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

Sloping back in for accountability. New name, new spare tyre around my middle. It was all going so well before lockdown too.

Will reluctantly weigh myself tomorrow.

Not sure i'm ready to cope with FDs again yet. I generally stick to 16:8 pattern anyway so portion control, better food choices. I need to give up crisps, my downfall. MFP has shocked me to my senses.

Anyone fasting with me today? Good thing I'd planned to - got to my husband's last night (we split our time between both of our houses) and the bloody cupboards are bare! So it's almost an inadvertent FD...!!

Lol @harriethoyle, my cupboard/ fridge has never looked so empty since I cleared out processed food, crisps, drinks etc...few more days to weekend 💃
Welcome @KeepQuietAndCarryOn, you can do it !!

Thanks Witchone1. I really hope so, watching your tummy move independently of the rest of your body at a gym class is so demoralising.

On the plus side, the scales weren't as bad as I thought they would be given I have to shoehorn myself into my current jeans, but MFP was thoroughly depressing. Being a person of short stature, it announced that if I stick to 1200 calories per day and exercise 4 times a week I can hope to lose 0.1kg per week. First target is to drop 1.7kg, a psychological milestone and ideally i'd like to prove MFP wrong and lose it by the end of the month. Hoping the first 0.5k is water retention.

@KeepQuietAndCarryOns i hear you. I'm a shorty as well and thanks to sedentary lifestyle, my TDEE is hardly 1300. I have managed to lose with 2 fasting days back to back, no exercise, just home made simple food. You will likely see huge loss in 1st week. Gluck!!

Back to within a kilo of my pre-hols weight and 2.2 of my target! I think I might do 3FD next week, to capitalise... Also going for spirit and mixer this weekend rather than wine (which I love more than life itself but it's so calorific...)

Amazing @harriethoyle , I will also probably do 3 FD ,not b2b though next week ...closing towards the target but going on a holiday soon. Need to fit into a particular shorts!😂

Haha @Witchone1 yep, I have a wedding at the end of August that I'd like to slink around at... 💃 it's very motivating!

Morning everyone. I've been a bit rubbish this week. My friend passed away last night. I can't believe she's gone.

I will need to refocus. But not until next week.

Stay strong Friday fasters 💪

So sorry for your loss @devildeepbluesea. Take your time 💐

So sorry to hear that @devildeepbluesea. Be kind to yourself this weekend

Oh @devildeepbluesea so sorry to hear that. Be very kind to yourself

Welcome @KeepQuietAndCarryOn - I have recently rejoined after a period of trying to lose and not getting anywhere !! Has been very successful

So sorry, @devildeepbluesea. Look after yourself.

The last two weeks have been awful food wise for me. I’ve been eating and drinking everything in sight! DH has been away for 6 weeks, but is finally due home, so this will mean an extra pair of hands with the kids and I’ll have more time for home cooked meals and exercise. I have been an utter sloth recently.

I’ve had nothing to eat so far today and haven’t felt hungry at all. No bloody wonder. I’ve certainly eaten enough these last few days to keep me full!

Hello and welcome to the newbies/rejoiners!

Anyone fasting with me tomorrow? I'm doing day one of a b2b...

@harriethoyle I'm with you - Monday and Wednesday this week

Fist bump @absolutelyknackeredcow. I'm considering a mini on Wednesday too to get the last of the holiday gain off...

@harriethoyle 💪🏼

Can I join you? I'm so embarrassed with my size, weight. I'm nearly 50, short and perimenopausal!

I would just like to lose a couple of stone (more would be great, but just trying to be realistic)

Welcome @sandwiches77..I'm a shorty too 😊.

B2b FD today /tomorrow and another day to make it 3 days this week ...let's see 😅. So far had 2 cups of watery tea.

Witchone1 so nearly 12 o'clock as I type this, I've just eaten a yoghurt and that is it so far. Planning a tuna salad at 1 then nothing til tea time. How does that sound?

Welcome sandwiches77 - there are a lot of us shorties about it seems! If you're not already logging food into MFP then I thoroughly recommend it at least for a few weeks. It's a pain at first, but once you get to realise you often eat the same food it gets easier. Weighing foods to give an idea of portion control was a real eye-opener for me.

So I have survived the weekend without crisps which for the past two years has been unheard of. I think it helped to google the calories in a tube of pringles that I could happily munch all to myself three times a week. To be honest i'm surprised that i'm only 2kg heavier than when I last recorded my weight in MFP. On the other hand, I'm at just how much fatter my middle is for putting on only 2kg.

Good luck to those of you on FDs today!

Hi all I’m skulking back in shame faced as I restarted 2 months ago and then after 2 successful fasts fell off the wagon!
After a week of doing FaceTime and zoom calls I’ve realised I need to do something about it…. In short I look hideously bloated and older than I should at 40.
I fasted yesterday and finished at 553 which I’m pleased with, I also ordered some scales as clearly not having any isn’t working for me.
Today I’ve just measured myself and will soon weigh myself once the scales arrive then it’s all systems go!

I plan to do another fast tomorrow and then possibly Friday to kick me off, the following week will be mon and Wednesday.

I go on holiday on 19th July so although I clearly won’t have lost much by then hopefully I’ll be on the right path. Summer holidays are a concern though!

Long term aim is to lose 3.5 stone
Mini aim (by mid sept) to have lost 1 stone

Fingers crossed I can do this as I can’t justify buying anymore jeans so I have to lose the weight to fit in the ones I have!

Welcome @sandwiches77! Keep strong @Witchone1 @absolutelyknackeredcow... I've had my lunchtime thin (roast beef this week, YUM) and probably just a ready meal tonight. Long commute this week and I need to pop and see my Dad at his new care home on the way back to my home so I'll be past proper cooking by the time I get in. Feeling strong though!

Good luck any other fellow FDers.

btw is @ListeningQuietly still on the thread? we'll need to start a new one soon...

Hello @Iwishiwereamillionaire @sandwiches77 - I have lost about a stone in 6 weeks so have done well and I'm now at target weight!
@harriethoyle on about 170 cal for today - planning a big salad later