5:2 Thread 95 : Lockdowns are lifting, as are we

[ListeningQuietly]

Welcome to the continuing thread for those following 5:2 or other forms of IF (Intermittent Fasting) such as 4:3, ADF, or daily 16:8 smile

Last thread was here
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/fasting_diet/4128689-5-2-Thread-94-Its-a-New-Year-a-New-Day-and-were-feeling-GOOD

Basically it is 2 very low cal days ("fasts") per week - which need not be consecutive - and eat "normally" to maintain on the other 5 days.

For those who have dieted or maybe overeaten for years, eating "normally"
means roughly the number of calories your body needs to maintain - NOT reduce - its weight (see TDEE calculator below).

IMPORTANT
If you have had past diagnosed Eating Disorders or serious MH problems you should NOT do 5:2 or any other kind of fasting

JARGON alert

16:8 is a different type of fasting, which can be combined with 5:2.
Daily zero-cal fast for 16 hours and eat within an 8 hour window. To lose weight, this needs a weekly calorie deficit as well

b2b (optional) back-to-back / consecutive fast days, each with an increased allowance of 650 calories instead of 500

BMI (Body Mass Index) healthy range is 18.5 - 24.9 for Caucasians. Upper limit may be 22 for some of Asian origin.

FD = single Fast Day: aim for 500 calories (600 for men or 25% TDEE whichever is higher) or 1000 cals for BF
No alcohol or junk on FDs
Even if you exercise strenuously, do NOT increase FD cals to allow for exercise

MFP = My Fitness Pal, a useful App or website to track food & drink calories

miniFD = MiniFD, 850-1000 calories, no alcohol or junk

NFD = Non-Fast Day, averages around TDEE

NSV / LSV = Non Scale Victory / LifeStyle (change) Victory, e.g. compliment, smaller waist, clothes size

SV = Scale Victory

TDEE = Total Daily Energy Expenditure, the average number of calories you burn in a day, is calculated from your current weight, height, age, activity level.
Aim to average about this for NFDs.

WOE / WOL = Way Of Eating / Way Of Life. We say this instead of "diet", to emphasise that we must make a permanent change in how we eat, to maintain our new healthy weight long term.

There is LOTS more information in the header of Thread 93
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/fasting_diet/4057993-5-2-Thread-number-93-Drive-in-the-fasting-lane-to-goal

Jump in and say hello

Kitchen closing on 725, higher than I wanted but better than days have been recently!

@ginsparkles I think that's an excellent achievement in the midst of everything you have going on.

@RaraRachael what did you have for dinner in the end? I had this, without any rice or naan www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chickpeas-tomatoes-spinach/amp

I had ths Greek salad and tuna as I didn't have anything else in the house. It was ok.
I'll have a look at some alternatives . I'm using a calorie counting thing on my phone but it says I've only had 310 calories today

@RaraRachael I have a Pinterest board where I put all my fast days recipes and a file at home with ones I have taken from magazines.

BBC good food had a good selection of recipes. Curries can be good without the rice or with cauliflower rice. Mostly I stick to veggie dishes on a fast day. Veggie toad in the hole is a good warming dinner of a fast day.

I went to an actual, in person, open air strength training class today and it was lovely?

Kylie
I am looking forward to getting back to the gym but will wait till the changing rooms open

I had a shop sandwich for lunch today - long story - so much hidden fat and sugar in the bread and the fillings.
Shocking.

Day 2 of B2B ending on 850 cals which is fine given I finished on less than 500 yesterday. I would've been less but DH took it upon himself to make and plate up burgers for tea whilst I was finishing up with work calls. Nevermind. I have a low cal ready meal in the fridge that I had planned for tonight but will just eat that tomorrow or Friday and maybe turn that day into a Mini as a result. NSV in that I'm definitely feeling less podgy this week.

Hello everyone - checking in as I think today will be FD having fallen off every conceivable wagon for the last 5 days thanks to DH’s birthday weekend away

Can I join? Started on Monday @ 62.5kg would like to get down to 54- run 1-2 miles most days, let’s hope this works.

Welcome @SparklingXmas
Remember not to eat back exercise calories
and then all will be well

Flowerpower
Sounds like you are married to a keeper
even if he forgets which days are fast days

Will do thanks @ListeningQuietly

I find it hard to fast on school holidays, even though i did fast when I was homeschooling from January to March but back then I had no choice. So I've only had one FD this week so far. I was supposed to fast today but couldn't. I'm thinking of switching to 16 8 until they go back to school. I never eat before noon anyway and find that I sleep so much better when I don't eat in the evening ( I usually have dinner quite late, like 8 or 9pm, after all the kids have gone to bed). My vice is a glass of wine though, so 16 8 will help keep stay away from the wine.

Too hungover to fast in the end so a low cal day at 900 instead!

Morning all. Attempting the second fast of the week. Simple day with cod, new potatoes and peas for tea. Promisingly it's looking like in spite of the chaos I have maintained. I have 3 days at work between now and the funeral, so if I fast on each of them, I should be ok.

Hope everyone has a lovely Thursday.

Morning, the brief summer seems to have disappeared today. Fast day but not sure what to eat have had a very chaotic food week as I didn’t do a meal plan this week.
I might buy a ready meal just because I’m so tired finally break up from work for a week not had a rest since Christmas so I’m looking forward to it.
Still going to fast on my leave though.
Well done on maintaining @ginsparkles with everything you are dealing with.
When I lost my DM a couple of years ago it was very hard to keep to any routines.
Good luck Thursday fasters.

Morning all. Well done @ginsparkles on maintaining.
I’ve maintained my Tuesday morning goal weight this morning. Feel a bit strange about stopping. Going to skip breakfast as feel fine and I’m busy this morning until about 1pm so will see how I feel later. OP do you think it’s better to go to 6:1 as maintenance or just increase cals on NFDs so I still get the fasting benefits without losing?

SV for me this morning... 21lb off since I started tracking on MFP. Lowest weight since Jan 2015! Of course, I know that won't survive the Easter weekend but a bit of damage limitation should see me back in the same place next week after a couple of fasts. Am stoked!

@ginsparkles you are doing MARVELLOUSLY. I'm in awe! X

Thanks team. I'm beginning to think I am doomed to stay this weight! Body obviously likes it! Doesn't matter what I do the bloody thing stays the same! If it weren't for daily fluctuations I would think the scales were broken 😂😂

Hopefully once the funeral is over and the shop is reopened I can sort NFD's out, do some 4:3 weeks and force the scales to play nicely!

Ginsparkles
Your body will have a lazy happy weight that it will stay at for ages
but as the days get longer and your head recovers from the stress
you can have more salad type food
and persuade it to get to proper happy weight

Benji
I mix it up.
Some weeks I do a fast, some weeks I do 16:8 some weeks I do 3 days of 800
it depends on what is going on and how I feel

bagpuss
there is nothing wrong with ready meals
if they stop you falling into a bowl of carbs

harriet
well done
starting easter at a new low gives leeway

@ListeningQuietly I think I'm at my lazy happy weight now but which is sadly fatter than I'd be ideally.

My Lazy happy weight is 9st 8
My happy weight is 9st
one involves having a muffin top
one does not

Well done @harriethoyle that’s a great loss!!
I’ve been busy this morning and only just broken my fast with a few spoons of cous cous and salad so will probably be a 500 cal day today. Thanks @ListeningQuietly it’s great to have that flexibility isn’t it?

I've decided to defer my fast day as my period is due today and I'm absolutely ravenous and dsds have decided to come over and I prefer not to fast in front of them. I'm craving crisps but have decided to have an apple instead.