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Hi All – just an update on things. I have been doing the 6:1 maintenance diet for a few months and that seems to be keeping my weight stable as I weigh the same as I did last month (only weigh myself once a month). Have had a quite a few parties and celebrations so have probably drunk more than is supposedly good for me!
Good luck to everyone – cheers!
Remember life is not a rehearsal so enjoy yourself.
Well I must say that I particularly enjoy a drink or five over the weekend, however Friday was my fast day and yesterday, Saturday, I had a couple of small glasses of wine, but I was very conscious of not ruining all the effort that went into fasting on the Friday and I didn’t drink anywhere near as much as I would normally drink. I hope this is the start of things to come……fingers crossed!
Hi S1u2e3.
I tend to reserve all my 600 calories on a fasting day for my early evening dinner and eat only a few bits of fruit and a few cups of green tea during the day. Not ideal I know but you asked and that’s how I do it.
Cheating on a fasting day is something I’ve not done although I have had a glass of beer or wine on those days before but counted the calories and made sure I didn’t go over the 600.
Drinking alcohol does promote nibbling so I think it is best avoided on fasting days as it just makes it that bit harder.
Good luck!
I’m new to the 5:2/Forum and this is only my second post EVER but I am so glad to find other people discussing alcohol consumption. My husband says I eat like a bird and drink like a fish – harsh but fair! I try to limit my intake by not drinking on two days each week but of course don’t always make it. Starting the 5:2 diet today will hopefully give me a new incentive – not even I could just drink wine and eat no food on fast days!
Dragon12 and all my “drinking buddies”. I find, for myself, I am better off not worrying about “preserving my hard work from fast days” One of the beauties of the diet is not having to constantly calculate calories every day. I must persevere for the long run, and not beat myself up in the short term.. A splurge now and then does not seem to hurt in the long run. My son and his wife are visiting right now. Screw it, we are eating and partying. Next month I will try to get back on the wagon. It seems the pattern I have settled into is 2 or three months on the diet, and a week or two or three eating/drinking carelessly. At that, I have been able to keep my blood sugar and cholesterol down to a safe level, and I haven’t gained too much weight back. As soon as my damned Plantar Faciitis heals, and it cools off here in Middle Tennessee, I will start walking – and that will help a lot. Incidentally, drinking a glass of icewater before a meal on fastdays is a big help in making me feel full. Good luck! all of you.
Thanks for the tip garypatt about the iced water before meals on a fast day…….I will have to try that! Today is my fast day (Monday) and after half a bottle of red last night I find that I’m more hungry this morning than if I hadn’t of drank. Alcohol seems to affect my blood sugars and make me crave carbs the next day – all the more reason to stop drinking so much. At least I didn’t drink too much yesterday so could be worse. I still haven’t lost any weight yet, this is my second week and I’m doing 4:3 until I reach my goal weight. Hoping that I lose a couple of lbs this week.
I started fasting for two reasons. First is that although I’ve been overweight for a while, just slipping into the obese category, it appeared that I was about to go up yet another size once more and that was the last straw. The second is that I wanted to have a better reason to have 2 drink free nights a week, which I was struggling with. When I count cals conventionally my allowance has more room to fit in a half bottle of wine in a night. There’s no way I’m doing that when I’ve only got 500 cals to play with and I’m really hungry. I also snack more when I’ve had wine so I’d be far more likely to break the fast.
I only started this week and have had two fast days, Monday and Thursday. I noticed that I got drunker on a half bottle than normal on Tuesday, so I need to be careful if I drink tonight as my tolerance seems to be lower the day afterwards.
Laure.
Great that you’re finding new stuff out about yourself even at this early stage – “I noticed I got drunker”.
I’ve found after being on this diet for nearly six months and having lost nealy 13Kg I don’t drink as much but still drink as often. Sometimes I have three alcohol-free days a week, or once in a while only one (yes I discovered a gin and slimline tonic is only 56 calories!!).
Good luck to you and keep posting, especially if you’re struggling, as you’re one of the drinking pals now!
Sharpleft (Steve).
I too was drinking wine every night before I began the 5:2. I’ve seen and felt a big difference taking it totally out. Less bloating and obviously less calories and healing the liver. I’ve lost10# so far in 6 weeks. On non fast days about 2 times a week I allow myself a Dark Beer if I want. What has helped me also to give up wine is Seltzer water. I put a wedge of lime and it takes away the feeling of wanting a glass of wine for me and is 0 calories.
Looks as though you all are working it out. Congratulations. Hang in there. I don’t always follow my own advice – but here are some things to consider: Instead of focusing on not drinking or managing/rationing it, try a positive approach and add things – do add exercise to your week – aerobic and weights (see hasfit.com). Eat breakfast, it helps (I like 1/2 banana with a tblsp of peanut butter) on fast days. Get some fruit and veggies daily into the 500 or 600 calories. Do keep up with your buddies/social support even if you don’t always feel like it. Be rational about your alcohol use (see web MD on the subject. I manage my alcohol intake better when I do these things. I manage to skip a day or two a week without my wine, and I generally get down to 2 glasses before dinner, and none in the evening. Good luck ya’all!
Hey I think this thread must be my spiritual home. 😀 I love wine, and drink too much, too often. Red wine I can drink in moderation, it’s the white and the bubbly which slip down too easily. I’m a stone or two heavier than I’d like to be (although my BMI is just within the ‘ideal’ range), and I suspect that’s the wine sneaking all those extra calories in. I’ve been doing the 5:2 for a few weeks and don’t drink on fast days. At least that’s 2/7 days a week alcohol free, which I used to aim for but frequently miss.
I’m still finding my way with the fasting and when I should eat – have been having unpleasant digestive effects after eating in the evening or the day after fasting. Anyway, hopefully I’ll get used to it, as I want the health benefits both in terms of the weight loss and the effects on blood pressure and cholesterol.
Nice to ‘meet’ all my fellow boozers. 😉
Hi everyone
On a fast day today and as always finding it much easier to avoid alcohol on these days. I haven’t yet (in 6 weeks now) broken that rule but I am still managing to drink too much wine non-fast days. Like everyone else, after a couple of glasses the inhibitions are under strain and a bit of cheese or a few crisps. Controlling the wine would allow me to lose weight faster ( I’ve lost 5 lbs in 6 weeks) but I can’t seem to get motivated to stay off the booze when not fasting.
Jinkins
Hi Sukay – welcome to the forum – haven’t posted for a while. Have been able to keep weight stable doing the 6:1 and have not changed drinking routine at all. Have cut down on carbs which does seem to make a difference.
Number of friends have moved onto the 5:2 after seeing how successful it has been for me.
Good luck
Ainsley
I’m just starting the 5:2 regime today, and yes one of my motivations has been to have alcohol free days and reduce overall alcohol consumption. I have had too much reliance on alcohol in social situations for about the past year and although I don’t often drink to excess, I have been drinking too often and have found it difficult to cut back in any serious way.
As I’m not short on self-awareness I’ve been a bit worried by that, but had three alcohol free days last week so I’m feeling a bit more positive. Good to get rid of those extra calories too!
Best wishes to everyone in achieving your own goals.
Happy New Year to my drinking pals and newcomers sukay and jayneashton.
I dropped off the 5:2 for a fortnight over the festive season, apart from a half hearted attempt at a fasting day between Xmas and New Year. Today I weighed myself, as I do on a Monday every week (and record it on a chart on my PC). I felt a bit nervous after having some real blow outs but was surprised to see I was the same weight as I was before Xmas. God knows how that works but I’m grateful. Today is my first fasting day for weeks and perversely I’m looking forward to it.
For sukay and jayneashley, I’ve been on the 5:2 since early June 2014 and have lost 14Kg (2 stone 2lbs in old money) and planning to stay on the 5:2 for most of 2015. If I manage to get to the 20kg mark I think I might go 6:1 like Ainsley.
All the best,
Steve.
Happy New Year!
I skipped the diet in October because my son and wife were visiting from Germany. Too much festivity. In November my wife and I went to Florida on vacation. Too much fun and seafood. Then came December. The holiday sprit(s) took over. Then the flu hit week before Christmas. Couldn’t eat or drink. Very sick for several days. Now I’m finally OK and need to get back on the wagon.
I gained back about 5 pounds. I need to remind myself that the diet for me is primarily for keeping my blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol down.
Today the 5th – first Monday of the New Year. Time to get back in the groove. I encourage you all to believe you can do it and have a healthier life. I will try. Good luck!
Hi:
A reminder on why alcohol may be having an impact on your weight loss efforts: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2015/01/06/372088383/going-dry-the-benefits-of-a-month-without-booze?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=science
Good Luck!
Happy New Year all!
Well it’s a trial of “dry January” for me I’m afraid but after the excesses over the festive period I’m looking forward to it. Going for a 4:3 this month as I’m really motivated at the moment and hoping to keep it going come February when alcohol restrictions will be relaxed and will give me 3 days a week off the booze.
Simcoeluv I read the article you posted, thanks, and I agree with the last line that it is what we do long term that makes the difference and one of the many reason I choose to do the 5:2 was to help reduce overall alcohol consumption and although a small change it’s one that I think I came keep to long term and therefore see as a good thing……….even better if I can keep to 4:3 😉
Hi Skd and everyone else!
It was also my first fast day yesterday and I also had skinny spag bol for tea:) I enjoyed it, And avoided the wine. I am a wine lover and was very glad to see this forum and the comments! I am hoping to lose a stone before my 30th Birthday on V day! (still got more then that to lose but that’s my first goal) I think I can do it weighing in tonight so I guess I will see if I am on track then. Good to see that you all enjoyed the festive season but found it easy to get back on the 5.2 diet afterwards 🙂
Good Luck with Dry Jan Oh2bthin 🙂
I am only on my second week of 5:2 and need to lose loads of weight. My biggest worry wasn’t really the food aspect of the fasting but the fact that I would not be having my habitual glass of wine once I got home after work. I don’t like fizzy drinks and don’t want to substitute one calorific drink for another so when I get home I have a drink of tea instead and then drink sparkling water when I would have been drinking wine with dinner etc. The odd thing is my husband who is not following the diet but said he would not drink on my fasting days, at his own suggestion, has found it very difficult and it did make him quite ratty. Anyone else experienced this? I have to say the second week has been easier because it’s great to know that after my 2nd fast I am able to be normal for 5 days and that is what I think the beauty of this diet. I have been lucky as I have lost 6 lbs but I know that is because I have a lot to lose and if I can get off to a good start I think I have a chance of succeeding. I think having a couple of days off the wine can only be a good thing. I just need to keep drinking red wine because once I start on white or bubbly, then a bottle goes very quickly.
Hello All,
I too love drinking alcohol far too much and have done for many years. Been reading through the posts and gaining inspiration from all your stories. I am on my second week of 5:2 and need to lose about 3 stone, lost 3lbs last week but coincided with a bout of IBS ( Well I think that’s what it was?) Did the Rosemary Conley diet a few years ago and started drinking vodka and tonic as very low cal but not so good for ones liver etc.. On a fast day today and can cope without eating but the booze…….. must stay focused! Usual tale, stuck in a bit of a rut, especially night time and my life is so erratic, long shifts and shows at night at weekend, find any routine hard to follow. My stress levels are very high right now so drink to relax but that’s no excuse, I drink when I’m happy too! Looking forward to joining you all for support, advice and laughs!
xxxx
I’m a newbie. Hubby and I are benign alkies, basically. We drink every day, wine with meals (quite a lot!) and cant countenance giving it up.
But have decided to try to lose a bit of weight on the 5:2. I’m tall (5’11’ female) and not fat, but troosers a bit tight and belly a bit squish, would like to feel more trim and shapely!
First 2 days, we had 670 calls each – I know more than the 600, but this allowed us to eat boiled egg and half piece toast and black coffee for breakfast, olives for tapas, small steak with huge salad and our usual 3 glasses each red wine for supper!
I know livers could benefit from alcohol free days, but fasting and abstinence same day just too too depressing? Will post back with weight loss updates!
Hi Liltreat.
Welscome aboard.
Yes we all have those dilema’s regarding fasting and abstaining on the same day initially but once you start feeling the benefits it drives you on.
Some days are harder than others but having your hubby on the 5:2 too should make it good fun even if sometimes it doesn’t feel like it.
I’ve been on the 5:2 for 8 months now and I’m 14Kg lighter than at the beginning of June 2014 so it is now a lifestyle rather than a diet for me, and several others too I presume.
Good luck, and keep posting.
Hi fellow alcohol lovers! Wine is my downfall. I did 5:2 last summer and lost 10 lbs very slowly and carried on drinking wine most days.I stopped 5:2 after getting out of the habit on my hols(and gained 7 lbs!!!).However I have just completed my first week back and had NO wine Mon-Thurs!!! Quite an achievement for me. Had a few glasses last night and really enjoyed them. It has given me the confidence that I CAN do without it – which is something I doubted. Thankfully my husband is exactly the same about wine and is joining me in abstaining during the week.I suppose its all about changing habits and some habits are harder to break than others.Oh and I dropped 3lbs…only another 20 or so to go!!!
What a brilliant thread! I’ve done 5:2 half-heartedly in the past, lost weight and saw the benefits, so why did I give up? I’m a wine-lover. I drink way too much of it, although I can do 4 nights alcohol-free when the mood takes me. One of the reasons I’ve come back to 5:2 is to guarantee I’ll have 2 nights off the booze (I also love a nice G&T and the odd scotch on the rocks). Today is my first Fast day since the middle of January (I only managed one last month! LOL!) and I’m coping well so far. It really helps having a positive mental attitude and visiting Forums like this. I have to say that after years of dieting and being on various Forums, this is the first time fellow ‘dieters’ have been honest about their alcohol intake and that no one has been judgemental. That’s brilliant! I need to lose about 3 stones in weight. I run regularly and love cycling. I aim to Fast Mondays and Thursdays. I do find it harder to get to sleep when I don’t drink alcohol, but when I do eventually get to sleep, I usually find that I sleep better and feel terrific the next day. I look forward to reading more of your posts on here. I’m so inspired by you all. By the way, I’m in my early fifties and once I reached the big 50, I began to feel anxious about my general health, so that’s another reason I want to stick with the 5:2 to hopefully see the health benefits.
Hi yellowjo!
Yes I found it enlightening and refreshing when I saw this thread last summer, and here I am still on it.
I’m at the point now where the 5:2 serves as a guarantee of at least two alcohol free days so happy to continue for as long as it takes to lose another stone, I’ve lost 2 stone since last June.
Lots of similarities between us, early fifties, sleep patterns and Mon/Thu fasting days. I also cycle but forget running!! To tough, but I have taken up Badminton. One hour sessions only. That’s enough to still enjoy it.
Good luck!
Hi yellowjo, an ya’ll (we say that in Tennessee) –
Good for you to exercise, and all those of you who abstain from the wine on fastdays! I abstain once in awhile, but I need to not drink at all on fastdays. I have joined a gym, and I’m into my 3rd week of heavy workouts 3 days a week. Helps with the diet. I believe exercise is a great aid for keeping me on the diet and off the wine enough that I am continuing to benefit from both. Exercise is big for weight control. I’m fortunate to not be too heavy. My prime motivation for the diet is health – low cholesterol, blood sugar (glucose) and blood pressure. Been reading on this – For longevity research shows that we should eat a better diet, exercise more, stress less, meditate some, and love more.
Hi everyone, I started the 5:2 diet a month ago, and up to now have lost a stone, I used to drink like a fish 10 or 12 pints a night, now the last drink I had was new years Eve, I need to lose 100 lbs minimum so an encouraging start, this Sunday coming I will be having a pint or two so I don’t expect to lose much on my next weigh in, I get weighed every 2 weeks so will see how I go.
Oh this is gold – it’s so nice to be amongst friends. I also have a booze belly as I’m more than fond of a glass or 5 of wine in the evening. I eat well, excercise moderately but the kilo’s just keep creeping up. My first fast day today and the not eating is easy, just deeply missing the crisp dry white. I’ll happily put my hand up to admit that two AFD’s are my primary reason for giving this a go, that and perhaps loosing the paunch. After all – how hard can 2 day’s a week be?
This is a great thread. I too struggle with the Gargle! I happen to work in the wine business in NYC, so there’s lots of wine drinking in my life. Although I don’t get soused each time I take a sip, as was the case in my youth (I’m 54), I do like a delicious glass of wine or two with my meals. On date night with my partner, we do indulge in a cocktail a bottle or 2 of wine and often a drop of spirit as a night cap. When I started 5:2 about a year ago, the pounds just melted away, then it slowed and now seems to go up and down. Because of work and travel (often to wine regions in Europe for weeks at time) I have slacked off a bit and sometimes get in 1 day a week for a fast. But, next week, our company is having the big yearly Industry Wine tasting and I’m supposed to wear a suit and tie- well, today, I tried on a few suits and they were all too tight… so back to the drawing board! Or maybe I’ll just switch to cocaine, as in my youth.
Good luck to the newcomers on this thread. Once you’re into the habit of the two non-drinking days it becomes the norm and when you see and feel the results over time you’ll want to stick with it long term. I’ve been on it 9 months and although I’m not losing weight now, or maybe it’s just one of the many plateaus’s one encounters along the way, I’m not gaining and have lost over 13Kg in total.
Good luck all!
Yay……boozers corner. That’s more like it! And you’re all so positive/realistic.
I’m week 2 in and as last week proved, I cannot eat/drink whatever I like on my NFD, and do need to calorie count 🙁
However, I am managing non-drinking fasting days, and although it makes for long (slightly grumpy) evenings I do feel the benefit.
Thanks for all your tales of success.
Chin chin!
Hi All – not posted for a while as have been travelling around India by train since January, and am currently in Bangkok, but soon to return to India. Haven’t been able to fast as not really practical but have given up sugar completely and this seems to have helped. Don’t feel I have put on any weight but haven’t weighed myself either.
Have had a few drinks most days but also eaten a lot more vegetables. I have funnily missed having a fast day!
Not sure if any of this is helpful but good luck to all with the fasting because without it I wouldn’t have started to lose some weight or feel more alert/energetic – cheers
Ainsley and all – Good for you to be off sugar. I try to not eat any refined sugar or any foods with wheat flour or corn on fastdays. I find I can do it pretty well with a 6 and 1. I’m really into the gym program – weight workout and long swim after 3 or 4 days per week. Lost the 5 lbs I needed to loose. Tomorrow I will be 74 YO, and I feel great. Not to brag – I just feel I’m blessed. As for the booze, I’m struggling with it. With encouragement from you all, I’m down to one to three alcohol free days per week. On days I drink wine, I generally hold it to 2 glasses. You do need to account for calories. I just keep a log on fastdays of what I eat. The calorie list at the back of the fastdiet book work well. Stick to fruits and veggies gang – you can eat a lot of them.
Moderation seems to be key.
I have 9 weeks until my girly holiday and would love to loose 3lb per week. I am quite a heavy drinker wine,lager,rum and vodka are my choices normally.
I tend to be really good in the week and then go on a massive binge that’s when the carb fest goes into overdrive. I am constantly fighting myself and this is making me feeling low.
So today a new dawn cant fast on a Monday the day is depressing enough.I will fast Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday for optimum results and this will also be alcohol free days. Nice little bit 20 mins exercise per day.see how we get on
Great thread – really encouraging.
A few glasses of wine while cooking up a delicious meal was my way of relaxing after a hard day. However it was becoming a bottle of wine every night – more at the weekends.
I took up 5:2 around 5 months ago and am delighted to say that I have lost 5kg (around 11 pounds). What amazes me is that on my two fasting days, I am hungry in the evening but just don’t feel like a big meal with lots of wine – my lentil and vegetable soup with some fresh lime in sparkling mineral water is just fine.
I could probably lose weight quicker if I cut down on the wine on the non-fasting days but hey, life still has to be fun.
Ahhhh…some 5:2 people I can totally identify with! I live in an area where there are a lot of craft breweries and wineries. And it is my civic duty to ensure these small businesses survive, right? It’s Oktoberfest time of year and the breweries are coming out with their pumpkin ales…and I cannot resist. However, I have lost 22 pounds doing 5:2 (started end of May). When it comes to the booze, I no longer chug-a-lug whatever is available. It must be quality! I sip and savor. So far, so good. And I’ve also noticed that it doesn’t take much to get me tipsy. Could be because most craft brews have a higher alcohol content, but could also be due to less body fat? I don’t know the science behind all of this.
My fast days are truly fasting as I found once I eat anything, I tend to cave and over eat. It’s much easier for me to stick with coffee, tea, and copious amounts of water on my fast days. On non-fast days, I usually have a beer or wine, but it’s the weekends where I falter big time. If I could cut it down to just one day of over indulgence, I would probably see quicker results. However, I’m convinced I’ll be doing 5:2 for the rest of my life. And the best thing is I’m okay with that!
I love wine. Love Love Love it. And I would happily drink it everyday if I could.
But I can’t.
So, I have started mixing it with soda water for non fast days…it’s still sorta yummy and less cals. Some days, I say “bugger that” and drink it straight…living dangerously LOL. I am still losing weight so I am fine with it.
Life is too short not to have some wine!!
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Michael Mosley gives an update for 2019, current research in the field and announces a tour starting in February.
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