January: Menus for wintry days

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January: Menus for wintry days

This topic contains 76 replies, has 64 voices, and was last updated by  Todd 11 years, 5 months ago.

Viewing 27 posts - 51 through 77 (of 77 total)

  • I started this diet yesterday and I’m aiming to lose 1.5-2 stone. I often miss breakfast, so getting through the morning was relatively easy, but I then tend to eat a lot during the day whilst at work (less so on the weekend), so just a mini wrap with salad leaves made that part harder, and I felt ravenous by my evening meal (later than usual anyway as on “swimming lesson duty” with the kids), but after I had my “stir fried veg” with a tablespoon of teriaki sauce, I managed to get through the boredom hours by pushing out the thought of food from my head. What was surprising was that I didn’t feel overly hungry the next morning. I really hope this works for me as I think this is something I can stick with. For those who are getting headaches, I suspect it may be caffeine withdrawal – I get this every time I cut back on tea/coffee …

    I had my third fasting day yesterday and it went like a dream. I was very worried after the last one as I ached all over including a dramatic migraine by the evening and hardly slept. A doctor friend who has been doing the diet since last summer just told me to increase the protein I eat on fasting days. I think that’s what worked.
    Would it matter also if I had 100 cals for breakfast, then 150 in the afternoon? And the rest in the evening. I am usually a little and often eater. I need to lose about a stone, but primarily doing it for the health benefits.

    By the way I lost 3 lbs in the first week!!!!!!!!!

    Sorry to be a party pooper but my main struggle with fasting days is I really am not keen on fish of any sort, or nuts of any sort, and as a single person have to buy quantities of stuff which mean half will go to waste. Consequently my fasting days are a bit samey but so far working. I do admire all you folk who set to with the pots and pans BUT in my case that alone would make the diet unsustainable. Can we have some REALLY simple ideas for non-cooks please?

    @jollywoggles – I also don’t eat seafood or nuts but have been fasting for 6 months with great success (15.5kg off so far!). It really does help to batch cook a recipe and divide it out by calories, then freeze in the spare portions. I know it seems like a pain, but it needn’t be more than an hour every couple of weeks and you’ll soon find your freezer is full of a selection of lovely dinners! I do chilli, ratatouille, lasagne, bolognaise, chunky veg soup to name a few.
    Another easy one, if you save all your cals for dinner is a 500 cal ‘roast’:

    100-120g raw piece of chicken breast (about 130 cals)
    250g steam bag of carrots/broccoli (about 90 cals)
    100g mashing veg (big bag from tesco cooked & divided up) (about 40 cals)
    250g baby potatoes (190 cals) brushed with a tiny amount of olive oil (15 cals)
    Gravy (I make mine from 10g bisto powder & half a chicken oxo – around 30-35cals)

    Total: 500 cals (and I can’t usually manage it all!)
    You could swap out some spuds for a bigger piece of chicken.

    Roast the chicken & the little spuds in their skins (I cut them in half, brush with a tiny amount of oil & a sprinkle of salt) for about 25 mins.
    Microwave the bag of veg & re-heat your mashed veg (assuming you pre cooked/mashed them & froze them in)
    Make gravy – around 100-150ml boiling water with half chicken oxo, then pour in the bisto powder (which has been mixed with a little cold water) and stir well.

    Lovely big filling roast dinner, low cal and a great winter warmer. One of my fasting day faves!

    day 2 tomorrow, no problems fo far, but wondered about a possible error in book concerning blueberries – Day 2 breakfast in suggested 500 cal menu shows 145g blueberries 37 cals BUT in calorie counter 100g blueberries = 60cals!! Adjusted day 1 breakfast using calorie counter info was I right?

    Hi newbie here – been doing this for three weeks now and today is No. 7 of the fast days. I am doing the two days consecutively, I weigh in on the morning of the first day on my new body monitoring scale and I have only managed to lose 1lb but the fat and bmi have gone down and the water has gone up – maybe I’m drinking too much water! Anyway at least the weight is going in the right direction. Not finding it hard to do surprisingly and husband is quite impressed with me. I need to lose 2 stone and am very optimistic after reading the book and reading some of the comments on here. Will update as I go along.

    Go for it Susie! In the book, we say that you shouldn’t expect weight loss on any given day – but hopefully over time the trajectory will be downwards, so don’t be despondent if one day/week plateaus. As far as water goes, keep drinking! Hydration is important and is a help not a hindrance on a Fast Day. Give yourself a while to settle into the pattern, and do keep us in the loop.

    Hi,
    Another newbie here! I’m on my first fast day and need inspiration. What’s the best kind of meal to prepare for your first evening ‘Fast’meal? Although my husband is very nervous about being hungry/light headed, he’s going to do this with me. I want to show him how easy it can be. I’m staying positive about hunger and temptation not being a problem and need to keep hubby in the same mind-set. Help!

    Three weeks on the fast and lost 1/2 from my belly already (although looks more. I need to buy a new belt!!

    Have had to shift my days a couple of times but that’s been no problem.

    All set for my first fast day tomorrow horrified at my BMI and waist: height measurements hopefully see a change in these come time !!!!!!!

    Good luck to anyone else starting tomorrow

    Mimi, read your column in MoS. How great to achieve, if that is the right word, such celebrity by promoting health and fitness in such an interesting and achievable way. It all makes so much sense.There will always be those who will do you down but just look at those followers here who have already begun to achieve so much. As a lifetime taker of sugar in tea/coffee, I have at last made the concerted effort to give it up! I lost 4lb in my 1st week , probably water retention, and this is my 3rd fast day. I already feel in charge of my weight and health. I am keeping a couple of M & S low calorie meals to hand,veg moussaka & fish pie, for emergency consumption in case the fridge is bare or the spirit is weak on a fast day. Do you approve?

    I have been on this programme for a while, I started at 13st5lb and am now 12st8lb and I’m finding it really easy. I can see myself on this diet for life. I feel fantastic and very confident that I can reach my target weight and maintain it. I started dieting 2 years agoand lost 3.5st but put a stone back on and was really depressed, thinking I would have to diet forever but now I know I can keep this up! Many thanks, you are both an inspiration!

    Hi. I started on “The Fast Diet Plan” on the 4th Feb 2013 after reading the book from cover to cover, totally obsorbed by the whole idea that it’s only for two days a week! I have tried many different diets over the years, but not been able to keep them going for very long.
    But this one is just so different. It’s not difficult, and fits around my life style with ease! and because it’s only for 2 days a week, you don’t really feel like your on a diet.
    In just four weeks I have lost 7lb-10oz, and for the first time in my life I feel really positive, thank you so much.

    Hello Dido, Melita and Sugarplum – thank you for your posts, it’s great to hear such positive stories. I certainly think that the emotional benefits of weight loss can be just as important than the physical.
    Dido – yes, M&S Fuller Longer range can be really helpful on a Fast Day. Personally, I trust them to use good produce, and the cal count is likely to be spot on.
    Good luck to you all – and to all the Monday Fasters out there today…

    I want to say, thank you, thank you and thanks again, for bringing this diet to my attention. I have tried them all but because they all have been restrictive, I have failed time and time again. This diet is user friendly, fit for purpose and I don’t feel deprived. I call this a psychological diet because my brain has taken in, what I can’t have today I can have tomorrow. I have lost 11lb in all since I started before Christmas. Obviously I had a few hiccups over that period but am in full swing and shout it from the hilltops, anybody not taking advantage of this phenomena don’t know what they are missing. Thanks again.

    On the O’Kelly Fish, is that 200 degrees C. or F,? I am in US

    I am baffled, keep clicking on the Meal Plans from Mimi link and get nothing – have tried Firefox and Explorer – any suggestions?

    Hi Mommo – 200 degrees celsius – basically quite a hot oven. Hope you enjoy!

    Hi redkitejo – can you email tech@thefastdiet.co.uk and we’ll see if can figure out what’s happening? Thanks!

    Hi, what about sweeteners? Can I use them in cooking?

    Hi, just saw your program on swedish television and got immediately interested of the 5-2 fasting. On my fasting day I spread the 500 kcal on 3 meals, is that ok? In the program M seems to eat only breakfast, amd the menues above contains only two meals…

    Hi,this is my 3rd week with fasting every tuesday and thursday, I was wondering if I matters what makes up the 500cal on fasting days? Is it a good idea to just eat protein, I have been having a little rice but wondering if I just stick to maybe fruit and water or just the protein. Have not weighed my self yet as a little worried I have not lost any weight and do not want to get disheartend. I was feeling really good but this week feel rather bloated.

    Hi, susieq – For maximum filling-effect with minimum calories, a mix of protein and green/ leafy vegetables is recommended. Have a read around some other sections on the site – like ‘Different ways to manage your fasting days’ – for more comments/ suggestions about what/how to eat on fast days. Personally, I think it’s good not to get too attached to the weighing-scales – once a week or even once a month promotes greater equanimity and gives a better idea of an overall trend, thus avoiding any anxiety caused by the natural, quite broad, daily fluctuations. Many people like to use a tape-measure as well as (or instead of) scales, as they find that their body measurements have often reduced even when their overall weight hasn’t altered. We are all different and have different needs, etc, so it’s important to experiment and work out what best suits your individual lifestyle using the 5:2 approach. I hope you will enjoy the process and happily achieve your personal goals.

    My husband and I have been doing the 5-2 diet since September last year. At first we started Monday and Wednesday. Now we do Monday, Tuesday. I especially like fasting Mondays as it gets rid of the extra calories I’ve taken in, such as alcohol over the weekend. I’ve lost about a stone and my husbands’s lost round stone and a half. On non fast days we eat normally and I eat chocolate (probably to much). So far I haven’t gained any weight and seemed to have stabilised around 7stone 11 pounds. I’m happy with this weight and feel I don’t need to lose anymore.

    Hi I’ve read a lot about this diet over the last week and started on Sunday. I found I wasn’t that hungry and it went well. I downloaded the my fitness app which is excellent for calorie counting I think because you are counting the calories on your fast day you are more aware of the calories on your normal days, which is good. My main comment is that I went to the cardiologist with my mum today to see the doctor who specialises in cholesterol (lipid clinic) I asked if the diet was suitable he said this is his regime and he encourages his family and friends to do the 2:5 diet. I was really surprised, I thought he would laugh me out of the place! He said this was fine for mum so off we go!

    Been on diet for a few weeks. I am interested to read all the posts. Was hoping that some people who have been on diet for a while would post any alteration in blood test results.

    ddunder, I’ve been on 9 months and just had a blood test. And the results are:

    Date: Aug-12 to May-13
    Weight: 104 kg to 89 kg
    Blood Pressure: 137/87 to 110/75
    Blood Sugar(FPG): 104 mg/dl to 109 mg/dl
    Liver Function SGOT/AST: 24 u/l to 21 u/l
    Liver Function SGPT/ALT 46 u/l to 21 u/l
    Cholesterol: 228 mg/dl to 272 mg/dl
    Triglycerides: 181 mg/dl to 133 mg/dl
    HDL-C: 36 mg/dl to 52 mg/dl
    LDL-C: 156 mg/dl to 188 mg/dl

Viewing 27 posts - 51 through 77 (of 77 total)

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