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!

Morning all
Checking in for second day! Really disappointing loss over night despite being starving. Hopefully not on for a gain this week

Might join some of you today for a back to back. I used to do this alot, before I fell off the wagon! We will see later, if I made it! 🤣

You’ll make it! If you made the decision to make it, you will! Anyone can do anything just for today. You can definitely do it.

How is everyone getting on today?
I've only had coffee and a small orange so far so feel it's going quite well. Just went for a run and managed to run 5 km in just under 40 minutes which for me feels like a huge achievement. My fitness goal for this year is to run 5km in 30 minutes (and then perhaps s10 km in one hour) so still a long way to go.

What sort of exercise (if any) is everyone else doing to shift weight? Anyone else trying to get into running?

I'm hungry and bored. Have rest of my food planned out and unless I slip I will manage a 650 which is day 2 of b2b.

I do PT once a week as I have a medical condition which means that I struggle with running. I also aim to do one other work out with weights at the weekend.

I do a lot of walking though - we don't have a car. So 15-20k steps is a normal day

Well done @EatYourFive. I love running but have been out with an injury so I'm hoping to start back this month. I always enjoyed a run on a fast day. Signed up for a PiYo class tomorrow night so will see how that goes. Weighed in at 13st 3 yesterday (a nice 13st 1 flashed up on the scales this morning after yesterday's fast, but I need to try and stop weighing myself straight afterwards because I know that figure will go back up between fasts!). Still, its another 1lb down for last week and I didn't really take any care on my NFD so should be happy enough with that. Slow and steady wins the race!

Thanks @CrabPuff I did make it! I seem to do better when I save my calories for dinner time. Kitchen closed at 503. Hurrah! @EatYourFive The only excerise I do, is walking the dog for an hour each day. I'm too lazy. Well done everyone.

Well done @emmsyg on your weight loss.

@emmsyg I use my post fast weight as my tracker weight. I recognise it does go up but I only weigh pre fast and after so I can see the impact.

Well done my Tuesday fasters especially @Beautiful3 !
I'm going to land on 650 on day 2. Can't wait til
Tomorrow

Kitchen closing on 637 joining @Beautiful3 and @absolutelyknackeredcow in a successful b2b. Tomorrow is going to be a mini I think to get as much holiday weight off in this first week back. Aiming for under 1000.

@EatYourFive I like a jog and joined a local running club last summer but I hate running in the dark! So I'm hibernating til the lighter evenings... I also use the Jillian Michaels app which is great. Very easy to fit in on days when I'm wfh.

Ok - kitchen closed on 649. Grapes over options in a wrestle with my desire for a chocolate fix. I can have it tomorrow. And I will. And it won’t be option it will be drinking chocolate and with marshmallows and everything!

I’m pretty likely to go to bed in the next hour, as the ball and chain is cooking steak and oven chips and the smell is nearly too much!

@absolutelyknackeredcow that's a very impressive amount of steps per day - some days I only manage 2000 steps per day.
@emmsyg hope you can get back to running soon! I was doing really well before but then I sprained my ankle really badly during the first lockdown and it took ages to recover and things went downhill from there.
@harriethoyle I also don't enjoy running after dark, been going at lunchtime now that I am working from home until Boris tells me I can go back to the office.

Well done everyone! Kitchen closing at around 650, made chicken veg noodle stir fry for dinner but only ate a small portion and hardly any noodles.

Kitchen closed at 630 cals. So proud of completing B2B fast days. Need to just try not to completely over do it on the NFDs.

A whopping 3kg of holiday weight off... hurrah! Obviously the vast majority of that was bloat but very pleasing nonetheless

Well done @incognitodorrito, feels good doesn't it!

That's great news @harriethoyle, glad the holiday weight is shifting as promptly as it came on!

I am down 1.1 kg since this time last week, so pleased!!! Will weigh again on Monday morning to see the 'real' progress but it just feels great to see the lower figure right after a B2B session.

How's everyone else's weight this morning?

Well done @harriethoyle ! That's fantastic!
Its a maintain here which is fine but those pesky 3lbs don't want to come Off

I was starving yesterday evening, so had some roasted kale with salt & lemon juice to tide me over. I thought I’d be attacking the fridge this morning, but oddly I’m not that hungry. Must mean my body is getting used to not permanently snacking and having large meals. I’m really enjoying this 5:2 way of eating, long may it continue ! @harriethoyle 3 kilos of bloat or not, that’s impressive !

I'm definitely feeling motivated to crack on @EatYourFive @absolutelyknackeredcow - only one thin used for today's sandwich and dinner tonight will have broccoli in place of rice to try and continue the progress... am also attempting a no buy january which means my craving for a commute hot chocolate will remain unsatisfied!

@incognitodorrito I only started doing B2B in November but also noticed that I was much less hungry the morning after than before when I did nonconsecutive days. One of the reasons I very much prefer B2B to the 'old' way, before I often popped over to Caffè Nero on my way to work after a FD for a large latte and ham&cheese croissant..

Morning all - just wondering if anyone does weight/strength training alongside their 5:2?

Failed DISMALLY last week. FD1 I was fine, but FD2 I had a meeting that ran on, which meant by the time I had my first meal of the day, it was 4pm, I was ravenous and just filled my face. Instantly jumped off the wagon and ate all of the bad things. Gained 2lbs.

This week I thought I'd done better, but as I type this, I realise it's Wednesday and meant to be a fast day. FOOL. Will have to fast tomorrow. I need to be better organised.

@GinGinItsAWonderfulThing I find planning is key for me - and getting my FDs out the way early in the week! Then if necessary I can do a third FD on Thursday, in extremis...

@Solderingon

Morning all - just wondering if anyone does weight/strength training alongside their 5:2?

@Solderingon I do!

I think it's good to do if you are in a calorie deficit to encourage your body to take energy from fat rather than muscle.

@GinGinItsAWonderfulThing

Failed DISMALLY last week. FD1 I was fine, but FD2 I had a meeting that ran on, which meant by the time I had my first meal of the day, it was 4pm, I was ravenous and just filled my face. Instantly jumped off the wagon and ate all of the bad things. Gained 2lbs.

This week I thought I'd done better, but as I type this, I realise it's Wednesday and meant to be a fast day. FOOL. Will have to fast tomorrow. I need to be better organised.

@GinGinItsAWonderfulThing I did that once. I forgot I was on fast day and was tucking into crumpets and butter for breakfast then I remembered!