PS. And I still get weighed daily.
This topic contains 842 replies, has 80 voices, and was last updated by penguin 5 years, 2 months ago.
Cool T shirt. That must get a few nods and smiles. And of course he’s right over the long run.
But life is not a straight line. And it’s not all down hill over 50.
I’d like to think that although I know I’ll never have the health and sport condition I had at 25 or even 45, since I started this diet with an aim to get my weight down and to eat better and get fitter, maybe I’m getting to a better health condition than 3 weeks ago. Or even a year ago. Of course I’ll have to see how long this will last…
Incremental positive change is the way to go and celebrate! Great T-shirt but I suggest we work to avoid falling into “old guy” (anyone over 50 it seems these days) stereotypes. NFD yesterday was “OK”, just under TDEE but not as nutritionally balanced as I would like; reverting to quick solutions such as protein powder smoothies seems to be a habit. Near mid month I am on the verge of reaching my weight goal for month end.
Sincerely enjoy all the comments, nice to be part of this online community as I strive for healthy change and growth.
I am 62, working towards better and ongoing physical and mental health. Amazing how some men appear vital and thriving at 82 and others are almost infirm in their early 50’s. A friend’s step-father just celebrated his 100th, he lives alone, drives and has a young (85) girl friend! Not sure what the secret is aside from choosing your ancestors but quality and quantity of diet and exercise are proven contributors to overall health no matter how old you are; this is what led me to investigating the 5:2 and HIT as life style adjustments. Last 2 NFDs have gone well in terms of remaining below TDEE but I want to enjoy food and not constantly think about calorie content, guess that is all part of the learning process. FD today.
Best regards for a great day/evening.
Day 1 of 5:2. Ate nothing all day until 10 mins ago when a ‘spare’ piece of toast left by a 9 year old caught me out. I’m starving hungry and have started thinking of KFC! I plan on eating a three egg omelette with mushrooms and some veg in an hour and a half instead.
I feel I may need a bit of encouraging to stay on the diet. I last weighed myself at the end of May in Boots for accuracy and had hit 90kg (I’m 172cm). So not good. I’ve lost a bit since then via exercise but knackered my knee playing football. My brother in law recommended 5:2 to me, so i borrowed the book and started; but he’s always been slim and does it for the health benefits. Someone please tell me this gets easier…
Hi Johnny R! Hang in there…drink lots of water and plain black coffee or water, sometimes the hunger you feel is dehydration. Take a look at the suggested 600 calorie meals for guys in the FastDiet book. Do not think of this as a life long commitment, or even a week, one day at a time seems to work plus spreading the 600 through the day if you can.
Best of luck from another “newbie”
JohnnyR. Welcome to the group. You will find that it does get easier, and very quickly. I have been on the 5:2 long enough for it to have become accepted by my family and friends as just the way I live. Everyone works around it and my non-eating presence at social events attracts no comment. I no longer feel hungry on fasting days, if anything I feel better and have more energy. I still enjoy food. This is a non fasting day and I have just come back from a really good pub meal and a couple of whiskeys, but mostly I stick to TDEE and fast Monday/Tuesday with the occasional extra fasting day when I feel like it. Exercise is great and gets easier on the joints as you lose weight. I have dodgy knees and my lumbar vertebrae are a mess – souvenirs of a military career – and all worry me a lot less since I lost a substantial amount of weight.
Stick with it, it works.
Johnny R – Gotta hang in there. You will find it gets easier with time.
After all it’s a real change in eating habits.
What I have found the most positive is my awareness about food in general has grown. I already know roughly what calories I’m eating and more importantly I’ve really made an effort adapting my portions which were just way too big.
And found food that is lo-cal but filling.
I don’t feel hungry.
I’ve stayed totally away from biscuits, chocolate and cake for the moment although a few stray Pringles have crept in and I’m really impressed which what I’ve achieved in the last 3 weeks.
Still have a few beers during the week but Fast days are strict. I don’t feel hungry but drink lots of sparkling water with lime slices and tea and coffee.
Never really liked water but if it’s ice cold with the lime, it’s OK.
3 week report :
Weight down 4,9kg from 84,9 to 80,0 this morning (lowest point of the week)
BMI down from 26,8 to 25,2
Fat mass down from 26,4% to 23,2%
Waist down from 103cm to 98cm
I’m quite stunned and people have already noticed. My wife has only lost 1kg in the same time. Not very fair.
But I’ve added cycling twice a week and my ice hockey season has started again so that’s a fat burner even at my age. I’m 57.
Let’s hope it continues because I’m still overweight and have another 3kg to get to my target weight and then try to stabilise.
Weekend tomorrow so we’ll open a bottle of wine…
Thanks.
I managed a calorie counted meal last night. Feel a tad brighter and less hungry today. Next Monday is fast day 2 and I’m going to weigh in today to set a benchmark. I already have a spreadsheet set up to enter data as I progress. I’m hoping this plus the purchase of a rower to add to the cycling I’m trying to fit in will help.
Forums have a life of their own. Who can tell.
For the weighing, going to Boots is not very practical.
I bought a Withings connected scale 2 years ago to track my weight.
It sends weight, BMI and fat mass percentage direct to my iphone.
And you can add other people. Cool.
Altough I’ve lost quite quickly I can see on my phone that I’m still above the weight I was 2 years ago !
One thing I’ve already noticed though is I’m also losing pectoral mass.
I’ve always managed to keep a good upper body shape all my life but I can see I’ll have to exercice my upper body too.
Good going Johnny R! Incremental change adds up over time in all things. I am trying to remain on track by not thinking I am on a diet but rather a life style change that will reap benefits over the long term. The only analogy I can think of is quitting smoking. Would your family laugh at that? Congratulations on your great start.
David V: You are a great inspiration with your success to this newbie, thank you.
Penquin: thanks for the lead to “Does anyone here exercise”. I will check it out.
FD yesterday went well but my scale this morning shows a slight uptick(85.8kilos)from last reading.Weather has cooled noticeably over the last couple of days on this side of the “pond”, along with the shorter days, so I wonder if my inner “caveman” has slowed his metabolism with the signs of autumn here and our northern winter on the way.3 NFDs over the weekend ahead of me!
Best wishes to all.
Weekends are risky moments but I think you can indulge a little bit.
Today is my FD and as the temperature here has plummeted, my solution to hunger drinking ice cold water with lime slices, is suddenly not as appealing.
I can’t drink tea or coffee all day long so I’ll have to find something else.
Shame, it was going so well.
We all know that lost control feeling. I refrained from getting weighed every day this week, climbed on the scales to start my 2 day fast this morning and found that I weighed exactly the same as last Monday – put it all back on!. Still, we have been here before, so I had a 60 calorie breakfast followed by a hard gym session. Two days of fasting will get me back on track. Lessons learned:
1. For me a daily weigh works
2. Don’t buy ginger nuts, if they are in the house I’ll eat them and forget to count them.
I am already applying lesson 2 to whisky, it is the only way.
FD yesterday went well,ending under 600 calorie ceiling.
Pleased to read that turmeric as an additive into everyday recipes has once again been supported by independent, reported about on BBC by Michael Mosley,studies. One of my stand-by FD meals is a veggie or mushroom omelette of 2 parts egg whites to 1 whole egg with a tbs of turmeric. Great colour and good for me!
Weighed myself this morning and for the first time in nearly 2 years, my BMI was under 25 at 24.8. So I am “officially” no longer “overweight”. Well just about. Now I have to give myself some leeway.
I have lost 5kg in nearly a month. It’s encouraging – actually I’m stunned – but I think the next 3kg will be much harder.
Well I’m not crying victory yet.
Because I’d really like a bowl of home-made humous and a tube of Pringles with a good whisky tonight but I know it’s not going to happen. Not yet anyway.
Re : JohnnyR – “perversely looking forward to the next FD”. Totally with you. And it’s definately a weird thought.
The humous and Pringles I can live without, but I could do serious harm to an Islay malt. Knowing that to be a real weakness, there is none in the house. However, in the interests of total honesty I must admit that I have helped myself to my wife’s gin – but at least I can keep that down to one.
It is weird, but the fasting days are easier to handle and I have come to look forward to them to the extent that sometimes I throw in a third – compensates for the moments of weakness on the none-fasting days.
As a bit of inspiration. I met a Muslim friend yesterday. She’d lost 5kg in a month during Ramadan and said how remarkable she find the human body in it’s ability to cope well on tiny amounts of food. She said it was a tough one as they could only eat and drink, between 11pm and 2am, and she didn’t really feel like eating at that time. So no cups of hebal tea, or black coffee, to keep going. Nada. Puts me to shame 🙂
Hi Guys,
Any thoughts on timing of eating on both FDs and NFDs? Some intermittent fasting comments suggest eating only at noon, 3pm and 6pm; I guess that gives you an 18 hour period of fasting so an 18:6 schedule. Any thoughts? On FDs I have been eating between 7-9am and 6-7pm following the general outline in the Fastlife books.
Thanks,
I feel that you want and need to eat in the morning.
It’s also part of the ritual of starting the day. I guess I could just take coffee in the morning but my guess is that at 11h I would be starving.
Lunch is easy to skip. And then eat in the evening. That’s a 12 hr gap.
I would also prefer to eliminate breakfast before dinner and not eat too much later in the day. Also, it’s already not that easy to make dinners with 300 cals. Imagine splitting 600 cals three ways…
Not sure I could wait for noon for a bite. And those times don’t fit in with the rest of my family. We always eat together in the evening.
I like the simplicity of this diet.
I’ve just started this way of life and have been fasting twice a week, Monday and Thursday. I’ve found not eating at all on these days to be simplest and easiest – have my evening meal the day before, then don’t eat until breakfast of the day after the fast. I haven’t found myself getting particularly hungry at all.
I guess I also hope this will be more effective. If I eat on a fast day, it’s not really a fast, just reduced calories. I assume the more it is a “true” fast, the more the benefit ?
I suppose I’ll see what happens, and as others have said, the simplicity and adaptability of the diet is great. Do what works for you within some simple boundaries.
I have been doing 5:2 intermittently for perhaps 4 years. In that time the question of total fasting has been being raised fairly frequently. There was once the suggestion of an initial 4 days of total fasting which was tried by some. Because I fast on two consecutive days I have never tried the total fast, although I have been down to 250 calories a day. The recent collective view of this forum that the total fast works has persuaded me to give it a go. I am not far from my long term target so next Monday – Tuesday I’ll try 48 hours of total fast and see how it goes.
Thank you for the input and comments on timing. Lots to consider as I go forward but I have to remember I am not on a diet but making life style changes to aid me over the long term.
Today the scale reads 84.5 kgs which is .5kgs below my month end weight goal of 85. Of course BF% went up a bit proportionally but even that remains down from Sept 1 by almost a full 2%. Corresponding measurement improvements from 10 days ago show progress as well. I think the readings after 3 NFDs over the coming weekend will be more telling about the path to sustainability.
October will be an interesting personal challenge as the weather changes and we in Canada celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday. More of a low key holiday than our American cousins, but still a 3 day celebration of the harvest and a reason to get together with family and friends for a great meal. Most have a “feast” on the Sunday of the weekend and reserve the Monday for relaxation.
Have a great weekend.
I have an alcohol/booze question.
I’m stunned with the weight I’ve been losing. 5kg in a month is more than I could seriously have expected. It’s been relatively easy but I’ve been very strict with myself. I’ve cut out chocolate, biscuits, cake, cheese and have been very portion conscious. And not much alcohol.
However. I like the odd beer. I like wine. I like whisky and rum. Before this diet, my wife and I would drink a G&T every night. ANd maybe a glass of wine.
So now, no booze during the week at home although I will have a pint with my hockey pals on thursdays.
I can’t really see how this can last. Foodwise I’m OK. But a radical change to no alcohol just doesn’t do it for me.
So the question is, knowing that any alcohol unit – 1 beer, 1 whisky etc contains roughly 130cals of “empty calories” ie , no protein or anything useful, how much can you drink a week and still stay on track. Or is this a serious no no.
Heavy weekend ahead : wedding on saturday and dinner with gastronomic friends sunday lunch plus softball BBQ sunday evening. Not sure I’ll survive…
Calories are calories, in whatever form you consume them. I am partial to Islay Malt Whisky. When I want one I have one and count the calories against my daily total. The usual rules about how much alcohol is healthy apply, and there is the additional risk that alcohol subverts your judgement and self control – alcohol makes me hungry!
I was still having a glass on NF days for months and was still losing but eventually began to plateau. My husband and I now now only have it 2 or 3 nights a week. Should be 2 but is usually 3. All fine. As Big B says, you can swap alcohol for other things but the liver sees alcohol as a toxin and it will stop burning fat to take care of the alcohol. I read in a couple of places that a glass of wine is the same as a hamburger for that reason.
Also,I agree with penguin, there are other risks associated with it regarding judgement. For instance, I will keep having another one sometimes when I shouldn’t.
Totally agree regarding judgement and alcohol. Why did we open another bottle last night…
I now have a visuel image that glass of wine = hamburger. That should help !
So feeling bad about the lack of discipline last night I went cycling this morning.
And the good news is that I have shaved 6 minutes off my normal 26km route in the last month. I’m 5kgs lighter than a month ago ! That must help.
And it’s much cheaper to lose 5kgs from your body than reducing the weight of a racing bike. I realise too that we are also buying much less food weekly.
More pulses and veg and hardly any red meat at all.
So this is a win-win situation.
I’ve set myself some “carrots” to progress. So today I could wear my Team GB olympic jersey for the first time as I’m under 80kg.
Do you all reward yourselves for reaching goals ? Maybe you don’t need to.
Anyway, wedding today so this could be complicated…
After 3 “OK” but not fully mindful NFDs over a spectacular Fall weekend,lots of walking in the early Autumn sunshine, today is a FD with an added challenge of dinner at a friend’s home this evening.
One Carrot; bought slim fit trousers last December, wore for first time this August with loose Polo shirt untucked, goal is wearing with “room to breathe” and a shirt tucked in!
Not a great FD yesterday as I balance this eating lifestyle with real world living. Dinner out at friend’s home where I had to balance between my eating schedule and goals with not being rude or ungrateful. In anticipation I kept any calories earlier in the day to a very bare minimum and avoided all pre-dinner nibbles and drinks but I am sure the Mediterranean inspired dinner of roast lamb, village salad sauteed mushrooms and potatoes registered, while very good, at least 600-800 calories. After a weekend and the “failed” FD I am up over September goal again but not as bad as I thought
I have just completed a 60 hour fast, permitting myself only green tea and black tea with semi-skimmed milk. It was surprisingly easy. At no time did I feel extremely hungry. I didn’t really need or enjoy breakfast this morning; a third day would not have been a problem. There was no apparent energy deficiency – 18 hours into the fast I had a hard gym workout (rowing machine, weights, core) and at the 40 hour point I had an hour of Pilates. On day 2, I found myself jogging where I would normally walk. Weight loss was 6 lbs, which was a little disappointing, in the past I have lost 5 lbs after 2 days of 600 cal but I am getting close to my target weight so I guess there is less to lose.
Very impressive.
I’ve never done a long fast. But I feel that I could. I’m sort of at the stage where if I haven’t eaten at lunch because it’s a FD, then I could probably skip the evening meal too. Whether I could go another whole day is another matter.
60hrs is long.
Weighed myself this morning after wedding on Saturday (food sooo good), Sunday lunch and Sunday evening BBQ (hardly ate at all) and I’m up a kilo. I knew it would be difficult staying down after that weekend.
Not good. Just hope it’s a blip.
Yikes! Reposted 2014 New York Times article on “What 2000 Calories” looks like at various chain restaurants.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/12/22/upshot/what-2000-calories-looks-like.html?contentCollection=smarter-living&hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
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