So after losing 7lbs on SW and then hitting a plateau for months I do 5:2 for one week and 2lb gone!!

[sebsmummy1]

I am delighted

I do tons of exercise so have carried that on on my fast days. Taking yesterday as an example I must have been running a huge deficit having eaten 500 cals and completed a kettle bell and spin class as well as swimming. So in my head I'm not at all surprised that it works, but I'm so used to diets being unsuccessful I almost daren't hope that I might get rid of this last stone.

Congratulations! I may have to try 5:2 myself. Simply 'watching what I eat' (my grandmother's phrase) isn't achieving anything. What sort of stuff do you eat on your fast days? Do you use mfp to log calories? Are you careful on non-fast days?

Yep I do use MFP to log calories on fast days. Yesterday I ate a huge cauliflower, frozen grapes (all weighed) cups of tea and two homemade lattes with weighed out milk and sugar. Weirdly in the evening I wasn't hungry so just had the two coffees. I've woken up this morning expecting to be ravenous but I'm not that hungry which is great.

Other people who do 5:2 chose to save all of their calories for a nice evening meal and just drink during the day at work. But I'm a SAHM and find it easier to eat in the day/morn.

The other days I guess I am careful but not perfect by any means. I don't count calories on those days at the moment though might if the weight loss stalls.

Well done, SebsMum

The contrast between fasting (well, 500 cals) 2 days and eating normally 5 days can break through after other diets plateau.
Also, those 5 days keep up your metabolic rate.

Some folk never need to count cals on 5:2 NFDs, because they can judge what their body burns.
However, if your weight loss stops, then do mfp food AND drink, to check you don't exceed your TDEE.

Thanks BCF. I am thinking of doing another day where I count calories but allow myself 1000 cals instead of 500. Then I reckon I can get away with not having to think about the other four days at all. I'm excited!!

Up to about 1000 cals is what we call a mini-FD. Many folk add these or otherwise tune 5:2 to their lifestyle. It's very flexible.

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