Theo527 congratulations on you loss. This is how this eating plan works. Weight fluctuations while inches come off and even lb gained, but you have shown how it does work in the long run. Very exciting and happy to hear it! It isn’t like a diet (any I have done). Mostly I really appreciate that I am not on a “diet” where I have to concentrate every day on staying motivated. And my experience as I kept on doing it: I looked forward to a fast day.

Keep on keeping on…wonderful to learn successes are happening. Right now I am 3 lbs above my goal weight and struggling a lot on feed days. I want to regain discipline to eat at meals only. I reached the goal weight some time ago and have been there this month earlier.

I think I ate my weight in pistachio nuts today.

K-lo, your weight in pistachio nuts is far less than my weight in pistachio nuts. So at least there is that to be happy about! 😉
But seriously, I’m sure you did not actually do that, and they are healthy nuts.
Some studies are saying it takes our bodies a lot more energy to digest nuts and metabolize them than previously thought. No worries. The salt could be a problem. Drink. Plenty.

I really like hearing the helps you 5:2ers give. Excellent! My weight showed up this morning as 2 lbs down. So now I am 1 lb off goal weight. I think I could do like BRONX does on fast days counts til bedtime; on my feed days I will count down how many hrs or minutes until I have the next meal to help me stave off snacking.

Today’s a small family wedding for niece. Don’t expect lots of snacking there and I don’t drink alcohol so that is helpful.

It’s amazing how a little alcohol throws your body into a tizzy isn’t it? This weekend put me up the 3 lbs I had lost previously. Had a successful fast day yesterday and I’m hoping that my weight stays the same come Friday (my weigh in day) I’m sure the extra water I’m drinking will take care of the inflated “booze gain”. I hope everyone is having a successful week!!

Northern Dawn !!!

Congratulations Grandma!!! And may I say on this forum….Holy Shit that birth was fast!

Glad you pushed her out the door!,,, I guess you never know. I would have ended up delivering my own baby! I didn’t even call anyone for hours after contractions! Haha! Well so glad for her after the first one she deserved short and sweet!!!

Welcome back NYCFaster,
I’ve been in a similar situation in terms of a 5:2 break, though mine was to do a 10-day smoothie cleanse to get my eating back under control. What’s funny is that during my usual fast days I felt no big push to eat around lunch time, so I continued the process of just eating (doing the green smoothie) in the morning and at dinner time, like on the 5:2 program. I also have been refraining from any snacking (raw veggies are allowed) in between the smoothies, because I want to continue to train myself to not snack, as I do when on 5:2.

I am going to return to 5:2 on Sunday. My fast days are Mondays and Thursdays but given the July Fourth holiday and a family BBQ, am moving the fast day up to Sunday.

Things are going well for me now. Clothes are no longer tight and no urges for bad stuff, though the real test will be when I’m back 100 percent on 5:2 in a few days. But given that I have interrupted the bad-choices pattern developed following vacation weeks ago, I think I should be Ok.

Hope others are having a good feed or fast day!

HI all,

I’ll try not to write a novel about motherhood this time. 😳

NYC, I’ve noticed that if I’ve had a few fasting fails…if I take a break and just eat really healthy, the next time I choose to fast goes better.

And lately, I just realized that my fasts were going Sooooo much easier when I was meditating. I somehow got out of the habit for a few weeks and every fast was a struggle!!! Wow. I had no idea!

I think the nervous system being over stimulated makes it much harder to fast. I’m back on the meditation, minimum one time in morning…when I can squeeze in a second before bed I do…and Shazam! I can already tell the hunger feels different and there is ease to fasting.

I’m fasting today, and with a good meditation under my belt, I’m going to go have a nice black coffee to push how far I can re-stimulate my nervous system. Lol

Greetings from the CO Rockies where it’s cold and drizzly. I have a ton of things to get done before the 4th so I don’t really mind the weather keeping me indoors and focused on getting house cleaned and some light food prep.

I think it’s really cool Slimnhealthy that your son is going after his passion. Our grandson is a self-professed “nerd”. He’s been straight A’s and advanced placement classes since the beginning, never missed an honor role and is happiest reading about Starwars or Legos. He’s here in the mountains with us and we’re having a ball talking about everything from A-Z. He’s very good company and one of the kindest, most adorable humans I know. He’s not gay, but I wouldn’t care if he was. He loves to tutor younger kids with math and was one of the youngest kids selected to be a kind of docent for our museum of Natural History’s program for “special” kids. He’s going to be 16 this October; in Chinese astrology he’s a Dragon, considered to be one of the most fortuitous and lucky animals of their 12 astrological animals. He’s a miracle baby as our daughter and her H weren’t able to conceive for 5+ yrs. So he’s extra special to me as he and his little sister (5 yrs. his junior) will be the only grands we have. You bet we’re spoiling them! With love and pleasure. He has a website reviewing Legos and he told me yesterday that he wants to be a Lego designer.

Our nephew wanted to dance when his older sister took lessons so he and his dad both joined a class and were in recitals together. If I may be so bold, I think it’s really cool that he’s always marched to his own drummer, but maybe I think so b/c I had to too. It wasn’t “accepted” for girls to be artists back in the mid-60’s when I decided that was all I was really good for. He recently told his parents he’s gay. We all knew he was for years but it took him some time to tell his parents. It was his band we came up here for last weekend. It was loads of fun, H’s brothers were all in town and we had a big family party here.

Now another party for the fourth with 18 invited, but who knows how many will drop in and actually show up.

You all probably noticed how I’ve been avoiding talking about the diet. I’ve been just maintaining, nothing gained, nothing lost either. I came on today to get inspiration, which I always find so I’m watching it today. I’ve planned some relatively low cal meals for those of us who are watching our weight (all of us but the kids) and my game plan is to stay the course and not gain. Wish me luck b/c this group drinks and we’re making white Sangria and serving some home brewed beers one of the kids’ friends are bringing.

Didn’t mean for this to get so long….but then, I haven’t posted for awhile.

Wishing everyone peace this Independence day!

Hello everyone,

Thank you SlimnHealthy for the congrats. I’m so happy that my daughter’s labor was “short and sweet” as you put it. I have a beautiful little 8 lb 10 oz grand daughter to go with 2 other wonderful granddaughters and 1 sweet and sensitive grandson.

My son, the youngest of my two children, was also the one that kept me up at night. I think boys are more fragile than girls in many ways. And there is so much pressure on them to be “macho”, but then they are also suppose to be sensitive. They mature differently than girls and more slowly, socially, IMO. My son has become a wonderful husband, father and all around good man despite my worries. He was a sensitive boy who figured out how to use humor to appease the bullies. He was also lucky to grow tall and strong. But it’s his sensitivity that makes him a loving father. Your son will grow to be a good man, I have no doubts. Your grandson as well, crowmama. He’s a lucky boy to have such a doting Grandma!

NYC, WIP, PJ…I’ve struggled the last couple of weeks for various reasons, and have a slight gain (1lb) to show for it. I keep gaining and losing the same couple of pounds. But I feel ready to re-engage in this WOL, or WOE, or whatever. I’m rested and like Slim, have eaten healthy, highly nutritious foods the last couple of days. I had a good FD yesterday. I only achieved one this week, but I’ve decided to not beat myself up over it. For some reason I have to keep reminding myself that I’m not in a race to a time line, nor am I in a competition with anyone; a bad day here or there really means nothing in the big picture.

Good luck everybody. I love reading about your lives, your families, your struggles and victories!

northernD

Thank you also for giving me a visual of a sensitive boy growing to be a good father. (Happy tears).

I needed you gals today. Thanks!

SlimnHealthy, crowmama,

Glad to give you that visual. It is a true one. Embrace it. You both know in your hearts the nature of the boys you love, and they are people that make the world a better place. What a blessing for you both that they come from you! Let us hope and pray that they will be the ones who can make a difference in the world going forward!

Back in town now and it’s brutally hot, upper 90’s. Not my thing. Got on the scale first thing and was SO happy to weigh exactly what I did before leaving. So nothing lost, but nothing gained either. I tried to keep a lid on it and stick to vegies and glasses of wine instead of bottles 🙂 and did pretty good to not gain, unless, of course, the new scale I bought will register the first weight I put on it. Hmmm, maybe I’ll have H get on it and see if it’s close to what he thinks he weighs, since he hasn’t had to ever be concerned about his weight. Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday. After the 4th summer seems to blaze by here and just be a blur by Labor day.
Back on point and will begin another fast on Thursday.
How’s the new granddaughter NorthernDawn?

Hey there!! I’m considering another go at the 5:2. I first tried when my son was a few months old and I didnt stick to it. I find it verrry difficult to not eat all day! So that leads me to a question I have for people with success stories. WHAT are you eating on fast days? I have over 100lbs to lose but and looking for use the 5:2 just as a jump start

Hello everyone!

My new granddaughter is doing great, thanks for asking crowmama!

How were those white sangrias? Boy does that sound good today! It’s in the upper 80’s and so muggy again today. I had to shorten my walk this morning as I just couldn’t tolerate it more than half hour. I had a good FD yesterday, and I still hadn’t eaten (I don’t eat until around noon the day after a FD). I think I didn’t drink enough water before heading out for my walk.

Storms last night here in Minnesota but it didn’t help the humidity very much. More due overnight and probably tomorrow evening.

Hi Benny1120! Good luck to you! I doubt I could have started 5:2 with a baby to take care of, so don’t feel badly for not being able to do it then. Someone pointed out to me that we overeat and graze when we are tired because our bodies are trying to find some energy to keep us going. Having a months old baby to care for is a sure way to have days of being exhausted! You can ease into it this time. I’m sure you can do it!

I think the advice that cactusrose (Hello and welcome!!) gave you is very good. I also drink plenty of liquids most of my FDs and try to hold off eating for as late as possible in the day. Once I start eating I tend to keep at it. I try to have my FD meal around 5-6:30 pm because that fits our schedule, and I don’t allow myself too much after my meal, maybe a plum or some almonds or berries with a bit of yogurt before 7pm. I think it helps me sleep. But very strictly nothing again until noonish the next day.

The other thing that helps me have successful fast days is to keep my calories under TDEE the day before a fast, and to eat mainly proteins and fats, with some veggies but no processed or sugary carbs. If I do have sweets, grains, or alcohol, or even too much fruit, than I am extremely hungry all day of my FDs.

And I learned not to beat myself up for an unsuccessful fast day. If I go over by too much I don’t give up entirely, I try to keep it reasonably low, and then try again the next day. Or one that suits me better.

Good luck everyone!

P.S. Our nephew went up against 300 local bands to audition to open up for Ziggy Marley who’s playing a big 3 day festival in Loveland and he WON the audition!! We’re all super excited. H & I are kind of out of concerts for entertainment these days, mainly b/c they start so late, but we’ll stay up for this one! Thanks for letting me “toot my horn” for him 🙂

Yay!! I’m in Az too. On week 2 of my 5:2. Good luck!

Crowmama,

As a guitar player (albeit a lousy one) I share your excitement for your nephew’s victory. You’ll have to let us know all about his performance. I only know one Ziggy Marley song, Tomorrow People, but I’m a fan of his father and have a couple of his CDs on my Ipod.

Mamacat,

I want to wish you great success with your fasting. I know it’s good to drink a lot of water, but during my last physical in March my doctor said my sodium level was low and it could be from drinking too much water. He told me to back off drinking so much. You know what they say about too much of a good thing.

Any other back yard vegetable gardeners here besides me? The annual zucchini flood has begun. So far I’ve eaten them steamed, boiled and raw, given some away and today I’m making zucchini bread just to use some up. I’ll also shred and freeze a few to have this Winter. Got my first ripe cherry tomatoes today too but since it’s a fast day the taste test will have to wait till tomorrow. I did find some bites taken out a few green full size ones which is always disheartening; the critters found my tomato garden again this year and now there’s no stopping them. The neighborhood cats aren’t doing their job.

Bronx

Benny1120– I do a bunch of water when I wake up with my coffee, then 2 hard boiled eggs sometime in the morning, for mid day I do a spinach salad with salt and pepper with some lemon and maybe some chicken. The for dinner I do another spinach salad with a different protein like fish. My proteins are very small, so I do get very hungry, but I drink lots of tea in the evening to help. I’m going to change up my veggies this week and do a sautee since I’m getting sick of spinach.
Crowmama- my name is Catrina but got the nickname Mamacat from coworkers years ago when I was pregnant. It sticks around since I’m an animal lover and a mama to many littles.

Today I experienced my first “belly issues” I fasted Saturday and Monday, then woke up this morning amdworked out. I came home and ate sweet potato hash and 2 eggs and now I have the worst belly pains! It goes to show what a bit of too much food can do. Ugh. How’s everyone else doing??

Crowmama I totally agree this is the most doable way to get weight off and keep it off. Having said that I picked up a lb I was not expecting. I have been working out at gym and maybe my muscle is showing up weightier as I have heard it is heavier than fat. If that is the case it isn’t so bad.

Today is a fast day and decided to eat about 30 calories of an avocado and munch some lettuce. This is my snack before meal tonight. It should stick with me since avocado is fat. I have learned if I am occupied I can easily wait til evening meal to eat. So today i’m not as busy as usual. Tend to not eat as much as I am allowed when I do that.

Sometimes we will eat at McD for dinner. We have a small hamburger patty, side salad with balsamic dressing, decaf coffee. We split dressing and total about 135 with one of their creams in coffee. It is amazing how satisfying the meat and salad are. Later at home we split an apple. Just an idea. They do sell meat patties without bun.

Happy F or FD day to each…

Hmmmm. Not sure how to start a topic – so I’ll post my question here — I’ve been doing 5:2 regularly since April 13 (other than a two week vacation) and I have (for the most part) consistently lost 1-1.5 pounds. This is the third month I have taken measurements and in two areas I have GONE UP an inch??????? Is that possible? I’m struggling with this today.

Hey all,

WIP, i do every other day…at least until i get to maintenance. I found cooking for children 3x a day, i just couldnt keep my fasts well or my NFD well without more practice. 😊

👍✌🏽️

Rlw, how do your clothes fit. I find that i’m not that accurate with the tape

SlimnHealthy,
I’d be interested in hearing more about your experience, tips with EOD.

My main concern about the book is the emphasis on eating whatever you want, with little regard for at least attempting a healthy diet approach, instead she encourages eating frozen entrees, pepperoni pizza, using bottled ingredients, etc., which is fine at times, but should not be the norm in my opinion. There are a few asides here and therein the book — through testimonials — about healthy eating but that’s not her mantra, which seems to be, Eat whatever you want, don’t be shy about it, the research supports it.

The other issue is her insistence that you can eat as much as you want of whatever you want on feed days and all will be well because the diet will alter your metabolism or shrink or stomach or whatever and leave you wanting to eat less. Even if that is true, for the sake of argument, the emotional reasons for overeating can quickly override such changes. That’s why I think the real secret is the daily weigh in, I can see how that will keep you in check as long as you continue to do it.

All that said, I do like the concept of a day on and day off since I need that structure, and I like the maintenance plan of 1,000 calorie days on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays after you reach your target goal, but I will rely on my own common sense about what to eat on feed and fast days and how much of it to have a healthy diet and desired weight.

SlimnHealthy,
Thanks so much. I especially like your mantra “Every fast is a practice on how to fast, every NFD is a practice on how to eat.” May have to steal that!