Hi Everyone,

I’ve had great results from the 5:2 diet so far.
Stats update:
Hips : 120cm to 100cm
Waist: 101cm to 81cm
Bust: 104cm to 93cm

So when I began it was because of an ankle injury that would not go away. Since then, my ankle is super fit now. My weight went from 97-98kg to 90-91kg in 7 weeks. The biggest change I have found is my overall outlook on long term health and goal setting.

Eating and my relationship with food

I now food prep weekly to make sure that I have easy access to food that I should have. I eat more protein and veges regular. I eat at least 5+ different vege sources in a day. A prepped meal consists of 100g of lean protein, chicken or fish, 1/2 to 1 cup of brown rice or quinoa, and an assortment of vegetables. I also make my own protein bars and brownies, no white flour in sight, all made from oat flour. I have less cravings, I still eat chocolate and I have takeaways, burgers and fries, but I don’t eat it nearly as often and my good food makes me crave more healthy foods than bad foods. My taste buds are definitely changing for the better and my insides feel amazing.

Fitness

I now don’t watch the scales as closely as I did before because I have started strength training. I workout every morning. 5:30 to 7am. I work my core everyday and I do isolated muscle group training, legs, arms/shoulders, back etc… Overall, this has helped me immensely. My back is in the best condition it’s been in years. I thought I was stuck with a chronic back issue but it turns out, I was just big and my back muscles were weak. I can carry my weight and I don’t suffer from fatigue at all.

Sleep

Rest is extremely important. I used to average 6 hours sleep a night. Now, I sleep 8-9 hours a night. This is tricky as I work night shifts but I try to offset them with day time naps 2-3 hours long. I need the sleep now that I am strength train. Recovery happens while I sleep so it is something I have to actively think about. Overall, my mood is alot better, my concentration has improved and I have more energy throughout the day, especially in the mornings.

Struggles

My only struggle now is the need to micromanage my weight, calorie intake, training schedules, and cheat meals. It’s hard not to feel guilty when I do things I shouldn’t but I am working towards finding a balance that will allow me to manage this lifestyle long term. I still have to remind myself that I can indulge but that sometimes that means compensating elsewhere with exercise or really good fast days. Water intake is also hard some days.

Overall, highly recommended lifestyle change. I am loving the benefits and looking forward to more to come.