Hi bhalo. Welcome!

Today is my 4th week and I tried something new today. I managed to get right through the day and had all my calories in one go at dinnertime (around 6pm) with the family. It worked really well, partly because it was bolognese and I had my carefully measured portion without the pasta. I was going a little nuts from 4pm, but was so busy driving the kids everywhere that I couldn’t eat anyway!
Time will tell if I repeat this option, but I’m feeling pretty good now and will be going to bed with no hunger niggles.

Have a good week everyone! 🙂

Good morning all!

Welcome bhalo.

This is the 9th week of 5:2 for me since I came back to work at the end of January. I followed it for a few months at the end of last year with good results but undid most of that while on leave. Lesson learnt!

Did quite well yesterday until about 5pm when I got home from work. Usually have no problem lasting from small breakfast until dinner time but for some reason was ravenous and made the mistake of having a few roasted cashews to tide me over until dinner. Well, you can guess the rest so probably had at least 700 calories for the day. One bright spot is that even though I gave myself a small serve of cold roast meat and salad for dinner I still couldn’t finish it.

Ah well, hope for better tomorrow and will remember that my resolve operates better if I don’t start snacking.

Very hot here in Adelaide today (36 max – in April!) so no lunchtime walk. HIIT session while still cool before work so that will have to do.

Hi Amy12,
I’m not sure I could do consecutive fast days. I struggled last week with only 1 day between fasts. The only thing I can think of which might help the situation is if you have your foods measured out and prepared beforehand. Soups or salads are probably the go as they are very low cal and will be filling with a bit of lean protein.
Good luck!

I’ve done 2 or 3 back to backs, when social events required. It wasn’t too bad. I just did the same as usual. I always fast on work days so that I’m distracted.
By the way, my sister asked me last night, ‘don’t you lose concentration when you can’t eat on a work day’. Honestly, I’ve now been doing this for four months and I don’t even notice that I’m fasting any more. At first I’d be aware of my intestines and stomach being empty and gurgly, but now I feel completely normal on those days. Just goes to show that in fact we humans can easily go for many hours between meals but in modern times we’ve lost sight of that.

Thanks for posting the link Peggy. I’d always wondered what a ‘serve’ represented. Comforting to know our govt has already adopted the recommended increase.

Regarding 2 fast days back to back, I’ve done it occasionally if a long weekend interrupts my usual Monday.

The second day is definitely harder and I now have a pre-prepared snack of a few carrot and celery sticks with peanut butter about 3pm before weight training, otherwise I’m very lethargic. I try to have an extremely light dinner on those occasions to keep under 500.

It’s nice to see so many new members and know that the 5:2 is working for them too!

I know there are others with IBS and following up some info I was given, realise that my problem was high sugar and fat foods.
Since being on this WOE, I’ve noticed my symptoms have dramatically reduced 🙂

Not only have I lost 11kgs, but my overall health is blooming.
Blood pressure down, BMI down 3 points and only good reports from my GP.
He wants me to lose another 3kgs, but that might prove a bit of a challenge!

However, as others say, it’s a way of life/eating and for the long haul, not a quick fix.
Fast day tomorrow, so those who do also, enjoy!

Hi all, i love reading everyones comments, keeps me going, on my 3rd week now, have lost 2kgs and feeling like my clothes are fitting better too, im just finding lunch at work a struggle, i tend to fast until lunchtime and have been having a yoghurt at 60 calories, but im getting a little bored with that, and we all know boredom is a killer of dieting and weight loss, do any of you have ideas for easy lunches at work that are under 100 cal ?? i have a microwave here and fridge… look forward to all your ideas 🙂

Hi to everyone, new and old alike! It’s so great to hear how you’re all getting along.
Aussie and Charlie, those are exceptional results, you’re both doing so well and I love it when I hear that people’s doctors are happy with what they’re doing without drugs or expensive medical interventions.

Mygirl, sounds like things are really working well for you! I can’t imagine what it would take for me to wear a bikini! You go girl!

Hopeful, as far as low cal snacks and lunches, you can do what I did early on and research all the calorie values of veggies online or in a calorie counter, like in the original ‘fast diet’ book. Then you can easily choose some of the veggies you commonly like to eat, to make a single snack or massive salad. It’s hard to go overboard on veggies, and they’re tasty, full of nutrients, fibre and often cheaper than pre-packaged diet food/snacks. Carrots are my all time favourite, but it’s hard to pass up a cool cucumber, crisp lettuce leaves, juicy ripe tomatoes, topped with alfalfa sprouts. For extra punch try a squirt of lemon juice or splash of balsamic vinegar. Mandarines and apples are also excellent snacks and perfect for combating that middle of the day hunger and take no preparation time or cooking ability at all.

This week I’ve been working at my new job, and loving my massage clients. The management is expanding the business and that’s going to be leading to so much more work for other practioners too. This is wonderful news for an area with such a high jobless rate, and often little on offer as far as paid work goes. I get a real kick out of assisting people to be able to feel free of pain and move more easily. They are very happy and often pass on compliments about me to my boss, which is something I’m still getting my head around!

Working solo for years can be quite lonely and isolating, and honest client feed-back is something that is hard to get, face to face. (people often freely open up to others, when they are giving their opinions). For the first time in many years, I’m starting to see that I’m a wanted and valued member of society, who can make a positive contribution to others, it also pays a whole lot better than working alone!

This of course, has nothing what’s so ever to do with the 5:2, but because I’m a lot lighter and more at ease with my own body, I can take on new challenges and not feel as overwhelmed as I used to!

Have a lovely time on your journeys to become a much healthier you!
Live long and prosper!

Hi everyone, I (touch wood) seem to have broken through my plateau as I lost another 600g this week, so that’s 1.1kg down in the past 2 weeks after about 6 weeks of standing still. In some ways I don’t feel I’ve done anything differently, in fact I ate about 6 pieces of toasted fruit bread one day this week 😉 And on one of my fast days I was offered a tray of small custard tarts at work and took one and popped it in my mouth before I knew what I was doing! First time I’ve ever forgotten like that.
But what I have done differently is stop eating salmon (I have grilled fish each fast night dinner) and eat smaller pieces of fish; I’ve also been trying to eat a bit more intuitively on my non-fast days so that if I feel full (after 6 slices of fruit bread, for example), I don’t go ahead and eat a normal-sized dinner, I just have something very light.
Something interesting: I was browsing to buy some clothes online and decided to measure myself to see what size I now am (just inside size 12). That got me thinking about waist size and the many times I’ve read that waist size is an important predictor of risk to health. So I measured my waist – 82cm – and then looked up the website which said that for a woman, anything over 80cm is an increased risk! Geez! So here I am down to within normal BMI and with people telling me not to lose more weight (as I wrote last week) and I’m still over the ‘healthy’ waist size. Yes, I know to take all of these stats with a grain of salt (I’m 170cm tall, so taller than the average woman, which probably makes a difference) but still, food for thought.

Most don’t consume the skin of an orange or banana. The weight listed is peeled fruit.

If Vicki from Hobart is reading this a g’day for you particularly, but hello to everyone else as well. I don’t visit this web site so much any more but I keep up with the LOACA’s on facebook.

I’m almost a veteran of 5:2 now, almost a year since I started, and down from 83kg to 70kg. I’m still fasting once or twice a week and eating less over all. I’m drinking less too. My next target is 65kg.

I recently discovered Corn Thins and they are my fast day treat. A couple of crunchy thins with a smear of peanut butter and a cup of tea is a really jolly feed and makes me feel full. You can eat about 10 of these, if you could, without going over 500cals. Of course having a big plate of green salad and tomatoes with roast pumpkin is even nicer, but a girl needs snacks some times.

Good morning all,
No weight loss for me this week. 🙁 I’m hoping I’ll still have some cms lost. I don’t think I’ve been too bad on my non fast days. Maybe next week will be a bumper week for me. I’ll be calorie counting everything this week. Maybe that will shed some light.

How’s everyone going this week?

I don’t expect much weight loss as I’ve had pizza and birthday cake this week, and the kids are on holidays, but I am still feeling more comfortable in my clothes. I started a very basic HIIT routine this week, and have also resumed strength exercises from the Strong Women Stay Young/Slim books I’ve had for years. They use free weights, and I know I have more around somewhere…… I started with the arm exercises as I found the hand weights first. I need to find the leg weights for tonight. I’ll see how this all develops.

Hope we all have a successful week.

Morning everyone,
Fast day for me today. I am lucky my husband does it with me. Amy12 I love cauliflower rice and make it heaps and you are right it is filling. There are some great 5:2 recipes on Pinterest as well. Lavender and Lovage is another great site for 5:2. I try and make a new dish every week for my husband to try. I only have about 1.5 kilos to go with my weight loss but I don’t think it will be happening with Easter coming.
Hope everyone has a great week
Mygirl

Hi Sirrius
You are very lucky to be finished with the ‘old menopause ‘. I’m still getting the hot flushes and at times they drive me mad but, they come and go and I try to forget them till the next one. I think all us women put on weight and as you say it’s hard to shift. So I think it will be a slow and steady path.
I’ve been on the 5.2 for 12 weeks now with my husband and have tried to do at least 30 minutes of treadmill work for most days. And with my encouragement my husband does the same although he’s not really into the excersise thing but he has noticed changes so that’s good. We’ve both lost about 5 kgs since starting so I don’t think that is too bad. The hard time seems to be mid afternoon but I try to find something to keep me busy.
So good luck with it and don’t despare if the weight dosen’t come off in a hurry. As they say it’s a lifestyle change as much as a diet.

Morning all!
Great to hear from our new fasting buddies, as well as those old hands who are still keeping on the 5:2.

In one week, I will have been doing this 5:2 caper for exactly 12 months! Who would have thought that I’d have the sticking power to stay with it and actually LOVE it? Weirdness will never cease!
I would never have thought that I’d easily lose 16 kilos either, or feel so comfortable in my own skin!

I have 7 kilos to lose and have absolutely no problems saying that I’ll be losing them using 5:2, over the next 12 months. And saying that makes me smile, because I know it’s as easy as that! No fuss, drama or angst…those emotions have been left behind me in the dust, along with all of that fat. Yay!

Have a lovely week people, and those of you up north with Cyclone Ita, hold on to your loved ones and ride out the storm safely!

Live long and prosper!

Well done IHAW!!! That’s a fantastic result and a great attitude. I hope I’ll have a similar story to tell when my 1st year anniversary comes around.

Peggy, nearly 10kg in 5 months is awesome! Enjoy your holiday in hopefully sunny Qld.

Hi all
Great reading your posts. I found this today. I have been on 5:2 since 25 January this year. I lost 8 kg in 8 weeks then plateaued. I love this WOE and intend to stay on it. I lost 10 cm from the waist which has been the most rewarding result. New clothes required. After plateauing for a few weeks, am now losing again.
It’s great to read all the encouraging posts as I am doing this on my own. My husband is naturally skinny. I live in Canberra.

600g lost this week after 2 weeks of nothing. Definitely feeling the difference in my clothes.
Happy Monday everyone!

Hi everyone, especially Monday fasters.

After two slack weeks I’m back ‘on the wagon’ today and coping OK with 220 calories gone and a small grilled lamb chop and salad waiting after work.

Well done everyone who has lost weight. I haven’t been game to get on the scales but will do so on Thursday after my 2nd fast day on Wednesday.

Of course am hoping for some downward movement and/or improvement in measurement but steeling myself for no change or worse, an increase.

Weight loss has been painfully slow in the 11 weeks since I resumed this way of life but have lost 6cm from my waist so not all bad. I clearly need to pay more attention to my feast days. I also lurk in the ‘ladies of a certain age’ forum and, like many of them, since menopause haven’t been able to lose weight as easily as when younger (I’m 68 later this month)

Keep up the good work!

Hello everyone, happy Thursday!

I just wanted to let you know about a breakthrough I’ve had, wondering why my digital scales occasionally decide to give me readings that are way out, and then when I try again a few moments later, they are fine and then happily repeat the second reading again, and again.

I thought it was old batteries, or uneven flooring. But the actual cause is something I was doing, without being aware of it…until I really thought about it.

I was holding the scales in mid-air when setting them to read my personal data, rather than putting them on the floor and then setting them! The mid-air setting, seems to make the scales add a couple of kilos. On the floor first before setting the data, it then reads correctly, first time, every time!

So I wonder if my scales are the only ones doing this? Are other people’s sclales causing problems after being set in mid-air too? I would love to hear if my theory proves correct.

Cheers! And mind all of those chocolate eggs and Easter buns!

Hi All and welcome to the Newbies! 🙂

I’m definitely making this fast day count. I’ll enjoy the next couple of true feast days, but will also be pressing the reset button on Monday.

To all who celebrate Easter, enjoy this time with your families and friends (and may the Easter Bunny bring you something delicious).

Hello all, and Happy Easter!

Thanks to all those who have shared on here, lots of inspiring stories for a newcomer.

I’m just starting out and have 8kg to lose, having lost around 12kg over the past 3 years through lifestyle change. I’ve been at my current weight for the past year and it’s now time to get going on the last few with a couple of motivating events at the end of this year to spur me on.

I am really looking forward to seeing some changes, although I understand it might be slow and steady! I work in a very busy and sometimes physical job, and will need to plan my fast days ahead so I have on-the-go meals ready – any suggestions?

Can anyone suggest a good brand of scales in Australia?

Thanks!

hi inspiredgardener and mygirl,
Re the scales: on 14 February, I bought Salter digital scales from Myer. The instructions are fairly easy to follow. The scales give me percent of weight, fat, water, muscle, and BMI. When you use them, make sure you set them on a flat surface, such as the bathroom floor. Soft carpet interferes with both setting the personal info and with readings. Mine live under the bed usually.
It is very satisfying to see the downward trend in weight and fat and BMI. It also gives me a goal other than weight. Since 23 January I have lost 10 kg in total and 12 cm from my waist, and my BMI has dropped from 28 to 25.7, with fat going from 35% to 31.4%. Mostly achieved with 5:2, but sometimes I can only do 6:1. I eat very little processed food, too many useless carbs. I now feel “in control” of food intake in a way I haven’t in years. My treats are small, and my total intake of food is way less than it was. I make sure that I enjoy exercise every day; golf, or dog walks, or hill climbs. Good luck.

Thanks Bayleafoz and congratulations on your weight loss. It is a great feeling to see that weight drop off. I have had people comment which is a good indication that its working. My husband does it with me which is great. I also have a friend that does it who introduced me to it. We often have dinner and say that we should have a 5:2 dinner party. Enjoy your week

Mygirl