5:2 thread 96: Slinking into summer, one FD at a time!

[harriethoyle]

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!

Goodness knows what happened to the spelling and grammar in my last post! Hope the gist of it is clear.

I'm sticking to fasting today too @Humphriescushion - it gets one out of the way and I'm busy today which always helps... just maintaining black coffee!

Good luck with your interview tomorrow, very sensible not to fast

Also fasting today.
Have done the food shop and bought the Itsu vegan sushi box for lunch. Will have half today and half tomorrow - it's delicious! So feels like a treat on a FD.
Eggs for tea again. When I was doing 5:2 last I wasn't veggie, so could fill up on big prawn omelettes. I quite miss them.

Prawn omelettes sound great @Solderingon but I would still miss the cheese... could you stick peppers, onions, peas, broc in your veggie version?

Prawn omelettes are lush - they're full of protein and you are stuffed on about 400cals.
I guess the veggie alternative would be bean omelettes? I mean it's worth a try. 😂 but you're right - it's about trying to make sure it doesn't taste like you just forgot the cheese.

Kitchen closing on 576. Is it bedtime yet?!

Well done @harriethoyle ! Solid sensible NFD here

Might have to steal your username @absolutelyknackeredcow

I had this user name when the youngest was refusing to sleep through at bloody 4! She woke me up 'cold' at 5 am and she's now 8 ..

😂😂🙈🙈

Good luck at your interview tomorrow @Humphriescushion. I’d still count ‘almost dry November’ as a success - much better than a very wet one, anyway!

On the subject of omelettes, I had a mushroom one last week on my FD an it was amazing - a whole box of mushrooms, slowly cooked in a little oil and I added a tiny sprinkling of cheese with lots of pepper. Felt like a real treat!

Day 1 of b2b for me today. Went to an exercise class after work and then home for chicken curry. Stuck with a ready meal since it was a busy day.

Managed another dry weekend, taking me to 2 weeks. I’m going out for a meal with my friends next weekend, so will be indulging in some wine, but hopefully I can hold out til then!

Morning everyone, just logging on quickly to say I have been poorly since mid last week (awful head cold) 🤧 and totm decided to join the party yesterday so feeling pretty grim.... Will be back to fasting as soon as I feel better. Gah

Posted this on another thread by mistake ! Well done on your second dry weekend. While I think it's helping on the weight loss I'm not seeing any other benefits and I'm a bit disappointed
I'm on a one day fast today - another one on Friday.
Hoping to hit under 11 stone by Friday (I'm mega tall so that is basically optimal weight ). Maintaining it over Xmas might be more of a challenge

Take care of yourself @heregoes74! Once you feel better and totm has passed you’ll be in a better frame of mind for fasting.

I don’t feel any benefits either @absolutelyknackeredcow! If I’ve to choose between being fat and grumpy without wine or fat and grumpy with wine, I know what sounds more appealing. I’m trying to think of the health benefits though… and I’m treating myself to a facial next week with the wine money I’ve saved.

The scales are hardly moving at all. I had success earlier this year by combining fasting with counting macros: 35% protein, 35% carbs and 30% fat, but my carb intake has crept up and up!

Lololol @MazzleDazzle I hear you re the joys of wine! It's soooooo delicious...

I'm on day 2 of a b2b today. Ham sandwich packed lunch and fishcake and broc for tea. Might try a third FD this week because I'm busy at work and that always really helps. Long hours and lack of wifi at home til Wednesday night (long story) have brought jillian Michael's to a temporary halt but I'm going to restart at the weekend all being well and am wfh most of next week so can do an early morning blitz...

@MazzleDazzle - you made me laugh

Kitchen closing on 660 which makes c.1200 across my b2b. Happy enough with that!

How are any fellow fasters getting on? And @Humphriescushion how did your interview go?

Thanks for asking @ harriet, it was not an interview in the normal sense sorry i probably should have made that clear. It was an interview as part of the very long and drawn out process of applying for another nationality. It was strange and i think i cocked up quite a few questions but glad is done. Only a year to wait for a decision!
How are we all doing? I may try a b2b next week have never done that. Going to fast tomorrow.

A year?! Ye gods! I remember an American friend was asked what the ingredients in an Ulster fry were in her uk citizenship. I didn't know that until I married an ulsterman!

B2b are great as long as you plan them because it's 36 hours and you're done! (Well 48 but I don't count the second night's sleep cos you forget you're hungry .)

Well done @harriethoyle !
I'm kitchen closed on 500.
I agree about a b2b - find it easier in a way

That sounds really tough @Humphriescushion!

Day 2 of b2b and I haven’t been grumpy all day! Maybe abstinence is finally working.

Today I made a huge pot of chicken, chorizo & chickpea stew. 4 ladlefuls worked out at 500 cals. That’s dinner sorted for me for the rest of the week!

I used to always follow a FD with a -1000 day as the FD seemed to reset my appetite anyway. The second day is almost always easier than the first.
I’m currently doing 1 x b2b & 1 FD to try and make a decent dent in my mammoth gain.

I agree @MazzleDazzle I often have a mini the day after a fast day inadvertently - tomorrow is likely to come in c.800 cals depending on my supper choice

A perfect FD @absolutelyknackeredcow!

Thanks @ mazzle - it was nice to wake up this morning and not have to study! I too need to do a bit more to get rid of the gain, i have buried my head in the sand. May have to leave the b2b till next week though, but seems like a good idea. That stew looks delicous as well!

Weigh in this morning at under 11 stone!
Pretty happy with that with one FD to go.
My aim is to drop another 3-5lbs to give me wriggle room for Xmas.
It's fair to say that really watching what I eat on NFD has helped as well as my unplanned cleanse with the food poisoning

Oh well done @ absolutely! Well on target for wiggle room!
I need to watch what i eat more on nf days as this is creeping up. Getting a bit of a sweet tooth which i dont normally have.