainly spend my evenings doing things rather than sat on the sofa watching TV. I think the guy from the horizon programme had breakfast & supper. I do try & make sure it is 16 hours from supper on my NFD to lunch on my FD and then it is easily another 16 hours between my banana and breakfast on the following NFD.

Make sure you're staying hydrated, too - I noticed that when I'm ratty due to hunger drinking something helps.

If at all possible, try and plan your day so you have the most stressful stuff or the most 'contact' with people in the morning, and try to have something that you can get stuck into in your own in the afternoon when hunger often hits.

I'm finding a hot cup or two of beef Oxo drink really takes the edge off when the hunger pangs get overwhelming.

Glass of milk in the morning, than small dinner in the evening, and I feel full of energy during the day.
The first two weeks were a bit uncomfortable, but I am fine now. I tend to stick to protein on those days, no sugar whatsoever as it's not worth it.

I drink a lot of water and herbal tea (Yogi tea, Tea Pigs) during the day.