5:2 Thread 94 : Its a New Year, a New Day and we're feeling GOOD

[ListeningQuietly]

Welcome to the latest edition - 94,000 posts done and we are still here (just with less Chocolate Frenzy)

Links to lots of the ~ scientific information ~ hints and tips ~ abbreviations and terminology ~ are in the header of the last thread here
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/fasting_diet/4057993-5-2-Thread-number-93-Drive-in-the-fasting-lane-to-goal

But basically :
If you are new to fasting / 5:2 ~ welcome, introduce yourself and join in
If you are returning to 5:2 ~ welcome back
If you are a long standing Faster ~ great to see you still here

Hello fasters! I hope you don’t mind another newbie jumping on your thread .

I’ve been overweight for about 8 years now, struggling to find motivation for longer than a couple of days at a time. In the last few weeks however, I’ve been using the Davina fitness dvds I found lurking in the back of a cupboard from days of old, which I’ve really enjoyed and has kept up my motivation to reduce calories. I’ve lost a few lbs but keen to start 5:2 because I think it’s more sustainable than restricting calories to 1400 every single day. This thread is great!!

I’m going to start my first fast day tomorrow :)

Morning all, so a 1lb gain for me this week. Not surprising as my tdee is 1750 and I have 3 days in excess of 2000. Wallowing done (for now anyway!) so back on track.

Dad is meeting his multidisciplinary team today so we hopefully will find out a bit more this evening.

A big hello to @Hazelflies and all the other new peeps on the thread!

That's frustrating after such a good b2b @ginsparkles but on the plus side would have been a lot worse without it... hope your dad's MDT is positive x

@Hazelflies I had a fair bit of bread and wine at the weekend and they bloat me for a few days. If I'm sensible tomorrow I am often rewarded with an extra lb the day after fasting so there's hope! But as you say it would have been a heap worse without the fasts!! Overall 5lbs off in the month, so I'll take that!

Were the scales kind today?

Doh! Tagged the wrong person! 🤦🏼‍♀️

Haven't got any here so I'm just enjoying the fact my smallest jeans are fitting beautifully and will get on them next week when I'm at mine :-)

Welcome @Hazelflies
THis is one of the friendliest corners of MN
and remember that there is NEVER a failed fast day, just a deferred one

Good thought on the low sodium - DS adds a little bit of salt to a pint of squash to keep his levels stable

Welcome @Hazelflies

@ginsparkles I find my weight jumps around a lot but I'm using Excel to plot a graph and the trend is downwards, even though I feel like I actually put on most weeks. So don't worry about gaining a lb!

@KylieKoKo mine too, so I use a little app called Happy Scale which evens out the daily fluctuations and gives me an average weight and a trend.

[quote inthethickofit19]@JudyGemstone is that on Fast days?[/quote]
Yes. Although I have used them as an easy lunch to take to work before too.

I am not doing my usual Wednesday fast as my period is due today and I feel hungry and grumpy and I made a delicious curry last night and want to eat the leftovers later. I will fast tomorrow.

One thing I love about 5 2 is the fact that it's flexible and you can swap days around.

Going for my second fast day tomorrow, picked a day when I am busy to take my mind off it I hope. Will try eating a bit later this time. On non fast days i am counting calories and aiming for 1200 ( my tdee is around 1400), does this sound like a good plan or should i be going lower? ( not sure i can atm). I will probably increase this on the weekend and hope it all works out.

I thought the point of fasting 2 days was that you could 'eat normally' on the other 5? 1200 calories doesn't sound like eating normally, it sounds like eating like you're dieting.

Not that that's wrong or anything, I guess it depends how quick you want to lose. But I certainly don't think it's necessary to go any lower.

@Humphriescushion @JudyGemstone I track on non FD week days and try and stay around 1200 and then on the weekends (F-S) I don't track at all. It's what works for me - and tracking on NFD's means I don't forget what a "normal" portion of pasta looks like as opposed to a free pour...!

Humphries / Judy

Here is weekly plan that explains how 5:2 works ....

Monday ~ 500 calories (mostly at supper)
Tuesday ~ happy weight TDEE
Wednesday ~ happy weight TDEE
Thursday ~ 500 calories (mostly at supper)
Friday ~ current TDEE
Saturday ~ yeah well, whatever
Sunday ~ current weight TDEE

the KEY thing is that on NFDs you eat in the way that you'll eat for the rest of your life
NOT LESS than happy weight TDEE

Here is the annual plan :

24 weeks ~ strict 5:2
24 weeks ~ vague 5:2
4 weeks ~ sod that its my Birthday / Christmas / holiday

Thanks that helps, i will increase my calories a bit on non fast days - i was planning on that on the weekend. My current is 1400 so not, will check what it is at my happy weight and go for that as per @ listening advice. Of course makes sense now to get an idea of what to be eating calorie wish at happy weight. I am though still shocked at how little it actually is and completely explains why i am overweight!
Think i did go a bit low since i have been doing slimming world for over 3 weeks with no movement on the scales, have got very disheartened and want to see some result soon to give me a boost - a 1lb is fine not looking for anything major.
Thanks for all the help and sorry about stupid questions!

Hi all,

I do similar to @harriethoyle ... although the past couple of weeks have been a little all over the place!

In other news, the MDT meeting for dad wasn't what we hoped for. Due to the nature and position of the tumour there is nothing they can do. They will now make him comfortable and try to get him home so we can see him. They are talking weeks possibly months if we are lucky. My world crumbled a bit yesterday. I want to say thank you to you all for being comfort and a safe place in this awful storm.

I'm so sorry to hear that ginsparkles, what awful news for you and your family.

Awww @ginsparkles I am so, so sorry to hear this. Big love xxx

Oh @ginsparkles I’m so sorry to hear that. Sending loads of love your way ((((hugs))))

Pissed off with myself today. Great FD on Monday, weighed in at 9.5.8 on Tuesday morning, almost within touching distance of my 9.3 final destination. Then had a carb overload Tuesday, at least balanced with a good amount of exercise, followed by a total fail yesterday, in which I barely moved (long long long day on back to back video calls), ate far too much cake and sugar, and then finished with a huge Indian takeout for family dinner (special treat, requested by the kids). Scales read 9.9 this morning and I’m furious with myself, not least because it’s DC2’s 13th birthday tomorrow, and I’m baking a whole load of treats (cinnamon buns for breakfast, anyone?) plus we’ve got a special meal for supper, all of which I was looking forward to enjoying.
Damn and blast!
Yes, I know most of it will fall off as fast as it came on, but I’m so cross with myself!
FD today, in case that’s not obvious

Thank you all.

Don't be too hard on yourself @Fillybuster life is hard right now. Have a good FD and it will all fall back off again.

I had takeaway curry last night
BUT
One meat dish between three, one paneer main between three, one side of aubergine between three, one rice between three
all of us had a yummy meal but did not feel at all stuffed
and not bloated this morning for my yoga

the days are getting longer
now we just need some sunshine so everybody feels better

I am fasting today too @Humphriescushion

How is it going?
I have had nothing but coffee and water so far and will be going for a bike ride when I take my no lunch break. I might have miso soup and a slice of ham and maybe an apple when I get back.

Okish so far @ kylie. Bloody starving Same as you only coffee and water so far, been to Ikea to keep busy and pick up some bits. GOing for walk shortly - without my dog , which feels a bit strange but she is not walking far now so it is not really any exercise.
Oh lovely a bike ride, i am awful on a normal bike but have ordered an electric one ( cheating i know but at least it will get me out!).
It is the evening when i will struggle but will eat later and make sure i use all my calories!