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!

Kitchen closing here on 592. Oh my God today was HAAAAARD 😂😂😂

Day 2 of b2b tomorrow. Bring it on...

Excellent b2bing @absolutelyknackeredcow!

Well done @harriethoyle
These are the hardest fasts of the year

Hello everyone and welcome @emmsyg!
Well done @absolutelyknackeredcow - it's encouraging to hear that you have lost so much so quickly!
@harriethoyle I am exactly the same as you, have put on 3kg in two weeks, pretty impressive! Here's hoping it will come off as quickly..

Starting day 1 b2b today, and from next week onwards will be doing b2b Monday and Tuesday and perhaps a mini FD on Thursdays if needed..

Good luck everyone, we can do this!!

So 4.5lb off over the b2b. I'm sure I will plateau now

Oh wow that's impressive @absolutelyknackeredcow! I really hope I can report something similar at the end of this b2b session on Friday morning!

Fabulous @absolutelyknackeredcow! Stay strong today @EatYourFive!

Gosh it's only 9.30 am and I am already struggling. The next two days will be tough!

How are you getting on @EatYourFive? I am finding today VERY hard..! Desperately trying to push past 6pm before I have tea so the evening doesn't feel endless..!

Kitchen closing on 779 which makes 1371 for the b2b... Happy enough with that for first week back!

Well done @harriethoyle! I have definitely struggled today. Have consumed around around 550 so far today and will stop here, leaves a bit more room for tomorrow.
Really hope it will get easier again from next week onwards.

Well @EatYourFive I figure that in the last two days I've consumed approximately 25% of my holiday daily calories so it's not surprising that it's been difficult today!

I have no doubt my daily calorie consumption was within a similar range, two thirds of which came from cheese, chocolate and wine!!
Aiming to have at least 10 days without wine now so that my liver can have a break. Also thinking of going choc-free until end of January but not sure I can manage that..

Mmmmm, cheese and wine.... 🤤 I've got both in the fridge for Friday! bugger ten days off!

Hahaha I like that! Luckily I'm all out of cheese so the temptation to have wine with it is also much reduced!

Days b2b. Woke up with a mild headache, will try and drink more today. Anyone else fasting today?

Joining in from the starting 3rd Jan thread. Yesterday was my first proper day of fasting, I was totally over my 800cals but I don’t mind easing myself in, if that makes sense? I was quite jittery and nauseous by tea time. (9pm as kids activities 🤪)

I’m trying to go steady on week days so not to make fast days pointless.

What day is everyone’s weigh in?

Im joining from the other Thread too. @GinGinItsAWonderfulThing - 800 cals is a great start, especially as you were still running around at 9pm, on my first FD on Monday I had to go to bed early to avoid temptation ! I’m on my 2nd FD of my first 5:2 week. Stocked up with lots of veggies and will likely end up in bed with my toddler at 7:30 to avoid the kitchen..

Nice to meet you @GinGinItsAWonderfulThing and@incognitodorrito!
Well done for getting through your first fast day - it's so hard to start with but will get better. I am back to fasting after a Christmas break and yesterday was such a struggle. I'm doing two days back to back, hoping today will be easier.

I also tend to have an early night on FDs and usually go to bed at the same time with my 5 year old, it does make it easier.

@GinGinItsAWonderfulThing I tend to weigh myself at the beginning of each fasting session. Usually I fast Mondays and Tuesdays so weigh myself on Monday mornings.

1.3kg off in that b2b... just water I'm sure but very cheering!

@harriethoyle

1.3kg off in that b2b... just water I'm sure but very cheering!

Well done!!! I weighed 0.9kg less this morning than 24 hours ago. Also certains it's just fluids but does make you feel a bit better.

@incognitodorrito Going to bed earlier is a good idea! I chose to do the activities rather than stay at home and tidy up/cook/eat

@EatYourFive that's a good idea! I weighted myself on NYD and then this morning, I suppose I shouldn't count the weight as I assume it will fluctuate up again on my none fast days, and level out?

@harriethoyle that is AMAZING! Well done! Don't you find it motivating? If I see the scales go down a bit, I am less likely to stuff my face on NFD.

x

VERY motivating @GinGinItsAWonderfulThing although I did enjoy breakfast this morning...!

By the way I am not surprised you were climbing the walls not eating tea til 9pm on a FD - I would definitely bring that forward and you might find that you manage with the hunger better.

@harriethoyle yes, I will have to rethink about my meals, kids do activities which mean I don't get home until 9 most nights (stupid growing up), and it's literally, work, throw food at children if they can't make it themselves, then out of door, with my laptop to catch up. So dinner is usually DH and mine only time to sort of chill together (possibly hence the reason I need to lose weight!!).

But for fast days I might just have to say have dinner on your own and I'll eat at activity in car or something.

Kitchen closing at 670 today, can't wait to have breakfast bagels tomorrow!
@GinGinItsAWonderfulThing - I certainly find it easier to have an early dinner followed by an early night to get through a FD. I also tend to start the FD the night before and have my allowed calories over 36 hours (if not doing b2b) if that makes sense. Seemed to work quite well before Christmas.