5:2 Diet (part II)

Angry_Bear

Fusspot wrote: »

Hi, I am interested in this too. I have started this diet along with a friend but I am finding it a bit difficult and confusing though I want to stick with it. I am not overweight but my weight goes on my stomach and I would like to reduce this and do the diet for health benefits also.

Let's see if I can answer a few questions ...

The diet states you can eat normally on non fasting days, does this mean you can eat sweet things and basically what you want or eat these on a reduced level?

Technically, you can eat what you want. However, if you're massively over-eating bad things on your non-fast days then you won't lose weight. Ideally you should be eating a normal, healthy, balanced diet on non-fast days (i.e. some treats, but mostly good food).

Also what do you eat and how often on your fast days, what drinks do you have? I love my milky coffees, don't like tea and don't drink much water.

Everyone varies, experiment a bit and see what works for you. I tend to have one "meal" late afternoon. I drink lemon tea or black coffee and lots of water.
Be aware that milk has quite a bit of calories so you "milky" coffees will be eating into your allowance. Also, you'd be surprised how much liquid you get from food on your normal days, so you will probably suffer if you're not drinking enough water to replace this on your fast days.

So far I have done two fasting days and have felt very weak and off colour but I have been working at the time, the first day I ate nothing at all until teatime, though I did have drinks, so I think I need to eat more throughout the day but how often?

We (modern Brits) are generally well-fed enough that missing a couple of meals should NOT make us feel weak and off-colour. Maybe you have blood-sugar issues, but I'd bet that this is either psychological or (more likely) down to not enough water.

Also I do like to eat out and its part of my social life so as long as I do my two fast days per week I assume its OK to eat out and just enjoy whats on the menu?

As above, fine as long as you don't go mad. If you think "oh, but I fasted on Monday" then eat a 3000-calorie meal out Tuesday-Friday, then you will still put on weight. Just be sensible and balanced about it.

Also how do you go on during holidays and Christmas? Sorry for the all the questions by the way.

I will sometimes move my fast days to accommodate events (like Christmas) and don't fast when I'm on holiday. But I know plenty of other people still fast when they are on holiday and just choose their meals carefully.

pollypenny

We haven't crossed the Christmas bridge yet, but we did very well on our recent holiday to America.

As I do at home, I did without breakfast, had a very light lunch, usually a starter. A normal evening meal, but no dessert. Usual wine. I didn't put on a pound.

We still eat out once a week. That's easy, too as we've gone off potatoes and chips.

You'll find that your appetite will reduce. We now eat far less than we used. In fact, OH was still cooking for four, so our portions had crept up.

I would recommend buying the original Fast Diet 5:2 book by Michael Mosley and follow his reasoning and advice.

pollypenny

Reached my target of 9st 7lbs today, in spite of relaxing a little this week. I'm now aiming to maintain between 9:7 and 9:10 so that I can enjoy a couple of glasses of wine each week and not beat myself up for a dessert when eating out.

Actually, the best thing about intermittent fasting is that it trains you to have a considerably smaller appetite.

Money_maker

Well done pollypenny, it's been interesting following this thread.

ibizafan_2

What works for me is doing the two fasting days, three further days of eating fairly carefully, and two days (weekend) of being more relaxed. I agree that eating too much on the other days will not result in losing weight. Also, on fasting days, I can go to the gym and also walk five miles in my job in a restaurant for 6 hours, and don't feel any effects. Alas, unlike Pollypenny, I have just come back from two weeks in the USA and put on some pounds, so it's straight back on the regime next week. I am not disciplined enough to do 5:2 on holiday!

pollypenny

We didn't consciously follow 5:2 while on our tour. However, there were only a few breakfasts included and lunches on the road were never appetising so it was easy.

We had 18 days at DS's place, so were careful then. And I was up and down stairs with tea, toast and ice packs for the patient!

pollyanna24

pollyanna24 wrote: »

I lost another lb this week, so 13lb in total, but for some reason just not feeling it this week. I do weigh every day (I know, I know) and 4lb have mysteriously appeared which isn't helping my motivation.

But I am sticking to the fasts still and I am going away next Wednesday. To fit in two fasts next week, I am going to do a B2B on Monday and Tuesday and hoping the thought of my lovely all inclusive holiday on Wednesday will help me stick to it.

I will miss one fast (the following Monday) overall, but hoping that by it only being one that I will carry on the fasting after my holiday (as it all went wrong last time!).

I'm back. I did go off the diet for 6weeks and put on everything that I had lost, so yes I am annoyed at myself. Life does get in the way sometimes, but why could I have had a week's blip instead of losing the plot for 6weeks.

This is Week 4 of me being back on track and my plan is to lost 1lb per week until NYE (wedding to go) so had 16lbs to lose. Have so far lost 2lb 14loz (so already off track) and going to keep going.

Only 13lb 2oz to go to 9stone.

What made me lose the plot? The holiday I guess (all inclusive so went all out) and then when I came back my girls went on a three hol with their dad and I spent my time drinking and eating. Ho hum. Eventually got back into it when they went to school on 5th September.

I'm very strict with myself when I'm on track. I have a mini break away during half term when I have decided not to fast, but my problem will be getting back to it when we get back.

I don't seem to do things by halves. If I'm off the diet, I'm really off it!

ibizafan_2

Pollyanna, I'm exactly the same. If I go on an all inclusive holiday, I lack the willpower to eat sensibly, let alone sparingly, although I don't go over the top with alcohol. I arrived back from the USA last Wednesday, but I've only got back on track this week, whereas I could have made a start last week! Anyway, the main thing is that I'm back in the habit, so bring it on.

pollypenny

We're having work done and the kitchen is out of action, so we've eaten out! It's getting boring. We've both been sensible, apart from wine!

We should have had a functioning kitchen last night, but the damn plumber broke the tap. I ordered a new one, which he promised to fit today.

Guess what - he's not coming! :mad:

Weigh day tomorrow. As long as I am between 9.7 and 9.10 I'll be happy.

pollypenny

My eating out week, with my new attitude to food plus hard work stripping painted wallpaper has resulted in a pound lost!

Relief, but I don't want to lose anymore. Will have a wine tonight.