45, female and new to fasting, couple questions, please help.

This topic contains 13 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Niquita 7 years, 10 months ago.

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Niquita

3:17 pm
19 Jan 17
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I have just started fasting about a week ago. With My first fast ever I had the intention to do a 16:8 and ended up doing a 23 hour fast ending the day with a small meal. It went well, mug better than expected. Then I started doing the 16:8 schedule daily but then this week I added two days of a 24 hour fast. I started training again, my intention is to do 1 hour weights 3x a week plus at least 30′ cardio. Is this an ok
Schedule to follow for a beginner? 16:8 daily plus Monday’s and Thursday’s 22-24 hour fast?
I would like to lose at least 20 pounds and try to get toned through exercise. I’m 5’3″ and weigh about 165 pounds. Thanks for any help!

Amazon

6:50 pm
19 Jan 17
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Hi Niquita,

That sounds like a very sensible plan.

Good luck 🙂

Merryme

2:46 pm
20 Jan 17
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Hi Niquita,

5:2 fasting days are from after your evening meal on say Sunday, then through the next day Monday, Monday night and you break your fast on Tuesday. During the day e.g. Monday in this example you eat up to 500cals at any timing through the day. Some eat three tiny meals, some 2 a little bigger, some do 1 evening meal with all their calories then, and some have nothing at all. The fast lasts from Sunday evening till Tuesday morning so a 5:2 fast lasts about 36hrs. So… What you did on your first fasting day sounds like 23:1 i.e. Eating in a 1 hr window. If your small meal was under 500 cals then your fast actually continued through to the next morning, because with such a small amount of calories the fasting effect still happens even though you’ve eaten a little.

There is confusion on the forum about what is a fast and how long it goes.

On FDs I start Sunday night after dinner, have 360 calories in 1 meal at 6pm on Monday and break my fast at 12 noon on Tuesday. My 2nd fast starts Wed night after dinner, 360cals at 6pm Thurs, break fast at 12 noon Friday. My 5 nonFDs all my food is consumed between 12 noon and 8pm i.e. 16:8, but that is not necessary, just what I choose as I am forced to be sedentary.

Your weight loss will come from your calorie deficits on your 2 FDs and your exercise will be good for your health and skin.

Good luck
Merry

Niquita

7:41 pm
20 Jan 17
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Thank you for all the informative feedback! I will adjust as I go but at least I’ve started:)
Regards,
Niquita

Niquita

9:54 pm
20 Jan 17
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I’m new in this forum so bear with me please. I have one more question and not sure if I need to open another topic, if so, just let me know. Is Splenda not recommended to use in tea, or coffee? I’ve read that it’s not because it spikes insulin, however I’ve also read on other forums that it’s ok???
Thanks

Merryme

11:59 am
21 Jan 17
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Hi Niquita,

Well done on getting syarted!

What you eat and decide to put in you regime of food and drink is up to you. 5:2 does not include any specific foods, just calorie guidelines for the 2 Fast Days (FDs) and for up to your TDEE on 5 nonFDs. There is a thread started by simcoeluv called Information for Newbies, your Questions answered. It will answer all your questions so I suggest you look it up and go through somcoeluv’s opening post.

There are many different sorts of people on the forum and you will get used to it. People are here from every continent, varying food beliefs e.g. Meat eating, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, eating grains, not eating grains, high fat, low fat, high carbs, low carbs, high protein, low protein, sugar, no sugar, sweeteners, no sweeteners, lots of fruit, very little fruit, stevia, no stevia. The one thing everyone seems to agree on is lots of added sugar is bad for you. This means that when you read someone saying you should or shouldn’t eat or drink something, that is their personal opinion or personal food philosophy. It isn’t part of 5:2. You’re going to have to make up your own mind what you eat and drink. Remember that people here come from various cultural backgrounds, some have religious reasons for eating or not eating certain things, and some have to eat a certain way for medical reasons. So what we do is get started, as you have, and then start tweaking things to get your food intake correct for you. We are each a bit different.

I’ve found the people who really promote not having things like Splenda, Stevia, are usually those who have raised blood sugar levels , pre diabetic or diabetic, whose insulin response is not as healthy. For me, I have no blood sugar elevation, and didn’t even at my highest weight, so I am not concerned about an insulin spike because my personal insulin response is functioning very healthily. So… I use a very small amount of Stevia, and will sometimes have sugar free jelly (jello) or sugar free sweets. Other people would never do this, but that’s their opinion too. I have mine, they have theirs. You are free to eat according to your own needs. What is your health and medical situation like? What are the foods you are used to? What will make this sustainable for you in the long term? What foods are healthy for you personally?

Sometimes peoplevwill quote experimental evidence to back up their personal ideas. The trouble with that is that often there is other experimental evidence out there which is different and sometimes contradictory. So don’t be daunted by this, read the thread I suggested by simcoeluv. It is an excellent introduction to 5:2.

Just keep reporting back in on the forum and perhaps find a thread you are comfortable on to join as a community for yourself.

Cheers,
Merry

hondagirl

7:26 am
22 Jan 17
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Hi all
Just embarking on what I hope will be a complete change in my life. I am struggling with the fast days as I am vegetarian, I just want plain simple food that amount to the 500 cals. I understand that green tea is ok for these days. I got a bit confused with the length of time for fasting? I go from 7pm Sunday evening until 7am Tuesday morning and again 7pm Wednesday evening to 7 am Friday morning is that right?

eskimogirl

9:46 am
22 Jan 17
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Hi Hondagirl. Those fast-day windows sound fine to me 🙂

I’m vegetarian too. On fast days I tend to just have one evening meal; I usually go for eggs and lots of green veg / salad, or homemade vegetable soup / stew (even with a little bread if it fits the calories), or a small portion of practically any normal meal. Something protein-rich like eggs or tofu is nice and filling, but I’ll have anything in a pinch – as long as it’s less that 500 calories.

Amazon

10:24 am
22 Jan 17
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I’m not vegetarian but I often eat vegetarian or vegan on fast days.
I do love to cook so I batch cook curries, chillis etc and add lentils or beans but I also make omelettes filled with veg and a small amount of cheese, stir fries and noodle dishes with tofu etc none of which are difficult to prepare or take long to cook.
Sometimes I just have roasted vegetables.

hondagirl

11:14 am
22 Jan 17
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Thank you eskimogirl and Amazon! I just needed to know if I was on the right track. I am very busy during the day running a domiciliary care agency, so always chasing my tail. It does make cooking and preparation difficult sometimes. But I am hoping that once in a routine things will become easier. I tend to distract myself because I am a ‘picker’ so the house is very clean! and the neighbours may well start to complain about the hoover at night! The poor dog has stumps now instead of legs! I will try cooking and freezing and see how I get on. I am also finding that after fast days I am not eating perhaps as much as I should it just seems to me that after all the hard work it feels wrong!! Just psychological I guess….. Many thanks to both of you

Amazon

11:49 am
22 Jan 17
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What do you mean by not eating as much as you should? It’s all about creating a calorie deficit so don’t eat unless you really want to.

I like batch cooking as it means there is always something good to eat a few minutes away.

I also aim to make all my batch cooking 350 calories per portion which makes FDs easier to plan. I only eat dinner so use a few calories for milk in my tea and coffee and the rest might be a small salad, some chutney or salsa or some yoghurt with mint/cucumber to go with a spicy curry or chilli.

hondagirl

12:56 pm
22 Jan 17
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What I mean is, I find myself depriving myself on non fast days
I will certainly try batch cooking
As I can grab and go. I start work early in the morning and finish late at night so that could work well. I am aiming for a significant weight loss by October as promised myself a holiday so really want to get to grips with the workings. Thankyou for your help

Amazon

1:15 pm
22 Jan 17
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You’re welcome, good luck 🙂

Niquita

8:52 pm
22 Jan 17
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Merryme, thanks for all valuable information and great motivation!!! Will start fresh tomorrow, as I had social gatherings yesterday and ate and drank more than I have for a while, and to be honest I ended up feeling sick at the end of the evening! I haven’t felt so full and uncomfortable as last night in a long time, possibly because I had fasted all last week: longer fasts For two days and then 16:8 for the rest of the week. Therefore, I am thinking that perhaps I’m not tolerant to eating as much as before and this is good sign for me!!! Will Ask for more help if needed. I did go through Simcoeluv’s thread and it has great info, Thank you!!!