June 14th 2015 – 10st 7lbs
June 23rd 2015 – 10st
August 25th 2015 – 9st 1lb
October 5th 2015 – 8st 5lbs
December 15th 2015 – 7st 8lbs
January 16th 2016 – 7st 7lbs
Feb 15th 2016 7st 7lbs
I had heard of the 5:2 diet but never thought it was for me…I hate being hungry. I was 59, 5’ 4” and gradually putting on weight till one day last June I stood on the scales (hadn’t weighed myself for 3 years) and was horrified to be 10st 7lbs – I’d put on over a stone in 3 years. I suppose that was the catalyst I needed to do something. Someone in the park where I walk my dog mentioned that she knew a friend who’d lost a stone doing the 5:2 so I thought I’d try intermittent fasting. Literally the next day I was doing my first fast. In some ways I thought it might work because I have never been able to cut out sugar (and chocolate!) from my diet so I could keep up with my sugar fixes when I wasn’t fasting.
I’d done Slimming World just over three years previously – I was 9st 8lbs and I lost about 4lbs but I couldn’t do it longterm and I ended up ditching it – I’ve always dieted, lost weight and then ended up putting on more weight than before I dieted so didn’t really think diets could work for me.
I decided to do alternate day fasting. I felt that that might be better for me because if I could get more rapid weight loss that would encourage me to keep going. On my fast days I try to skip breakfast (although if I was really hungry I’ll have a boiled egg and or a few berries)…I varied what I ate but generally although miso soup is pretty standard…maybe a plate of vegetables. If I got hungry I’d nibble on radishes or chicory. Supper would be a small piece of fish or grilled meat with more vegetables. I only ever drink water (don’t like alcohol, tea or coffee) and probably don’t drink enough but it didn’t seem to affect my weightloss.
The weightloss was pretty steady. Of course the first week I lost half a stone which amazed me. Sometimes, weirdly, I put on a pound when I had eaten very little. I had two separate week holidays over the summer and didn’t deliberately fast although on a beach holiday I’d have a few berries for breakfast and then could keep going on a bunch of radishes and join in with supper with everyone but just try and avoid bread, cakes, chocolate etc. The key was just to keep going.
I was careful on my eating days and that’s the extraordinary (and very surprising) thing- I thought I’d want to stuff myself on my eating days but I didn’t. I was eating less all the time. I haven’t had a bar of chocolate since I started this – ( I used to go through almost a whole bar of Lindt dark chocolate for breakfast…as well as a huge bowl of muesli and a banana and some full fat vanilla yogurt!) Apart from muesli which I had on my eating days, I hardly had any sugar. I find it easy to leave pasta, cakes, bread, chocolate because I’m trying to associate them with my old fat body which I don’t want any more. I tend to eat more fish, vegetables, fruit and pulses on my eating days and some meat now and again. But the reason for doing intermittent fasting was so I could still eat chocolate and now I don’t want to anymore!
I’m sure doing alternate day fasting rather than 5:2 made it easier for me…in some ways fasting seemed the new norm and you get into a rhythm of eating less. I needed to stop my normal eating patterns because they were all wrong…too much fat, carbs and sugar. Generally fasting gets easier as time goes on but every fast day was different. I find if I had a later supper the night before I don’t find fasting so hard but I try to keep out of the kitchen…and on some difficult fast days when I’m hungry in the evening I’d go to bed ridiculously early to avoid being near the kitchen.
I am now a size 6-8 and I was a 12-14. So much happier in myself. More energy – I walk more and don’t get as tired as I used to. I didn’t exercise during the summer when I lost most of my weight so I’m not convinced exercise has to be a part of a weightloss journey. I can run so much further than I could previously. I used to get tired just walking upstairs and now my energy levels have increased I find myself walking more – I use public transport more often so that I can keep up my daily step count. I’m the lightest and fittest I’ve ever been.
I plan to keep up with this healthier way of eating and stay 7st 7lbs. I have now taken nearly all my ‘fat’ clothes to the charity shop and I’ve bought new clothes (it’s been expensive). I have always loved clothes – and buying nice clothes has helped keep me extra vigilant about my weight.
Even though I’m my target weight I still avoid the food I used to love – pasta, bread, cake, chocolate. I almost do my own visualising technique where I try to associate ‘bad’ foods with my old fat body which I definitely don’t want.
I still weigh myself every day but I don’t do 500 calorie days anymore. After days when I’ve been out for dinner or eaten more than usual, I have low calorie days which pan out to how I feel – generally I try to avoid muesli for breakfast and just stick to fruit, maybe soup and a boiled egg and some veg or fruit for lunch and fish and vegetables for supper.
I don’t think the 5:2 would have worked for me. My normal eating patterns weren’t normal – too much sugar/chocolate/carbs. Also I get bored if weightloss is too slow (like it became with Slimming World) But I’m pleased I’d done Slimming World because I used that model (more or less) on my eating days which is why the weight has just fallen off me. I think that’s a really good combination and the nature of having foods you can have unlimited amounts is a real treat having just had a 500 calorie day. It also gives a bit of structure to what you eat
I’ve just celebrated my 60th and people say I look the best I have in ages. I certainly feel far healthier and more energetic. I am technically underweight on BMI charts but I feel like my weight is just right for me – I have a very small frame and still quite curvy – could do with firming up so I probably should exercise more.
But hugely grateful to Michael and Mimi for the diet (Mimi and I worked on Vogue together 25 years ago!) This has literally changed my life and I will never be fat again!
11:37 am
15 Feb 16