This topic contains 28,581 replies, has 835 voices, and was last updated by Quacka 6 hours, 33 minutes ago.
Nap, we’ve all been there, so try not to let it get you down. Something else I’ve experienced is “portion creep” when I don’t watch myself….it is, of course, a technical term for me being a guts! Let’s turn those tears into tears of joy instead! Oh, and maybe politely ask OH to eat his chocolate in private….! CM xx
Hi Nap,
This is an overview of carbs Jamie Oliver wrote to dispel some of the confusion. I think it isn’t a bad place to start. http://www.jamieoliver.com/news-and-features/features/good-carbohydrates/#5bbPOSO3s2QJpobG.97
I react really badly to sugar and the refined carbohydrates (white bread, pastry and I think pasta too). I don’t think I put on weight by eating them, but they do mess up my brain signals and give me a false feeling of hunger.
They also make me feel ill.
But I happily eat complex carbohydrates in whole grains, legumes and vegetables and they make me feel great.
I am also interested to hear other people’s experience (I know mine is quite idiosyncratic).
I’ve just been out to a big meeting, and in spite of my best efforts, I ended up secretary for the year. Damn. Luckily it is a very wonderful Board.
Nap
I agree with eating full fat foods. They are more satisfying and you can feel good eating less of them. My motto is to only eat foods that my grandmother would recognise. 😉
I choose not to eat wheat, and I tell cafes I am gluten free if I want to eat out. it’s simpler that way. Lots of people eat Slendier noodles etc. However, my way of eating has changed. For example, after being gluten free for the last 3 years, I choose not to eat noodles at all with my stir fries. I add lots of flavours and bits of every vegetable in my fridge, except potatoes, plus a few cashews.
Wheat makes me bloat, and the day after eating it, I am lethargic and have a desire to nibble all day. Nothing satisfies if I have eaten a wheat and sugar combo, such as pastries etc. I do have treats but I know the consequences, and I fast the next day wherever possible to undo the damage. As a direct consequence my portion size of treats etc has halved.
Hope this helps. I keep a food diary so that I can prove to myself the consequences of eating certain types of food. Both helpful and nutritious food, and not. I don’t count calories, but I know how little I have on my fast days. Mostly soups and salads and No starchy foods whatsoever on fast days. Fewer than 300 calories on fast days. I focus on eating healthy nutrititious foods on non fast days.
I think health is the reason I can stick at the 5:2 for life, rather than weight loss which is a byproduct of healthy eating.
Cheers, Bay 🙂
Hey Nap, ditto to all of the above. I have not had a problem with carbs as I was never much of a pasta/rice eater. I did like fresh bread but really only had that when I was out. Love my cakes, chocolates etc. etc., but as I’ve said before I just don’t crave them anymore. If I over indulge I feel sick. As CM said this is a WOL. You will find your level, just don’t be so hard on yourself. My early posts were all doom and gloom and now I can’t believe where I am.
Today I was presented with an award for first prize in having lost the most weight in September.
You vent all you like because we all have been there and now live to tell the tale.?
Hey Intesha, more awards at the gym! Are you at your PB right now? Those UK friends and rellies won’t recognise you.
Naptime, loads of good advice above. Don’t make it so hard on yourself that it’s not sustainable. So, decide which of those changes to make first. Most of us think that calorie counting is a pain so there are other things you can do before resorting to that (I mean for nonFDs). Now that you’ve mentioned having bread for lunch as well, I’ll bet if you just eliminate bread (including pizza), you’ll see an immediate difference. In the meantime, you can begin learning more about carbs. We all need carbs of course. But you can get a lot of carbs from vegetables. White processed carbs are the ones to avoid – you can always re-introduce them in minuscule portions when you get to goal weight but my guess is that you won’t want to by then.
So many other people on these pages mentioned eliminating white carbs and I just didn’t believe it applied to me. But when I plateaued for the second time, I tried it and couldn’t believe the difference it made. Not only in kick-starting the weight loss but in eliminating the horrible bloated feeling it gave me (hadn’t even realised bread was the culprit until I stopped eating it). I then cut out (or down to almost nothing) other white carbs like rice, potatoes, pasta.
And keep posting because, yes, we all get it!
Hi Nap
I wanted to leave you with positive rather than negative outlook. I enjoy what I eat and I enjoy being in control of my eating. Here is my today’s food intake. It wasn’t a fast day. Yesterday, my breakfast was Greek full fat yogurt, chia seeds and blueberries. Today I didn’t feel like eating until later in the day.
Today’s food intake.
11 am. Water, few blueberries, coffee.
12.15 pm. Asparagus, lightly steamed, butter, poached egg, bacon. Blueberries, raw almonds. Water.
2.30 pm. Carrot, Brazil nuts, decaf coffee. Dark Chocolate, almonds. Water. Prunes. Time with friends.
6 pm. Tuna, lemon, chilli flakes, mashed kumara (sweet potato), broccoli, parsnip. With my Mum.
I feel I have eaten like a princess, and truly indulged myself today, so will fast tomorrow. What is interesting looking back on it, is how few carbs there are. The nuts and butter and very thin bacon provide fats. The tuna and nuts give protein. I feel very satisfied.
It’s good to Experiment to find out what you really like that is also nutritious.
All the best, Bay 🙂
Lovely post Bay. Lovely food too. And Naptime, I was also thinking if you wanted and are brave, you could keep a food diary of your next nonFD and post it here. No-one will judge you. But something you’re thinking is fine might just be obvious to someone else as a possible issue. I’ve learned so much on these pages – honestly, I shudder when I think about the portion size of rice I used to think was healthy. Now I rarely eat rice at all.
Good Morning,
Way too early, but I’m still doing the time adjustment thing from jetlag, oh well.
Dear Nap, you’ve done really really well in the past year – lost 25 kgs! Huge difference girl.
Re carbs- I was fully tested for allergies and intolerance many years ago and discovered I was grain and gluten intolerant. Only grain I could eat was corn, yes it’s a grain. I also was intolerant to rice except for a very small amount occasionally. So I’ve been through eating grain and gluten free for years, and tried all sorts of gluten free, grain free products. I can read product labels like you wouldn’t believe. Lots of tricks in there. Many of the gluten free wheat free products contain lots of sugar, multiple sugars, and lots of bad fats e.g. lots of palm oil. Some of those products should really come under the junk food category. Others are OK, especially the least processed ones. Happily went along without grains for many years, strong, fit and healthy as. Because I am, frankly, somewhat weak willed when it comes to food, and with the addition of ill health caused by a very nast virus, I started eating grains again, simply because the easiest thing to eat is a slice of bread with simething spread on it or wrapped in it.
More years later and I’m somewhat better, and able to tackle my weight and grain problem again. Have just had my 1yr anniversay on 5:2 and have lost 15 kgs, despite being sedentary on the exercise scale. Forced sedentary, not by choice. When I started 5:2 I would eat some rice, some rice/corn pasta, some sourdough white bread, some crackers. Some = small amount not a ‘normal’ amount. Often when I had the pasta or rice it was because that was what my OH cooked, not what I would cook. He would also serve me potato and pumpkin. Rather than rock the boat I would eat these. I lost weight for a while then plateaud for 2 1/2 months. I knew the grains were knocking me about ( give me gut, arthritic and mood symptoms) so looked into that and discovered there was a significant number of peopke on 5:2 who didn’t lose weight if they included grains and other starchy carbs in their diet. So dropped the grains and other starchy carbs ie potato, pumpkin, sweet potato, and any tiny bits of sugar. Dropped weight once( I think) then tried the usual gluten free/grain free products over a few weeks, and weight still stalled. Stopped eating them and the weight started coming off again.
Have just been overseas and eaten grains and sugar again while trying other national foods, because I wanted to try different things. I still did most of my FD’s and didn’t eat breakfasts, and ate moderately at meal times, smaller portions. 1st food of the day was often lunch, sometimes morning tea of some sort. I really enjoyed myself and ate what I chose to eat. No compulsions, no guilt, no worries. I’m pretty much the same weight as when I left. The connection to the grain thing – I ate grains, a bit of starchy carbs, and some sugar again, and my weight stalled again. I reckon if I’d stuck to no grains, no starchy carbs, no sugar I would have come home at least 1-2 kgs lighter.
PS Excuse the length, I get long and tedious when I’m tired.
Cheers
Congratulations on your one year anniversary on 5:2 Merry and the 15kgs weight loss. I wouldn’t call you weak-willed by any stretch. You strike me as a very mindful eater. Thanks for the info about gluten-free products often containing other nasties. We are lulled into a false sense of well-being when we see those products neatly packaged in the ‘health food’ section. Food manufacturers really have a lot to answer for, don’t they? Have a great day all.
Hi Thin
Thanks for your kind comments. I’ve been out for my 6 km walk and now back to my morning coffee. Agh! Coffee in the morning, one of life’s real pleasures. 😉
During my first three months on 5:2 I changed from drinking a full cafe latte to a long black, sometimes with a splash of hot milk on the side. It is amazing how our tastes change.
Merry
Great post. Loved all the info about grains and gluten. As you know, I’m one of those who minimises my grains, and all white foods.
Nap, Trial and error on food intake. It’s important to find food that you really like to eat, and that is also nutritious. I loved my bunch of asparagus, lightly poached and drenched with butter (not margarine).
Cheers, Bay 🙂
Cheers, Bay 🙂
Thanks for all the support. I have spent a lot of time reading about carbs this morning – and it has been really eye opening. I am going to give the white carbs a skip, and see how it goes.
I feel like I have been taking up a lot of your precious time, so I won’t go on too much – but I just wanted to ask two quick questions.
Things like Mountain Bread, Lebanese bread (wholemeal) and pita – are these like breads and high in carbs? Should they be avoided?
Are wholemeal products ok? Like pasta, rice and bread? Or is it more they should be avoided, but if you have to have them, have the wholemeal versions? Googling isn’t answering these two questions…
Hi Nap
All grain breads are high in calories. That’s why they are a cheap way to feed a starving world. Wholemeal sourdough is probably best, in moderation, but I’d suggest learning to avoid them all while you are still reaching goal. Once you are in maitenance, it might be time to carefully reintroduce white carbs, but in the mean time, learn about all the other wonderful foods that are not empty carbs. With summer here in Australia it is really easy to eat fabulous low cal, tasty salads and lean protein. Embrace the change….
Eating lettuce, tomato, olives, cucumber, apple sauerkraut, hummus and 2 small vegie patties for lunch on a hot eating day. Yum!!! All the best. P
Thin, yes this is a PB for me. It has been a long time since I was this weight. Once I get to 70 it will have been 13years since I was at that weight. I never thought I would make it but am now aiming to be under 70 by the time I go on my trip and although I will be mindful if I come back a few kgs heavier I am not going to beat myself up about. Life is for living not denying ourselves, within reason.
Thank you for all the encouragement.
Nap I couldn’t have continued if it wasn’t for these wonderful people, so don’t give up and stop being so hard on yourself. It may not happen overnight but it will happen!!!!!! If you don’t ask us who is going to give you the honest truth?
Here it is Nap, snuck into the ‘support’ section https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/southern-hemispherites-fd-recipes/
I’ve favourited it so I can find it again!
Hi Nap,
1st thing – don’t worry about asking questions. You’re not wasting anyone’s time. People are free to answer or not as they wish, but if you don’t ask no-one get’s the chance to answer. We all learn by other people’s questions anyway.
Re breads and carbs.
1. There’s 2 sorts of carbs – simple and complex. Simple ones, like sugar, are digested quickly and put a big shot of energy into your body. Not good. Complex carbohydrates are digested more slowly and energy is released into the bloodstream at a measured, healthy rate. That’s good. Complex carbs are from wholefoods. There are some wholefoods that act more like simple carbs because they have a lot of sugar e.g. Dried fruit
2. Carbs come from plant foods i.e. Grains, vegies, fruit, legumes eg lentils, chickpeas soybeans etc. eating those whole means you get all the bits of the food, i.e. All the nutrients, all the fibre, and they are balanced foods. When they are processed, bits of the food are taken out, often the fibre especially, and this makes the energy in the food too concentrated, and it goes into your bloodstream too quickly. So, to begin with, it’s better to eat foods from wholegrains that haven’t been processed e.g. Breads made frm wholewheat/wholemeal flour, where the whole grain is ground into flour, brown rice where the husk is not taken off, wholewheat/wholemeal pasta also made from the whole wheat flour. There are odd people with specific medical issues, like me, where if I have to eat wheat, then white gives me a smaller bad reaction than wholewheat, but for just about everybody wholemeal is better than white. Food companies get tricky by saying – we add fibre, or vitamins, or whatever to their white bread, but this is not as good as the wholewheat bread.
3. So let’s look at breads specifically. There are 3 sorts. Bread with yeast to make it rise and give those holes in it and make it soft and spongy – the usual sliced bread. 2nd sort is bread with sourdough starter in it. It acts like a yeast and makes the bread rise and gives it holes and makes it a bit spongy, but with a different texture than the yeast risen ones. People with a yeast intolerance eat this one where they can’t eat the other one. 3rd type is unleaved bread, i.e. Bread with nothing in it to make it rise, make holes and make it spongy – pita bread is a good example of this.
4. Breads of all sorts and grains of all sorts are largely carbohydrate. They have smaller bits of protien and fats in them, but primarily they are carbohydrates. If whole grains are used they are complex carbohydrates, i.e. The good ones. If the grain is processed before being made into bread, pasta, cous cous, etc, they become more like simple carbohydrates and are not as good for you. By processing the grains they take out the out skin of the grain ( the bran) and take out the heart/germ of the grain e.g. wheatgerm. The bran is the fibre part, and the germ is the small part that has much of the nutrients,/ vitamins in it.
So- let’s look at your question about Mountain bread, lebanese bread and pita.
These are all pretty much the same, just a different shape and thickness.They are unleavened bread, i.e. They have no yeast or sourdough starter. They are made of the same flours that other breads are made of like sliced loafs and sourdough breads. They just don’t have anything that makes them rise. There will be good ones made from complex carbs , like wholemeal pita, and there will be not so good ones with processed white flour, like white pita. Lebanese bread and pita are different versions of the same thingl Mountain bread is what we’d call a wrap and is just rolled out differently. There are various sorts, but there are traps if you are trying to be wheat free e.g. Mountain bread made from corn,(even had a yellow label last time I looked), but actually it’s made from corn and wheat, and so it’s confusing sometimes, to know what is exactly in what product.
The other complex carbs that are really good for you are vegies/salad vegies of all sorts, but a few vegies have more starch in them than others e.g. Potatoes, pumpkin, white sweet potato. These are healthy but have more calories in them than other veggies e.g. 1 cup of potato has more calories than 1 cup of broccoli. Interestingly orange sweet potato/kumera has a lot less calories than white sweet potato. Fruit also has carbs in it, but also sugars in the form of fructose. With fruit, it’s best to eat the whole fruit i.e. Eat an apple instead of apple juice. Taking the juice out means turning it into a simple carbohydrate and the quick shot of energy into bloodstreams that’s not healthy. Remember sugars are a form of simple carbohydrate.
Hope this explains some things and doesn’t make it all more confusing.
Merry
Re your question about breads, Nap, the mountain bread, pita etc may have less additives than white sliced, but unless they are wholemeal versions, they will be made with refined flour and so just as ‘white carb’ as a loaf.
Buying wholemeal bread can be a minefield. you need the label and a magnifying glass!
If I make a loaf of bread using 3 cups of plain flour, and add 2 tbsp of wheat bran, it comes out much more ‘wholemealy’ than most bought bread! And so many breads have added sugars!
If you need something bready, I agree that a wholemeal sourdough loaf is a good option, but still read the label! Wholemeal pita is often fairly good, but you might try it and find it is just as bad as white bread.
Good luck!
We’re virtually qualified to write our own 5:2 book. Anyone interested? I wonder if the Mosley machine has learned anything from all the detailed entries with respect to actual practical experience including how people are coping with maintenance, travelling, integrating 5:2 with OFMs, various diagnoses, etc.
Another way to find the recipe thread without getting emails is to locate any of Coastcatibi’s post, click on her profile and then her ‘Topics Created’ appears.
CM, whatcha’ doin’ in the Coles car park? Go home.
Heads up everyone. Looks like Woolies & Coles are reducing the range of Slendier. No more angel hair at either chain. Coles only had spaghetti & rice. Woolies had fettuccine & rice. Of course, angel hair was my fav! If your stores still have it, suggest you grab some. I’ve been to 4 supermarkets this aftn with the same outcome. Have a lovely evening. CM x
Good morning, everyone.
I had my first trail of Splendier noodles last night – and I was surprised. I expected them to not be nice, but actually they were good. And now you say Coles and Woolies could be phasing some out? Not when I have just found them!
They haven’t had the Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk for a week in my local Coles, either. There is still a place for it, but we will see if they restock it. It is really annoying when they do that.
FD today, who else is fasting today? I bought some slivered almonds and other natural nuts to add some excitement to my salads, and I will try lime juice on it, as I have never done that.
Thanks everyone for answering my questions about carbs. It has really helped me to learn more about it.
PVE, what is Apple sauerkraut? I have never heard of it! And you wouldn’t happen to have a nice recipe for veggie patties, would you? I am big on not eating meat, and I have tried so many veggie patties – yet they either taste like nothing, or totally fall apart.
Have a great day, everyone.
Good morning everyone,
I am groggy this morning and slept in, but this is a good thing since I didn’t have to get up for anything, and I had had a shocking night the night before.
I’ve got my morning cuppa and I am Fasting today too Nap!
I was a vegetarian for years and used to make veggie patties from all sorts of things.
Veggies that ooze are a problem! I would grate zucchini and carrot, maybe pumpkin, sweet potato or normal potato, sprinkle with salt, and then let them sit (in a cloth over a sieve) and then squeeze well.
The non squeezy additions would be onion, celery, capsicum, corn (whatever I had) chopped fine.
I generally added some grains too, especially brown rice. Occasionally chopped nuts such as walnuts. And finely chopped parsley.
Are you using egg to hold them together? That’s what I do (plus cheese 😉 ). If they are well squeezed out they don’t need much egg to hold them together.
For flavour I use lots of garlic! And chili, and other spices, especially cumin.
I don’t make them too big, partly so they don’t fall apart, but also so there was more crispy fried outside! No bigger than 5 – 6cm diameter.
They were my big thing to take to barbeques in the days when barbeques were all meat!
Time for another cuppa. Have a lovely day everyone! Cheers to fellow fasters today! Nap and whoever else!
Should be fasting today but swapped for tomorrow so I can wallow in a couple of frothy coffees with the lovely Freya and CM. I’m looking forward to trying to froth the Almond Milk tomorrow Naptime. Might have to stock up then. BTW, don’t ever be afraid to ask questions, we’re all learning together.
I was a vegetarian when we lived in California Cinque. It was all too hard when we moved here and we’d go to BBQs where there was literally nothing but meat on offer. Things have changed a lot since those days with friends sharing an array of colourful salads but married life and apathy contributed to the status quo. I used to make fantastic vegetarian dishes in California, I always felt energetic & healthy. Then again I did have youth on my side too.
Hi Thinatlast and others,
I agree that it is easy to be vegetarian or vegan in California. There are a lot of choices where ever you go. I try to do 2 vegan meals and one whatever I want, except on fast days. Then I may have 1 or 2 meals with animal protein.
I love the unsweetened vanilla almond milk in coffee either warmed or iced depending on the season. Both work great and are a lot less calories than cows milk.
You all must be very quiet or there is a glitch in the system. I haven’t had any posts for over a day.
FD today definitely in plateau mode, my weight has not dropped much below the 73 in nearly a month. 73.1 this morning.
Off to Melbourne tomorrow so don’t expect to see 73 when I get back. Still I’m loving the new body and when it is ready it will shed more, the brain just has to catch up with the rest.
Have a good day everyone.
Good morning Everyone, there have been a few posts in the last day. Hopefully some more today!
I have a feeling everyone is scouring supermarkets, buying up all the Slendier noodles!
I had a nice Fast Day yesterday. Irritatingly hungry when I went to bed (doesn’t usually happen to me!) But I woke up fine of course!
California does sound a wonderful place for being a vegetarian!
I was 14 when I decided to stop eating meat. Melbourne was fine for eating vegetarian at home, but hopeless for eating out (apart from Shakatari and the Hare Krishna cafe). How it has changed over the years! Even by the end of the 70’s the Pub meal had embraced pasta and there was usually a vegetarian option.
I only began eating meat again a few years ago when my daughter was a teenager and hungry for meat. My passionate idealism had dampened a bit over the decades, and once I was learning to cook chicken for her, it was just easier to eat it myself!
But my diet is still quite vegetarian and so I will pipe in on any question about vegetarian recipes!
I hope a lovely catch up was had yesterday Thin, Freya and CM: with frothy coffees or whatever!
My life is still way too busy, but I am managing to keep up so far. 5 things on today. That is 4 too many! But they are all good things. I need to iron a shirt to take to the first one! (A gift!)
PS An addition to my veggie burger post: I forgot to say how good beans are in them, especially mashed a bit. And to cook them slowly and gently enough for everything to cook right through to a soft, bound consistency in the middle, and a nice golden crispness on the outside.
Good Morning Campers,
Went to bed at a normal time last night and woke up at a normal time. Yay! Finally shaking off the jetlag that hit with a vengeance. Still only halfway through unpacking!
Cinque- you are going to be the recipe queens on here I think. Great descriptions of how to do things with food. First the salad know how and now the vegie patty know how. I love veggie patties.
Vegan/vegetarians – no need to go to California, just go to the Far North Coast of NSW, around the Lismore area. Fundamental Food Store ( Fundies) is the king and queen of vegetarian food ingredients in Australia. Walk 250 metres from there to Goanna Bakery and you’ll get every sort of wonderful healthy/wacky handmade bread you could wish for, along with veggie breakfasts and lunchs that are yummy. Add in the local farmers market, organic and non-organic; and the fresh fruit, veg and herb at the Car Boot Market in the carpark under Lismore Square. Also at the market buy lunch of some vegetarian sort from a van, and also get pretty much other stuff vegetarianly and organically, spices, dried beans, soaps, toiletries etc etc including hemp clothing. That’s all within a 1 kilometre radius. Veggie heaven. Beware of the quacks, of which there are quite a few, who hide amongst the genuinely alternate and genuinely healthy.
Going to do a few shorter posts.
Merry
Thank you, whoever set up the recipe thread!!!
The SH book on 5:2 should have a recipes section.
I am absolutely hopeless at remembering who said what, and what recipe is on what page put on by whoever. Having recipes in the one place is fantastic. I am not the recipe queen, and very uncomfortable in a kitchen doing things with food, and not great at following recipes ‘cos I never have all the ingredients and it annoys the hell out of me, or I’m just too tired, to go out and get the ingredients I’m missing, so I give up and just throw things together. No instincts for what spice or herb goes with what either.
Sometimes I don’t mind watching an episode of Masterchef, but the phrase ‘putting love on a plate’ is totally beyond my comprehension. Having daughters who enjoy cooking/are good at cooking/relax by cooking is totally due to genes passed on from their grandmother, through their father, who cooks a great bit of fish, assisted his mother growing up (but doesn’t love to cook, so I’ve totally failed to convince him to be our full time cook). Christmas I just get out of the way of my daughters, their husbands ( great choppers and slurpers of salad dressings etc) and my husband. My son inherited my 1 cooking gene. You know, the survival one that says I love eating food, I get hungry, therefore sometimes I have to cook or muddle around preparing food. So he and I do other stuff like playing with the littlies. Much more fun singing and dancing ‘Let it go, let it go…..’
My contribution is being good at finding what can be bought, where things can be bought, getting them at the best price, knowing when it’s the freshest in the shop and when there’s fewer people around, so shopping uses the least energy. Raising a family I was good at throwing a seer-sucker tablecloth on the loungeroom floor and saying ‘it’s get- your-own-picnic night’. Good recipes were Once-Around-the-Kitchen Casserole, and The-Day-Before-Payday Stew. So….I hope to be using some of your recipes along the way, Thank you again for the recipe thread.
FD number 2 for the week today, with OH joining me. It looks like he’s really going to embrace 5:2, which is wonderful for his health and makes my FD’s much easier!
It occurs to me as strange that the fast days feel so good, even the next day leaves me with a bit of euphoria. But it’s difficult to commit to 4:3 or alternate day fasting. Why is that? Is there a sweet spot for fasting and does the law of diminishing returns apply here? Just wondering out loud….
Hi Katty, good to meet you,
Yes, , it does seem weird, but many of us look forward to our FDs, and even if we’re a little bit hungry when we go to ged and thinking “I can have that,whatever, as soon as I wake up in the morning”. When we wake up we’re not hungry and yes, you could call it a bit euphoric, but we eat later in the morning. Most days I don’t eat till noon. And it seems normal to me. Who would have thought.
Cheers,
Merry
Morning all, yes thanks Cinque, we three had a good chat and, before we knew it, three hours had disappeared. On the walk home, I stopped at my local Coles to find only two varieties of Slendier and was given the ‘I wouldn’t have a clue’ response to whether they’d be re-stocking Angel Hair. The area you mention in N. NSW sounds a dream Merry. A bit far for me to travel alas!
I’m joining the Thursday fasters today. Naptime, I got some air into the Almond Breeze milk but it didn’t really froth as such and it’s gone flat now. But I like the taste and it’s even less cals than the A&C so I give it 9/10. Thanks for the tip!
Intesha, safe trip, have a lovely 65th birthday and a great time with your girlfriends in Melbourne.
Welcome slg. Tell us more about yourself. MWKatty, glad you’re going well with OH along.
Merry, a lot of planning went into my initiation into 5:2 because OH had agreed to do it with me and I knew I wouldn’t get away with giving him a carrot stick and a spoonful of cottage cheese. I collected a good variety of recipes ‘under 300 cals’, ‘under 200 cals’ and ‘100-200 cals’ and then mix and matched them over 8 week periods. I’m a lot more confident about the FD meals now but I still plan ahead to accommodate the OFMs. I find FDs are easy when I know exactly what to expect.
Hi SH,
my virus is hanging on – I am still so tired – sleeping a lot – trying to work on a couple of assignments when I get a clear headed moment – so this week has not been one of my best. Doctor gave me an injection of B12 yesterday – will that help??? does anyone know?
Mondays FD was good; thought I’d do a semi FD on Tuesday which didn’t quite go to plan.
My Wednesday FD fell on it’s face yesterday. Too emotional, tired, worried – I succumbed to carbohydrate overdose yesterday. Bought a loaf of stoneground grained bread with quinoa and naturally had to have some slices with duck pate and then the cheese – I had to have some of that as well. Nothing outrageous but certainly my downfall. For MY body, that was overdosing, so now suffering the consequences. I must stay ever vigilant and mindful of what I eat. But there have to be days when you can say ‘what the heck’ – which is what I did 🙂
I am up 1.3kg from my PB last week and it may take a couple of weeks to undo but it doesn’t matter – I can do it!!!
no matter – loved reading all your posts especially about carbs ( have now frozen the offending loaf of bread and can only access it in moments of sheer desperation LOL!!!) you all understand, I’m sure – but I promise it won’t happen often.
welcome to the newbies. Stick with the forum – these FDers are fabulously knowledgable and love to share 🙂
Merry, I am the same about finding all the recipes previously mentioned – very time consuming. Hence the idea for the recipe strand – just for us. Feel free to add any of your tried and true FD recipes.
Cinque, can you add your ideas for the vegetarian patty to the recipe strand – it would be so helpful.
Love all your trips and to-ing and fro-ing – sounds like a bunch of people really living life. That’s what we all are – a bunch of 5:2 do-ers!!!! thank you all for sharing 🙂
signing off,
Coast
Don’t buy too many clothes, Intesha. You’ll soon be needing the next size down. I say this as a person whose size 14 clothes had to be given away practically unworn, as I raced down from 16 to 12 in steps and stairs. At two different occasions I sat on the same weight for 3 weeks while fasting twice a week, then raced off again down in weight. Just hang in there! Have a great time for your birthday. ??
Congrats on reaching a new PB. Your body is resting before it goes into the next loss. ????
It’s going to be a hot one today in Brisbane. ??. Mum is pruning in the garden this morning. At 94 yo. Wee hoo! What a role model. ????
Cheers, Bay 🙂
Morning, all. Raining here in Canberra today, and quite cold. Of course it is – I dug out my summer clothes last weekend, and this morning I am back in the winter clothes!
A good FD yesterday, how did everyone else go?
Thin, really, it didn’t froth? We have a Nespresso, and it froths really well, and is more stable than our lite milk we usually use (the froth stays on there, and doesn’t go flat).
Thanks for the veggie pattie ideas. I did use egg, but found the mixture either quite dry or really wet, and would just fall apart. I will experiment on the weekend and see how I go, using all your tips.
MWK, I did feel a bit euphoric on the first few FD (and the next morning). I read in the book that it can help with depression as it alters the chemicals in the brain, and I am one who can say it has definitely helped me. I had been on anti depressants for many, many years – and every time I tried to go off them, I would not cope. I have been off them since starting 5:2, and I am doing really well.
FDs this week,…Monday fell in a jet lagged heap. Today is my nextFD, but totally forgot a special celebration of 3 x “0” birthdays was happening today instead of yesterday, and my FD will last till then but not after. Yes I have a diary, but between CFS and ADHD I can manage to forget I have one.
Anyway… today I was 68.5, down 200 gms over the last few weird days, so all’s good.
Whoever did the little pig out on good bread, duck pate! and cheese I only have 1 thing to say……no worries. This is life we are living with all it’s ups and downs, and joys and sorrows and the boringly mundane. The beauty of 5:2 is that it’s very forgiving. You get to eat what you like, when you like, and get new clothes. If you fall of the horse a bit, that’s normal. You just get back on. No worries.
Cheers,
Merrily going off to celebrate “0’s” with some lovely ladies
Merry, that was a light bulb moment for me. I have just realised that obviously because of what has happened over the last few years I was in a deep depression and was having acupuncture for it but I have to admit that my mood has been very upbeat for the past few months and I guess that has shown itself in how my attitude has changed. I am letting my body tell me what it is happy at. I would be over the moon to be under 70 and wise Bay has hit it on the head. The body is resting before it does another shift.
I have been doing 4:3 for over 6 weeks and the past 4 have not managed to reduce by much. Although disappointing I’m sure it will eventually happen.
Nap, no it didn’t froth. After reading your post, I tried it again thinking it would be better now that the milk was chilled. But it still didn’t happen. I have a very good brand of coffee maker too, Rancilio. Doesn’t matter, I still like the taste better and, as you say, it’s even less cals so all’s good!
Same thing happened to me Bay, I bought clothes at size 14 as I was just so happy to be there. Within no time, they were hanging around my hips. I seem to be somewhere between 10 and 12 now.
Don’t worry Coastcat, you need a treat now and then. It’ll come back off soon.
It’s only 12.30pm and I’ve already caved in and had some steel cut oats. Feeling quite peckish all morning. Does my body know Thursday’s not a FD? Perhaps it was the 10k walk. I hope I can make it until dinner now.
Great to catch up with Freya & Thin yesterday. Freya is looking great and Thin is looking, well, Thin and amazing in her new clothes. 10km Thin? OMG.
Intesha have a wonderful birthday and enjoy your trip. Congrats on your PB too!! Agree with Bay on not buying too much new stuff. BUT, don’t do what I did when packing for Bali. Please try your clothes on before you pack – I managed to take half a suitcase of unwearable clothes to Bali. Hadn’t worn them since last summer, and I’m a bit thinner now! Ended up leaving them with some lovely (& very happy!) Balinese ladies. Good excuse for a bit of shopping though!
Katty, I always feel great after a successful FD. Don’t know if it’s mental or physical.
Merry, glad you’re over the dreaded jetlag.
Good on your Mum, Bay. Wow, 94. That is one great reason for you to stay healthy!
Coast, hope you feel better soon. Just love duck pate & crusty bread! Yeah, as the others have said, don’t worry about it. That’s what makes this WoL so easy. We can have a blow out, and then just get on with it again.
Re Slendier. I spoke to their HQ this morning. They’re looking into the issue as the lady I spoke to wasn’t aware of the supply probs in Coles & Woolies. She will get back to me and I’ll let you all know what’s going on.
FD for me today. …up and down like a yoyo this week. But feeling great to be back into my “proper” fasting rhythm again. One thing I did notice this past winter was that I didn’t get many cold/flu bugs, and when I did get a bit of a sniffle, it was gone in a day or so. No bronchitis this year…ya! Last year I was knocked over by seven bad doses in the one season! Could it be 5:2 that has made the difference?? Anyone else have similar experiences?
Have a great day everyone. CM xx
Hello, well I posted Monday and not been able to log back on until today and missed a catch up! I had a good fast day (first one in three weeks so was a bit worried but all good) and lost almost a kilo, weighing in at 64.15 from 65.05. I was pleased with that. Was fasting again today and doing well until my so called friends badgered me into eating. Okay, so they didn’t actually force the food into my mouth but it was all homemade and I couldn’t resist!
I’m glad you three had a lovely time. One day I shall put faces to names!
Hi Nap – you have been given a lot of good advise already so I will just second it all. Never give up. We are all behind you.
Have a good holiday Intesha.
I hope you feel better soon Coast.
All the best to Thursday Fasters.
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9:36 am
19 Oct 15