Like you, I had no intention of giving up my favorite beverage, since that would make things so much harder. My fast day allotment is one cup of milk for coffee, which gets me through the morning nicely. If it doesn’t bother your stomach to have tea and nothing else, that may work well for you. I would probably try to cut back a bit to be able to have a small meal/snack of vegetables and a dab of protein to keep from feeling too deprived, or I might be more likely to overdo the next day.

For non-fast days, I started out by trying to choose things that were more likely to keep me feeling full like eggs, scones made with nuts and almond flour, or full fat yogurt with fruit. This seemed to work for me as I was less likely to pig out since I was eating things that felt satisfying. This helped me get away from the packaged snacks and sugary treats. Slowly but surely the food in our house has become healthier, and I’m really enjoying foods that I would have scoffed at a few months ago. Plain yogurt (full fat) with toasted walnuts, a drizzle of honey, and lemon zest is my new favorite, and I never liked walnuts or plain yogurt. Anyway, I had plenty of unhealthy snacking habits, but I’ve managed to find a routine that works for me and lose nearly 20 pounds in 6 months, so I hope you will find a way that works for you too.

Good luck!!

Hello Jeanie & Katins99,

I’ve been here a month now & lost nearly 4kg (which I think is about 7lbs?) so I am feeling fairly motivated, and as I don’t have a history of gaining weight at Christmas (luck of the draw, I’m sure! definitely not good habits…), and my BMI is slowly but surely sinking. I’m 60 & have taken thyroid replacement for my underactive thyroid for about 20 years now. I am NOT dedicated to the world of gyms & exercise, but do swim a couple of times a week with a friend and go for the occasional walk. I have sworn off diets for life, but this is so clearly not a diet – its a lifestyle – that I’m finding it quite easy to stick with.

I think 5 cups of skim milk gives you quite a lot of protein, Jeanie, which is a good thing, but I have suffered with a dodgy bowel in the past, following a caesarean section (paralytic ileus is excruciating). Like Katins99 I’m keen to keep everything moving, so on fast days I’ve been packing my lunchbox with raw green beans, a raw carrot & a small cucumber, sometimes a small avocado (which may be too much?), and having a home grown hard-boiled egg, if I have to go to work (12 hour shift in a call-centre type job). If I’m at home I tend to have 1 or 2 cups of tea/coffee with milk, and mostly just drink water for the rest. So far so good.

I am between university semesters & my plan is to lose the weight I gained this year + a bit more, so that I can start next year healthily. I have decided to give myself permission to do whatever it takes to get through the study, and deal with the consequences in the breaks. I suspect that once I’m established on the 5:2 path, I’ll find it easier to stick to, so I may be starting from a much lower base next year, which would be lovely. We’ll see how that works out!

Jeanie, your usual breakfast sounds quite small? I think its good to add in protein to start the day. I like the saying “Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dine like a pauper”, and definitely find it easier to sleep well on an emptier stomach.

I find I am eating less & less meat, particularly red meat, because it doesn’t seem to agree with me. My breakfast is a mix of things I put together, including various seeds & spices (ginger, turmeric & cinnamon), topped with yoghurt & red berries. Occasionally I eat a banana a couple of hours later, but overall it suits me.

Happy Christmas everyone!