Hi all,
New to the forum and just about to start week 3 on the 5:2 diet with my fiance.
I must say, we have loved it – I think for men it helps that there is a bit of maths and theory behind it (with the extra need for an ‘app’ to help out!)

We have actually been using the Fatsecret app, not MyFitnessPal as seems to be popular on here, and have found it has almost every food and is easy to use. We are sticking to much less than our GDI on non-fast days too. I have found that this diet is already completely changing the way I think about food, whilst not making me feel depressed that I can’t eat what I want!

I thought I would share our fast menus from the last 2 weeks, as I am very much into cooking, and after week one of little cooking on fast days, I became more adventurous and made up some recipes. I have found it difficult to find full meal plans (as I could not leave all my calories to dinner time – I would be a monster!!)so hopefully these can be of help to some of you…

I have included kcal content of some helpful items!

FAST PLAN 1

Breakfast:
Apple and 3 dessert spoonfuls of fat free greek yog

Lunch:
2 medium carrots into sticks
Minestrone Slim-a-soup (61 kcal)
Babybel light (42 kcal)

Dinner:
Whole red pepper, chopped and roasted (40kcal)and added to the soup
Weight Watchers Tomato Soup (76kcal)
Lots of lettuce
Few raddishes
few drops of balsamic vinegar on the salad
2 x Mattesons turkey rashers

FOR HIM: he has no breakfast – so got a slice of bread, 2 extra turkey rashers and a ‘Shape’ yoghurt with dinner

FAST PLAN 2

Breakfast:
Apple

Lunch:
Weight Watchers Chicken Noodle Soup (51 kcal)
2 x medium carrots into sticks
Babybel light

Dinner

Turkey Burger (126 kcal)on 1 x Warburtons Thin (100 kcal)with tomato salsa and Weight Watchers Tomato Soup and lettuce (100g = 15kcal) on the side

Recipe:
Burger Patty (makes 4 – freeze others)
400g Turkey Breast Mince
4 x Spring Onion
Big bunch Coriander
Cajun Seasoning
Egg white
Pinch salt & pepper
Mix it all together, divide into 4 and bake for about 15-20 mins in the oven on 180/Gas Mark 4.

Tomato salsa (serves 2)
6 x cherry tomatoes chopped in half
1/2 red chilli chopped finely
Coriander
2tspn balsamic vinegar
Mix together in a bowl – microwave for 45 seconds to develop the flavour and voila – makes a great topping for the burger!

FOR HIM: A yoghurt and an extra babybel!

FAST PLAN 3

No breakfast

Lunch
Same as fast plan 2

Dinner: my fave so far!
Chickpea Curry 177kcal (with salad (lettuce and raddish) and a tesco mini wholemeal pitta 75kcal

Chickpea curry recipe (serves 2)
2 x medium carrots
1 x red pepper
1 x onion
400g Tin chopped tomatoes (68kcal)
3 tspns Curry powder / any spice mix
200g chickpeas
salt and pepper to taste

Chop and roast carrots and peppers with a little of the spices rubbed on them for 30 mins
Fry onions (I add a little water instead of oil so they don’t stick!)
add the rest of the spices, fry for a few seconds, then add the tomatoes, chickpeas and peppers and carrots from the oven – cook for about 5-10 minutes, then serve!

FOR HIM: and extra mini pitta and a yoghurt

And finally a treat I have found that I love….
Sugar free jelly sachets – makes 4 portions @ 8 kcal a portion (there’s always room on a fast day for that!)

Hope my recipes will give you some inspiration – I am currently researching and creating more and am happy to share if you are interested!

Good luck all!