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

Was going to fast today and not tomorrow
but was rumbly tummy
and work was cancelled for tomorrow
so I'll dig veg beds all day !

Kitchen closing on about 600 - not too bad. May do a B2B tomorrow as have a busy work day. Well done to the other Fasters today.

kitchen closing at about 525. should be celebrating but am feeling a bit down. may be a blood sugar thing or just the end to a couple of long days and feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of work tomorrow. Am tucked up in bed trying to sort a few things out and will try fo an early night. The rest of the family is storming around downstairs. May need to text them to let them know wehre I am hiding!

Kitchen closed, on about 500 I think. Egyptian black bean soup for lunch, Sri lanken veg curry with a few cashews for dinner and a couple of small protein shakes in between. Hungry but off to bed and planning to ignore that. Chuffed with a B2B but am REALLY looking forward to my meals tomorrow

@Benjispruce2 that made me laugh. The thought of you counting individual oats!

Closed here on 550 ish. I needed the tiny bit of feta for my dinner. Made all the difference. Also getting an early night in here too!

Ooof it’s so hard seeing you all closing your kitchens when it’s only lunchtime here! Made an amazing miso soup from scratch (home made dashi and everything) for lunch which was satisfying but two hours ago so just nibbled on some carrots and more black coffee and totted up what the count will be including dinner tonight and it’ll come in at 530 so in order to have a satisfying dinner tonight I need to hold out and not snack on the calories beforehand!

Planning cumin and rosemary aubergine with smoked tempeh on baby kale (adding roasties for everyone else!) for dinnee

Bugger, fell face first into leftover apple pie - FD tomorrow instead!

Trying again today! I don’t know why I’m finding it so hard this time? I wonder if I’m all out of resolve!
I’ve had a pretty shitty Covid year with work and Covid and kids struggling. I know I need to loose weight but it’s like my whole mojo has been used up.
Must find it! Size 16 trousers getting tight.
Anyway sorry for that moan- I’m hoping for a couple of hundred for lunch and then a bowl of veggie chilli for dinner.
Good luck Thursday fasters

Morning @ilovebagpuss and @KobaniDaughters - I'm joining you for a FD! Tuna thin for lunch and fishcakes for tea. Let's do this!

@ilovebagpuss

Trying again today! I don’t know why I’m finding it so hard this time? I wonder if I’m all out of resolve! I’ve had a pretty shitty Covid year with work and Covid and kids struggling. I know I need to loose weight but it’s like my whole mojo has been used up. Must find it! Size 16 trousers getting tight. Anyway sorry for that moan- I’m hoping for a couple of hundred for lunch and then a bowl of veggie chilli for dinner. Good luck Thursday fasters

This is me.. my first attempt of getting back on it failed on Monday so here I am again. Just had a fibreone bar with my painkillers and having salmon / veg tonight

@harriethoyle @ilovebagpuss @KobaniDaughters I'm also joining you today for a FD. Using advice from earlier in the week I've moved my second FD from Wednesday to stop me starting my weekend tonight.
Good luck to you all today. I'm trying to eat nothing until tea tonight. I find once I do eat then I can't stop so it's easier just to not eat. Fish cake and ratatouille for me later.

Excellent strategy @SailorGeri - good thinking!

I think when we fail we must just be kind and try again another day or maybe decide to just eat mindfully for a week and then try again the following week.
Trick is to not give up ! (I’m telling myself this)

I think the beauty of this diet is that if one day goes wrong there is always the next day.

I’m a lurker - I got down to happy weight a few years ago with 5:2 and now do 6:1 to maintain. I read the thread every week on my fast day to keep me motivated.
I’ve just popped in to wish @Benjispruce2 a very happy big birthday!
I love seeing everybody’s progress so well done all.

@KylieKoKo

I think the beauty of this diet is that if one day goes wrong there is always the next day.

Yes. I completely agree. I just try and be careful for a day or two afterwards. I have never enjoyed a diet/eating plan so much though.

Thursday closed at around 600. Hopefully I can stay busy all evening and keep away from the kitchen.

Something in the air this week! I failed on monday as well, did not even try and have eaten whatever this week. Got back on reluctantly this morning but has gone ok and i feel much better for doing it. Agree with @ kylie there is always another day!

B2B Day 2 finishing on 600. Feel like I'm back in control after a shaky start to the week.

Happy Birthday Benji, hope you've had a lovely indulgent day

Ahhh thanks @Verveine and @20FlowerPower! I’ve had a busy day at work and a lovely few hours of visitors (front garden only) and a gorgeous Greek mezze cooked by my DD17. Several glasses of my fave champagne and I am soooo full and very happy. House looks like a florist’s. Not the 50th I’d planned but feeling loved and that’s all that matters. I will mini fast tomorrow as I’ll still be digesting dolmades and kofte !

Hi all- I would like to try this again but I have some questions. I stopped last time as I was working shifts and it made me feel ill on the fast days. I'm now 9-5 so want to have another go.

Exercise- I do about one and half hour's walking at a decent pace up and down hill every day and most days half an hour of les mills on demand. What exercise level am I at for the tdee? I don't want to overestimate.

Also- do you lose weight as well if you do b2b? It would suit me better if it is just as good.

I am 5'3 and 13 stone but am muscular so a size 14.

@Benjispruce2 happy happy birthday for yesterday! Glad to hear you had a fabulous day

@Peachypips78b I never eat exercise calories back - I think it's very easy to overestimate! I usually b2b and have lost 9kg so it's definitely effective. Good luck!

Morning- sorry I didn't mean eating them back but what exercise to put in the tdee- moderate or heavy?

Good re b2b - I want to get it over in one go!

Peachy the normal advice is to go for the level below the one you actually think you are. So if you think you do "moderate" exercise calculate tdee based on "light" instead.