I’m back!! I was very active on this thread until mid-April, when I stopped 5:2 in a panic because I was worried I was bringing on perimenopause–while on 5:2, my cycles became highly irregular.

However, off it, my weight has crept back up again–I was really benefiting from the discipline of 5:2. I’d started at 64.8, which was the highest I’d been in several years, got down to 60.7 on 5:2–and now I’m back up at 63.5. (I am a work-at-home snacker–I have a bad problem with telling myself a nibble of this or a nibble of that doesn’t count, and of course it DOES all add up! Having a firm “no eating” rule is easier than moderation for me, really). It’s not that 63.5 is so bad (I’m 173 cm–I doubt anyone can see the difference between 61 and 63.5 on me), but it makes me feel very out-of-control and fear going higher and higher.

I’m still not certain that 5:2 is a factor in my menstrual irregularity. I have found out that the women on my mother’s side of the family go through menopause very early (from late 30s to mid 40s), and so perhaps I was biologically programmed to enter into that stage anyway and it was just coincidence that I was on 5:2 when it started. I am still waiting to see if things are evening out with my cycles (and meanwhile, my doctor was a bit concerned by some other minor symptoms so I am also waiting on the results of tests to check for more alarming things than early menopause!).

I think what I should do for now–as a balance between my concerns that 5:2 threw off my hormonal balance and my concerns about weight control–is to have two days a week that are very disciplined, but not as extreme. I’d been tending to be at about 350 calories on my fast days, and I was certainly feeling not well on those days. Maybe if I doubled that, my body would be less thrown off by the deprivation, but would still benefit, albeit more slowly, from the reduced calories. And being part of a thread will help me keep that discipline, I think! I’d like my target to be 61 kg, so a fairly modest weight loss.

I have been trying to skim the messages here to get back up to speed. The banana pancakes sound wonderful, and I wonder if anyone else has tried making ice cream (so to speak!) from bananas? If you freeze banana chunks and then whip them in a food processor, you get a texture that is hard to distinguish from ice cream (especially if you put it in the freezer for a few hours again). Our household is emphatically chocoholic, so I have experimented with additions–the kids LOVE it with Nutella added in (of course), but I find the best is actually unsweetened cocoa powder–not SO bad for extra calories, and it makes it really rich and chocolatey. The children like me to make it when people come over so we can trick them but serving ice cream and then telling them it’s really just bananas. So far, no one has guessed without us telling them!

Beck, you mention kefir a lot, so I picked some up this morning–I’ve never tried it. I take it you find it filling for fast days? I am so impressed with your diligence with 5:2, and with your results! You’re very inspiring. I’m getting caught up on everyone else’s situations too!

Hi all, how’s everyone’s FD/NFDs going?
I had to ditch my kettlebell class yesterday – flash floods and commuter hell in London (my usual 45min ride to work turned into a 3hour nightmare!)! Glad it was a NFD for me, otherwise I’d have buried myself in cake (I didn’t)!

A warm and sunny Friday here. I’ve decided to fast, as I planned – so the 3rd day for this week.
It’s gone fine so far. Only just had some hunger pangs. Had a chicken bullion and some raw almonds at lunch time. Been sipping a bottle of sparkling water – I’m avoiding diet fizzy’s on FDs now.

Need to resurrect my exercise plans again – hopefully a Park run and power yoga over the weekend to start off.

I haven’t weighed my self yet this week – tomorrow morning may be. But the clothes are showing a big difference now. This morning I put on a dress which I haven’t worn since last summer – loads of room around my waist and boobs 🙂 Also my boss – a very active and fit Iranian lady 🙂 -commented on how much weight I have lost! I’m feeling inspired to keep going now. Let’s hope this visible change reflects on the scales too.

Have a good weekend everyone x

Beck, yes, that’s what I’m thinking–trying 700 calories twice a week as a gentler version. Yesterday was my first try. I have to confess I did not measure everything exactly, but I am sure I was under 700 (possibly even as low as 500, actually), and I felt really good–which I never did on fast days of 350 calories. Some hunger, of course, but none of the woozy, just-hang-on-til-bedtime-so-I-can-eat-tomorrow feeling. When I stepped on the scale this morning, I was shocked to see that I was down 1.3 kg (and I weighed myself three times in a row to make sure I was seeing right!). Of course that has to be about water weight or something, and I need to remind myself of that when I almost certainly pop up again over the weekend, but it was certainly a nice way to start the day! (Unfortunately, no medical results yet–I called my doctor’s office this morning, and the test results are in but he hasn’t looked at them yet. SIGH.)

The bananas: I peel them and then put them in a freezer bag. I try to avoid bananas too because of the carbs, but we always have tonnes around because one of my children adores them–and then I need to find ways to use up the ones that starting getting overripe. And yes, I saw that you tried the cauliflower rice! Isn’t it great–when not overcooked, that is!

FrauB, I saw that you were in Canada at some point? Are you Canadian originally, or were you just here temporarily. (I’m in Canada.)

Pissupoosa, that must be so gratifying, for people to be noticing the weight loss!

Good morning!

Hillsy- I lived in SE Ontario for about 2 years 2012-2013 but I am not Canadian, I’m British.
Beck- yes exactly. Seeing people before we go (I fly in 10 days….) so dinners out a lot and social gatherings all over the place. A shake up like this seems to reduce my resolve. Like today, I could have fasted all day until a sushi dinner out and pretty much had a fast if I stayed away from alcohol but I’ve just finished off my son’s toast and peanut butter and had a slice of melon… 🙁
I did a 5k run yesterday and managed to do it much quicker than I had in the training. I feel it in my thighs this morning but I’m really pleased. I need to force myself out for a jog this week though, because again, now I’ve done the 5k I know my resolve will go out the window.
Beck, fingers crossed for under 60 after your fast day, I’m sure you’ll manage it.
Hillsy- I hope the test results are good news.
Pissupoosa – great about your clothes- such a great feeling! Did you do your weekend exercise? How was your weigh-in?
Natasha- I hope you are doing well. What FDs have you planned for this week?
Have a a good start to the week everyone! Cheers 🙂

I tried my quasi-fast on Monday, but I think I failed! I wasn’t very rigourous about checking quantities and so on–but then the big fail came in the evening when I made cookies for one of my children to take to school. I love to bake, and I actually have virtually no trouble at all resisting baked goods, despite having a crazy sweet tooth. But while I am making them, I cannot cannot cannot avoid sampling as I go! (Pissupoosa, I know you will sympathize since you taste as you go too!) So, the combination of lack of rigour and sampling cookie meant was weight was UP post-fast day. Sigh. But I am trying not to get too uptight about it because my point this time round is to take it easier.

In better news, I finally got my medical test results, and everything is fine. (Although that does mean that, in the absence of a more serious diagnosis, my symptoms probably suggest I am indeed heading for early menopause–depressing!)

Today is not a fast day but I haven’t eaten much (just not very hungry) so perhaps it will balance out and tomorrow I can do a better job of fasting.

Beck, postponing the fast was a good decision in that situation. I find when I am tired I just really need to eat!

Pissupoosa, I realized recently that my phone tracks my steps, and I’ve been using that sometimes. I’ve been realizing lately that I should be focusing more on weight-bearing exercise. In the winter I walk a lot, but walking is boring, so once the snow goes, I get around by bicycle. And in winter, our main form of family recreation is cross-country skiing, but in summer, it’s cycling. (My children have surprising endurance for their ages, I find, so we actually cover a lot of ground.) And year-round, my deliberate exercise is generally the stationery bike. I hate running, and getting to the gym is so time-consuming–easier just to use the stationery bike instead. So in the summers, I’m really not spending that much time on my feet. So, although getting around by bicycle seems like a perfectly good, healthy thing to do, I’ve been trying to find excuses to switch in walking sometimes–if it looks like it might rain, I coax the children into walking to school instead of bicycling, and so on. On Monday I had an appointment a few kilometres away and I managed over 14000 steps by doing that on foot. It takes an effort of will, though–it’s so boring and so much more time-consuming than riding.

FrauB, a move like that must be really hectic to organize! Good luck with it, and good for you for sticking with 5:2 and exercise through it!

Beck, I remember those days of pulling two in the bike trailer–excellent for the quads going up hills! I’ve experimented sometimes with a makeshift standing desk, and I find it very good. I can be a bit of a fidgeter, and I find that a standing desk helps (that is, I am not constantly finding excuses to get up and do other things, since I can fidget effectively while working!)

Yes, the prospect of early onset menopause is very depressing–I am really struggling with this–but it is far better than cancer. And I guess I will never know whether I accelerated it with fasting or it was just coincidence that things went awry about a month after I began fasting. Ah well. And who knows–perhaps this stage will go on a long time.

I am trying another fast day today. It’s a little difficult as my husband’s sister is in town for the week and I don’t like to advertise my efforts. But I’ll see what I can do.

A good FD here today, I think. I was at about 500, maybe 600 (I put some almonds on a salad at supper, and didn’t measure them), and felt totally comfortable, not deprived at all (well, other than the chocolate cravings 🙂 ). A lot of walking (hit my 10000 steps just with the errands and things I had to do, no special effort), but didn’t manage to find time for a proper workout. Tomorrow!

Pissupoosa, I’m hoping the double-fast goes well!

Hi all, ‘back’ pretty much back (ha ha) to normal, except for some small twinges when I turn in bed. Did a spin class this morning – thought best to avoid weight bearing exercise for this week at least.

Hillsy, I don’t have kettlebells at home, so only in the gym – started with some personal training sessions few months ago to get posture/form right (which is important as I found to my peril on Monday!!!) and then been doing weekly group classes in the gym. I haven’t done a home workout in a while – they usually consist of just body weight workouts. Quite a lot of good ideas to be found on Pinterest. I also found the Fitbit (charge HR) quite inspirational to keep me moving – slightly expensive way to do it but cheaper than a gym membership for sure.
Your week with the S-i-L sounds like fun! No gym or home workout can beat the great outdoors I think. Kayaking is something I’ve never tried – would love to give it a go.

As for my week,
Tuesday’s fast went fine until I mis(over)calculated the quantity of food for my dinner – I think my brain was a bit dulled by hunger by that time I got home, lol! Ended up having about 600cals, ouch! Hence not so successful FD, but hay-ho I shall learn from it.

Second fast day today – So far so good. Veg omelette for dinner I think.

How’s everyone else doing?

Fasting today–aiming for 500 to see if I can truly kickstart some weight loss/offset summer weekend excess. So far I’m at 162 calories (2:30 PM my time) and cranky that tonight’s supper plan involves me cooking something yummy! I really need to plan better so that we/they are having leftovers or something on fast days. But I want to be very disciplined with myself–next week we’re staying in a holiday home with my parents, and it will be very difficult to fast then–won’t have as much variety of food on hand for making it feasible, and I also really do not want to engage in conversation about it, and it would be hard especially at group suppers to be fasting without drawing attention.

Also, I’ve decided to give running a shot. I tend to have foot and knee trouble, so I’m easing into it in the hopes that I can make this work. I’ve got good shoes, and three days of walk-run so far without trouble (other than the screeching of some thigh muscles that have clearly been neglected!), so we’ll see. My husband has done a lot of track coaching, so I’m getting him to set guidelines and goals for me. Enjoying it so far!

I hope everyone else is going well!

Beck, that’s wonderful that you’ve been able to maintain on 6:1. That’s what I’d like to get to. I feel exactly the same about HIIT!

I am happily NOT fasting today! 🙂

When my husband was doing 5:2, he pointed out to me that pickles are low in calories–5 calories per pickle in the brand we tend to have on hand. So yesterday several times when I was struggling, I had a pickle–the strong taste made me not want more, and at 5 calories, it seemed perfect. Then, last night, I happened to notice something else on the bottle–each pickle has 5 calories, but 23% of one’s daily recommended sodium! So I was feeling very frustrated–I do notice that if I have a day with a lot of sodium, I retain water for about two days afterwards. So I thought, here I’ve fasted well all day, but when I step on the scales for the next few days, I won’t know whether I’m not making progress, or I’m just holding water. So then I drank a lot of water and lost track of how many times I was up in the night to go to the bathroom!

My weight was close to 1 kg lower this morning than yesterday morning, which is relatively typical for post-fast, so I think I managed to flush out the sodium. Now, if I can just cope with the sleep deprivation today!

That’s so encouraging, Beck, that you feel comfortable with the lower calories on certain days. I hope I can get there!

As for me, no, I am still 2 kg above my goal. I found that with the “take it more relaxed/700ish, don’t measure so much” I wasn’t really losing. I did the first time, and thought hurrah, this will work, but it must have been a weird water weight blip, because it came right back up. Hence being stricter now. (Also, I think at this point it is pretty clear that whatever is going on with my menstrual cycles, it’s not 5:2, because they still haven’t settled down. My doctor is running some more tests, but anything really serious has been ruled out, so that’s good.)

Today is another fast day. I started the day with a 4 km walk/run–I’m gradually building to steady running. I’m not keen on first thing in the morning workouts, but it’s incredibly hot here (humidex over 40C by afternoon). I was especially not keen on it today because I did a morning walk/run yesterday and found it was a real appetite stimulant by midday! (Although then the heat suppressed it and I barely ate anything at supper.) My plan for at least one meal today is to take inspiration from you–cauliflower rice with tuna/tomato/zucchini.

Wonderful, Beck, that you’re holding so steady! How long will you be on holiday for?

And you have an amazing memory: yes, I often lose weight while travelling! Less so in this kind of situation, though, staying in a rented house–it’s more when we’re actually travelling around and most of the meals would be in restaurants and so on. Here, we’ll be going grocery shopping, stocking up the fridge, etc., and so I’m more likely to have my usual appetite! I’ll try to be restrained, though. I will be quite active, although I find that exercise has a negligible effect on my weight–it’s what I eat (or not) that makes the scale shift up or down, regardless of how much exercise I’m getting. (This makes no sense to me–shouldn’t it be that if I burn X amount of calories on exercise and don’t make up for it with extra food, I have a calorie deficit for that day, the same as if I had eaten less? But somehow it never seems to work that way!)

Hi all, it’s been a while since my last post, I know.

Beck and Hillsy, it’s very inspiring to read about your maintenance diets 🙂 It really helps me get through my struggles of 5:2 and achieve my goal.

Talking about my goal:
Last week was a disaster in 5:2 terms. We had visitors staying with us all week and if we weren’t out eating, I was cooking most nights – so FDs sort of went out the window! Trying to get back to normal this week. Fasting today, but it’s been tough going though – a whole week off 5:2 and now back, I’m struggling to motivate my self and keep the hunger down. The fact that it’s 33 degC here in London (feels more like 50 degC!) at least helps a little with suppressing my appetite (way too hot to eat!). I’ve had some cherries for breakfast. Been drinking lots of water since then.
I might go for a run after work. Did a morning bike ride on Sunday and a weights class yesterday.

My husband and I are off to Scotland next weekend – we’ll be travelling around West of Scotland for 2 weeks with some friends. It’ll be interesting to see how I handle FDs while we’re out and about.

Hi Guys

I don’t know what happened – I stopped receiving emails letting me know that someone had posted on the group so I thought it had all gone quiet. Obviously that was a techincal glitch! Sorry I have been MIA, but Im back now. Haven’t yet had a chance to catch up with all the posts but will do as soon as I can.

I stopped fasting a few weeks ago. I ws finding every week an up hill battle and I was dragging myself through each fast day. It was just not mentally working for me. So I stopped and resumed my normal eating habtis, which as Im sure you can imagine led to me gaining a couple of pounds.

However, I have found a new motivator that has totally made me dedicated in a way that I wasnt before. My husband and I have been talking about trying for baby no.2 at the end of the year, so my new motivator is to loose the remaining baby weight from baby no.1, tone up and generally be in a healthier place for the next pregnancy. So now, I am doing 4:3, and going to the gym 2-3 times a week during my lunch break at work. This is fast day 2 of week 2 (so 5th fast day since I jumped back on the wagon) and I have already done a 45 workout this morning. I am absolutely shattered and I know Im going to be really tired today but thinking about the plans we have has some how made me able to get through it all much better than I ever did when I was only doing it for myself.

Having weighed myself a few times since starting last Monday, I don’t see any real difference in the scales so far. But Im ploughing on, hopefully a few more weeks of the current routine will help to get things going.

Fingers crossed I manage to stay awake….

Hello lovely ladies! Or perhaps I should say “Hello from the other si-de”! I have my big move behind me and am writing this from SE Asia, which I now call home. My family are joining me on Sunday and then hopefully we’ll settle into our new lives here. Well as I predicted, fasting has been out of the window for a long time, probably about 5 weeks. However, I have noticed since getting here 12 days ago that I definitely making sensible choices (more often than previously anyway) and am very conscious of not wanting to eat if I’m not hungry. I’ve only had myself, not the whole family, to look after for 12 days and that helps in way. If I’m not hungry I’ve just had a handful of nuts and an orange instead of dinner and things like that, also I’ve consumed a lot less sugar and virtually no wheat or diary, just because of the change in local diet. I have no idea what I weigh because my scales were too heavy to bring over and I haven’t bought any yet, but I am pretty sure I haven’t put on any and I would guess I am about 58.5 which is about half way to my initial target. Exercise-wise I have found myself craving movement after quite sedentary days/ evenings in my new workplace/ hotel room. Everyone drives everywhere here and the heat means jogging has to be done early or late and I haven’t got into that yet. I have been on walks, taken part in a few zumba classes and swum in the small hotel pool to make sure I do at least something everyday. I’ve been tying to read all the posts and am still inspired by you all. I definitely plan to add in at least one fast day as soon as possible but I need to wait to get into a routine once the family is here to see how I can work it. All the best everyone! Cheers 🙂

Well done, both of you!! Way to go on getting below 60 again, Beck, and Pissupoosa, hurrah for losing weight on holiday! I’ve just gotten back from another 4 day trip, and as I was expecting with this one, the scale is up. But I’m not beating myself up about it. Fasting today, and so far so good. It should be easier to stick to the schedule for the next couple of weeks, at least.

Hello,

Does this group have room for a late 30s American mom??

I have been on and off again with 5:2 for a few years. I don’t have too much to lose, but I’m currently 10 pounds over my comfortable weight. I know these first few weeks will be hard, but I love the benefits I get from fasting.

If anyone has advice on how to stay on the fasting wagon, I’d appreciate it! I plan to fast today and Thursday this week. I like to do the traditional 5:2 method of 500 calories twice a week. I don’t count calories the other days, but I do get in exercise on my non-fasting days.

Anyone else fasting today?

Thanks and have a good day!
Em

Thanks Beck, support is so important in everything we do, and this forum has helped me in the past.

500 calories is 500 calories, it sounds like you enjoyed yours today!

I do usually break mine up, about 200 calorie lunch and 300 calorie dinner. I’d like to get to the point of having a 500 calorie dinner.

How has your progress been with 5:2?

I hope you enjoy your evening, are you from England? I’m about to go for a walk to enjoy the sunshine here.

Welcome Em! More the merrier I think 🙂

I (re-)started 5:2 in June and have been experimenting with my food and fast days. This forum is VERY helpful and supportive. One big lesson I learnt (since the last time I did 5:2) was to ditch diet fizz on fast days! Helped me immensely to keep sugar cravings at bay. I started with 250:250 cal split over breakfast and dinner as most people do, but recently I’ve been taking my full 500cals at dinner time. I find this easier because I get over the hunger pangs earlier in the day.
My progress has been quite slow compared to the others – I’ve only lost ~3kg in the last 12 weeks. Saying that, I’ve seen and felt a much bigger difference in my body since I started – I dropped a whole dress/jeans size AND a bra cup size! I feel a lot lighter now to the point my husband (who sees me everyday) is comments on my weight loss.

I managed to lose 0.5kg while on holiday and not sticking to 5:2 (We did a lot of hiking)! – so it’s swings and roundabouts for me. I persevere with the FDs. I have a long way to go to achieve my goal weight – below 60kg (I’m 70.5kg now).

My weakness is refined carbs – rice, cake, ice-cream etc etc. I try to keep away from those during the week. I’m not always successful, but what I’ve noticed in the last few months is that I feel full a lot quicker than I used to, so I end up eating less even on a non-FD.

This week, I fasted on Monday and will do again tomorrow.

In terms of workouts, I exercise 4-5 days/week – a combination of running, cycling, gym (spin, weights, TRX) and hot yoga. I did a 3km run last night. Hot yoga tonight and Fri night and TRX tomorrow planned so far. Probably do Parkrun (local 5k run) and a bike ride over the weekend.

I live in London (originally from Sri Lanka).

Hi all,

Second fasting today. Had a OXO beef cube around lunch time to tide me over till dinner. Feeling a little hungry now but no other ill effects 🙂
Got TRX later.

Sorry about the pounds-kilo thing Em! Having been in the UK for 20 years, my brain should be used to pounds by now but apparently it isn’t :-p

To answer your questions:
I keep busy with work mostly – I only fast during the week when I’m at work, so I have work to distract me from food. I’m a pathologist by the way (no dead bodies though, lol, only lab tests etc)
Your second question about regularity of FDs – I try and stick to Tuesday and Thursday, but generally flexible if social events come up.

Regular workouts/cycling/yoga are my dose of anti-depressant Em 🙂
About 2 years ago I went through a family bereavement and started on anti-depressants to cope that and other stuff that came along. But at the beginning of this year, I decided to find an alternative to medication. It has worked wonders to my mood and general stress. I started 5:2 few months after getting established into a comfortable workout routine, so I could work out and fast on the same day when I wanted to.

Hot (bikram) yoga is my first love in terms of workouts 😛
Recently a new gym opened up in London where they do Hot yoga (+other types of yoga), HIIT and spin – this is the dream gym as far as I’m concerned AND in a place I can get to easily! So I’m in the process of cancelling my regular gym and joining this place. I had given up hot yoga because it’s very expensive to do both in separate places.
I know what you mean about patience, it took me a while to get used to yoga – I still prefer the more energetic forms of yoga because of this. I’d say give it a try and see – never know till you try.