5:2 thread 98: If you're looking for Fast love... some Fast love is all that I've got on my mind! (Gotta get up to get down)

[harriethoyle]

Welcome to the continuing thread for those following 5:2 or other forms of IF (Intermittent Fasting) such as 4:3, ADF, etc.

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.

Jump in and say hello!

Hello, I’ve just joined this thread. I’ve been doing 5:2 for a couple of months now and stuck to it religiously. I have 500 cals on Mondays and Wednesdays and no more than 2000 on non fast days. I weigh just under 15 stone and my Fitbit says I burn between 2000-3000 calories per day (nearly 4000 calories yesterday!). I am averaging 9000 steps per day. I was losing around 1.5 lbs a week for the first month but three weeks ago I decided to stop weighing as I didn’t want to get discouraged if I didn’t lose one week. I though it would be safe to weigh this week and was hoping for at least a couple of lbs loss and I have lost 0.2 lbs :( what am I doing wrong? Feel so down about it like nothing I do actually works. My thyroid is normal and I’m about to start HRT patches for perimenopause. Might this help do you think? Should I maybe do 16:8 on my normal calorie days?

Also to say that I’m gutted as this the first diet that actually felt sustainable for me and I loved it, but feels pointless at the moment!

Morning all
Joining for a b2b - feeling strong

@Cor0 it is definitely harder to lose weight in yours 40s/50s - you might find the HRT boosts you a bit which would help - personally if you have stalled I would add in an additional fast day for a while, so you think that might work? I haven't been losing weight in the last two weeks and am fed up about it, but I think I am "eating for two" on non-fast days and need to sort this out.

Also meant to add, you shape/measurements may be improving even if your weight seems the same

@Cor0 2000 calories seems quite high to me for non FD. Have you calculated your BMR and knocked 10% off it for NFD? It also depends on how accurate your NFD tracking is - if you're guestimating 2000 you may be consuming far more. Agree with @Badlifeday that adding in a third FD might help you.

Morning @absolutelyknackeredcow ! we're b2b twinsies 🤗

Yahhh

Yes !!

Kitchen closing here at 594. How's the rest of the Monday club doing?

Thanks @Badlifeday yes definitely seems harder work now I’m older - I used to cut back a bit in my twenties and lost weight easily!

@harriethoyle my bmr is around 1500, if I cut back 10% of that, that takes me to 1350, does it really need to be that low on a nfd? I am burning more like 3000+ calories daily usually, 2000 on my two sedentary office days. I thought that as long as you’re in a deficit, that was ok. God how depressing!

I'd start with 1500 in that case @Cor0 and see how you get on. That might kickstart it.

I'm kitchen closed on 550 giving me lots to
Play with tomorrow

Thanks @harriethoyle

Also @Cor0 your suggestion of 16:8 is a good one. I'm currently trying to break a pattern of gaining and losing the same 2kg so I'm giving this a go to see if it helps on NFD. It's hard at the weekend though!

Signing in. The whole household is sick and snotty, so while it may be a difficult fast I can’t taste anything anyway .

Good morning, here for day 1 b2b.

Hope you are doing ok @harriethoyle. My usual bit of dry thin toast this am and I feeling strong

Morning @TheWayTheLightFalls @EatYourFive @absolutelyknackeredcow ! All good here. Usual black coffee and then pushing through til lunch tuna. Canneloni later, and I might get out for a jog as I've got a break from care home visiting today because my brother has (finally) stepped up...

Day 1 of my b2b here, water and black coffee so far. Will have a cup of tea in the afternoon and then pizza & salad for dinner this evening. I find OMAD the way to go on FDs as once I start eating I just get hungrier 😬.

Struggling to get motivated to run at the moment as it's too hot - going into the office two days a week is great for fasting discipline, but does mean my running days are more limited. Will try to go Thursday and Saturday before the heat kicks in - isn't it supposed to be scorching this weekend?

Not up North where I am @SydneyCarton - are you down South?

And I hear you on the lack of running motivation... I'm really struggling to be arsed at the moment 😂🙈

@harriethoyle Yes, London - although the BBC has highs of 27 for the weekend which is lower than I had expected, I thought it was going to be around 30. Not complaining though, 27 is plenty hot enough for me.

I'm usually best at getting out early for a run - post-school drop off and before starting work - but it starts to slip and if I haven't left by 10 it's basically not happening

Done. Chicken breast for lunch with broccoli and lamb’s lettuce, and tried to have the same for dinner but all of us are so snotty, whingy and miserable that I didn’t get to take two bites before one of the kids needed me. Now having some green tea and calling it a day.

Kitchen closed on 681. 1275 for the b2b. Happy with that!