Am I eating enough on normal days?

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Am I eating enough on normal days?

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This topic contains 11 replies, has 9 voices, and was last updated by  ormaman444444 7 years, 10 months ago.

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  • Alimmay

    11:12 pm

    27 Nov 13

    Permalink

    I’ve just started in the 5:2 diet, after 3 months of a standard calorie-restricted diet (1200 calories per day).
    My first fast day yesterday went well, but now I’m on a feed day, I’m unsure how much I should be eating.
    I’ve ordered the Fast Diet book but its a 2 week delivery…

    So should I try and fit in 2000 calories? After the past 3 months of low calorie eating it seems like such a glut of food.
    Or is 1200-ish calories on feed days ok? Or is it too low?
    I don’t want to starve my body, but don’t want to flood it with unnecessary energy either. Is there an optimal range for health and weight benefits I should be aiming for?

    Lindyw

    12:03 am

    28 Nov 13

    Permalink

    Hi Alimmay
    If you look at the right column on every page of the forum there is a link to answer your question under ‘Helpful site links’ this is it –
    http://thefastdiet.co.uk/how-many-calories-on-a-non-fast-day/

    Read it through and use the calculator to see your BMI and TDEE then you will know how many calories you need to lose weight.

    Glad your first fast day went well and that today is a normal food day – not a feed or feast day.

    Good luck

    ladybird53

    8:17 am

    28 Nov 13

    Permalink

    Hi.I am wondering the same thing amy,i did the calculator and i need 1958 which is way to much to loose weight surly.
    Lyn.

    Sassy

    8:35 am

    28 Nov 13

    Permalink

    Hello!

    When using the TDEE calculator, it has been suggested you underestimate your activity level – and remember the TDEE is based on averages, it may not apply to you.

    However, the premise of 5:2 is that you do eat your TDEE amount of cals each non-fast day, so that you don’t feel deprived and are able to stick with this Way Of Eating. Eating only a quarter of your TDEE on fast days helps with fat burning and on average would give about one pound of weight loss each week (eg if 2 days a week you eat 500 cal rather than 2000, if that is your TDEE, and eat your TDEE on other days, then you still have a 3000 cal deficit each week – almost a pound).

    It can be very easy to underestimate the number of cals you are consuming tho, so it is worth working out the cals for foods you normally eat, even if you don’t formally count cals all the time (and I certainly don’t).

    Making sure your cals are from the healthier foods (lots of veggies and appropriate amount of protein) and reducing your white carbs can also be a good thing to do, but not always necessary – remember, it is not about deprivation (tho many on this WOE do find they naturally start eating more of the healthier foods, and less of the other).

    Do read the faqs and all other info you can (there is lots on this forum if you hunt around) to help you understand how it works. And it does work!

    Best wishes on your journey 😀
    Sassy

    Nika

    3:03 am

    29 Nov 13

    Permalink

    If you think your TDEE is way too high, you can always substract some calories from it. I myself think 1200-1300 is the absolute minimum you should eat on a normal day, especially seeing how you’re already cutting a lot more on your fast days.

    Try to get the calories from healthy foods, to make sure you get all your nutrients. So loads of veggies and protein, like Sassy pointed out. That way your body won’t go into starvation mode, I promise 😉

    sylvestra

    12:04 am

    3 Dec 13

    Permalink

    I can sympathise Alimmay and Ladybird.

    There are so many things to take into account when working out the calories you need – height, current weight, age, lifestyle etc

    I have difficulty eating up to my TDEE on normal days and my TDEE is only 1610 cals! My BMR is 1150. That means on fast days my max is 400 cals which is fine.

    For my age (I’ve had my bus pass a few years 😀 )I’m healthy with plenty of energy and I sleep pretty well. My menu is healthy, nutritious and balanced – I don’t eat many high calories ‘white carbs’ as they make me feel ‘stodged out’
    I eat slow release carbs like porridge (made with oatmeal and water and served with almond milk) for breakfast.

    I hate eating just for the sake of adding a few calories – it was eating for eating’s sake that got me overweight in the first place. If I manage to eat 1300 cals in a days I feel I’ve done OK.

    You have to do what works best for you, making sure you have a good balance of healthy food with all the nutrients you need. If your daily calorie intake on normal days is somewhere between your BMR and your TDEE (calculated via the right hand column of the forum pages) you should be fine.

    Nika

    1:40 am

    3 Dec 13

    Permalink

    Yeah I too have issues with that, also mostly because I only eat one meal a day. So I find myself often supplementing with baked bacon just to make sure I eat enough… Not really a punishment though 😉

    Alimmay

    3:36 am

    5 Dec 13

    Permalink

    Thanks for the feedback everyone.

    It looks like I should be aiming for 1600 calories on normal days, but now I can relax a bit and not fret about being under one day and over the next.

    I love fresh food and will continue with lean protein meats, big fresh salads and a healthy dose of grains with minimal wheat.

    By the way, we just had an unexpected 1 week interstate holiday (in the MArgaret River Wine Region no less) so it’s been a week of ‘normal but healthy’ eating. It’s my first day back and I’m fasting – it really does get easier pretty quickly! Looking forward to feeling fitter by Christmas, and through careful planning of when to fast, still enjoying all the christmas parties, family dinners, etc.

    Nika

    8:00 am

    9 Dec 13

    Permalink

    Good to read such positive posts all over! It’s like December is getting everyone back on track and positive about the program again.

    Stick to your plan, and see if it works for you Alimmay 🙂 If it does, yay! If it doesn’t, boo, but then just tweak it again and experiment some more. You’ll figure it out ^^

    zaratia

    1:35 pm

    11 Feb 17

    Permalink

    I am on my own diet but with daily mail but these days I just have a satsumas which is
    35 calories
    water 0

    Lunch

    homemade carrot soup 133

    dinner

    be salad chic
    fish salad
    depends as long its healty.

    tuns of diet pills. gonna stop eating tomorrow and exercise

    LB_2_KOOL555

    1:47 pm

    11 Feb 17

    Permalink

    The question I ask myself is ‘am I eating the right foods on my normal days’?
    For myself I’ve found that almost totally eliminating Bread from my diet has a profound affect on my weight/fat/glucose levels. I started the 5:2 Jan. 1st 2017 at 195.5 lbs, 23% fat. Today I’m 185.5 lbs, 21% fat. The hardest part for me is not eating bread. But it does get easier.

    ormaman444444

    1:14 am

    13 Feb 17

    Permalink

    Good to see some useful responses here

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