5:2 diet

hovism

http://www.lindora.com/faqs.aspx?faqID=121 this might have some ideas for you.

pineapple

tesuhoha wrote: »

People don't ask for medical advice before they overeat so I think in comparison eating only 500 calories a day must come quite low on the scale of harmful things you can do to your body.

Anyone doing this eating regime who slims down after being seriously overweight had better prepare themselves for the solicitous ''you're not overdoing things are you'? Many many years ago I had this from a colleague who must have been the fattest person in the building :huh:. Seriously on a scale of 1-10 of obesity she was at no 20 . I was so taken aback that I failed to give one of any number of appropriate responses (that I thought of later).
But I'm prepared now :rotfl:

melbury

tesuhoha wrote: »

Well the 100 year old chap who ran the London marathon was on small portions so he must be doing something right. People don't ask for medical advice before they overeat so I think in comparison eating only 500 calories a day must come quite low on the scale of harmful things you can do to your body.

Totally agree, it is hardly extreme. That is what makes it so straightforward and easy to stick to. Also you are not paying out a fortune to some company for their latest wonder diet.

leamingtonspaceman

I've been doing a calorie restricted diet for about eight weeks now. I'm changing it around from month to month. I'll 'fast' on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for a month and then switch to the 5:2 regime.

I workout alot, lifting weights and doing CV work. I've found that I'm able to lift MORE weight since I started this and my CV performance has been enhanced.

On my 'fasting' days I don't count the calories I take in down to each individual calorie. I know that I am taking in anywhere between 400-750 calories. I usually eat some porridge and drink 'slim-a-soup' throughout the fasting day.

When I'm fasting Tues/Thu/Sat then I don't workout on these days, so I workout Mon/Weds/Fri. When I'm doing 5:2, I workout Mon-Fri (eating days) and refrain from working out Sat/Sun (fasting days).

I've found that my skin condition has improved (although it was pretty good anyway) and also my hair has got alot softer. I've dropped fat from around my abdomen but have gained weight in terms of muscle. It seems that I have increased my muscle density as opposed to acheiving muscle growth. For instance, my chest has only slightly increased in size...but I've gone from benching 2 x 25kg dumbells to 2 x 35kg dumbells!!!

I'm 43 and weigh 90 kilos...about the same as I did when I started the fasting. However, I have noticeably lost weight (in fat) but have mantained the same weight, indicating increase in muscle density.

Adhering to this regime has made me see food in a differing light. On 'fasting' days, I notice the proliferation of food available and how it's presented in advertising, on TV shows/movies and in supermarkets etc. I also find the act of fasting to be an achievement. To be hungry, and to be able to ignore the feeling and go without is very liberating...almost spiritual. It makes me realise there is a massive difference between being hungry and being starved. It is quite humbling.

I'm intending to stick with this regime for the forseeable future.

adouglasmhor

I was so busy yesterday I only took in 750 Calories, so I am only fasting once this week. Still haven't weighed myself but clothes are looser and I have taken in a pair of shorts 2½ inches.

oopsadaisydoddle

Hi all,

Can I join please?! I've been doing Cambridge weight loss plan and have lost 2 st 9lbs but I'm at that stage where I've been complacent and have been struggling. I've also decided to give it up for financial reasons because at £40 a week, it's not cheap!

Can anybody give me some examples of what they eat on non fasting days? Especially those that have successfully lost weight?

Thanks in advance.

leamingtonspaceman

oopsadaisydoddle wrote: »

Hi all,

Can I join please?! I've been doing Cambridge weight loss plan and have lost 2 st 9lbs but I'm at that stage where I've been complacent and have been struggling. I've also decided to give it up for financial reasons because at £40 a week, it's not cheap!

Can anybody give me some examples of what they eat on non fasting days? Especially those that have successfully lost weight?

Thanks in advance.

I eat pretty much anything...but try to keep it healthy. Today I was doing weights at the gym. I had 3 scrambled eggs, onion, tomatoes and bacon for breakfast at 7:30am. I worked out from 9:30 - 11:30am and then had a three scoop protein shake made with water. At 2pm I had mashed potatoes, a small tin of tuna and some veg. Then at 6pm I had chicken, veg and carrot/swede mash. I then treated myself to a piece of cake.

Tomorrow I'm doing 90 mins CV at the gym. Two hours before that I''ll have a bowl of porridge made with skimmed milk...and a bit of reduced sugar jam in with it. After working out it'll be another protein shake and then similar meals as I had today.

I drink lots of green tea. Green tea speeds up the metabolism. The polyphenol found in green tea works to intensify fat burning.

On non-fasting days just eat as healthily as you can but you can treat yourself sometimes. Just keep to a balanced food intake. I find that the fasting seems to trigger more healthy eating choices on days when I do eat...and I don't suffer from boredom eating or bad snacking.

£40 a week is a lot when you can quite readily make good eating choices yourself.

Good luck.

oopsadaisydoddle

leamingtonspaceman wrote: »

I eat pretty much anything...but try to keep it healthy. Today I was doing weights at the gym. I had 3 scrambled eggs, onion, tomatoes and bacon for breakfast at 7:30am. I worked out from 9:30 - 11:30am and then had a three scoop protein shake made with water. At 2pm I had mashed potatoes, a small tin of tuna and some veg. Then at 6pm I had chicken, veg and carrot/swede mash. I then treated myself to a piece of cake.

Tomorrow I'm doing 90 mins CV at the gym. Two hours before that I''ll have a bowl of porridge made with skimmed milk...and a bit of reduced sugar jam in with it. After working out it'll be another protein shake and then similar meals as I had today.

I drink lots of green tea. Green tea speeds up the metabolism. The polyphenol found in green tea works to intensify fat burning.

On non-fasting days just eat as healthily as you can but you can treat yourself sometimes. Just keep to a balanced food intake. I find that the fasting seems to trigger more healthy eating choices on days when I do eat...and I don't suffer from boredom eating or bad snacking.

£40 a week is a lot when you can quite readily make good eating choices yourself.

Good luck.

Thanks for replying! I don't do any exercise at the mo. I cancelled my gym membership because I kind of thought that £40 a week was enough to be paying out :-/! Also DH goes to the gym and there doesn't seem to be enough time for us both to go.

I was going to the gym quite regularly last year and it was making me ill! I'd come home feeling sick and exhausted to the point of having to lay down...and I'd built it up gradually!!

I also suffer from IBS and am not too keen on meat so struggle a bit food wise. I love lentils and veggies but they seem to disagree with my tummy. That's one of the reasons I liked Cambridge - I didn't have to worry about my tummy and bloating.

pineapple

I think the thing to remember in all of this is that we are all different. I got massively overweight even though I rarely touched the traditional baddies like crisps, biscuits, cakes, sweets, puddings, fried foods etc. Yet I have a friend who can eat all these things with impunity. Life just isn't fair! :mad:
That said, if you routinely take in more calories than your particular body burns, it doesn't take much doing to put on a stone year on year. Just as you can get majorly into debt by spending a bit over week on week .
Anyway, I started with 5:2, had a brief fling with alternate day, then settled on a 4:3 arrangement. I no longer count calories because by now I know roughly how many calories a meal contains anyway. In fact I would like to know the science behind the 500/600 calorie recomendations. Surely - as we are all different - it can only be a general benchmark. Therefore, for me anyway, I don't feel the sky will fall in if I go 100 cals over or under one day. Yet on numerous net discussions I see people obsessing on whether they went 20 calories over :eek:.
I've had a couple of days off as well because personally I can't do 'rigid' or remove myself from all social life.
Since the Horizon programme I've gone down from 13 and a half stone to 12 and a half and the aim is to get below 11 by Christmas. However so long as it continues in a general downward direction - whatever. Fat pineapple wasn't built in a day - and she won't morph into slim pineapple in a day.
I tend to feel my best between 9 and 10 - so I'm a long term project!
Onwards and downwards

hovism

Didnt fast yesterday because I had a rare day out with my eldest son which included lunch so doing today instead.
So far: 100g soya yogurt with 1 teaspoon honey and 100g blueberries. Just under 150cals.
Planning tin of weight watchers tomato & basil soup 77cals for lunch and grilled chicken breast with loads of veg for dinner this evening.