Please can I see your fast day meal plans?

[sunflowerblue]

I'm going to start the 5:2 next week, and trying to plan ahead what I'll eat on fast days. I'm planning to fast on Mondays and Thursday, so I'm going shopping tomorrow (Sunday). I'd be really grateful if anyone would be willing to share what they eat on a fast day. My first thoughts are cuppa soup and sachets of options hot chocolate, and one low calorie meal of 'real' food. Do people go for the easiest options (I can imagine lots of food prep being really challenging when you're hungry) or prepackaged stuff that takes the thinking and temptation away for you?

When I did it few year back. Lost 21lb so dies absolutely work.

I ate nothing till 3ish. Just had coffee and herbal teas Lots of teas.

Then I ate a small bowl of homemade soup or shop made fresh soup. Not canned. . Veg based so low cal.
About 8pm I'd finish rest of soup and then have a treat. A small bar choc or a bag popcorn.

It was bloody hard and I'd be starving but it was amazing in the off days when I ate what ever I wanted and you really don't go mad. It was just nice to not calorie count every day.

Good luck.

Ps. 2 years later I'm still 21lb lighter.

I sometimes do 8:16 now to maintain or the odd fast day.

I still used to have 3 meals a day, I could never manage just the one meal.
B- poached egg with sliced tomatoes, salt and pepper 100 cals
L- chicken and beetroot salad with low fat dressing 200 cals
D- roast cod wrapped in Parma ham with French peas 350 cals
A few strawberries if I needed pudding.

I lost tons of weight on this. Fast days were ham salad for lunch and stir-fry with a one-egg omelette for evening meal. I never have breakfast. Just don't go mad on the other five days, I stuck to c.1500.

If I ever go back to it for a few weeks, I've found a tasty Waitrose ready meal (fish, mash and peas) for 350 calories hits the spot. I never spend time agonising over the menu for fast days as you can tell!

Im going to try this properly, iv just realised iv been loosely doing this all along by having couple of really healthy days during the week and relaxing on weekends, so going to give it a go.

Thanks for the replies.
Still researching and planning tbh. I know if I have to do too much thinking n the day that will be my downfall, so I'm overthinking now just to be on the safe side!

I think I'm going to skip breakfast, have a smoothie for lunch, and a meal in the evening, as I don't want the kids to even be aware that I'm doing this.

So far, a piece of fish or chicken with lots of salad and veg seems the best way to still have a family meal together.

I'm starting tomorrow too sunflower. I have had success on 5:2 before but fell off the wagon. I'll be having a veg soup for lunch and chicken & veg for dinner. My biggest struggle is NFD lunches but I've found a nice turkey bolognaise to have with whole grain rice that will help keep me in TDEE.

Most of my evening fast day meals are low carb or soup. So I can eat the same as everyone but skip the mash/chips.

I'm starting today:

Herbal tea and water all day

Homemade vegetable soup for lunch

Grilled chicken breast and salad for dinner

Coffee x3 (one with milk)
Teax3
Herbal tea x every other time I feel hungry
Salad with salmon or mackerel flakes around 7pm

The best part is the lack of menu planning

Day 2 tomorrow. So far I've planned tuna steak with konjac noodles (is that what they're called? the ones with no calories) and lots of veg for my main meal. Lots of water and coffee to drink.

I find it easy to stick to exactly the same things each week, I do Tuesdays and Thursdays as follows:

b/fast - yoghurt
lunch - 4 brazil nuts
mid-afternoon - apple
supper - first day nothing, 2nd day either 2 egg omelette with tomatoes or watercress soup

Works for me as it means I don't have to think at all and so my mind is already set up for it.

6am -4pm Peppermint tea/black coffee( at work so no time to really think about food)
4pm Options hot chocolate sachet 40 cal

Dinner Veggie sausages/ loads of green beans & black pepperectangular ( only time I ever weigh my food or think about portion size )
For something sweet i'll have a cereal bar or yogurt. Used to make up a whole sachet of no sugar jelly (40 calories) until I realised I wasn't actually enjoying and only needed a sweet hit.
On weeks I'm on holiday in don't do the fast but try not to eat lunch.

Mid morning: apple
Lunch: homemade vegetable soup
Late afternoon: Diet Pepsi
Dinner: poached salmon & boiled broccoli

Herbal tea & water all day

Sainsbury's had a magazine with lots of different recipes in it from 100 cal to 250 it was £6.99 and I think it was called a 500 cal diet worth a look

Watching this with interest as I have about 1 1/2 stone to loose (pesky cancer treatment and tamoxifen has played havoc with my weight and heavier than I've ever been) Seems like a manageable plan for people who love food as you're only properly depriving yourself twice a week and I can quite easily fast if I'm busy at work.

I have a porridge sachet (made with fully skimmed milk) about 11.30am, then a veggie microwave meal about 4.30-5pm e.g. M&S red cabbage side dish, or broccoli in cheese sauce from Co-op. Dead easy.

Today I've had a boiled egg, small pot yoghurt, bit of fruit and a 'cook' ready meal that was 281 cals. First ate at 2pm dinner at 7pm.

I've just found the lighter life stuff from superdrug. Porridge, soups, bars and meals. Can pick one of each and works out approx. 600 calories. I've just had the porridge and it isn't too bad. Think i'll have soup and a bar this afternoon, but not the meal replacement. Think i'd get more out of a chicken salad. But I like the idea of not stressing about what to eat / prepare.

Hoping this works. I've tried weight watchers and used to love it but just don't have time to measure, point etc... so hoping this works. Just need to not overdo it on my eat days x