Hi Nemum

What’s your news?

Ginette

Hi Nemum

That is really GREAT. I feel so pleased for you. Your perseverance has paid off. Yes it’s a strange thing to look forward to fast days. It happens to a lot of us.

Carry on the good work.

I’m going to post a link to a thread I started some time ago. I have just put some info there for people starting out. It might be useful to you.

I really am so pleased for you.

Ginette

Thank you I’ll have a read of that later.
How are you today Ginette, how much are you hoping to lose?
I’m off to make another batch of 100 calorie soups for the freezer, it’s been fab when I’m fasting on a work day.
let’s hope I lose something soon, and i mean other than my car keys.
L

Since 19th January have lost 26 lbs gone from 10st 7lbs to 8st 9lbs kept with it this works.

Plumb
26lb – well done!
There is hope for all of us.
Are you calorie counting on your nfd? I think that’s what I meed to do more of.
Good on ya.
L

So encouraging to read all your posts – I’m still doing well at the end of the second week but anticipating the dreaded ‘plateau effect’ to kick in soon. Being short and sedentary does have its disadvantages.

SW 139 CW 133.8 GW 125

Hi all and happy weekend.

I’ve not posted in this thread for a little while. @Galax you are miles away from any plateau! You have only just started and a plateau tends to come from eating more. If you eat less than your reduced TDEE you will lose weight. It’s basic maths, calories in verses calories out. So don’t mess with your head space thinking about things that aren’t going to happen. Keep putting in the good work and you will continue to lose (smile).
I am sedentary and only 5’4 but height has nothing to do with losing weight. Nor really does exercise. Less food for weight loss, more health for exercise, not everyone who exercises is slim or loses weight from it.

Audrey nice to see you back (smile) the fast beach diet is 6 week intensive/boot camp version of the fast diet. Basically you cut out alcohol and all treats, keep your TDEE well under, stick 100% to your 500 cals on FDS, count calories on NFDs. It’s good to do that every now and then to establish again what a real tbsp measurement is lol makes you aware of how measuring by eye and guessing can lead to over eating. And add some HIT exercises 3 times a week. I haven’t been able to do the exercises, tried it the first day and it made my knee incredably sore for 2 weeks. I’ve found some great ‘chair’ workouts though and bought a full muscle resistance kit and sent for an exercise ball lol. So I’ve been doing muscle strengthening and building. Actually it’s helped my knee and back, I’m feeling more agile at the end of my first week! So that’s it in a nutshell. I’ve only actually had to give up alcohol and add the exercise as I do the rest anyway. Ginette has been breezing through it and Milena.

Plumb, well done, it’s fantastic to hear a good story like that. Have you started maintenance?

Well I have lost 40lbs now in 12 weeks, started 16th February, I’m super pleased with that! It’s funny, when you start off as big as me, 19 stone 2lbs – 268lbs it takes a while to really notice your loss. For me it was this week. Suddenly getting into a couple of short dresses I wear with leggings and boots that I have hardly worn as they barely fit when aI bought them lol. Going shopping and buying 24s instead of 28s. Looking in the mirror and taking pics I can see a huge difference in my whole body. Face is a lot smaller, although I think my chins are the same my sisters assure my they are not lol. Hips, tummy, midriff, back, chest, bust are way smaller! Inches are coming off everywhere. Sadly my stick legs and slim arms are smaller too lol. But all in all it’s great. My back doesn’t hurt to stand and walk for short periods. My knee had been terrible but with this last half a stone I basically lost in the last 2.5 weeks, that’s markably improved.

I’m still eating out 3 times a week, I stay well under my TDEE which is 1960 but I have set to 1500. I actually eat around 1000 if I’m not eating out, but can still keep it that way even eating out if I choose well and eat very low cal for lunch. I only eat 2 meals and don’t snack. I still have a skinny cappuccino most days. I’ve stopped drinking glasses of milk as I just love cold skim milk but drank 1-2 pints a day before. Now I just have it in my cappuccino on NFDs instead which I love and see this as a treat but it’s not naughty at 105 cals and the sugar in the milk doesn’t cause any cravings or crashes. I guess it’s all about having something you enjoy without the sugar rush or spoiling your calorie intake. Coffees are great for this. Lattes are good but more calorific because obviously theres a lot more milk. And stick to skinny!

I found in the begining especially finding a none sugary food or drink that you love and can be your ‘goto food’ for difficult times without breaking the calorie bank. My lunch is often 1tbsp of peanut butter (really good oils) spread on a banana, sometimes on a slice of low GI bread. I used to have 2 slices but that was too much carb to protien ratio so often don’t have the bread to keep it less

Happy Saturday, good luck fasters, my 3 are done for the week

Jaye 🙂

Thanks for the encouragement and advice audreyg and Jayegirl. Won’t think about a possible plateau – I’ll just keep going on a day to day basis. Luckily I only had to lose 13lbs so I’m pleased with the fantastic start, but appreciate I’ve got to be very careful as one or two large meals will put on the weight it has taken me a fortnight to lose!

Plumb – that’s a fantastic achievement – well done!

These are whole day meal plans, again from woman magazine.

This may really help people new to 5:2 if you are stuck for ideas.

http://www.womanmagazine.co.uk/food/500-calorie-meal-plans-52-diet/

Plenty to choose from.

Ginette

Has anyone heard from fran? Not heard from her since my return, if you are about fran I hope you are well.
Ginette great thread above, lots of reading material.
Audrey

Thanks ginette
you and fran were among the first to welcome me to the forum, would not like to think that we had lost her.

Fran hope you are feeling better, know you are missed

Audrey

Oh dear oh dear,

Been on scales put on 2lb 1st time ever, I have spoiled myself since I came home and I feel awful. No one to blame but myself and possibly hubby who bought loads of chocolate which I have eaten!

I am back calorie counting and today is the start again for me, a fast day which includes exercise!

NeMum I have made vegetable, minestrone, pea and ham and chicken, I also have chilli and bolognese sauces made with turkey mince which are all very low calorie. Your tomato soup sounds great can I have the recipe please?

Audrey

Hi Audrey and Nemum

Nemum

Why don’t you also join the fat bustin Brits thread. I really made a delicious mushroom soup. It wasn’t my choice although I was willing to try. It was much nicer than anticipated and definitely fell into the the health eating category. When I used onions I always soften them a little in the microwave if it requires frying them.

I have a soup make which I use a lot in the winter, but not so much now. It is so easy. Add ingredients and press a button. In 20 mins soup ready and blended. Great for children to use, preparing vegetables and then eating the finished product.

I think I got mine from Robert Dyas.

As long as you count everything in under TDEE that will be fine to eat fat. I have set mine on goal weight and I come in at about 500 calories under that.

Once you get the hang of this maybe in a week or two maybe try looking at this as it will help weight loss. At first if we miss food it is easy to over compensate. Once the 5:2 is in our system and the cravings go it is easier to eat less calories.

You are doing really well. How much do you want to lose? We all adjust don’t we Audrey. A lot of people find the first couple of weeks difficult, but then it seems to fall into place. I have lost a pound this week, but I am happy with that as I lost 5lb last week and 3lb the week before, just np by cutting out treats. This is really what the FBD is. Although I seem to have had a meal off every week. I can really feel as if I have lost it as well.

How are you doing Nemum re weight and measurements?

Ginette

Hi Nemum

Right you sound as if you have cracked fast days. Now you need to crack non fast days. Also the weight coming off will help your health.

Now start counting calories on non fasting days. Set your limit to what you want to be long term and keep under that. As I said mine comes out on my fitness pal at 1580 so I am normally 4/500 under that. If you cut out treats for the next couple of weeks. That will help you so much. You will gain complete control and feel so much better.

Audrey is cutting out for a week (I think she may do more). This is a great wat to start. Allow yourself a nice meal every week to look forward to. Maybe with a small treat but way under your TDEE. When you get to half term, you will be more in control. Once you start your weight shifting it will carry on.

I truly believe as I have done it myself that cutting out treats works. The weight moves and you stop having cravings. I still have potatoes 2/3 times a week and bread 2/3 times a week. Apart from this no carbs for me.

I never thought I would get below 17.7 stone so easily now I am around 17.4. I know that following my own advice I shall lose more that a lb next week. I would love to see you start losing.

If you cut out treats next week, you can have something nice over half term…..just a little though. Stop thinking of treats as rewards and start thinking about how you are going to treat yourself.

I wish you luck, I have only lost so much through doing this. Audrey are you listening…..

I say this through wanting to help you, always remember that, if I hadn’t done it myself I wouldn’t give this advice. I do normally have treats on 5:2, after FBD I hope to be able to restrict these a little more.

Best of luck. Only you can do this for yourself, it is your choice.

Ginette

Hi ladies,

I have exercised so much today I have now got more calories left than I started with!

I am hoping that when I weigh in on Wednesday I am back to where I was last week. I am not feeling particularly hungry as yet so am still on liquid only hope this determination lasts the whole week.

Wish me luck please I am hoping to fast Tues and Thurs this week (today is extra day).

Audrey

I am 56 and so disappointed about this diet. It was my one last hope of loosing excess weight having struggled with this for a number of years and tried several different diets. I intially lost 3kg in the first month, second month gained 2kg (I thought maybe I was over compensating on my non-fast days, so in my third and fourth month I was very strict on my fast days and very careful about my eating on the other days. 3rd month lost 1kg, 4th month stayed the same. When you get a pathetic result like this it is very hard to stay motivated, so I gave up after that for a few months. I then thought I would give it another go for a month and see what happened. Again strictly followed on my fast days, and careful on my nonfast days. Result 500gm in one month!!! I am disgusted and disheartened and don’t know what I can do next. Can’t imagine having to fast extra days (2 is hard enough). My theory is that this whole diet is based on the assumption that we all need 2,000calories a day to maintain our weight, when in fact some unfortunate people like me only need about 1400 calories a day , so the differece of reducing our calorie intake is not enough to elicit weight loss.(and yes I do exercise, cardio& weights 2 – 3 times a week and always take the stairs etc) I am wondering if there could be some medical reason why this is not happening for me?

Ginette,
Thank you so much fo your continued advice. Really appreciate it.
Today is fast day!
Yippee!
Going to try to make it low carbs aswell.
L

Hi Nemum

Well done are you counting? It is a fast day for me as well.

Ginette

Morning ginette

I had a really strict day yesterday and have managed to lose 1 of the pesky pounds I had put on.

I have spent a good hr working out on the wii today do am hoping the other lb will come off too!

Have a good day today, fast day for me tomorrow

Audrey

Hi Jo90

The 2000 calories per day is just a generalised amount for women and I think many of us would actually put on weight if we aimed for that daily target.
My TDEE is calculated at just over 1300 calories. I use Calorie Count to record everything I eat and drink – yes it’s a bit tedious weighing and measuring everything, but I have had a few surprises – good and bad – about how many calories certain items contain. It’s a case of you can eat what you like but not necessarily how much and willpower/motivation does play a very important part in food choices. So far I have lost just over 5lb in two weeks and have another 5lb to go to my target (doctor recommended) weight. I am a sedentary 5’2” female so exercise per se isn’t much of an influence in my case.

Really good luck NEMum, hope your fast day is going well. I’m finding ginger green tea a real help – hot and comforting, tasty, no calories.

For myself I’m having a bit of a re-think. My annoying gastric symptoms, when put together with my diagnosis of B12 deficiency and inability to lose weight no matter what, suggest a problem with gluten. Sure enough a few days off the gluten and hey presto, much reduced tummy ache etc. I’ll go back to the doctor for more blood tests, just in case of coeliac. I may be about to become the world’s least welcome dinner guest!

I’m sticking with the 5:2 because I still believe it’s good for me, in general, but the overall message on the forum (just eat less … and less … and less) puts this regime straight back into the territory of regular dieting for me. That’s something I finally left behind after years of, well, everything that diets bring. My weight was on a fairly even keel until I took up the 5:2 as a cancer-preventing & general health strategy and it was only after I’d been on it for months and my weight started to creep up that I started posting here to find out if others had similar experiences.

So, my message is, it’s not always best to just keep on keeping on hoping it will work. If you need to lose weight AND you’ve done an honest and realistic job of balancing energy in and out, and it’s REALLY not working, it might be worth looking elsewhere.

Hi everyone

I’m an advocate of keeping on keeping on, and eat less and less. I even think the dreaded ‘D’ word has to be part of the equation.

I began 5:2, as many do, going down the 2000/500 calories route, didn’t lose anything in the first three weeks, which I put down to needing to stop weight gain before weight loss, maybe that’s a bit of it, but mainly 2000/500 just doesn’t work for me.

I’ve 5 stone to lose. My TDEE is 1600. Therefore if I do 2000 I’m overeating, by 25%. 5:2 works basically by restricting you to 80% of your normal.

2000 cals on NFDs meant 80% of 125%.

= 100%.

= no weight lost.

Major rethink!

Michael and Mimi were never grossly overweight. In fact Mimi was 25bmi.

Michael and Mimi’s ‘normal’ might I guess, was not mine. Overeating, for whatever reason, isn’t normal.

Which means a fatty like me had to rethink things. And to follow the advice on the forum, but to find the advice that works.

I stay below TDEE, which is low because I’m old, short and do little exercise, I stay below my interim target TDEE, and I try to stay below my ultimate target TDEE, in the hope that I get there, I might be better prepared.

I do complete fasts, I do 5:2 and 4:3 and I do a little exercise. Heck, I’ve done 2:5 a couple of times.

My latest extra kick is Fast Beach Diet, for a few weeks NO treats NO alcohol LOW carbs, MORE exercise.

If it sounds like a diet, it is. I eat much less, though if you told me I HAD to eat less every day, I might not be keen.

I don’t cheat – though if you said I can’t, I would be the first to cheat.

I restrict my diet, white bread and pasta are a distant memory. I you said I can’t have them, I would.

So, for me, 2000/500 doesn’t work, TDEE does, but it’s slow. Eating ‘normal’ on NFDS, that’s for maintenance.

I just keep on keeping on.

For me – it’s working. Tweeking and changing. Eating nothing some days – now that was scary. The first time. Now? Normal.

Nearly halfway there.

There may be other options than 5:2, I doubt that there are better options though. And it’s not a one size fits all – you have to find the 5:2 which works for you.

It is hard, but it’s not impossible. And I’m beginning to realise that I don’t actually need much food, and I beginning to think that frankly nothing tastes as good as thin feels, especially to a gal who knows how fat feels.

I hope everyone on this journey comes to realise they can get there, if they really really want to, as much as I want to.

I hope I don’t sound preachy, but I’m not sure there are other options.

Milena,
Loved your post, thank you for taking the time.
I am still finding my way, as 4 weeks in, 90lb to lose and nothing lost (yet).
But I feel I’ve cracked fast days, and love it.
I’m going down the 3 small meals a day route, today I had
Breakfast – 2 scrambled eggs
Lunch – 100 calorie soup (home made)
Dinner – Oven baked chicken with lemon, clove and chilli and coleslaw (homemade)
With lots of water and a few herbal teas.
I was hoping for some calories spare for a low cal hot choc sachet for later, but the piece of chicken weighed more than expected so I opted for more chicken.
Exactly 500.

Currently I’m doing Mon and Thurs fasts, but think I may add an extra one and do Mon, Wed and Fri, try to kick start my weight loss.

Have found a tape measure now, so will measure myself to see if it’s coming off somewhere.

Happy health to you all
L

Milena,

Lovely post

Nemum,

you seem to have it all in place now, I am sure you will soon reap the benefits, I have heard from many people who have successfully lost weight doing 5 2 I don’t see why you won’t.

Audrey

Hi Applepie

Thank you! Wise – Milena? Not often used in the same sentence!

Well if your buying, I’ll be over!!!! Great news though!

Self assessment is a bit easier hete now for self employed, for some reason stock no longer included, and a rate for a room. So much easier now that we aren’t vat registered.