good luck and stay healthy!

Hi Jane,

Constipation can be a challenge for some people as they change their way of eating. I’ve found psyllium husk to be the best remedy for me. I have a challenge with most grains so other brans are out, but psyllium husk is cheap to buy in a 500gm bag, it has no calories as it goes through after bulking up from taking in fluid, and bulks out and softens stool, easing the constipation. I take 1 1/3 heaped teaspoons in a small glass of water in the morning. It can also be taken other times of the day, and added to food. I also carry some with me in a ziplock bag or small container if I’m travelling away from home. Cheap, easy, no calories.

Congrats on being OK talking about a necessary but icky subject.

Congrats also on your progress.
Merry

Hi Jane,
The trick with travelling is to make some changes that still allow you to enjoy yourself, but will not sabotage your 5:2 program and thus your weighloss.

Continuing to do what you used to do when travelling will be to continue how you got overweight in the first place. It’s telling that when you talk about your weight/health you say ‘I’ and when you talk about holidays you say ‘us’ or ‘we’. Think about how you might approach your holiday so you continue with your goals, and still enjoy your holiday as part of a couple or group.

So, you need to plan, now, how you’re going to handle food, and how you’ll handle fluids while away. There are many on the forum who’ve holidayed while 5:2 ing or keeping their weight from going back up while still enjoying the holidays just as much. I’ve done it several times and I’ll pass on my strategies but I’ll come back later in the day to do that.

Hi Jane,
Good talking to your OH (other half) and deciding on a holiday goal – to return at the same weight,

Some strategies:

1. Still do your 2 FDs preferably on the same days ie Mon/Thurs. you’re starting to have an idea now of what a FD consists of for you, so try to do the same or very similar while away. Something strong tasting gives the mouth a sensation of having eaten more eg chili, curry,

2. Alternate drinks – if you are used to lots of wine/beer, alternate with sparkling water, So start with a sparkling water with lime or lemon slice, the wine, then sp water, then wine etc. the bubbles in the sp water give the psychological illusion of being festive, and the alternating cuts the calories for the event, but you won’t feel deprived.

On nonFDs skip breakfast. This is a meal where people say “but it comes with the accomodation, and I have to get my money’s worth/not waste it”. Holiday breakfasts or buffets ate often a larger meal than you would normally have. My answer is, it’s even more wasted if you’re just eating it to get your money’s worth. It’s wasted sitting on your hips, bum, stomach, or a double chin etc.

3. Stay away from the dining room at breakfast. Go for a walk instead, or have a well deserved extra half hour or hours sleep.

4. If you’re trying something that’s a specialty of the region. Get 1 between 2 and share. What puts on weight is getting 1 each, and doing it again each day.

5. If it’s a delicacy that comes in various sizes then get the small one.

6. Icecream – ask for a childrens’ serve.

7. Combine desert and coffee – an affogato. This is a small espresso coffee which comes with a small ball of vanilla icecream in a separate glass. Pour the hot espresso over the icecream, and there is dessert (a small one) and coffee in 1. Sometimes this is served with a liquer as well, which is also poured over the coffee and icecream. I ask for it to be served without the liqeur. Less calories.

8. Meals – cut back on starches in meals eg. A salad instead of a sandwich. If something’s usually served with rice have it without rice. If you like pasta have 1 between the 2 of you instead of 1 each. Share a salad as well. Hamburger – have a naked hamburger ie eat the filling and leave the bun, or leave half the bun,

9. Don’t have the bun or bread that comes with an evening meal. If a dish comes with chips ask them to hold the chips. If you can’t do this just yet then hold the chips on 1 of plate and share the chips on the other.

10. Instead of 3 courses have 2. Have entree and main meal. Or share an entree and have a main each. Or have an entree (starter)each and share a main. Or have a main each and share dessert. Or share a large main and share dessert. Checkout how big the dishes are that other people are being served.

11. If there’s soup, have a clear soup – consomme – rather than a thick or creme soup.

12. Pasta – have this with a tomato sauce instead of a cream sauce.

13. Salads – ask for the dressing to be served on the side, so you can put on a smaller amount yourself.

14. If the vegies come with a sauce you can ask them to hold the sauce and serve with a lemon wedge. Squeeze the lemon juice over the hot vegies. Hold the gravy or ask for it to be served on the side.

15. Buffets – avoid these if possible. If not possible pick up a small plate to put food on. Choose what you like but take a smaller portion than you normally would. Don’t load your plate up high. Elegant sufficiency is what you’re going for. Enjoy what you have. Take your time.if you go back for seconds have only a very small amount on the 2nd go.

16. Walk 10,000 steps every day.

17. This first holiday where you and OH are motivated to go home the same weight, make it a game to see where you can make changes to your past experiences, but still be enjoyable. There are simple things you can do
Eg
a boiled or poached egg has less calories than a scrambled one.
Strawberries and rockmelon (canteloupe – sp?)have less calories than other fruit.
Halve the amount of cream.
Have prawns instead of steak, chops or sausages – less calories.
Grilled fish instead of battered fish.
Check the fit of your clothes. If they’re getting a little tighter, do a FD the next day. Some of us have discovered that if we have an indulgent day the fastest and easiest way to get that off is to do a FD the next day.

I’m sure you’ll come up with tips of your own.

Good luck, and have a good 5:2 holiday.

Well done Jane, and good on you for being honest with yourself and us.

Onwards and Downwards,
Merry

I finally had a good fasting day on Monday…I am on FD #2 today. I have planned activities for this afternoon, to keep me occupied. Hopefully I am getting back on track. 🙂

Jane that is what I like about this WOL also…I too, like to enjoy adult beverages over the weekend and I like that no food is totally restricted.

Have a great FD tomorrow and good luck with your weigh-in. 🙂

Yay indeed! I am just starting the 5:2 WOL. Today is my 4th FD. Your journey inspires me. I am so afraid it won’t work for me, but watching your progress is very helpful. Keep up the good working!

Thank you! I have seen your posts and will continue to refer to the link above. I am definitely viewing this as a WOL and hoping I will adopt it for infinity. 🙂 It makes so much sense and seems very doable. Seems like a lot on this site enjoy their beverages as do I so I feel right at home. Sorry for the hijack janejust.

Congrats Jane! and happy weekend 🙂

I had a good week this week with 2 full FDs…and I got the scale to move in the right direction…2 lbs away from my pre-holiday weight. Yay! With a good week next week, I can start working on the 10 lbs to hopefully get to my goal before Summer.

Hi, beachgirl, and lots of luck to you!

Enjoy you weekend everyone!