5:2 thread 103: life is short. Fasting makes it feel longer 🤣

[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, tel:850-1000 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!!

A pound up on my lowest 3 weeks ago, but that doesn’t feel too catastrophic after the holidays so I’m ok with it. Good luck everyone fasting today.

@Autumnleaves82I’m not sure I’m best placed to advise on anything as I’m no expert but re 2 lots of us do exercise on fast days. I usually manage an hours gentle jog or a Pilates session. If it feels too much I eat what I need to though. And yes, I track calories on NFDs sometimes. I think it’s supposed to be what your body would need to maintain your current weight. I try to mostly eat protein on FDs. Hope that helps and good luck if you try it.

Welcome @Autumnleaves82 - I track every day, and have been doing for the last twelve weeks as part of a gym programme. It's led to much more consistent eating and sustained weight loss. On NFD I stay under 1500 on week days and that gives me enough wriggle room for the weekends whilst still maintaining weight loss.

I also exercise on FDs but not on the second day of a b2b - it's too hard for me! I tend to front load my cals to day 1 ie 800-900 and then do 500 on day 2, and train on day 1.

5:2 has lots of health benefits including lowering blood pressure etc and periods of fasting have been shown to lead to greater weight loss. If I were you I'd give it a try for a couple of weeks and see how you get on.

Another drop on the scales this morning, which means I only have 0.6kg to get back to my new low of a fortnight ago. Helped me resist a croissant this morning and buy pineapple for breakfast instead! A mini planned for today - currently on c.600 once I've had lunch so will try and find some low for tea or concentrate on protein...

Kitchen closed at 663. That's 3 back to backs! Looking forward to breakfast tomorrow! Well done to everyone who fasted today.

@eekwhatnow and @harriethoyle Thank you for the welcome and the replies.

Another question (sorry!) … would some of you be able to share some of your best/typical meals on fasting days?

A typical fast day for me is a coffee with milk in the morning and then I’ll sip on miso soup and snack on plain salad through the day, then some variation on egg with vegetables early evening. And I often give in to a cup or tea and a biscuit before bed.
If I find I need a brain boost for work during the day I’ll have a tin of tuna or similar.

i woke up today and did not want to fast but I have managed it!

@Autumnleaves82 i don’t eat until around 11am because I find I manage better on an empty stomach. Then I eat dinner around 1830. I drink a lot of fizzy water in between!

I am about the same height as you.

today, I had a salad with a can of tuna, 3 tomatoes, thinly sliced onion, chopped coriander, lime juice and baby spinach leaves. Other days I might have something that involves eggs or smoked salmon and avocado. I’ve decided not to care about the cost as it’s only two days a week!

my DH is doing it with me. Tonight we had M&S venison leg steaks (109cal per 100g). I made a juniper and thyme rub, wrapped in a thin slice of smoked bacon; on the side we had steamed tender stem broccoli with a small amount of anchovy dressing. Cooked in 10mins.

I recommend the Mosley blood sugar diet RECIPE book a lot! The 5:2 is ok too.

i have t seen a massive shift in weight to be honest. I’m on week 3 of a 4 week trial. I have a target weight for the end of week 4. If I achieve it, I’ll keep going. If not, I’m going to do Calorie controlled.

uou might find a couple of weeks 5:2 is enough to get you off your plateau.

Morning all

No FD for me yesterday.. had to do an emergency site visit with a long drive (haven't yet found a way to do that successfully whilst fasting).

Did not eat well either - somehow came in just under NFD goal but was a lunch deal from pizza express and a McDonald's for dinner (I did order carefully at least)

Today I'm so tired I'm not fasting either. Might hit a mini but I'm just going to be sensible and see how it goes

I work best by having a carrot and apple at lunch time. At dinner time I have enough calories for a normal dinner like pasta, chicken and vegetables or jacket potato. I drink hot water in the day. So I prefer to save my calories for the meal, but do have it at an earlier time to cope!

Morning all. Had a rough week, slight chest infection so haven’t managed it 😢. Hopefully back to it next week! Well done everyone and welcome to new peeps. I read Michael Mosley’s 5:2 book, it gave me great insight into how it works and some food ideas. I always have an apple in the morning, a protein smoothie for lunch/day time, and a light dinner. Seems to work for me 👍

I only managed one day last week and that was Monday so I’m not expecting anything amazing on tomorrow’s weigh-in. But slow and steady the weight is coming off.

I just bought a cookbook - the good bite lite 500 calorie feasts. Recipes look great but haven’t cooked anything yet. I’ll report back though! Good for b2b and virtuous NFD…

I’m trying a FD and a gym session tomorrow: I usually don’t fast on pt days but I’m running out of week days! So I’m going to see how it goes. 😬

Checking in for a FD today. Sun is shining. Inspiring me to remember all the summer clothes I’ll feel better wearing if I stick to it! Good luck to any other fasters.

Also… guess what?! I’m wearing a skirt that didn’t fit me last summer. Very happy.

Oh nice NSV, @eekwhatnow !

I’m up a bit on last week. I am going to try fasting today but I’m very tired after a bit of an upset and a terrible night’s sleep. If it doesn’t happen I’m not going to beat myself up.

morning all

In need of advice! Over the last few days have realised I'm in perimenopause after a barrage of symptoms have hit (night sweats, vivid dreams, exhaustion, brain fog etc) and suspect this is the root of why I've struggled to lose this year even when consistently eating well / rocking FDs....

so! Those of you in the same period... what have you had to do differently? Is it lower TDEE for NFD or a tweak to balance, even less carbs etc?

Any help or advice gratefully received!

oh - on the good side, some jeans I bough last summer in a 16 (which didn't fit yet due to the shape of them) now fit fine, even though weight not really changed!

@Darker, hope you’re ok. Def don’t beat yourself up if not feeling it.
@OohMrDarcymy sympathies, I’m also in this phase with all its joys. I have come to fasting already in it though and I’m on hrt which possibly makes a difference. Sounds to me like what you are doing is working for you though, even with if not showing on scales. Could you have built muscle?

@eekwhatnow @OohMrDarcy fantastic NSV!!

@Darker I echo the rest, take it easy on yourself today and see how you're feeling tomorrow. Sometimes a bit of self-care by way of delicious food and a long bath does you far more good than fasting. This WOL will be here tomorrow for you!

I've been to the gym and am sitting with a black coffee fecking RAVENOUS 😂I have a similar day planned tomorrow but I think I will be packing a little breakfast sandwich for my post-gym commute! We'll see if I manage to avoid a snaccident later on tonight...

I've had to cut caffeine, alcohol and pop completely. I drink decaf and water only. It's made a massive difference.

For weight loss or for general well-being @Hdjdb42 ?

It was recommended for my peri menopausal symptoms, which helped massively with palpitations, night sweats and the feeling of "doom". Then I realised my weight was going down more quickly while intermittent fasting.

Interesting @Hdjdb42 - I've reduced my alcohol intake quite significantly but I love a diet soda particularly on FD to fill me up! and I REALLY like my first coffee of the day... 😫

I love pepsi max as it would be refreshing and fill me up too! I do miss it alot! I mean a lot!!! I use decaff coffee grounds to make a filter coffee, and tetley decaff tea bags. Honestly these taste just as good as normal coffee/tea.