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Fasting / 5:2 diet

Talk about intermittent fasting and 5:2, including what’s worked for others. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

BSD and Fast800 support thread #17

999 replies

thenewaveragebear1983 · 06/01/2020 10:51

Here’s the new thread for the BSD followers, plus those following the Fast800 plan. Everyone is welcome to join us. Here’s a quick recap!

The BSD/fast 800 is a low carb, Mediterranean style way of eating, with the primary aim of stabilising your insulin response when you eat. You achieve this by: eating fewer carbs, cutting out sugar and sweet tasting foods including most fruit, and by following a low calorie plan that reduces your visceral fat meaning that everything functions more effectively. Less insulin means less fat storage (in a nutshell, although more info can be found on this online). The diet was designed to reduce T2 diabetes symptoms (or even reverse it entirely) but can also be used for weightloss.

Eat:
Meats and fish
Oils
Eggs
Full fat dairy products
Nuts, seeds
Pulses/ beans
Veg that grows above ground
Limit fruit: apples, pears, berries- in moderation, with meals, with fats

Occasional alcoholic drinks allowed (spirits, red wine are preferable to beer, lager, etc)
Tea and coffee, herbal tea etc.
And water- drink lots of water!

Avoid
sugar, sweets, and ‘naturally occurring sugars’ such as fructose, maltose, honey, agave, puréed dates etc....

Potatoes of any variety
Pasta
Rice
Breakfast cereals (occasional steel cut oats are ok)
Breads/ flour based products

Exercise:
Michael Moseley recommends HIIT workouts to increase calorie burn and help to tone up, and recommends walking more (increasing your steps weekly until you hit around 10000 a day)

Mindfulness
MM also suggests a programme of mindfulness, meditation, practised for a few minutes each day.

How to follow the plan:
Fast800: follow the plan above, sticking to 800 calories every day for 2 weeks. Ideal to give your weightloss a real kick start, plus improve your insulin function and reduce your sugar cravings.
8 weeks BSD- 8 weeks, follow the guidelines above- 800 calories a day. You don’t need to count carbs grams because the diet is naturally self limiting.
BSD 5:2- for a more leisurely weightloss journey, or as maintenance, or once you’ve done an 8 week stint or 2 weeks of Fast800, you can play around with a combination of increased calorie count, ‘free eating’ and fasting days (800 cals) until you achieve your goals. Many of our long standing members now follow this approach.

You can stop 800 calorie days at any time once you achieve your goal. It’s advised to limit yourself to 12 weeks maximum at 800 calorie days, but you should get excellent results in 8 weeks. Depending on your weightloss goals, you can do further ‘rounds’ of either the 8 week BSD or the Fast800.

Time restricted eating/TRE :
In addition to the fast800/ BSD plan you can incorporate a strategy of time restricted eating. Put simply, this means only eating between certain times each day to maximise your fasting time. TRE has shown to have positive results for weightloss, even if there is no calorie restriction, and increases insulin sensitivity/reduces insulin resistance. At first, try for a clear 12 hours without food each 24 hours, increasing to 16:8 as you get more adept at fasting.

Some useful links:

previous thread

Meal planning ideas thread
Blood sugar diet recipe thread and menu planner meal planning thread

<a class="break-all" href="http://go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=healthyeater.com/important-tool-weight-loss" target="_blank">TDEE calculator to calculate your daily calorie requirement

information about the ‘whoosh’ phenomenon

OP posts:
Thread gallery
23
thenewaveragebear1983 · 04/03/2020 20:05

Closing up the kitchen today on 909 cals, 52g carbs. I've done 12k steps (no run) and day 21 yoga. I have struggled a little today, don't think I drank enough early in the day and so tonight I feel a bit 'wanty' and out of sorts.

Tomorrow: going for a run with my friend first thing, then various home chores. A pta event after school, then work in the evening. I didn't eat my oxtail soup today so will probably get through the day with a cup or two of that and then we're having pork steak and veg for dinner.

OP posts:
bluepixie · 04/03/2020 20:56

I struggled today too. On 967 and 50g carbs.
I had a ready made soup thing at lunch it wasn’t as filling as what I would make and it was carby!

Anyways tmrw I’m
Planning yoghurt and berries with walnuts.
Lunch home made feta
Dinner marinated chicken breast and broccoli
Must not eat at the team meeting tmrw full of sandwhiches and cakes (god help me!).

Kimlek · 05/03/2020 06:55

It’ll be 10 weeks tomorrow and it’s funny because regardless of where I am Happy Scale says I’m 8 weeks away from my goal. I’m happy to go slow & steady though as I’m no longer strict with the 800cals. Yesterday was 1000, a couple of coffees, eggs, kale, toms & seeds for lunch & dinner was spicy stuffed peppers with added feta. I had a few handfuls of pistachios at 3/4pm which took me over. I did pant a bit at tennis though & had a brisk hours walk with the dog.
Another brisk dog walk this morning but I’m out tonight Thai so will avoid rice & noodles. I’m driving so won’t drink. I do struggle with what to drink when out. I’m contemplating fasting til late lunch given dinner will be high cal but I’ll see how I go.

bluepixie · 05/03/2020 07:07

I’m annoyed! Still 11.3. Maybe the water weight is gone (lost 6) and now it’s going to slow done. Will def mean that I won’t pick at meeting and stick to my salad.
I’m really annoyed 😑
Good plan kimlek it’s too hard to do 800 everyday forever I’m not even managing that I’m on 900 although might try hard to do 800 today...good plan driving
Fingers crossed I loose tmrw x

thenewaveragebear1983 · 05/03/2020 07:41

A little half off for me today, making 10.3. It's definitely slower this week now the water has flushed out.

In other news, I feel quite skinny and my stomach is almost completely flat, which I think is not just the low carb but the sugar free (which really gets rid of the bloating for me).

Dh is now off work for 4 days so that could test me as he is on 'weekend mode' although still have work today and an extra session tomorrow.

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thisyeargoodyear · 05/03/2020 08:17

Day 10 for me and 4kg down, so almost 9 lb. Target for this week was to get to the 10 lb mark so almost there. I have had a relatively good week on plan and been back to the gym! Had a bit of a wobble yesterday as didn't feel very well and very weak so had a cup of tea (with sweetener) and a bag of chocolate eggs! No dinner though so my calories weren't actually too bad! I am managing with the TRE which I think is making a big difference!

Kimlek · 05/03/2020 11:40

4kg in 10 days!!!!!! Amazing goodyear!!

FluffyEarMuffs · 05/03/2020 13:48

Afternoon all 👋🏻

Just caught up. I was 9 stone 13.8 today so I am finally, finally into the "right" stone for me.

I will weigh myself again on Sunday. I am hoping the conference wine is disgusting tonight and I won't want any with dinner 😆

Kimlek · 05/03/2020 14:57

Well done fluffy so you have lost the travelling weight quickly despite the bone broth not been a great hit. Did you do some serious fasting or cut cals?

CaptainBrickbeard · 05/03/2020 18:17

I have been the exact same weight for four days in a row now without even the tiniest fluctuation of even an eighth of a pound. Dead on the same every day! It almost feels like an achievement in itself! Annoyed now though, I want to see the numbers drop - sooo close to losing two stone in total but hovering just above it. I know why though; I keep eating cheese. It’s my absolute downfall every time. Well done to everyone else doing better than me right now!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 05/03/2020 20:50

I've had a kind of 'no count' day today, not exactly by choice but we went out for lunch (had an amazing salad with walnuts and tandoori salmon) and the Dh has 'cooked' while I've been at work: lamb shanks in red wine with cauli cheese. (Ready meal from Morrison's- just checked and the lamb alone is 550 cals.....!) but he did follow the BSD instructions so i'm going to eat it gratefully and graciously and not worry about 800 cals today!
I've done 21k steps today including a 9km run, but no yoga.

Tomorrow, I'm working an extra session in the afternoon so I hope to fast until the evening and will just have a cup of soup or 2 before work. no run tomorrow but will Do day 22 yoga. I do feel quite confident going into the weekend as I know that I can keep the cals and especially the carbs fairly low. Dinner tomorrow will be a steak and salad and probably a glass of wine, but I can do that under 1000 cal if not under 800.

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CiorstanMI · 05/03/2020 20:57

Hi all. I've been lurking on this thread for a few days and am very inspired by everyone's weight loss success (and impressed by your willpower!). I'm planning to start the fast 800 diet on Monday but am a bit worried about my ability to cope with a very low calorie diet and just wondered if you had any top tips to share with a newbie?

thenewaveragebear1983 · 05/03/2020 21:35

@CiorstanMI my top tips are always: plan, plan, plan!
Drink a lot of water and a bit of salt/electrolytes
Do your measurements!
Eat enough fat- don't be afraid of 'wasting' calories on eg, olive oil or full fat dairy
The first two days will be hard, but if you stick with it you get used to it very quickly.
Use it as an opportunity to really think about why you eat certain foods, the times you crave most, and what 'hungry' really feels like for you, because often the answers to these can be enlightening.
And finally....going cold turkey really helps. The less sugar and white carbs you eat, the less you will want and having little bits to 'help you cope' often have the opposite effect, at least for me.

I also find doing 2-3 days off the carbs and sugar before cutting the calories down can help too as you do the difficult detox bit first.

Good luck! Keep us posted!

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Kimlek · 05/03/2020 22:57

Hello *ciorstan’ it’s a great thread! And don’t worry if you’re over 800 just keep going as it’s all a learning g experience and you’ll be making healthier choices!
Oh captain that made me laugh!! ‘I know why though... I keep eating cheese!’ Sorry for giggling! And when I’m up several pounds tomorrow I’ll also know why... 4 Freddo frogs!!! 4!! Why???🙄🙄

bluepixie · 06/03/2020 07:04

Whoopy 11.2 today. So another one off. I’ve lost 7 in total since last Monday so am
Pleased.
The weekend is worrying me gonna need so much discipline tonight and tmrw at the bday meal.
Welcome @CiorstanMI I’ve just started too. I did about 1050 cals first week but kept it very low carb this week I’ve been fine on 915 average. Not sure I can do 800 either but maybe as weeks progress I’ll manag that too. It def gets easier as the days are getting on. The thread is greasy as they girls are so good and I think “I should be able to do it too walk away from the cakes”.
Good luck! Top tip is plan plan plan so when ur hungry you know what you going to eat. I is my fitness ap to track it all...

@Kimlek hope u enjoyed the Freddo at least!!!!

Kimlek · 06/03/2020 07:23

Oh crikey cream123 I had over 2000 cals yesterday as had stuffed peppers with feta cheese for lunch (wasn’t hungry but thought I should have something);,following that I really really needed something sweet... found a Freddo & lush! Then back to freezer for another... and another.... and another! I was then out for a Thai, had tuna petals starter & the sea bass with veg so no rice or noodles and a glass of wine. But why I had the freddos is beyond me. Needless to say I’m up this am by 2lbs. 11.1.6 🙄 I’ve been shocking all week really and not really planned. I’ve mostly stuck to BSD foods but had a number of naughties such as the bday cake, wine, freddo etc.
So, today I’m going to fast until dinner (roast chicken & veg) and stick to herbal teas this morning. I’ll do a brisk walk with the dog. I’ve lots of jobs to do so still don’t think I’ll fit in yoga day 1. Can’t believe bear has nearly finished the month!!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 06/03/2020 07:36

@Kimlek day 22 I think for me. I don't know if I'd have been so motivated to do it every day if it wasn't for my running injury though, because it has made a noticeable difference. I would really recommend it though, I feel really good for doing it.

And also....why were the Freddos in your freezer??

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bluepixie · 06/03/2020 07:43

Yes why were they in your freezer!
Don’t worry kimlek the up in your weight will make you more focussed today. Your dinner sounds lush!!! Yummmmmmyyyyy!

thenewaveragebear1983 · 06/03/2020 10:14

After eating a lot last night (all BSD but as I said, much more than I had previously been having) - oh my god, today I am starving. My stomach feels hollow and empty. It's really strange how more food can make me feel more hungry? I'm keeping busy this morning with admin and house jobs, but I keep finding myself in the kitchen (haven't eaten yet though). I had a terrible night sleep as well and was awake at 3am. I came downstairs and got menaced by the kitten for 3 hours until finally I got up at 6- so that could be exacerbating my hunger today too.

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bluepixie · 06/03/2020 14:30

I just ate 2 cherry bakewells (hangs head in shame)

Kimlek · 06/03/2020 16:37

Better than 4 Freddos cream123!! Grin
I’ve had Herbal teas & 3 coffees with milk so far. But getting a bit hungry now.

FluffyEarMuffs · 06/03/2020 17:25

I have fasted all day on a TON of fizzy water and mint tea, but am now having a glass of wine after hectic meetings and no real break.

I think I will do another long fast on Monday-Tuesday next week. @Kimlek you asked how I lost the work trip weight from last week. That was how this week. It seems to suit me, although I know long fasts are not for everyone.

I should go and wash my hair and get changed for dinner now but I can't be arsed.

I made the gym both days on this work trip. Avoided carbs as much as possible, but drunk. God, conference hotels are so depressing as it is. I couldn't do it without wine...

thenewaveragebear1983 · 06/03/2020 18:53

My day's been rubbish, I'm knackered and I've been grazing all afternoon/evening. I'm not going to beat myself up about it, back on track tomorrow.

Tomorrow: bootcamp at 8am, various jobs in the morning, try to fast until lunchtime. Lunch will be fried eggs and avocado, and dinner will be pork steaks and salad.

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bluepixie · 07/03/2020 08:59

Yest night a write off. Ended up sharing a bottle of red and having a 3 course meal. I had a great time though. Not hungover luckily so gonna make sure I’m as good as I can be today. No alcohol at bday lunch and I’ve looked at menu and gonna go for 2 starters which look pretty ok (cured salmon and then scallops and cauliflower).
Hope u were all better behaved than me!

FluffyEarMuffs · 07/03/2020 10:59

Drank my body weight in wine last night so have had (a couple of) breakfasts so far in the hotel, the lounge and then then the plane to soak it up and eliminate hangover. So yes, three breakfasts 😩

I am going to have to do a long water fast Sunday-Monday rather than wait until Monday-Tuesday I think 🙈

I feel like crap, which is not a good look in an airport. I need a sign that says "not the virus, just hungover".

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