Need a bit of 5:2 motivation

[TheRealMaryMillington]

Have been intermittent fasting for about a month, plus upping the exercise and clean eating for a couple of weeks before that. I have lost 1 stone of the 3.5 that need to go.

I was meant to be fasting today but I am starving. Bit pre-menstrual I suspect. I haven't quite blown it yet today, but am on the verge. If I blow it today I will have to try tomorrow and the PMT will probs be worse.

What do you do when you're on a fast day but you're not feeling it?

(I have 2 hours of yoga booked this evening so will not want to eat at teatime, think this gives me a head start)

Ugh

Hi Mary Well done on your progress so far.

It's natural to want fatty sugary carby food at totm - all due to changed hormone balance. However, a carbfest will just set up a spiral of cravings and also make you retain water, so you feel even puffier.

On an FD, a teaspoon of Marmite (= 10 cals) from the jar can help: it's a taste of something savoury and also replenishes salt and minerals that may have been excreted with the extra water.
Hot Bovril (also =10 cals) can also be useful.

Eat your full 500 cals on FDs. People usually have better longterm results that way rather than with zero-cal total fasts.

For meals, concentrate on protein and veg, with a bit of fat. A couple of boiled eggs or an omelette are ideal.
I recommend you avoid fruit or any breakfast cereal, as these are high GI and can awake totm cravings.

Get up and walk for a few mins, have a big mug of water, then settle down to perform a task where you need to concentrate.
Just remember you can have it tomorrow

Very good motivation that you are exercising:
I keep reminding myself how uncomfortable and farty I feel if I eat shortly before training.
Try a double espresso 10 mins before exercise, to help mobilise fat stores for burning
I find my hunger dies down soon after I start exercising and stays down for a couple of hours afterwards. Then it's bedtime - an early night is part of healthy FD pampering.