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!

@absolutelyknackeredcow I'm fasting with you today!

afternoon everyone, just a quick question if that's okay?

Am I right in thinking instead of doing 2 x 500cal FDs you can do 3 x mini-FDs (850-1000)

Cheers

@Beautiful3 we can do it !

@absolutelyknackeredcow absolutely! Glad I saw your message of encouragement, 3-4pm is my weakest point of the whole day! Made a chicken and vegetable soup for the family to eat with bread (minus the bread for me!) for dinner. Going on the school run now. I'm saving my calories for dinner and a small treat! Hope your day's been a good one?

I’m fasting today - doing 5:2 with Dry January which I inevitably feel is a mistake when I read everyone else sugar loading to reduce booze cravings! I do want a lot of sugar but I don’t mind not drinking for a month.

Chicken breast and cucumber tonight and an options hot chocolate followed by a bath. Teeth brushing essential too!

@CrabPuff @Beautiful3 I have already had my options hot choc
Soup later - boring

I find options hot choc so weak that I put in half the amount of water to jazz it up.. desperate times. I’m contemplating doing a B2B as I’m in the car for hours tomorrow but undecided as yet!

I am doing a b2b tomorrow so you can join me @CrabPuff

Kitchen closed on 560. How have my other fasters got on?

Well done @absolutelyknackeredcow, half way there!
Kitchen closing at 486, my dinner was half a can of Heinz soup and a small slice of wholemeal bread. Saving some calories for tomorrow...

I’m going to have to join you Knackered, I’m at 654 calories so my fate is set!

I just restarted this today as I lost 20 pounds with this in early 2020. I gradually went back to my old habits and stepped on the scale for the first time in a long time this morning to find I'd put 12 of those pounds back on and my clothes are getting tight
Just had a very low calorie but filling prawn soup which is delicious. I'm happy to share the recipe if anyone us interested.

Kitchen closed on 681. @CrabPuff
@absolutelyknackeredcow I'm with you on a b2b tomorrow!

Welcome @KylieKoKo yes please for the soup recipe. @anoldcharter yes, that's one school of thought although I always worry 3 x 1000 is too much... i tend to do a b2b then a mini straight afterwards which I'm doing this week

Well done @EatYourFive and @Beautiful3!

Well done every body ! We have got loads of us going b2b so that will give us motivation
Big clap @harriethoyle - it's the worse coming back from hols

@harriethoyle

I use low calorie cooking spray to cook ginger, chili and garlic in a pan. Then add water, one of those Knorr stock pots and a sachet of miso soup (the one I use is only 18 cals) and a bit of fish sauce

Today I added some brocolli and then after 5 minutes some spiralised courgettes and some prawns. Most vegetables work, just adjust when you add them for how long they take to cook.

Then take it off the heat and add the juice of half a fresh lime.

It's really tasty and filling and you can put as much or as little of the ingredients you need to in depending on how many calories you want to eat.

@KylieKoKo your soup sounds lish, I need to pop into supermarket tomorrow and may pick up some miso paste & prawns now. I’ve gotten into a habit of steamed broccoli with a quick whizzed up and olive oil free gazpacho type sauce or grilled romaine lettuce halves with tikka paste mixed in with Joghurt as a sauce, need some newcrecipe ideas. Closing kitchen at 528 calls today. B2B tomorrow. Week 3 for me already, have never stuck at a diet for so long before but all my pre-fatty spring & summer dresses are calling me ..!

D1 B2B done, just under 500 calories today. Had a beautiful butternut squash tagine for dinner. You can eat loads and loads and still have calories spare. Still, looking forward to breakfast post weigh-in on Wednesday

I've just had a boiled egg in at attempt not to be starving when I'm trying to sleep which takes my calories up to 507. I'm feeling kind of peckish though ..

Kitchen closed at 529. Well done everyone. Thanks @harriethoyle.

Well done everyone!
Day 2 B2B today, feeling a bit hungry but will try and save my calories for this evening.

Day 2 of b2b for a few of us... we've got this!

Checking in for 2nd day B2B - I usually trot downstairs having told myself I can ‘have it tomorrow’ and tuck in to a crumpet but not today! However getting it out of the way and getting 650 cals as an allowance is almost compensation.

I think a spinach and mushroom omelette and a soup of some description are probably my food today. Or duck breast perhaps - something proteiny is usually best!

My 11 year is in a mission to eat healthy and surprised me with a smoothie bowl, frozen raspsberries & strawberries with oats. It was lovely, but as I’m on my 2nd day of B2B I’m hoping the fruit sugar won’t make me ravenous later !

Spinach & mushroom omelette sounds tasty @crabpuff