Hi There Everyone, this is my first day of 5:2. I just wanted to say”Hi” and ask if there are any other vegans out there. All the best, Westi
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Hello, fellow vegans! I hope you are all doing well. This is my second week doing the 5:2 and I feel good about what I’m doing. I’m planning to weigh next Monday and continue to weigh every other Monday. My only concern is that I don’t get the proper nutrition on the fasting days, but in the long run I’ll be healthier for having lost the weight. Do you guys have any concerns?
Hi Daisy
I’m not vegan, but my partner is, so I cook and eat a lot of vegan food. I would say that, as with a non-vegan diet, getting ‘proper’ nutrition on 500 calories is well nigh impossible. This is why we only do 2-3 days a week at this level.
However, it is possible to eat so that you don’t feel too hungry and you can complete the fast days successfully. So, plenty of protein and green veg are the best way to go.
On my fast days I tend to eat one meal at about 5pm and then about 100 cals of almonds at 9ish (otherwise I find I’m too hungry to sleep). My one big meal is sometimes a stir fry: 200g of tofu (150 cals), 100 cals of vegetables, 1tspn oil (40cals), and some low calorie sauce (soy, splash of not sweet chilli sauce etc). Very filling and vegan.
Sometimes make a pot of soup: lentils, root veg (no potatoes), onions, spices etc. Again, vegan, filling and full of vitamins and plant fibre.
I generally avoid carbs, sugar etc and stick to ‘clean eating’. The great thing about 5:2 is that it fits round whatever other food requirements you might have: vegan, gluten-free, allergies, paleo, high protein, low fat, etc etc etc. meaning it doesn’t require massive, sustained change…much easier to cope with.
Sorry, rambling now. Good luck!
kitty
Hi everyone,
Wow, it seems that you all have a really positive attitude to this approach. I haven’t done a fast day yet, but I have no plans for the weekend, so I plan to do them on Sat and Sun as I will be staying in the house.
This week I have been having tofu and tomato or mushroom for breakfast, then tofu and salad for dinner, then my normal tea. I have had no bread, which is what I crave the most, but I have had some biscuits with cups of tea.
I’m not so worried about missing out on nutrition because it seems filling up on veggies and salad is really healthy, and it is just for a couple of days, and everyone seems to be more conscious of healthy eating the rest of the week.
Helen
Hello lovely people!
I’m currently switching to a vegan diet (90% there) so hopefully I’m allowed to join you here for some inspiration 🙂
How is everyone getting on? I started again last week after falling off it (after a good 4 months and 1.5 stone) last year around August.
Have idiotically forgot to weigh/measure myself this week thus far so don’t know if there are any changes yet.
Good idea with a tofu stir fry, @evilkitty! 🙂
Helen R, if you don’t have any experience with fasting, doing your first on two consecutive days may prove quite challenging! Would recommend a day in-between, solely based on my own experience 😉
Anyway, hope you’re doing well!
A xx
@westi – good luck on your second fast day 😀 Do you have one meal or more?
Well, tofu can be tricky and, in all honesty, I am very keen on the pre-flavoured ones 😉
However, if you buy a good, firm tofu, I’ve heard a lot of talk about cutting it up and pressing out its liquid (using dish towels) and then frying it with flavourings and a bit of oil. That way it supposedly turns nice and crispy 😀
I found this recipe if you’re interested (haven’t tried it myself, though): http://herbivoracious.com/2012/05/how-to-make-tofu-really-freaking-delicious-tofu-101.html
To quote the article: “So again, the keys: buy good tofu, get it really dry, fry in a hot skillet with a decent amount of oil, don’t crowd the pan, and cook until it is really brown.”
That should turn out nicely!
I would probably do it with less than half the amount of oil they use in the recipe above, but that’s me. Oh, and loads of chilli & paprika 😉
Happy fast cooking! X
Hi Westi
I will admit that I’m not a great tofu fan, so I’ve done lots of experiments to make it more palatable. Here is a pretty extensive list of ideas!
1. Brand
I personally find that Cauldron tofu (which is the brand found in most UK supermarkets) is pretty horrible: grainy texture, musty flavour…yuck yuck yuck. If you have access to an Asian supermarket then the stuff they sell is usually much nicer.
2. Water
Part of the issue with tofu is that it soaks up a lot of the water it lives in, making it tricky to cook. There are a couple of ways round this:
a) press it under something heavy (use loads of kitchen roll to soak up the excess liquid) for a couple of hours.
b) freeze it! Wrap it up well first and defrost before using. This method is great for tofu that you want to stay in pieces when you cook it.
3. Flavour
The best way to add flavour is to marinade it. Asian flavours are good: soy sauce, ginger, garlic; also pesto, herbs, lemon rind…anything really. Even a couple of hours will make tofu actually taste of something!
I also like to make ‘tofu scramble’ where I just chuck pressed tofu into a wok with a load of flavourings (curry powder is great), finely chopped veggies etc and fry it, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you do so. It ends up looking a bit like scrambled eggs and is yummy.
kitty
If you’ll marinate the tofu overnight it will take on the marinade flavors quite well. Then be sure to cook in a very hot wok or pan until it browns. I love it with cooked veggies and rice. There are also many recipes available for baked tofu, but I haven’t tried to bake it yet. Look at onegreenplanet.org and forksoverknives.com for recipes.
Thankyou @allyfitgirl, I’ll see how I go after the first day.
@westi I love tofu roasted with garlic and vegetables. I had some this morning fried with avocado and that was delicious too. If you cook it until the outside is brown and crispy, the inside is still soft and it’s a good contrast of texture. I find I miss textures of foods more than specific foods.
Hope today is going well!
Hey, All! I’ve been a vegan for nearly 3 years and just finished my third week on 5:2. I find the weekdays are better for me to fast since I am busy at work and don’t think about food as much. The weekends were usually down time for me, so all I’d think about was food! Recently started a 2nd job on the weekends so am doing regular breakfast and dinner those days. I fast on Mondays and Thursdays when I do lots of herbal tea and water and a 500 calorie lunch. A big mug of tea in the morning then throughout the day helps a lot. The first day was tough, but now I hardly notice the fast days. I’m loving it- so much easier than recording everything all the time.
Typically, I do a large serving of greens (kale, collard greens), double serving of tofu and rice or sometimes a soba noodle stir fry on fast days.
Tofu scramble is one of my favorites. Here’s a tofu fried rice recipe I really like- the scrambled tofu seasonings work well for breakfast too- http://www.veganinsanity.com/recipes/best-ever-vegan-fried-rice/
Started my first fast day. I have lots of things to do to keep me occupied, and vegetable soup for tea.
How do you all split your calories through the fast days? I’m reading Michael’s and Mimi’s book, and that suggests that breakfast and dinner 12 hours apart is the best way as you get two 12 hour fasts over the time.
I don’t think I could do no breakfast then a 500 cal dinner, especially if I were to fast on a work day.
I’ve had 160 for breakfast…
Well my second fast day has gone ok, I woke up this morning and my head felt dull, and I was really hungry around lunch time today, but didn’t have anything except tea and a glass of water. Doing the two days consecutively hasn’t been too bad. I probably couldn’t do it during the week at work. I will probably fast on Wednesday and Friday this week, as I am busy all next weekend.
Hope everyone has enjoyed the weekend!
Hi fellow vegans! I’m new here today, starting with my first fast day tomorrow. I went vegan for ethical reasons nearly five years ago. Initially I lost about fifteen pounds without even trying, and my cholesterol improved significantly. I still need to lose about forty pounds, though, and with a family history full of diabetes, stroke, and cancer, I’m especially interested in the health benefits of fasting. I’m not very good at getting regular exercise, but I’m really going to try to get to the gym. (I live in Chicago where the weather isn’t always conducive to exercising outdoors during the winter). My husband is starting the diet with me. Anyway, it’s nice to know there are other vegans here!
It does sound really extreme, unless you’re not an emotional eater, because I find the habit of eating all the time is harder to break than only eating 500 kcals! What are you eating on your fast days? I mainly have tofu and veg at breakfast and dinner times, it’s easy for me to keep to the same things, but awfully boring!
Oh if there’s one thing I definitely do it’s emotionally eat!!!
Yeah tofu and veg is a good option.
Yesterday was my first fast day and I had
35g of oats with a scoop of soy protein powder (247 cals, but really filling)
Tesco Healthy Living Lentil and Vegetable Soup (156 cals)
Banana Crunch Nakd Bar (104 cals)
Total = 507.
I was planning to have roasted brussel sprouts with a sprinkling of garlic salt as a snack and a Linda McCartney sausage with my soup, but it got to 7pm and I’d forgotten to eat them! Hence why I could treat myself to a Nakd Bar 🙂
Those sprouts sound delicious, I would never have thought of having them like that. That day looks good and varied, lots of different tastes to keep you interested. I wasn’t hungry this morning, so skipped breakfast, but I’m ravenous now! I have a bit of curry left over from the weekend, I can’t calorie count it, but it’s home made, so really healthy and there is only a small dish left so I’m really looking forward to tea.
Oh, and looking forward to pancakes tomorrow!
Hello all, hope you’re getting on well!
I’ve found a new favourite fast day meal – homemade soy granules + black bean burgers topped with avocado and wrapped in salad leaves (particularly romaine) with crunchy veg on the side. Yum!!
Have been down with flu but back on track for the second week in a row. Completing my third fast day this week today as I feel I’ve been overeating (overcompensating perhaps?) on non-FDs… oh well.
How are you all?
A x
Hi everyone,
I’m on my second fast day now, I’ve found the best thing for me is to fill up on mushrooms for dinner (around 20 calories for 100g) I make mushroom soup and fry (without oil) some extra mushrooms to go on top. I literally forgot I was fasting, it was great!
For daytime snacks porridge made with unsweetened almond milk is really tasty and around 150 calories!
I’m loving these plant based recipes!
Hope everyones’ fasting is going well 🙂
Rowena x
Hi everyone! I recently committed to going vegan. I’m fasting today and tomorrow. The husband is out of town, and I have two slow, quiet days with just me and the dog, so the timing is perfect. I am doing consecutive day fasting, as I read it burns more fat. Plus, I like the idea of getting them out of the way for the week.
This thread seems slow. I sure hope we can keep it going!
Just learned about 5:2ing. Stoked. First fast day will be tomorrow. Then, either Wed or Thursday. @ella_dubois, where did you read that consecutive days of fasting burn more fat?
Hi eco and welcome:
Some people believe they ‘burn’ more fat with two consecutive days, but you actually do better with non consecutive diet days. That is because you go without food longer with non consecutive days than you do with consecutive days. If you figure out the hours, it is 72 non consecutive, and 60 consecutive.
Here are some tips for newbies: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/
Good Luck!
Thanks, @simcoeluv. I hadn’t considered the hours. I just imagined it like run/walk intervals. Your body doesn’t have time to “get used” to anything if you are changing it up. Really so stoked to start tomorrow. I’ve done five 500-cal menus so far. Will keep creating more to keep the variety. Hope this works well for me.
Hi,
I’ve been vegan for something like 27 years now, have lost about 7 kgs on 5:2 in the past 12 months but then went on a holiday to the UK (I’m in Australia) and put some back on. So I’m back on track now. Always interested in swapping recipes and ideas – the last time I looked there were no 5:2 vegan books, although I do have some veggie ones and some online resources too….
Bron
Hello everyone. I am on my second week of 5:2 and intending to do Mondays and Thursdays – probably. I usually have a home made soup or stew or perhaps a stirfry with tofu and have just an evening meal and usually, a coffee wih soya milk at 6.30am. Will try an adaptation of Mimi’s ratatouille tonight (found via this site) as sounds yummy. Am vegan and quite good at adapting recipes but find the calorie counting a bit tiresome which means it’s very useful to have ready made recipes with all the information in place. Not feeling particularly hungry at the mo but thinking constantly of food. Time for a cuppa herbal tea? Anyone have ideas on how to redirect one’s thoughts away from food?
@bronny, I have been making The Vegg vegan yolks for breakfast. I dip toast in it and it is divine – provided you liked toast dipped in egg yolks before going vegan. It is only 5 calories for one yolk. So, w/a yolk, piece of toast, half a grapefruit and black coffee, I come away w/a 125 cal breakfast that satisfies me. I am also taking advantage of Shirataki noodles only having 20 for the entire bag. @kurticus, I hear ya! I think I need to get busier. Too much time to obsess on food. Wish I had a better answer!
Hi another vegan here! Doing back to back fasts. Disagree that you fast longer without consecutive, but hey, to each their own. There is currently a 5:2 study being recruited from NIA, and note they are doing two consecutive days. The Harvie/Mattson study used two consec days. Author Michael Mosley said it did not fit his schedule, hence two non consecutive days were born…but in his revised edition of The Fast Diet, he blesses all forms of 5:2.
So glad to be here; we all have to find our way on this journey!
p.s. I am totally through with Facebook groups. Glad I found a nice place to hang out!
It’s good to be in the company of other vegan 5:2ers! ecoVegan – I don’t think we can get the vegan egg yolks in Australia but will hunt around the specialist shops. And after saying there are no vegan intermittent fasting books, I found one on Amazon yesterday and ordered it – only $3 (Australian)on Kindle! It’s
5:2 Vegan Diet Recipes: Your complete guide to how and why the fast diet works. Includes 100, 200 & 300 calorie recipes and a two week menu plans for easy weight loss [Kindle Edition]
Sophie Miller (Author)
I hate counting calories so the meal plans really attracted me – I’ll let you know what it’s like. And yes, I wish I could stop thinking about food on fast days too!
Nice, @bronny! The cauliflower sounds yummy and -as I sit here designing menus – that book sounds intriguing. I ordered The Vegg off Amazon. Of course, I don’t know if the Aussie one carries it. It is super good!
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