Eating all 500 calories at lunch

This topic contains 9 replies, has 6 voices, and was last updated by Buttonboots 8 years, 8 months ago.

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JodiSF

10:06 pm
12 Apr 16
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Hi all

I have been doing the FD for 2 months now. And have lost 3.5 kg which is a bit slow and I am now struggling with it due to slow results. I have been eating a breakfast of about 250 calls and a dinner of about 250 calls but mentally am struggling at lunch when I look forward to that break in the work day. Has anyone else been eating all their calories at lunch and then fasting until the next day. How do you find your days when you eat all your calories mid day in one go? Trying to decide the easiest way to tackle my issue.

I am also recently struggling on the eat days as I know I am over eating (not a huge amount) but this is probably the reason I am struggling to loose now.

I am just trying to find a new approach to the fasting day and would love some advice from people eating their calories in this way.

Thanks

Purple Vegie Eater

11:30 pm
12 Apr 16
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Hi Jodi
Have you considered skipping breakfast? It has the added benefit of reducing your hunger later, too, as eating stimulates appetite, something you don’t want to do if you aim to loose weight!
Many of we long term fasters eat only at night, as it is easier to eat nothing and then have all your calories in one hit (we have always eaten less than 500 cals). The food in the stomach helps with sleep.
Experiment. Try going for a walk at lunch time instead. Avoids eating and exercising in a fasting state is beneficial.
Whatever you do must be sustainable long term. After 3 years, we are pretty comfortable with 24 hour fasts, but it takes practice and perseverance.
All the best
PVE

simcoeluv

2:44 am
13 Apr 16
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Hi Jodi:

You have lost almost 8 pounds in 8 weeks. As the average weight loss for women on 5:2 is about a pound a week or a little less, you are right on track.

If you want to lose faster, you will have to eat less than you have been.

Good Luck!

JodiSF

5:04 am
13 Apr 16
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Thanks for your replies. I have considered skipping breakfast but not sure I’ll manage until the evening. I do keep myself busy at lunch by going for walks and running errands in the time to keep myself busy. But I think the ritual of lunch is what I miss. I have managed until recently as I feel motivated when I see good weight loss results. I mainly saw the bulk of my results in the first 3 weeks and since then have gone up and down within a consistent bracket. So if I see the effort not paying off I start asking myself why I’m doing it. And then second guess myself.

simcoeluv

5:14 am
13 Apr 16
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Hi Jodi:

I don’t understand the thought process. You have lost 8 pounds and want to quit because your weight loss is ‘slow’ and ‘inconsistent’?

You might read this for some insight on how weight is lost on 5:2: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/really-no-weight-loss/

Good Luck!

Jilly R

5:55 am
13 Apr 16
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Hi Jodi
I miss breakfast then have a coffee about 10.30 with 5 raw almonds(50) chewed slowly and savoured. Early afternoon -between 1 and 2- I have a full fat yoghurt (100). Between 4 and 5pm I have a large salad with 150 cals of protein like salmon, chicken or ham.
I was very worried that I would not be able to go through the day without eating something but this has been easy so far. The only time I got into trouble was when I had some carbohydrates during the day and then I got really hungry and it was very hard to keep to 500 cals. Now I often can make do with the 350 cals as long as I don’t eat pasta/rice/bread during the day. Having this experience means that I have also cut back on these on non fast days. I am not really strict about it but just realise that they act as a trigger on my hunger messages 🙁

Jilly R

5:58 am
13 Apr 16
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I should also add that losing 3.5kg every 2 months would mean 21kg in a year – works for me 🙂

keeptrying

6:16 am
13 Apr 16
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Jodi – why don’t you try a small lunch, and dinner
rather than breakfast
works for me

JodiSF

7:19 am
13 Apr 16
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Thanks simcoeluv. I have read that before. I do understand this is a slow process and not a miracle solution. I suppose I should explain my background to you. I struggle to shed the weight on any kind of restricted plan. And I seem to get to point where I get stuck and can’t move beyond. Generally about 10kg. And because it takes so long to get there it becomes a task to move beyond that point. So on this diet I fear that the weight is now sitting a a very small movement mark and am starting to wonder if I’ve hit my new wall. Either way I will persist. It’s not that I want to quit. I’m just hoping to come up with a new way to quell my boredom and the ritual of wanting to eat lunch when I feel the diet isn’t going quite the way I wish it would.

Thanks jilly. That’s a great way of looking at it, assuming I can make it to that goal. Which I hope is the case.

Keeptrying. Thanks for the advice. The only reason I was reluctant to do that is because I have been trying to keep 12 hour between meals to gain the benefits of fasting and not only the weightless benefits. So I wondered if other people have a full meal at lunch only because most either do a meal at dinner, or breakfast and dinner or not at all.

Buttonboots

7:26 am
13 Apr 16
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Jodi, a pound a week is fantastic progress…5:2 is not about losing huge amounts of weight in a short period of time, it is all about slow , steady, permanent weight loss!

If you are struggling to stick to your 500 calories, then you might like to look at WHAT you are eating. Not all calories are equal….For me, I find that going low carb on fast days works best. I enjoy protein and lots of veg. Protein is terrific for making you feel full and satisfied….so you could have a very filling 2-egg omelette for your breakfast (filled with mushrooms, garlic and tomatoes, with a little wilted spinach on the side…yum!) which would fit your 250 calorie limit nicely and surely fill you up until lunch…or maybe have a smaller breakfast – a hard boiled egg and half grapefruit – comes in at a little over 100 cals (depending on the size of egg)- then take a sachet of miso soup for a mid- morning soupy-drink to keep you going…this would even leave you with enough left over for a small protein snack later to stop you getting hungry mid afternoon!

You need to go with hat works for you…I like a light evening meal, and am happy to eat a filling breakfast and an evening meal, skipping lunch.

As for the problem you mentioned with non-fast days – you might like to try eating within a stricter window in these days…still allow yourself to eat to your TDEE but have a late breakfast and an early supper…so, I eat all my calories between 8am (late breakfast) and 6pm (when I have my early dinner) whenever possible.

good luck – and stick at it, you have made a great start!