Good morning! This is my Day 2 Fast! Had 1 egg omelet with peppers/onions/mushrooms. No oil/butter. I plan to skip lunch (as I day on Day 1 Fast) and then have remaining calories for dinner.

I have a question about breakfast/no breakfast. Do you have opinions and/or evidence that on Fast Days it would be better to skip breakfast and/or lunch and just have the one evening meal? There would mean more fasting hours between the evening before and the meal on Fast Day, so it would seem this would be more beneficial, but maybe not??? Also, I understand that it may be just a personal preference and have no bearing on more weight loss or less. I’m curious and would be willing to skip breakfast on future fast days if there’s a good reason to do so.

Welcome Tigon! You’re just one state over from me! I’m in Kentucky–Bowling Green to be exact, which is an hour north of Nashville, Tennessee.

Milena — I got such a kick from your market meltdown story! (confession: I had to google courgette — ahhhhh, a zucchini!) You broke a zucchini in half! And then you stamped on it! No wonder you frightened the veggies! I would think it sent a powerful message to the husband, as well — after all, it was a long, hard courgette/zucchini you violated and not a soft, round tomato! And that’s all I want to say on THAT subject!

Also a note to Milena re “hula hoops”. I know what you mean about today’s fancy hula hoops with the magnets, weights, etc. But the other day I was in a “Dollar” type discount store — the kind where everything inside is $1. They had the old-fashioned hula hoops – – colorful plastic rings exactly like the kind I had when I was a child. And they were $1. Do you have those kinds of stores there?

Sending happy, successful vibes to all today!

Pam

Good morning all. Thanks so much for kind welcome and encouragement. I will look for that book as I am an avid reader generally and have a few on the C topic. I had heard of the jar salad concept and had even bought some pretty jars [with great intentions] so am inspired to dust them off! Re hula hoops, the thing I recall is heavy is good {can’t believe the irony there!!!} — they work much better, so the cheap light plastic kind are much harder to use….I had tried one and flailed about in frustration:(….. no idea about magnets though! I’d hate to see you suddenly flying through the air to stick to a passing plane;). Up for boot camp at 445?! Wow is all I can say! I did a boot camp when I turned 50 but was lighter and stronger then ….but even that was after work, not a morning exerciser unless it’s gentle.
Gearing up for a 500 day tomorrow, and plan to measure and record all the squishy bits today as I didn’t last week… AAAK.

Hi Salma, we can be cyber gym buddies, never thought I would evercwrite that!!

I’ve bid on two hula, or is it hoola, hoops, as OH thought it might be good exercise for him. Believe me, I would pay good money to see my man gyrating around the garden, so I’m buying him one!

Hi Ginette: Thanks for the link – but I can’t see the video here in the states. I tried a couple of different ways and am blocked.

Hi Salma: Good information about breakfast/lunch – and sort of what I figured. Next fast day — that is, next Monday, I think I’ll try that.

I was just at butcher shop waiting to order a chicken breast for tonight. The woman in front of me had asked for a “sample” of a Lebanon bologna. The kind butcher obliged and sliced off several thin bits and then seeing me stand there, offered one to me, too. I popped it in my mouth without even thinking! Then it was too late! It tasted delicious! I checked “myfitnesspal” app and for the amount I ate, my guess is 35 calories. Not TOO bad, but would have rather saved those 35cals for tonight and could have contributed toward a glass of wine! Oh well. Note to self: Be more mindful before just popping any old thing into mouth!

Hi Phoebe

Measuring, especially the first time is daunting. The truth always is, look on it this way – this is your starting point and it is an important one. We all know how much we weigh and sometimes that is daunting, it is important as it will later help you know how far you have come.

I measured bust, tummy (oh dear), hips, arms and legs top and calf. It also says to measure your neck. This I did but I am sure this will shrink in time.

I have lost inches around my bust, tummy, hips, arms, legs top and calf. Neck I shall check much later. Other places I have noticed are wrist as my watch now swings, my feet……I put a pair of new shoes on which I had tried on before but now they are too big. I must wear them soon as I can probably just get away with them.

Someone said yesterday that my shoulders looked narrow, first real comment I have had. My son who isn’t known for his compliments tells me I have lost weight as he can see it. Normally I always believe this, but it is the fact that he was so worried about me that I think he would say this to encourage me. Kind I know.

Hopefully the squishy bits will melt away.

Pam I’m sorry you can’t see the video. I will look out for it on you tube as it might turn up there. It is easy to pick things up without thinking at first. You will soon get used to the fact that you can’t.

Hi Milena

I hope you get that hila hoop. It is meant to be really good exercise. Will be interesting to see hubby doing it.

Lori

I can’t believe you have to get up so early. I am most definetly a night person 2/3am is about my normal time to sleep. I will get an awful shock on Friday when I have to leave the house at 6.15 am. I really am not looking forward to it.

Ginette

Pamela – have you tried Zenmate? Free download, set your location to UK.

Or download popular TV shows / films via Pirate Bay or similar torrent sites.

Good Morning all!

One of my favorite foods, Oikos Greek yogurt, used to be in a 6 oz. cup and is now only 5.3 oz. I’m quite sure the price is the same or maybe even more! At least it’s a few less calories per cup!

Had a leisurely morning of sipping coffee & chatting with the husband. It was an off day from boot camp, so no rushing around. I was hoping to sleep in a bit, but my furry alarm clock had other ideas and woke me up at 4:30. She’s a sweet cat, but I wish she wouldn’t be such an early riser EVERY day! 😉

Hope you all have a fabulous day!

Good afternoon (at least here in KY):
Apple Pie: I haven’t tried Zenmate, but will look into it! Thanks!

I had my 2nd Fast Day yesterday and it went well. I had breakfast, skipped lunch, then had a “Spicy Thai Chicken Breast over greens” for dinner. It was filling and very tasty–I was actually craving something spicy and it hit the spot.

Again, I’m surprised about not waking up extremely hungry on the day after a fast. Does it have to do with the stomach shrinking somewhat on fast days? Oh, well, it’s a pleasant surprise. I’m going out to dinner tonight with husband and friends and am looking forward to it – though not in an “I’m going to go crazy and eat whatever I want” sort of way. I plan to practice mindful eating. (The word “practice” is key here.) Has anyone read the book “Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life” by Thich Nhat Hanh? I started it and then stopped it a year or so ago, but I’m going to pick it back up again and read it now.

I hope everyone is doing well! All that boot camp talk made me tired!

Pam

Hi Ginette, I don’t have an ipad so I don’t know how Zenmate works with that. I have not paid for the premium upgrade, the free version works just fine for me. I use that if I want to watch live TV, which isn’t often, but I did enjoy election night. Or the torrent sites for downloading tv programmes (without adverts!) or films.

Hello All!

Friday at last! Weigh in for me too and another week with no loss. Really wasn’t expecting one as I am still eating too much on non-fast days. I don’t usually plan a fast day for Friday, but I am today as the husband is going out of town for the weekend so there will be no dinner out tonight(we went out last night). If nothing else, this plan keeps me from gaining, so there’s something to be said for that. This week I feel like I’m smaller across my shoulders, but thicker thru the middle?? Weird!

A quiet evening tonight and then tomorrow I have a memorial service to attend for a friend’s husband. He had been ill for a long time, but it’s still hard.

Sunday I’ll be playing golf with my friends. Lots of exercise and I’ll try to keep the calories in check!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Hello Ladies, l’ve been sitting here reading many of your posts for the about an hour and I have to say you have inspired me to start this diet, which I will tomorrow after the book arrives. Like most of you I’m perimenopausal, 52 and pretty active but really struggling to stay at a good weight. I don’t have too much to lose around 11lbs would be great but I’ve been trying for over a year and nothing seems to budge it. I’m finding it hard to reduce my intake at any time and hope this diet will help me achieve that. I never struggled this much in the past to lose weight but thinking about it now it’s only ever been short term, once I feel good about myself my bad eating habits return and so the weight. This time with the 5:2 diet it will be different. Good luck to everyone. I’m looking forward to posting my progress, if that’t the case of course!

Phoebe, you can see it! We watched it here in Spain just the other day. Download the torrent from thepiratebay dot se (have to write it like that just in case) or use Zenmate to watch it on BBC player. It was a brilliant program.

If you have any trouble email me, see my profile.

Thanks Applepie. I will w Ai until somebody here try’s it. I don’t need it yet.

Hi Salma

Yes I got 3 1/2 hours sleep to get up at 5am. I went to bed really early (for me) as well. It was such a long day lots of travelling and from once place to another. I got 12hrs sleep last night from total exhaustion!!

The meal was delicious. It was Michelin Star. The presentation was wonderful, the portions were really small, everything in the middle of the plate. But a fantastic eating experience.

Don’t worry about Milena being ahead of you. I am at 242lbs so that might make to feel better. It is all relevant about what we were. I am pleased with my loss.

I weighed yesterday morning and I weighed this morning and I have gained 2lbs. I initially had lost weight. I will weigh tomorrow to log my weight as I know how foot in transit can have an effect.

Hi Lori

I am sorry about your lack of loss and I think you are probably right about non fast days. Many people don’t realise that you have to eat healthily on NFD’s. Michael Mosley said we can eat normally of NFD’s the only problem with this is a lot of people’s normal is what made the overweight in the first place. I would say we have to eat healthily but can occasionally have a treat.

I do hope this changes for you soon.

The one thing that you have forgotten is the health benefits you are getting from fasting, even though you are not losing weight. Are you clothes looser, is your skin better? The benefits inside our body we can’t see so they are hard to monitor. I had a blood test 10days ago and I will post results here. I have never kept check of anything apart from my cholesterol, blood pressure and weight. So it will be interesting to see the rest and know what they mean.

Salma the same goes for you. Can you get your bloods taken of do you have to pay? Here in England these things are free, we are lucky. A lot of people say how bad out NHS service is, I personally haven’t experienced that, I do know people who have though.

Memorial service are hard I know but think how many people will be coming together to celebrate his life. At my Mums I had the Blu Danube going in and the Tango coming out. I was celebrating everything that she loved and it made people smile, yes sometimes though tears as well but how much better that some of the heart tugging songs I sometimes here at funerals.

I have dicided to leave some instructions for mine, I’m not thinking of going anywhere yet…….. But want people to feel some laughter as well.

Hi Beesly

How nice to see a new face. Welcome to the thread.

On my own thread I have put things that I wish I know before starting 5:2. A sort of general guide to how you might feel etc. what to expect and what changes.

If you would like a read.

The link is below:

https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/my-10-week-weight-loss-week-by-week/#post-91559

I wish you luck. Keep posting and ask any questions you like. We try to be a helpful buch of people here. One thing I can guarantee is that you will get lots of encouragement, a real community feel. Coming onto the thread after a time is like chatting to old friends.

Hi Phoebe

No I don’t think the neck will change on a regular basis and also it was a strange one to me. The rest I can understand. I will try to find out why for the neck.

Yes some of it will be water, a loss is nice to see though. Ahh yes the eating trap. All too easy to fall into at first. I did the same on odd occasions. That’s why a started calorie counting for the next couple of weeks as I wanted to think about it. I thin had reminded myself about calorie content in certain foods and went back to estimating the following weeks. I found that this was ok then. I am now on the FBD which is a kickstarted to this one and again counting for the 6 weeks I am on it.

Then I shall hopefully be so aware that I won’t need to count. I think it helps every few weeks/months to do this. I don’t want to be completely tied to this method though. I used to always give a glance at packets when I bought foods (not all) and especially if they were what I thought of as treat foods. I would tend to chose the lower calorie treat food – so for example if I was choosing between a cream scone and a cream slice I would choose the lowest.

Have you looked up calories for dried cherries? Dried fruit is high. I was surprised when I checked calories in some a while ago.

Dearly departed queen? That must be Queen Victoria? Well at least she gets you a day off!! How kind.

It sounds like a lovely weekend. I hope you enjoy it.

Hi Applepie

Does Zenmate pick up all UK channels?

Hi Tigon

Well done you have got through the fist week. Now it will be an easier ride.

It was over three months before I even attempted to fast three days a week. I normally do this if I have a meal out or something, just to get me back on track.

Well done Lori

I am so pleased for you.

Enjoy your golf.

Ginette

I forget to say food was delicious yesterday at the wedding reception. A Michelin start restaurant, first one I have ever been to. Very small portions. But presentation and taste delicious. The only think I didn’t like was the cordless ewes milk as it tasted as bad as it sounds. This was on the side so I only had a little taste.

All of the rest was delicious. Food was served in the middle of the plate with a some dotted (literally) sauce around. The dessert was exquisite it was Eton mess this was served in a ball of what initially looked like polystyrene but was obviously not it was meringue it was about 2/3 of the size of a tennis ball.

Just to make you all jealous.

Ginette

Yay! I have just out my weight into tracker and I have broken out of the morbidly obese bracket into the severely obese one. Yes I know it still doesn’t sound great to some, but to me it is another milestone.

Now heading for the obese one. I shall reach it this year for sure.

On Wednesday I wore a jacket that did not do up by what seemed like six inches in the early autumn. It now does up comfortably so that was a good feeling…..now it just needs someone to notice. That will come I know and you can be sure I will report it here!!

Ginette

Good Morning!

Congratulations Ginette on the jacket that now does up comfortably! What a great feeling!

Yes, girls, do exercise for it’s many benefits and let the pounds fall where they may! I’ve often read about someone who has taken up running and couldn’t understand why they didn’t lose weight. It’s because “You can’t outrun your fork”. Weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym as they say. As with anything else, all people are different, but for the majority, the above is true.

I made 6 Mason jar salads yesterday, so I’ll be eating well this coming week! I made three with chicken & hard boiled egg, and 3 Taco salads with seasoned ground beef, black beans and corn. They were quite easy to assemble.

Off to the golf course in a couple hours. Hoping we don’t get chased off the course by rain. Just pop up showers forecast for today.

Have a great Sunday!

Hi all,

I am back from my travels have weighed in not lost or gained!

Have shook scales to make sure they worked!

Tried jogging whilst I was away, NEVER AGAIN thought I was going to die. Downloaded an app couch to 5k walk for 5 mins, easy I thought jog for 60 seconds then walk for 90 repeat 6 times, easy I thought I ran everywhere when I was a kid how hard can it be! , first jog for 60 seconds I was sure I was dieing my heart pounding legs like jelly, walk for 90 seconds get breath back jog again 60 seconds no way couldn’t do it just 30 seconds later I admit defeat and complete the restof the way by walking.

have new found admiration for marathon runners now but never again will I try to run.

Hope you are all ok,

Audrey

Thanks ginette

I am joining you this week fasting Monday and Wednesday.

though I hadn’t lost weight but remembered I put 2lb on then lost 1 lb so I have actually lost the other pound I put on if that makes sense do YEAH 1 lb loss WHOO!

Audrey

Welcome Kate

You are more than welcome to join us I am sure you will find us a friendly bunch.

Shout out if you need help, there is usually someone about

Audrey