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

I’m the same Lilace. I’m better holding off for as long as possible.

Down 0.7 kgs in 3 weeks. A bit disappointed it's going so slowly but considering I fasted just twice and exercised once during half term, I guess it's not so bad. But overall my weight loss has been very slow since the beginning. I have to focus on the other health benefits of intermittent fasting to keep going, not just weight loss. Saying that, I might add a third FD on Friday 😬
Good luck to the fasters today.

Sometimes @lilice I'll lose the same kilo and put it back on for 3-4 weeks at a time...! then suddenly I'll drop down and then the pattern starts again. So don't despair! you might be due a sudden decrease...

Off work today so got a workout in and then went for a walk.

Contemplating day 2 of b2b, after the donut incident.

Thank you @harriethoyle i now what you mean. I dont weigh myself for that reason. I guess for me it's slow but at least I only see weigh loss, even if it's a tiny amount at a time.

What workouts do you do @MazDazzle ?

FD for me. Had to avert my eyes from the big box of Ferrero Rocher in the staff room. Thankfully quite a few other colleagues are dieting so didn't make me feel so bad

Mini FD for me, aiming for 650 but it might stretch to 720. My reckoning is that's still better than not doing one at all!
I can't do not eating anything at all. Small, more frequent works better for me. Different strokes and all that...

Finished at 530 today. Was too hungry to wait after 6pm. Lots of teas and 1 egg for lunch. White fish fillet and half cup cooked rice for dinner

Lilice I’ve downloaded The Fitness Guy’s app (TFG - home workouts and recipes). It’s £5 a month, but there’s 100s of recipes and workouts on it and I can link my phone to my TV to watch the workout videos. I’ve never been one for working out at home, but between lockdown and childcare it’s my only option. Each workout varies from 10 to 30 mins, so I usually pick a few. Today I did Aerobics, Combat and Core.

Managed day 2 of b2b today! Took the kids to the park after school for a picnic, where I had a small tuna sandwich then back at home I had a chicken salad. The good thing about b2b is I tend to see a drop on the scales.

I can feel the weight piling on! How do I convince DH I can do a FD when he’s in major mother Teresa mode??

Hi haven't been on here for a while. stuck to this 3 days a week since christmas however for the last 2 weeks have fallen off the band wagon! Hoping to get back on it! Just need a good kick up my bum!

My first week weigh in - down by 0.9kg...I am happy to see some change. What is the average loss per week for you guys? Any weight gain before next FD? My TDEE is 1400 cal which will tough as I never count calories every day.

Bend over @Beautiful3 and I'll adminster a good kick! ;-)

Well done @Witchone1 - I think weight loss depends on how much you have to lose. When I started I could lose a kilo a week but now it's much more likely to be 0.3/0.4kg as I near my target weight...

That make sense @harriethoyle..how much have you lost so far, if you dont mind me asking and how long it has taken ? I will be happy for 0.4kg a week loss as well as long as there is progress.

@Witchone1 I don't mind at all - I've lost 21lbs in the last year (I weigh in kgs because i find it less triggering but i record in lbs because I find it more motivating 😂) but more importantly for me have been at my consistently lowest weight since April 2015 for about 3 months now. I've one more lbs to reach "goal" but honestly, I'm now settled in this wol and as long as I feel slim and can fit into my skinny clothes, I'm not too bothered by a scale target.

Today's NSV was 2 bravissimo tops in size 10 SC being too big around the waist. Scream!!

AND @Witchone1 the other important thing is that I don't count at the weekends. At all. So this weekend will include brownies, banana cake and pink wine and then I'll fast b2b Monday and Tuesday to redress the balance. It's much more sustainable for me than calorie counting every day and needing to restrict what I eat at the weekend.

Wow @harriethoyle, so amazing, well done!! ...perfect inspiration I needed right now to continue this diet. I cant wait to fit my regular size 10 clothes ....currently 12-14. Wkends will be free flowing for sure 😁😁

Honestly after a while @witchone1 you don't think of it as a diet - particularly if you have regular fast days so it's just a routine. It's just how you live!

kobani
Tell him that the health benefits of being lighter and having gaps between meals are so substantial that he has to trust you

Welcome back beautiful

Hi there witchone
everybody loses weight at different rates
the key thing is to have a steady and sustatinable rate of progress

Hi @beautiful3 , is ur 3FD a week still within 500cal or 800cal.?
Thank you @ListeningQuietly @harriethoyle..gosh, I am so impatient, I should stop any comparison really. I guess the excitement of losing some lbs ceases after few weeks? 😂

Nope @Witchone1 I still get a little thrill when the scales are lower ;-)

@Witchone1 I dont weigh myself often because I'm losing extremely slowly. I finally weighed myself this week after 3 weeks and had lost 0.7 kg only 😭 but I only had two fast days over the school break so i guess i kind of maintained

@harriethoyle that is brilliant!!!! Well done

@MazDazzle I'll have a look at the app, thank you

So I've decided to give b2b a go because I would like to add a third diet day to my week but dont want to fast at the weekend nor on a friday, so I'm thinking doing b2b monday and Tuesday, and FD on Thursdays.
How does b2b work?? Any advice please?

Hi everyone. First fast in a while today. Hopefully the sunshine and work will keep me busy!

Hope you are all ok. X

Morning all.
My son has gone back to uni
so its fasting and veggie food in this house for the week !