Morning. Just weighed in and I’ve lost 2lbs this week. Really pleased as I had a bad day on Wednesday. 2 more pounds and I’ll have reached my first stone and it should be just in time for a hen do next week. My stir fry last night didn’t happen in the end, as my partner got home to say he’d been nibbling all day and so wasn’t hungry. The result was beans on toast for me! Not great but u see 500cal and I wasn’t going to cook much else for one at 8pm. Never mind, we’ll have the stir fry tonight instead.

Ginette: the article wasn’t about tricking people that chocolate makes you lose weight, it was making a point about how poorly “scientific” fact is published and reported. If you look hard enough you can find a link between any data you want, even if they are completely independent of each other. People are reporting health benefits/dangers of every food out there. Meanwhile, ordinary people are reading, believing it and getting confused over it all. It just shows how misleading the media is. We’ve all seen dieting stories that are “too good to be true” and they are, but this article shows how the stories get created and published. The media don’t check any facts, they just copy and paste the headlines. I just showed it to you guys to show that these stories are rubbish, but I know none of you would be stupid enough to believe them in the first place! I was personally shocked how easily they could get something published without any peer review (I did a science degree so did a lot of work from papers and it makes me wonder how reliable they all were!).

Hope everyone has a good day

Welshy xXx

Hi Audrey

Yes well done, have a nice time away and I hope the weather is good.

Ginette

Hi ginette,

I am not going to post onto thread when I am away but may have a quick catch up when shopping with their free Wi fi!

Just waiting for a man to deliver a wheelchair for mum then off about lunch time for much needed break at the van before going to mums. Her legs are getting much worse, she can hardly walk any distance at all now.

Will be in touch again soon, keep up the good work enjoy yourself when FBD ends but not too much.

Audrey

I hope you OH likes to spend a bit of time in the shops then 🙂

Hi Welshy

well done!!!! The first stone is such a boost.

Hi everyone!

Fasting today, have not enjoyed it very much, next week will stick to my regular Tue/Thurs slots, as by Friday have little energy left. Got caught in a torrential rainstorm on way home, only had flimsy umbrella, and woke up with a very stiff neck and shoulders this morning, so am sitting at home with a hot water bottle on said neck, marking, oh joy!
Tomorrow I’m off for a champagne tea, am sure I’ve bored you with this detail so many times 😉 (courtesy of Groupon) should be fun. Proper weigh in on Mon..

Hope everyone has a good weekend.
audrey have a nice time
Welshy go girl! that’s an impressive loss, a stone would be fab
Ginette enjoy sandwich tomorrow

Hi Ginette

Three days next week? Thought we were having a rest?

Bessie is now coming Sunday instead of Monday, I’ll told her no booze and no ice cream! Last fast day of the FBD!

Which means I’ll be Johnny no mates on Monday, but hey, I can eat two magnums.

Back to the grind Tuesday!!

Doing well today, had mackrel for lunch, in a packet, it was truly dreadful, though have only had craster skippers before. So I’ll hit 800 cals with ease, must remember to buy horrible food more often.

For anyone interested, good for people new to the diet or not.

A 5:2 book with a quick run through if the diet. Really so much more than a recipe book. All links can be accessed from the first page. It is completely free and all online.

http://75.127.114.162/~degustin/52diet/The_5_2_Diet_Recipe_Book.pdf

Ginette

Hi Lynda

You are welcome. You will soon overcome these urges. Have you read the thread I started about my 10 week weight loss. There is also information about how I coped and the urges I had or got over.

Click on my name and you will find the link to the thread there. If you have trouble just shout and I’ll post it here.

Read the book it will help at this stage, also I used sugar free jelly to satisfy the sugar craving. I had this with half a pot of muller light. Even on fast days.

Ginette

Hi Welsy

Just always been interested in things and researched a lot of those things. I know about some very strange things….. 🙂

When I get back to work I do fancy a bit of a change and I would love to study nutrition. I have always been a little interested in it but 5:2 has catapulted this. I am also on the reversing diabetes thread – not because I have it, I have been tested for it a number of times and was a prime candidate. I really must say though that the way exercise and 5:2 works really fascinate me. Also diabetes does. My saving grace maybe is never liking fizzy drinks and only a little alcohol about 1 glass of wine or cider a year…….I did say only a little.

Well Welshy I think you will gather momentum and start to find this much easier, with less of the cravings.

I’m glad you are still enjoying a curry. I am the same, breakfast triggers hunger in me. I don’t have it any day now. I usually eat at the latest 9 pm and then about 2.30 – 3pm and so have a short repair mode period on a regular basis. Repair mode to our bodies start after 12 hours. This is from one of the fast diet books. So it lets out cells do some housekeeping. So I have about 5 hours of this going on and boy……must I have tidy insides!!

Have a lovely weekend a walk with the dog sounds lovely!

Here is my sum up of Fast Beach Diet.

Well had my final weight in again and I have lost 3lbs for the final week.

So that is a good loss for the final week on FBD.

So just fast beach diet

Week 1 – 3lbs
Week 2 – 5lbs
Week 3 – 1lb
Week 4 – 2lbs
Week 5 – 2lbs
Week 6 – 3lbs

Total on FBD 16 lb or 1 stone 2lb. A great result.

I only found out yesterday that Milena was telling little porkies and that some treats were allowed. Ok course I did have these in the form of a small ice cream, three weeks in a row as I went out and 1 midget gem, I felt very guilty about these but still ate them. 🙂 So I have to thank Milena for this. She was really good throughout giving up wine and treats!! So good on her, she has done brilliantly not to have anything.

I was a little worried about the 5lb week….too much in a week!

Anyhow I have today and tomorrow to go and next week I can relax.

Ginette

Thanks Lynda

Yes this is a way to find out more about people. Applepie has her email address on there or you can join us of Facebook under Fast Friends.

Oh yes I can get my chocolate out from the cupboard if I want to. I will at some point.

I have cantaloupe melon on a fast day really low in calories so a lot for few calories. Strawberries are low as well ideal with half a pot of yogurt.

Have a good weekend.

Ginette

Good morning everyone just checking in to report that almost lost all of the weight I put back on – 2lbs to go! Have done two back to back fast days and they have motivated me both mentally and physically and am feeling determined (fingers crossed!) Met a lady at my son’s football game on Friday and she said that she had lost weight with 5-2 and had kept weight off for past year by keeping to 5-2 way of eating – she had not visited website or heard of forums here so I told her to take a look as the people on here are both informative and inspiring. Bye bye for now ..

Morning all

Well that’s my pasta cooked ready for tomorrow FD. Thanks again Ginette for the link
Very interesting read.

Used to have a banana for breakfast apple for lunch and scrambled egg on toast for tea on a FD now with all these recipes I found going to have more variety with my food.

Lynda

Hi Lynda

Our posts crossed.

Yes that is good research. As it shows that it will make you less hungry as it is now resistant starch, it will also help you get rid of food in transit. I couldn’t find calorie difference but I would advise cutting down on portion sizes. This way you are hedging your bets. One good way is adding some vegetables in with it to bulk it out. Farm foods do some really tiny vegetables so these would be ideal or the Mediterranean type works as well.

I love pasta and haven’t had any since I started as I love it too much and really don’t know if I could resist it. I always used to have a second helping.

The other good news about this is that you have a home made ready meal that you know exactly what is in it. Make sure you thoroughly was the starch off as if not it will stick together.

My fast day at the moment is melon or strawberries with half a diet yoghurt as late as possible on a fast day, maybe 3.30 onwards. Then one of my favourites is spicy chicken from Farm foods and vegetables or fish in butter sauce over vegetables, the fish is small but low in calories about 108 all supermarkets do this and I love the sauce over the vegetables – delicious. This also allows me to have something else maybe a piece of fruit or yogurt. I also have 250gm of skimmed milk in tea.

I avoid carbs as they seem to be a waste of calories on this day. I have found that by not eating carbs every day I have broken my addiction to them.

So for me it is a winning combination.

Good luck with next week. Keep posting so we know how you are doing.

Ginette

Hi Ladies 😀

Ginette: I agree with you – the science of health/nutrition etc is fascinating. For example that article about pasta changing its properties once its cooked and cooled. Why does it do that? its amazing stuff. I studied environmental science (which was a nice mixture of bio/chem/phys) and so I never did much human biology so still pretty clueless about most of it beyond GCSE level.

I personally find the diabetes stuff interesting too. I think Ive mentioned before that my partners dad and two aunts are all diabetic and so my partner has almost resigned to the fact he’ll develop it one day. His dad takes medication daily for it and occasionally alters his diet for it (eg. he doesn’t drink orange juice due to high sugar content) but he still very much enjoys his cakes!

16lbs is amazing!!! so so well done! You should be really proud of yourself. I think you can feel happy in enjoying the odd sweet treat now (in moderation of course lol) How did you do Milena?

Fizzy: isn’t it funny how fasting gives you a feeling of such power over food/your eating that you get a real kick out of it? I always find that after Monday’s fast I’m on such a high after it that it will keep me on track for the rest of the week. I struggle a little on weekends due to the long gap since my last fast. I find just one or two temptations will be enjoyed when I know I could say no to them.

Beldy: It is hard sometimes isn’t it? particularly when you’ve got events/social things on. Its a good idea to go back to the doctor as the more info/help you get the better it should be for you. It sounds strange but for me I don’t eat anything during the day when I’m fasting. I started off having an apple for lunch but then I realised I didn’t actually need that but was eating because I felt like I should because it was lunchtime and I was eating out of habit. I usually get hungry at breakfast time but I know that once I get through that I’m good for the rest of the day (thanks to all the drinks) I think its a good idea to stretch the fasting window as far as you can. I eat dinner in the evening (sometimes not till 8pm) but I’m not even hungry sometimes! You mentioned training for fitsteps? I personally love it, I imagine a lot of the latin stuff you’re comfortable with teaching already but I like the ballroom stuff just to give it a change and I can really feel them working swell. I always try to do the steps properly in order to get the full impact (some women just seem to walk through the steps with little effort put it – why do they bother going then!?) I’ve never been a big exercise fan so I’m enjoying that buzz you get from exercising. I might be a really good girl and do some rowing in the morning too.

I’ve been ok this weekend. Not too naughty, not too good either. It didn’t help that after a work event on friday, my partner came home with a goody bag of left over food (beer/lots of cheeses/little jam pots/4 giant scones and more) so both lunchtimes, I can a scone with clotted cream and jam. its was bad but so so good! So I haven’t eat large quantities of food, but I could have chosen better. Looking forward to fasting tomorrow and fitsteps in the evening. I’m chasing those next 2lbs!

I hope you’ve all had lovely weekends and have successful fasts next week

Welshy xXx

Just weighed in this morning and turns out I lost another pound over the weekend so lost a total of 3lbs last week (I’ve never lost more than 2 before) so only one more to go for that first stone by Friday. Woop woop! I think having no wine over the weekend really helped (even if I did have scones!)

Enjoy that dessert this week Ginette-well earned!

Fasting today 🙂

xXx

Hi everyone!

Hope you all had good weekends! I’m fasting tomorrow, but the scales have not been kind! it’s my own fault, this WOL works, as long as you stick to it, and between stress at work, and social events, I’ve blown it at times. So looking forward to get on track. My main goal is mid August, when I go on holiday! have counted the FD’s and am marking them off, old school, but works for me.

Thanks Welshy and Ginette, I’m going to try the longer fasting window, to see if I can go for longer, I think that will help my NFD’s 😉
Luckily full on Zumba this week as no Bank holidays, so that will keep me on track, and also training for marathon. Welshy wine is an absolute trigger for me, and nearly always means inhaling a bag of Wotsits or the like.

Lynda hope it’s going well
Fizzy are you ok?
Ginette enjoy any treats today to the max!

bb

Hi Ginette,

Yes am on for 16 Ibs by August! that’s great to have the support. Not sure am ready for FBD yet, but would keep in in mind, I suppose FBD would be for July and part of August? that might give me time to get a grip!

Love to all xx

Hi all, I thought I’d introduce my self. My names Tara, I’m rapidly approaching my 47 birthday. We have just moved from middle of no where rural Norfolk to North Norfolk coast. We are just starting the second week of 5:2. Fast days are Monday and Thursday. I think I’ve lost some weight over the last week….haven’t yet found the bathroom scales. I’m a size 20-22 (biggest I’ve ever been ). Not good at 5′ 1″ . I lost a load of weight in 2014 when I spent a month rushing around visiting my partner (now husband) Stu in hospital after he had a massive stroke and spent time on a coma.
Stu has made a good physical recovery
I put all the weight back on during the most stressful few months trying to get our house move sorted….we had always lived seperately (all be it 6 doors apart).Our move took nine weeks( due to Stuarts hoarding and his cognitive impairments) and I don’t think I’ve ever been so stressed. Needless to say I reverted to old coping strategies and binged on loads of junk.
Doing 5:2 is the first time any kind of diet has ever felt normal or do able. My goal is a size 12. Not too bothered about the weight numbers.,if I ever get back to gym my bmi will be higher due to muscle. I forgot to say we are both vegetarian.
Anybody else in East Anglia?

Hi
New to this diet, hoping to lose a stone, how is everyone else doing?

Hello everyone 🙂

CelticCrow: I am a fellow East anglian! From Wales originally but went to uni in norwich then met my boy and lived in Ipswich for a few years and have just moved near Attleborough at the start of the year. Welcome to 5:2! It sounds like you’ve had a stressful few years and it’s one thing we understand as we’ve all been there at some point-eating for comfort etc. I agree that 5:2 is the first time a diet sounded realistic to me too and it’s the first proper diet I’ve ever done. Def try and get your scales out and know your starting weight-you may not “see” the weight loss for while otherwise. My tips are just to stick to the basics and learn what works for you. Personally I don’t eat anything till about 8pm on a fast day as I find once I start eating then hunger really kicks in. If I get through to 10am without caving then I’m pretty good for the rest of the day. I know other people don’t do this as they need something small for lunch. Also, drink lots-it eases hunger and keeps you hydrated. Use all your unpacking etcnof your new house to help keep you busy and distracted on fast days otherwise they can sometimes drag and you end up clock-watching! Everyone on this forum is simply fabulous with lots of advice. They will pick you up on your bad days and celebrate with you on your good days. Good luck!

Milena: that’s fab! Well done! I hope you’re really proud of yourself. good luck shifting those last 3.

Christabel: welcome! I’m one pound away from my first stone so it’s definately doable, however I have a lot more to lose than you (want to shift 4 to 4.5 stone in total). As I said above, this is a very encouraging and supportive forum with advice in the bucket loads. Good luck with your weight loss

I’ve had a busy day so far. Morning spent running errands before taking daughter swimming his afternoon and then I’ve got fitsteps class tonight. Apart from 2 strawberries I stole while prepping daughters lunch (they looked gorgeous and I couldn’t resist) I’ve been good today. Desperate for a drink at the mo but daughter has fallen asleep in the car and I’m letting her have a quick nap before going in the house. I’m quite pleased I haven’t caved today-had quite bad period cramps this morning (don’t normally have them) and wanted to do nothing more than curl up on the sofa with a blanket and junk food but toddlers always make you get up and keep going! It’s eased now thankfully. How are everyone’s fasts going today?

Welshy xXx

Wow Lynda 10 in four weeks that’s fantastic well done.

Hi Beldyboop

Yes that does work out for about start at the end of June – beginning of July time. But I’m heading for the 16lb now I want to to do it without going to mad. It is nice to be able to eat some thinks I like, not today though and maybe not tomorrow either.

Yes Welshy has done really well.

Hi Tara

I live by the coast but in the south of England. Nice to be near the coast. I am also not far from the countryside either.

I think we have all lost and put the weight back on.

I must say that I think it is really important to weigh yourself once a week. This is a measure of how well you have done. We all work in how much we have lost here and occasionally gained. You wouldn’t go to buy shoes without knowing your size would you?

I started at a 24 but a tight size 24, I stopped myself buying a larger size. I am now a comfortable 24 on the top and this is only because on things doing up around my stomach. This was my problem area. Now clothes are starting to fit comfortably. I have always been a smaller waist size. Of course I know that this area is a bad area showing internal fat as well.

I have been cutting back since last May and lost a stone from May to January. I have been doing 5:2 since about the second week of January. I have lost just over another two stone since.

I weighed just over 20 stone and then decided that I must start to cut back. In January I had seen my son get really good results on this way that I decided to try. So I started on Thursday 8th January, I didn’t wait until after the weekend in case I changed my mind. I only did one fast day that week and then two every week for a while afterwards. I now have done three most weeks for the past 6 weeks. I shall probably drop back to two next week.

I waited until I had lost 3 stone for people to notice. When you are big it is hard for others to see, even difficult for me to see although I can’t bear looking at myself in mirrors. I can see with my clothes though. They are getting loose and very loose, a nice feeling.

I would also say you need to measure bust, top of arms, waist, tummy, hips, top of legs and calfs. This is another way of seeing how many inches you have lost.

I only do this about every 6 weeks. You want to know how well you are doing in concrete evidence. I would suggest weighing on a Saturday I used to weigh on a Friday but moved it to Saturday, I found by weighing more often weight can have huge fluctuations during the week. I went up by at least 4lb. This could be counterproductive.

My weight loss I found always used to show up two days after a fast day. Now I weigh once a week, unless I go to my doctor and then I weigh the same day as the appointment as well.

I really decided to do this as it was really difficult to control my blood pressure and the tablets that I am taking for it give me nightmares…….these have the least reaction of tablets I have tried. I am determined to be on a lower dose. At the moment I can’t even get to within a normal range and sometimes really high. A consequence of this is that I can’t work. My doctor says I need rest. I have also had a tragic event in the family last September. This is an ongoing situation and stress is sometimes really high.

I hope you are not having bad health because of your weight, but if not sadly you probably will if you carry on putting on.

I shall add a link to my ten week weight loss in the next post.

I wish you luck but really think that weighing will be a good starting point. How will you be able to know how much you have lost?

People on the forum are really helpful and we are all working towards a common goal, lose weight, get healthier and gain control.

I can say I have achieve all three but there is still a long way to go. I started any 20.1lb and I am now 16.11. It is great breaking though that stone barrier. Every time I go into a new stone I feel so pleased. My targets are always half a sone a time and at least 1lb a week…….a woman on a mission!

Good luck and ask any questions that you like.

H Milena

Fantastic!! So good to have gone past your target. What a great total loss as well. Another woman on a mission!!

We will miss you around that is for sure xx

Hi Christabel, can I call you Chris or don’t you like this? I don’t like my name shortened so I would understand.

Where are you based?

It is a really good way of life and a very achievable one. Once at target you can revert to 6:1 and this should keep you on track.

Have you read the original book? I can post a link to a free book and recipes if you haven’t. It was the program and book that inspired me.

The link to my thread which I will post is relevant to you as well as it shows what I experienced when starting, so maybe what you will as well.

Hi Lynda

Yes great loss and it really does get easier, with fasting days becoming something to look forward to, yes I know how strange that is!!

Have a good week all.

Ginette

Thank you Tara

What days are your FD
I do mon, wed as I don’t work these days of sick at the moment as I had a op on my foot so still recovering only had a bunion removed lol

Can’t wait to start walking again to help with the slimming.

Lynda

Hi Tara

I really feel for you. Our problems seem so insignificant compared with the struggles that you and Stu have.

I had a student with cerebral palsy and know what a struggle she was having.

If we can make this journey any easier for you we will. You will also find support and encouragement here.

I have found a link for 5:2 ideas for vegetaririans. It may help.

https://uk.pinterest.com/jactinnedtoms/52-diet-veggie-vegan/

Look up posts in a thread by button boots. She is a real inspiration, she is disabled and is losing gradually.

I wish you luck.

Ginette