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Fasting / 5:2 diet

Talk about intermittent fasting and 5:2, including what’s worked for others. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

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

982 replies

harriethoyle · 14/07/2021 09:24

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!

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harriethoyle · 14/12/2021 20:12

Well, @Solderingon I'm thinking about doing one... 😂🙈 I make no promises!

@EatYourFive I do not I'm a black coffee drinker. As long as you count your milk calories no reason you can't have coffees on FD.

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harriethoyle · 14/12/2021 20:19

Kitchen closing here on 554. Crumpets for breakfast tomorrow!

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absolutelyknackeredcow · 14/12/2021 20:23

Kitchen closed on day 2 on 600- pretty happy with that

Buntyforgirls · 15/12/2021 07:43

Fasting b2b— NO vodka!
You are an inspirational bunch- thank you Flowers

EatYourFive · 15/12/2021 07:59

So strange, it's the morning after b2b and I am not ravenous!!!
I have noticed some subtle changes to my eating habits lately, like last weekend I didn't feel the urge to overdo it even though we had chocolate in the house. I never felt like that when doing 5:2 before (never did b2b), so I wonder if this b2b regime is having a bigger (perhaps psychological) impact.

Has anyone else noticed anything like that?

harriethoyle · 15/12/2021 08:12

Bloody hell - exactly the same weight this morning as yesterday morning despite yesterday's fast! Curses! Better get a loss after tomorrow's FD or there'll be hell on...!

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harriethoyle · 15/12/2021 08:14

@Buntyforgirls 😂 @EatYourFive I think a b2b resets your appetite for sure. I'm always relatively virtuous by choice on the day after just because I don't fancy huge amounts

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absolutelyknackeredcow · 15/12/2021 08:23

If it makes you feel better @harriethoyle - I have lost not a sausage this week. I haven't been too bad this week either and have done absolutely tonnes of exercise.
I do wonder whether this is Target weight for a reason and I should focus on toning now
Good luck to all todays fasters

harriethoyle · 15/12/2021 08:31

How annoying is that @absolutelyknackeredcow ?! Sometimes the fasting gods are cruel!!

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sweetgingercat · 15/12/2021 18:22

I don't always find weight comes off when it should do... sometimes it seems to lag a bit and then suddenly you find you've lost it a few days later.

I have an apple watch so I wonder if I can do the same thing as you do about burning calories @absolutelyknackeredcow? I'm going to investigate...

Just coming up to the end of my wednesday fast. I haven't eaten anything except a Miso soup so I can have supper tonight...

harriethoyle · 16/12/2021 08:28

True @sweetgingercat! Am doing my third FD today so let's see if the scales are down tomorrow...

Anyone else with me today?

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sweetgingercat · 16/12/2021 10:09

I finished one yesterday and I'll be on one tomorrow, @harriethoyle. Good luck for today.

Is anyone going to be fasting next week? I will on Monday and on Wednesday too. Friday might be pushing it though...

harriethoyle · 16/12/2021 10:29

Monday for me @sweetgingercat and sort of half Tuesday... going to skip breakfast and lunch lightly before dinner with a friend.

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EatYourFive · 16/12/2021 10:58

OMG I just weighed myself and it showed 4 kg less than on November 15th when I decided to start intermittent fasting again! That's almost 9 lbs, I'm amazed! Of course the reading would be higher if I weighed myself towards the end of the day but still, I'm so pleased! Grin

I should add I am slightly overweight so have got lots of 'easy' pounds to lose. With today's reading my BMI stands at 25.1 and I am hoping to bring it to below 24.

harriethoyle · 16/12/2021 12:51

Fabulous @EatYourFive!! That's brilliant progress. Will make me more determined to stick to today's FD too!

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EatYourFive · 16/12/2021 12:59

Thank you @harriethoyle! I think it is definitely working better now that I am doing b2b compared to when I was doing two nonconsecutive days per week.

Still planning to take a break over the next two weeks, supposed to go and visit my mum who lives overseas but with new travel restrictions being introduced daily not sure we can actually go anywhere.Sad

harriethoyle · 16/12/2021 20:38

Kitchen closed here on 597. Wee bit high for a one off but forgotten to defrost the chickpea curry I'd intended to have 🙄🙈

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harriethoyle · 16/12/2021 20:40

It just feels like more restrictions are being imposed every day doesn't it @EatYourFive... I've cancelled a couple of outings for next week and moved another to an outdoor terrace. We're supposed to be away skiing in January but I can't see it happening tbh.

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EatYourFive · 17/12/2021 07:26

Well done @harriethoyle!
Yes it does feel like there are more restrictions each day, if not here then in your travel destination, like in France yesterday.. We're supposed to fly next week, have not socialised at all for two weeks now, took the kids out of school early, have been testing almost daily, and it just feels like it will all be for nothing and we will find out very last minute that we can't go. I hope things will be clearer in January and your trip will go ahead.

harriethoyle · 17/12/2021 09:38

0.9kg above my target weight. Argh! pipped at the post 😂

Although better to be going into Christmas almost at TW then a few kilos over... last FD Monday I think then onto IF til New Year unless I sneak a betwixtmas in!

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sweetgingercat · 17/12/2021 13:27

@Harriethoyle and @EatYourFive commiserations on the travel ban to France. We are also supposed to be going skiing over half term and have been looking anxiously at events seemingly just getting out of control. Very frustrating...

absolutelyknackeredcow · 20/12/2021 09:23

Morning all
Just doing a one day fast this week !
Likely my last until 2022
Any one joining me ? Did feel hard this am

harriethoyle · 20/12/2021 10:58

Morning @absolutelyknackeredcow I am with you today. Also likely to be my last of 2022 unless I'm positively saintly betwixmas... who am I kidding?! Grin did manage to avoid the call of justeat last night so am chalking that up as a nsv!

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absolutelyknackeredcow · 20/12/2021 11:11

Great stuff @harriethoyle !
So far feeling strong

harriethoyle · 20/12/2021 18:03

Slight fail here in that the queues at the supermarkets were out of the carpark so no chance to get FD appropriate food... but DH made low calorie noodles so I'm in at c.800. On the plus side, tomorrow's dinner out has been cancelled (thanks covid!) so I'm going to do another mini then...

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