5:2 diet

tesuhoha

elizabunny wrote: »

Fast Day again for me today. My weight is a bit stuck again and I definitely believe this is due to too many cals on non fast days (I have been checking). So I guess I m going to have to cut back a bit, if I want to see some more weight come off quicker. On the other hand, I like NOT counting on non-fast days, so maybe I'll just have to settle for minute weight losses. I have been mulling this over for a few weeks now, but I just can't stand the idea of calorie counting every day. Hmmm... Any thought on this anyone?

Yes, when you gained weight it was probably very slowly so its ok to take it off slowly. I wouldn't count calories on non fast days but I would check your calories very carefully on fast days. I think bingeing is caused by watching calories all the time so don't do it. Relax. I took the weight off slowly but it did go eventually. I had a lot of plateaus but you just have to keep the faith.

tesuhoha

zmikeo wrote: »

Well todays fast day has failed and so have turned it into a maintenance week.
This week didn't start well when I went to give blood for the 1st time on Tuesday, and after and hour wait they had only just started taking blood when had to stop as they had gone through two veins.
Wednsday morning my imac refused to start so had to take it to the apple store today where it will probably be for about a week.
Then to top it when I got home and was walking up to the house, I put my hand on the handrail and was stung by a wasp.
Not a big thing except to me, as had to go through 3 years of immunology as had very bad reaction to a wasp sting.
I took my tabs and had my epipen on standby, but luckily no ill effects well apart from my DW making me hold my had under the cold tap for 30 minutes
So having a drink of red wine to relax, but will be back on it next week.

oh and weigh in tomorrow morning :eek:

I've just reread the book and Michael Mosley says that some days you just have to give up on fasting.

tesuhoha

Gloomendoom wrote: »

I think the problem is the non-fast days. I'm always strict on the Tuesday and Thursday fast days but more lax on the Sunday as I usually add a beer to the mix (my weakness.) To be honest, I've never found the fast days particularly hard as I have been a one meal a day eater for longer than I can remember and I don't snack during the day. At least, not when I am at work.

I think my new regime of not eating 'normally' on the non-fast days may work. I'm also doing weekly measurements and monthly photos to track the progress (or lack of) and also to act as an incentive. Hopefully it will be enough to stop Mrs G asking "When is it due?"

TBH I wouldn't be too restrictive on non fast days as it will turn into a normal diet which we all know is not sustainable and does not work. I'm sure you can have a beer at the weekend. Are you sure you are eating enough on non fast days. You need to eat to keep your metabolism up.

tesuhoha

crumblepie wrote: »

I'm on a fast day today. I won't be eating until 1am ish (working nights).

I'll be having soup and small salad, greek yog, mandarin oranges, plums, crackers and dairylea and a few cups of coffee.

I aim for around 600 cals even though I'm a woman. I can't drink black coffee without sugar which pushes up the cals a teeny bit.

I hope it works for you but ladies are supposed to do 500. So if you find you are not losing then maybe try that.

Gloomendoom

tesuhoha wrote: »

TBH I wouldn't be too restrictive on non fast days as it will turn into a normal diet which we all know is not sustainable and does not work. I'm sure you can have a beer at the weekend. Are you sure you are eating enough on non fast days. You need to eat to keep your metabolism up.

I doubt I'm being too restrictive. I'm really just making sure that I don't over eat to compensate for the fast days.

crumblepie

tesuhoha wrote: »

I hope it works for you but ladies are supposed to do 500. So if you find you are not losing then maybe try that.

It is working for me slowly. My progress so far:

Started with very good intentions in February, lost half stone quite quickly and some inches over two months. So that was 1lb a week average.

Mid April to end of June I plateaued, maintained, didn't lose anything, call it what you will. But I wasn't really fasting two days a week - I was doing one 600 cal day and one half hearted half fast. I also work night shifts which mess with my eating patterns at the best of times so I used this time to readjust to a new routine.

From mid July to now. A further 1.5lb loss which isn't a lot but I have lost almost 6 inches off various bits of me, which I said before I'll take the inch loss over the pounds lost for now.

I have tried to drink no coffee during the day (didn't work), I've tried to include milk calories and limit my food intake to 350-400 calories (didn't work - they ended up being the half hearted half fasts where I'd eat lots and the calories would end up being nearer 800). I've also has a few weeks where I haven't fasted at all and eaten everything in sight.

The 600 cals is working for me because I drink my coffee and don't feel deprived and have my 500 cals of food and its enough. And ultimately its (slowly) working for me the way I'm doing it which is a good thing if this is going to be a long term way of eating for me.

I also don't have a lot of weight to lose, maybe a stone, so I know the weight will fall off slowly and I am primarily interested in the health benefits of fasting rather than the weight loss.

zmikeo

Well its not alls bad, as I still lost 2lb this week
Have to change my target, as am now at it but still want to lose a bit more .

tesuhoha

Gloomendoom wrote: »

I doubt I'm being too restrictive. I'm really just making sure that I don't over eat to compensate for the fast days.

Yes, that's the only time you should cut back on non fast days, when you think you might be bingeing or overeating.

tesuhoha

crumblepie wrote: »

It is working for me slowly. My progress so far:

Started with very good intentions in February, lost half stone quite quickly and some inches over two months. So that was 1lb a week average.

Mid April to end of June I plateaued, maintained, didn't lose anything, call it what you will. But I wasn't really fasting two days a week - I was doing one 600 cal day and one half hearted half fast. I also work night shifts which mess with my eating patterns at the best of times so I used this time to readjust to a new routine.

From mid July to now. A further 1.5lb loss which isn't a lot but I have lost almost 6 inches off various bits of me, which I said before I'll take the inch loss over the pounds lost for now.

I have tried to drink no coffee during the day (didn't work), I've tried to include milk calories and limit my food intake to 350-400 calories (didn't work - they ended up being the half hearted half fasts where I'd eat lots and the calories would end up being nearer 800). I've also has a few weeks where I haven't fasted at all and eaten everything in sight.

The 600 cals is working for me because I drink my coffee and don't feel deprived and have my 500 cals of food and its enough. And ultimately its (slowly) working for me the way I'm doing it which is a good thing if this is going to be a long term way of eating for me.

I also don't have a lot of weight to lose, maybe a stone, so I know the weight will fall off slowly and I am primarily interested in the health benefits of fasting rather than the weight loss.

Yes, I've got a few pounds to shift and I must admit I do cheat a bit on some fast days. I am still losing weight but it has slowed down. However, in the book Michael Mosley says he skips lunch some non fast days and I do that sometimes without really thinking about it. So if its working for you then that's great. The health benefits are quite subtle i.e. I noticed after a few months that I no longer suffered from acid indigestion, I don't get so many headaches and I used to get a pain in my side after eating but that has gone now.

azureblue_2

I have now lost 25lbs since January this year. The last two months have been a loooooooooong plateau which hopefully I have now dropped through. Now reached the top of the 10st block and so delighted. To not see that 70something kgs but a 69.6kgs is heaven. Still fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, keeping to 400cals those days, feed days are around 1500 cals, within a 200 calorie parameter for good sense. Aiming to avoid all sugar, keep the carbs low and the fat high, protein to 56grams a day.
It seems to have made the difference in breaking through the block.
:j:j:j:T:T:T:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: