On my fourth week and decided to reach out for support

This topic contains 8 replies, has 7 voices, and was last updated by Cathyork 10 years, 9 months ago.

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Annichka101

8:03 pm
6 Feb 14
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I am one of those women who heard about this diet over the water cooler at work and after a little research, decided what the hell. I did try Weight Watchers about two years ago but found myself so occupied with the calorie counting that it made me actually obsess over food which was never my issue in the first place.

Basically, I have a disability and have not been able to walk for about 12 years. This conditions makes it near impossible for me to get any aerobic exercise and so several years ago I just kinda gave up. Now I am 40, working in a high stress, high profile job (traveling all over, all the time) with 50 pounds to lose. So I am embarking on this challenge and hope that the simplicity of it helps me stay on track.

My extra pounds are mostly to do with my love of fine dining, wine and micro brew as much as my lack of exercise but I am not actually one to eat Big Macs or chow down on an entire bag of chips or anything.

My plan:
I have recently cut out all soda (I used to love my daily Pepsi or lemon soda)
I cut out alcoholic beverages (used to have 1-2 per day) to just drinking socially on Friday and Saturday evenings
And, I am really trying to stick to 1,650 calories on the non fasting days.

I am on my fourth week, and I think I have lost some weight as all my jeans are much more comfortable (but until this week was too chicken to weigh myself). Now that the deed is done, I think I will be able to stomach the occasional brush with reality and check on my progress.

I’d love to hear from others who identify with my story and have suggestions or encouragement.

Angie090465

8:31 pm
6 Feb 14
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Hi Annichka101 and welcome to the forum!

Well done on choosing 5.2 as your new way of eating, wishing you all the best on it, you certainly seem very determined and thats half the battle 🙂
Lots of support on here, please let us know how you are doing, and i know what you mean about the scales, i hide mysefl from them lol!!

🙂

iseult

8:39 pm
6 Feb 14
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hello and good luck!

simcoeluv

8:45 pm
6 Feb 14
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Hi and welcome:

I travel quite a bit and must eat in restaurants often. I also really like microbrews!

When I travel I find it difficult to do 5:2. It can be done, but when you must go to a business lunch or dinner it becomes difficult if that is also your diet day.

What I do when I travel is skip meals whenever possible. Breakfast is usually the easiest to dispose of, and if I have no planned lunch, I walk around instead. I basically never skip dinner, and I usually eat and drink what I want then. I usually don’t lose weight when I travel doing this, but I rarely gain either. I then return to 5:2 when I am home.

Here are some tips for those just starting 5:2: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/warnings-to-newbies/

Good Luck!

kilda

1:41 am
7 Feb 14
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hi Annichka101, I’m on my 4th week as well. I also cut out all soda when I started. I used to be an absolute fiend for Diet Coke – probably 80 oz a day. I think getting all that artificial sweetener out of my diet has helped reduce my cravings.

Being unable to walk is a tough challenge for losing weight. I have had good results so far and didn’t add any exercise at all until today, so it is possible. Good job so far – isn’t it great when the jeans get comfortable again?

Annichka101

6:00 am
7 Feb 14
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Thanks so much for the encouraging words Angie. Interesting what you said about diet soda… I wonder if others are experiencing the same thing. I was never one to be able to stomach the diet drinks – I honestly think I am one of those super tasters! Anyway good luck to you too. May you have many empowered fasting days in your future!
Ann

Annichka101

6:06 am
7 Feb 14
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I had a low moment last week Simcoeluv where I had been traveling and working 14 hour days and then my Thursday fasting day turned into a three slice of pizza afternoon and a full dinner. I think I almost quit. But after a strong week I’m reinvigorated. Thanks for the tips! I have every intention of sticking to it.
Ann

Stef.

7:21 am
7 Feb 14
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Hi welcome!

I need to travel a lot for business and usually I skip the 5:2 and just really watch my calories when out on business dinners.

I have just been to a Europe for two weeks and had three business meetings a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I did not gain a single pound, in fact I lost some by ordering salad whenever possible and lots of fish and vegetables.

I also stopped drinking any pop and now I am a water and tea total.

Best of luck
Stef.

Cathyork

11:35 am
7 Feb 14
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Hi Ann,

Until recently I also had a job which involved constant foreign travel – I didn’t have so many business dinners (although there were some) but I found managing food choices in between airports, hotels, and customer sites really difficult. The stress also contributed to me drinking more alcohol than I should have to ‘wind down’ in the evenings. I also was unable to exercise at all whilst awaiting a hip replacement (I am 51).

Well, in August I learned about 5:2 and that has changed everything. Fasting whilst travelling actually turned out to be easier than I’d imagined – I usually did it on the days I was travelling or on days where there were no evening plans – in which case I ordered soup/salad from room service. On non-fast days like simvoeluv and Stef I learned to skip meals when I wasn’t particularly hungry and make healthy choices in restaurants. I found I was eating less, and I am fuller faster – and most revolutionary of all I am now able to stop eating and leave food on my plate when I am full (and I think this is key as in 95% of restaurants portions are just far too big).

Although the loss was slow, the pounds did come off eventually and I have lost 24 lb since August. I have also always had great weekends with no fasting, and much socialising that involved food and drinks – without this I don’t think I could have continued.

I actually took voluntary redundancy recently and I had my hip replacement operation 3 weeks ago, and although I have taken a few weeks off for obvious reasons, I am now back on it – as it is dead simple and best of all it really works.

They key thing is to work out how it can work for you with your schedule and lifestyle. It is flexible – if you have a bad day just draw a line under it and fast a different day. And you’ll find the lovely folk on this forum a huge support at all time.

I wish you luck – let us know how you get on…

Cath x