5:2 thread 101: Fasting as quick as HH is whizzing down the ski slopes! (Not very fast, with many bumps and wine stops along the way!)

[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!

I've slipped a bit with tracking this last couple of weeks, but I'm back on it now. I seem to be able to stay below TDEE fairly easily, but struggle with fasting. Not fond of black coffee but Rooibos tea works well. To be honest I could fast longer if I didn't have 9pm wine. I'm going to try that this evening and see if I can manage 14 hours.

Well done fasters and people who are managing low calorie days.

Kitchen closed on 829, was hoping for around 700 but birthday profiteroles needed eating! Banana at lunchtime and a light dinner seems to be working well so far. NFD tomorrow and another FD when I’m in the office on Thursday.

I had cake and ice cream @SydneyCarton last night. Yum!

Anyone fasting with me today? Tuna thin for lunch, and scrambled eggs for tea.

hey @Castlerigg - how did the no wine evening go? It would def have a positive impact on your fasting from what I remember of BCF's lessons years back...think she said there was evidence your body doesn't burn fat if there is alchohol to process as that takes priority or something? can't remember in detail!

don't blame you on the profiteroles @SydneyCarton

NFD for me today @harriethoyle - fajitas for dinner here. Next FD is Friday for me

Well @OohMrDarcy I didn't have wine, but I did have Pimms. Oops. Makes sense about the body burning off alcohol first.

Definitely no alcohol tonight!

I definitely remember something about the processing of alcohol slowing your metabolism @Castlerigg @OohMrDarcy and when I went dry during the week, as opposed to a daily G and T or whatever, I lost half a stone without even trying... Hence my new attempts to only drink 2 weekend days rather than 3, which are in force from this weekend (F/S so abstaining on Sunday).

Baking colleague has brought in bailey's fudge, gingerbread and lemon drizzle cake. I am hiding in my office so I don't demolish the lot!!

Kitchen closing on 665, a bit high but I heroically avoided cake so I'm taking that as a NSV 🤣

I've come in around 1000 calories today, which is pretty decent for me.

No booze today. I never drink loads, but I do drink a little bit most nights, which is completely unnecessary. It's just a habit that I need to break.

Well done on resisting the baked goods @harriethoyle, the Baileys fudge would have been my downfall I think. But I am finding sweet things easier to resist, as my system adjusts.

Forming and breaking habits is hard @Castlerigg ! When I went booze free during the week, I went cold turkey and it was hard for WEEKS. Even now most Thursdays, I think "yum - nearly Friday wine time" 🤣🙈

I'm currently trying to build an exercise habit. I've been doing a class on a Tuesday for about 6 weeks and I've just found a second one on a Thursday which I'm starting tonight. My late DM became very frail in her later years and I'm determined to be active despite my very sedentary job... 🙈

Adding workout has totally toppled my fast days, was supposed to do day 2 today but very hungry. Will do tomorrow. Will fill myself up today.

I think its body getting used to newly added workout. Its not losing weight and being very hungry ! :-D

Yes @strangerInStrangeLand I can't fast on an exercise day. Current WOL is FD Mon, exercise Tues, FC Weds, exercise Thurs with a bit of home pilates thrown in on FD. Going to give it a rattle for a few weeks and see what transpires.

@harriethoyle I'm in a sedentary job too, I'm struggling to achieve 5000 steps a day. I'd like to start some strength training, but don't live near a gym, and am a single parent so need to find something I can do at home - and actually do it.

@Castlerigg I've been doing the Lidia Mera pilates videos on YouTube. They range from 10-30 minutes so you can choose one according to how busy you are. Or you can do a 7 day challenge which concentrates on different areas each day.

Morning all

Checking in for Friday FD here need to pop to the shops for some dinner bits. The kids are having macaroni cheese so no way to make that work for me today. Will pick up some chicken and salad I expect

You're a Friday fasting hero @OohMrDarcy !

I'm already looking forward to post-work wine 🍷 🤣

This is the first weekend I'm limiting myself to alcohol on 2 of the 3 weekend days. Wish me luck! It's been a good week with two exercise classes, home pilates, two FD and IF on the other days so I'm feeling quite pleased with myself.

Happy weekend everyone!

Yesterday's FD went a bit astray when DP stopped at the chip shop after Brownies pick up, but I estimate I came in around 1000 calories, so not horrendous. I also did 17,000 steps so burned off quite a lot as well. Normal eating today as I'm planning a run - I also find it hard to exercise fasted - and possibly IF on Saturday.

Totally in awe of a Friday fast @OohMrDarcy!

Friday FD work well for me, its often an easy day to fit it in with other things, but also it limits any damage I can do at the weekends!

I m fasting today with you @OohMrDarcy
Not going to be easy, even tho I ate a lot yesterday I m still hungry. have a nice tofu soup and eggs and rye bread planned for today. Aiming for 600-700 ish.

Going to attempt hot yoga as well - Its yin/yang so milder than usual,so I may be ok as half the class is just sleeping ;-)

promising myself that biryani tomorrow first thing in the morning :-) to keep me motivated thru this.

Ooh and my weighing machine showed me 75kg this morning most annoyingly and then thankfully 115 and then 48. Phew! thing is broken.

Kitchen closed on around 450 today!

Well done @OohMrDarcy yesterday kitchen closed at 600. and NSV managed to do hot yoga on a fast day
Weight today is 69.1 on a different weighing machine, so not the best meassure. 71.3->70.3->69.1 so 2 kilo water weight gone!! yoohooo!!
It is still 1 kg up from my lowest some 2 weeks ago. boooo

NSVs this week - 10k steps on water fast day, hot yoga on second fast day.
4 days hot yoga and 3 days of 10k walk.

Congratulations @strangerInStrangeLand

Thanks for the Pilates recommendation @harriethoyle, I used to go to a class and really enjoyed it, but when I was ready to progress, there wasn't a class I could get to. That was years ago, I'm back to square one now!

Let's not talk about my calorie intake the last couple of days.

Morning all - checking in for the week. Actually not fasting until Wednesday and Thursday because my exercise classes have moved to M/tu this week. IF on NFD seems to be having a positive effect though - about a kilo down from usual Monday weigh in. I'll see how the week goes and what next Monday's scales say but so far, so good...

Anyone else fasting with me today? This is my 10th week of fasting! ye!!

I need to up my food game to keep up with workout. I did 5 days hotyoga last week and I m dead. All my joints are achy and shaky. also was terribly hungry all NFDs and kind of unsatisfied, feeling like I need more fat and protein.
I eat a lot of veggies, I m kind of extra about eating veggies. but this is not enough

Changes for this week

1. Additional suppliment - glucosamine sulphate for joints, because joints seem shaky after yoga !
2. Whey protein shake every day ( should I take it on water fast day ?)
3. electrolytes while doing yoga - coconut water or himalayan salt + lemon juice
4. Vit C tablet daily
5. Mainly fish and chicken atleast 3/4 days a week. 2 eggs daily ( except water fast day).