It’s a good feeling isn’t it? Enjoy – whatever it is!
This topic contains 129 replies, has 73 voices, and was last updated by tickledpink 9 years, 6 months ago.
Good work everyone,
You are all wonderful and it’s fun reading how you are all doing. I’m going okay too. Good days, bad days, but generally feeling very positive and feeling slimmer. The slacks are actually baggy now. I’ve convinced one of my girls to join me and she’s excited to with how she feels. So it’s onwards and upwards from here. Long life to all. Xxx
I started Monday and am on day 2 today Friday. I’m 53 year old male and want to loose at least 20, maybe 25 pounds….
I have not had time to study and or shop from the cook book. My first day I had a grapefruit, drank lots of tea and the around 930 ate 8 oz of boneless skin less chicken great poached in broth with carrots, Brussel sprouts, garlic and shallots. The meal was delicious and satisfying… I’m wondering if I need to count the calories of the vegetables? The 8 ounces of chicken breast had a calorie count of 360. I figured that that the whole meal and the grapefruit for breakfast was well under 600 calories… I id have a tiny glass of wine- maybe 2 ounces. I could not help it!
Any thoughts on this? Did I consume too much protein? I have a habit of eating late too, sometimes as late as 10 pm. I wonder how this affects the fasting?
Hi Vine:
Unlike WW, all calories count. As current guidelines allow for up to 70% of calories from fat and another 20-25% from protein, your protein calories were fine. The concept with 5:2 is you can eat any foods you want to eat — you just have to keep under 600 on diet days and TDEE or under on non-diet days.
Here are some tips for newbies: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/warnings-to-newbies/
This may help you with TDEE: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/tdee-for-the-curious-or-why-dont-i-lose-weight-faster/
Good Luck!
In case anyone is wondering: Here are the new Norwegian national guidelines, yesterdays post is the antecedes this new one:
25-40% fat
max 45% carbohydrates, of which sugar less than 10%
10-20% protein
Exercise 150 minutes per week (less than 25 minutes per day) with moderate intensity, or 75 minutes per week high intensity
Note: Mosley mentions that 20 seconds of high intensity will do the job, and more and more science back this up: Here is an article (in Norwegian) about this method, which apparently is particularly beneficial for older people 🙂
http://www.vektklubb.no/artikkel/bedre-helse-paa-20-sekunder-22809111
Scandy:
It is refreshing to see a government trying to incorporate the latest dietary research into its ‘guidelines’.
It appears your country has decreased the recommended calories from carbs by 25% and increased the recommended calories from fat by over 40%. While not meeting current ‘guidelines’ suggested by the research, it is probably the best they could do after their decades long touting of the high carb diet.
I wish the U.S. would join in.
Morning all…started fast day yesterday I weigh 78kg and BMI is 30. I’m 58 and my my goal is to get that BMI down to 25… but I am realistic enough to accept that this will take time..I managed to stick to 500 cals fairly painlessly and today I intend to munch on 1400. I am determined to release these unwanted kgs and not to accept weight gain as part of ageing. Its good to read all the posts and Im sure it will help to share with others.. Happy Saturday
I can’t recommend 5:2 enough although I appreciate it depends on each person – I have lost 13 lbs since January and I’m just 4lbs off my target weight. I don’t find it difficult – in fact, I really look forward to fasting days because of how I feel. I’m so happy with my ‘new’ body – smaller clothes, oodles more confidence; my 11 year old granddaughter was wearing my coat today!
Keep going guys – it definitely gets easier and as the advert says ‘we’re worth it!’
Thank you Gezza – but as should be, it’s been a fairly steady 1lb a week with occasional plateaus; I think we’re all tempted to try to make it quicker (I toyed with ADF just to speed things up!) but I know really that this is something I can maintain forever – I never think about ‘when I finish 5:2’ because I don’t want to stop doing it- it really has become a way of life.
Good luck with the new start – you can do it! Keep smiling, Anne
Hi, I have been having problems trying to lose a half stone that went on over Christmas and I thought I might try the 5:2 diet. My problem however is, just what two days do I use? I go to the gym Monday, bike ride Tuesday, bowling Wednesday and Thursday, gym Friday, into town Saturday and on the bike Sunday. Most of these activities take a lot of energy and if I am not careful I get what is generally known as “the bonk” where I get very weak and shaky and resort to a Mars Bar (oh dear, advertising here, sorry). Yet I just cannot shift this weight. And now the television is telling me that postmenopausal women (I am 66) need to drink more milk. I only use skimmed milk, and very little of that. I really do think I’m a lost cause but I am determined to get into those cycling shorts by summer when we are off on the bikes for two weeks to France! Off now to check out what I can eat.
Hi Crazygirl, I swim on Tuesday mornings after a fast day Monday – yes, I imagine I’m not as quick but don’t forget part of fasting is to teach your body to burn fat rather than carbs (more detail on this is on the Primal diet website). I actually enjoy exercising after fasting as I feel lighter and often I actually have more energy.
I drink skimmed milk in tea but otherwise I’m happy with full fat everything – I just avoid sugar and excessive carbs; I tried low- 0 fat a few years ago but didn’t have much success whereas I have lost nearly a stone since Christmas by doing 5:2 and avoiding sugar. In the end, you need to do what works for you – we’re all different. For an interesting read on different diet advice, try ‘Death by Food Pyramid’ by Louise Minger – it’s not as extreme as it sounds – just a thorough trawl through the different dietary advice given by health ‘professionals’ and governments for the last 50 or so years.
Good luck with the 5:2 – I haven’t found anything better!
Hi Purplegranny, thanks for your reply. I know that if I keep looking I will find something that will suit. I am convinced that my arthritis is “food related” but cannot be sure, of course. For a while, I found that I could not eat things like fullfat cheese or butter, although I suspect it may not be so bad these days. So I do try fullfat things once in a while, but stick to skimmed milk mostly. To be honest, I cannot completely discard sugary things – even if it is just a small teacake. There really is nothing like a bit of sugar to get you up that hill when you are out on a bike ride.
I like the sound of the book by Louise Minger and I will look out for it. I watched a television program last night where they showed that, if fat is taken out of the equation, the extra taste has to be supplemented in, and it’s always with sugar. Well, that’s a whole new stick of dynamite, isn’t it. Out go the low-fat custards and zero-fat yoghurts!
I agree with your statement that exercising after losing weight is so much easier and much more fun. Last year, I rode 500 miles through Spain with my husband and I noticed the difference because I was at WW’s weight and getting up those hills was a breeze! It’s since then that I’ve gone downhill, what with Christmas and not getting out as much as I should be doing over the winter months. I really, really don’t want to put on any more weight and need to get the six to eight pounds I’ve put on right back off all over again.
Hi Crazygirl, last year I thought that dairy was making my joints ache – I cut it out for a few months and the joint pain went away. I gradually introduced it back in and now I’m fine with all dairy (which is good because I love dairy!). My one sweet treat is a vanilla latte which I look forwRd to after my swim on a Tuesday morning – love it! X
Hi everyone, weighed this morning I am on top of the world 3 lb off that is with 2 days fasting and two normal day, Friday fasting, Saturday normal, Sunday fasting and Monday normal. I feel I can do this. I was well and truly stuck with weight watchers so I am now going to do 5 days WW and 2 fasting. I only wanted to lose 8 lbs thank you 5-2 dieting progam.
Do you know, I hadn’t thought that my joint aches might be down to dairy. I think I might try cutting out cheese (although it’s not the fullfat variety) and see if, like you, it changes things for me. To be honest, I’m fed up with popping painkillers which is all the doctor seemed to think I needed.
@heidihutch: I’m also from Baltimore.
I’ve heard a lot about this diet and recently saw a segment on The Today Show. Today is my first fast day. I last ate at 8 PM last night. When can I eat again? 8 PM tonite or wait until breakfast tomorrow. Any suggestions on how/what to eat on the fast days?
that makes 3 of us Baltimoreans, how cool! We should have a get-together sometime (on a nonfast day so we can eat of course).
different people handle fast days differently. Generally the advice is to stick to protein/fat rather than carbs as they tend to fill you up longer. Also, you can spread your calories out over the day or save them all for dinner. I do the latter, which makes it a lot easier since 500 cal is a small but not tiny meal. Soup is a good choice for fast day dinner, so is an omelet or frittata. All depends on what you like to eat!
Hello from the USA & Alabama The Heart of Dixie, to be more specific. I have a couple of questions I need answered as I ad my husband started the 5-2 plan today. The fist question is Stevia we use a brand called NuNaturals & it is 0 calories for 1/4 tsp (.5g) & less than 1g Carbohydrate however I dare say I use 1/2 tsp (1g) to sweeten my tea several times a days. So should I stay away from this on my fast days? I do not eat dairy or soy products as they make me very ill & I depend heavily on my coconut milk products & this was not addressed in the book. I use a product called So Delicious Original Coconut Milk
Serving Size 1 cup (240 mL)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 45
Calories from Fat 40
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4.5g 7%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg %
Sodium 15mg 1%
Potassium 65mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g
Protein 0g
• Vitamin A10%• Vitamin C0%• Calcium10%• Iron4%• Vitamin D30%• Folate6%• Vitamin B1250%• Magnesium10%• Zinc4%• Selenium8%
** Comprised of 65% medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs)
Ingredients: ORGANIC COCONUT MILK (WATER, ORGANIC COCONUT CREAM), CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATE, CARRAGEENAN, GUAR GUM, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, VITAMIN D-2, L-SELENOMETHIONINE (SELENIUM), ZINC OXIDE, FOLIC ACID, VITAMIN B-12. Would you please advise on the use of these 2 products as they were not addressed in the book & I rely heavily on the use of both? Thank you!
Hi and welcome:
5:2 does not require you to eat any given food, or not eat any given food.
5:2 focuses on calories only. You can get them from what ever foods you want.
So just eat what you want, but count the calories you are eating. When you start, work on doing your diet days correctly – that is, eat 500/600 calories or less twice a week. The rest will fall into place over time.
Here are some tips that might help: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/warnings-to-newbies/
Good Luck!
Hi, this is a fasting day for me. I had coffee at 11am, a small tangerine and tea no milk at 12.45.
5.30 pm two small eggs omelette, into the that I put one small boiled potato, cauliflower, onion. 2 teaspoon olive oil. Brown sauce. I make this 550 Calories any help on how I could have cut this by the 50 cals over. I do not think I could have done better. Oh well tomorrow I will know how good I have been, wish me luck.
I understand how to incorporate protein/fat/carbs/calories into the 2 fast days I should have worded my question better. The book did not address Stevia or coconut milk & I wanted Dr. Mosley’s perspective on using them??? He did say in the book that milk was something he had to cut back on & I wanted to know if he had thought of coconut milk. I cut sugar/processed foods/fast foods/fried foods/dairy, out of my diet 15 years ago & now battling menopause & the extra 50 pounds.Thank you for any & all help 😎
hi ruthie and welcome:
Here is a converter: http://www.convertunits.com/from/kilojoules/to/calories
Fasting days are a mindset. Many people after a couple of months don’t eat anything on their diet days. Many more find one meal in the evening works best. Efforts to eat 500 exactly are unnecessary, and you may lose faster if you eat fewer kJs.
Here are some tips for those just starting – you don’t have to wait for the book: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/warnings-to-newbies/
Focus for the first month or two on getting your diet days right, and the rest usually falls into place.
Good Luck!
Hello every-one; am into my second week, with Fast day number 2 coming up tomorrow. I must admit that I have found it very hard to stay within the 500 cal daily fasting limit! Have any of you got a fast day menu that works for you? I thought I would just stick with one menu for a while; also any tips regarding estimating the cal count of home cooked casseroles??
Hello, my fast days so far have been. Day 1. 30 grams porridge 1/3rd of a banana in it and microwaved, evening meal anytime after 5pm. 2 egg omelette, I use all left over veg (that I’ve made extra of the day before). I warm them in a frying pan and then pour the eggs over the warm veg heat for a few minutes then put under warmed grill. Tea no milk and coffee with a splash all day. No more than 500 calories . water, more water and more water.
Day 2 was breakfast the same porridge, WW tin soup 80 calories and a small bread roll or a slice of toast, one Apple one orange. Same second week more or less. JIP
Hi, this is my 4th week on 5:2 and so far the weight loss is very slow but I have lost 1 inch on my waist and 3 inches from my tummy. Clothes are fitting better and having tried WW and other diets over the years, find this easier. I use my fitness pal app to record kcal daily and pretty much stick to 1200 kcal on non fast days. Fast days I make sure I stick to 500 kcal. Previously, I would have been upset at slow weight loss but the fact my clothes feel better and the inch loss, is keeping me going.
This week I will measure bust, upper arm, thigh and calf in addition to see inch loss progress.
As many people have posted this isn’t a quick fix, but I am determined to keep going.
Hi everyone, I am getting ready for my first day of fasting tomorrow & feel very positive after reading lots of great posts & helpful tips in the forum. So important to have a support network, especially when friends & family can sometimes be less than helpful. I am 56 & weigh 73 – 75 kg. I lost 10 kg a couple of years ago using the Bodytrim system but found although I was slimmer, I looked 10 years older having lost a lot of fat from my face, plus once I started to eat carbs again it was very hard to get back to the program. I love the idea of not having to eat breakfast & being able to just have dinner on fasting days & look forward to being able to eat well on ‘in between’ days. I am also hoping for some health benefits at this age; less body fat, lower cholesterol & more energy would be great. Wish me luck for tomorrow, cheers.
Hi there
Went to the dr today and he was gushing about the 5:2 diet as he has lost weight with it.
I am on meds for BP, should take the statins prescribed for me (take one a day but should be 3!) and am over weight and just basically need to do something but just haven’t had my LBM re diets.
I have downloaded the book today but haven’t started it yet as been reading the forum.
I am going to start it next week as I need to prepare and figure out what I am eating and fasting……also need to replace the batteries in my scales so can weigh myself (definitely not looking forward to that bit!)
Anyway hi and see you all around
Jen
I am a 50 year old female with a sedentary job and need to lose 4 stones. I haven’t even been doing the diet quite a week yet and have already lost 3.5lbs. I am on my second fasting day. I am planning on doing my fasting days on Monday and Thursday. I have always had the willpower to stick to anything for a day so this diet is perfect for me. I know that however difficult that one day may be I can eat enough the next day not to be hungry. I am still eating sensibly the other 5 days but not having to be quite so strict as is necessary on other diets is taking my obsession with food away a little.
Hi Yorkshie lass and welcome. I am a 57 year old woman with medical problems who has had good results with this plan, losing an average of a pound a week since last August. I also find that I can put up with being hungry two days a week in order to lose the weight; it was being hungry virtually *all the time* that made other weight-loss plans so onerous. The initial big drop is usually part water weight and probably won’t repeat itself; since a pound of fat represents about 3500 calories, 3.5 pounds means 12,250 calories either not taken in or burned off. Some weeks the scale doesn’t go down, or even bumps back up temporarily, that is part of the process, but if you can stick with it and not over-eat on non-fasting days, the weight really can come off. I have also found that getting out and really walking most days has made a significant difference, for me more than it should have done by the numbers. When my weight loss seemed to stall I would make a serious effort to walk more, and somehow that seemed to help.
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10:40 pm
13 Mar 14