Hi cjg111, see my other posts for what appears to be working for me. Well done you for trying again. I did the 5:2 diet years ago and now i’m Back on it.

Good luck!

I’m from the uk and determined too.

Hi CJG, & welcome! You’ll soon get back into the swing of it! Maybe you could try 600 or 800cal FDs to start with to ease you into it if it seems too daunting? If you want extra suppirt tge Fat Busting Brits thread is vety friendly!

Hello,

I failed previously because I couldn’t stop eating. I would break my fast in the evening and then be unable to limit my calories. Not sure if it is age or the wealth of information in the forum but I am determined to be in more control. As people say, it is only hours until you can eat normally again.

Good luck all.

some tips:
>plan what you are going to eat and shop in advance
>hide any foods that are low in nutritional value
>eat lots of wholesome food: vegetables, fruit
>protein-rich meals [eggs for breakfast, lean meat or Omega-3 fish for dinner] keep you feeling full
>keep busy on Fast Days
>keep thinking about your goal

some recipes we like:

Egg-Mushroom Toast: 156 calories 6 g fat 2.6 g fiber 10.5 g protein 16 g carbs [9 g Complex] 69 mg Calcium NB: The food values shown are for the toast, egg, mushrooms, and the fruit, not for the optional beverages. PB GF – if using GF bread This is yummy. The eggs are creamy and the mushrooms lend a mysterious layer of flavor. I like this better than poached eggs.
1 piece 70-cal multi-grain bread one 2-oz egg 1/2 oz mushrooms, chopped 1 Tbsp chives, chopped 1 tsp thyme 1 oz of apple Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or lemon in hot water 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie https://wordpress.com/post/fastingme.com/11792 [88 calories]
Toast the bread. Spritz the non-stick saute pan with oil or spray and gently cook the mushrooms. Put the chives, thyme, salt, and pepper in with the egg and beat it up. Scramble lightly with the mushrooms, keeping the eggs moist. Turn out over the toast and plate the fruit. Sip your beverages and have a good day.

Cabbage-Sausage Soup: 264 calories 11 g fat 5 g fiber 14 g protein 25.5 g carbs [22 g Complex] 66 mg Calcium PB GF Since this is Jacques Pepin’s recipe, I’ll let him say it: “When the weather gets cooler in the fall, I make soup. I generally cook up a big batch and freeze some for whenever I need it. This one, with sausage, potatoes, and cabbage, is hearty and good for cold weather.”
8 ounces mild Italian sausage meat 1 ½ cups onions, sliced
6 scallions, cut into ½-inch pieces (1¼ cups) 6 cups water 1 cup chickpeas 16 oz potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks 8 ounces savoy cabbage, chopped/sliced 1¼ teaspoons salt
“Break the sausage meat into 1-inch pieces and place it in a saucepan over high heat. Sauté, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to keep the meat from sticking, for 10 minutes, or until the sausage is well browned. Add the onions and scallions and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the water, chickpeas, potatoes, cabbage, and salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 45 minutes.” Portion for storage or serving. One serving = 1 cup.

Great job, CJG! Here’s a dinner recipe for you.

Pear & Bleu Cheese Salad: 277 calories 18 g fat 5 g fiber 17 g protein 22 g carbs 215 mg Calcium PB GF V Such a delightful melange of flavors!
2.5 cups mesclun [baby greens] 2 oz pears 1 oz bleu cheese, crumbled 1.5 oz tomato, cubed or cherry-type ¼ oz walnuts 1 oz cannelli beans, rinsed and drained 1 tsp olive oil + ¾ tsp white Balsamic vinegar
Toast the walnuts by putting them in a heavy, dry pan and tossing/stirring over medium-high until the nuts become fragrant. Whisk the oil and vinegar in a wide, shallow bowl. Add the white beans and the salad greens along with a pinch of finishing salt. Toss to coat with the dressing. Put into the serving plate and garnish with the remaining ingredients. Amazing.

Felafel
1 batch = 648 cal 25.4 g fat 21 g fiber 32.5 g protein 72 g carbs 214 mg Ca
each patty= 30 cal 1.2 g fat 0.8 g fiber 1.6 g protein 4 g carbs 8.5 mg Calcium GF PB V From the good old Moosewood Cookbook by Molly Katzen, these are easy to prepare and set you up for several servings of future meals.
2 cups canned chick peas I like Goya brand [if you use dried chickpeas, you will get a grainer product. Factor in the time to reconstitute and cook them] 1.5 cloves garlic, crushed [add as much as you enjoy!] ¼ cup celery, minced ¼ c. scallions, sliced 1 egg 1.5 tsp tahini ½ t. cumin ½ t. tumeric ¼ t. cayenne ¼ t. black pepper 1.5 t. salt
Combine in food processer until ingredients form a uniform paste. Scoop into a bowl and chill 1 hour. Form into balls on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet. I used a 1 and 1/2 Tbsp scoop and then flattened the patties. TIP: You don’t have to bake them now. You could freeze the patties on a cookie sheet, then put them frozen into bags to cook later. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. The patties should be heated through and have an outside ‘crust’ which is firm to the touch. In most recipes, you will cook them further. At this point you want them to be firm enough to store well. There will be about 25 of them. Use now or cool and freeze for later use.

The felafel patties, once frozen, can be used for so many recipes — served with vegetables; in a salad; in pita pockets with salsa [don’t go nuts on the bread!]

Chili non Carne: PB GF V The recipe is my mother’s, except that she added beef. And she served it on a heap of mashed potatoes, but we won’t do that on a Fast Day.
1 cup =133 calories 0.7 g fat 6.3 g fiber 7.1 g protein 9.8 g carbs 70 mg Ca
1.5 c. =199 calories 1.1 g fat 9.1 g fiber 9.4 g protein 14.2 g carb 120 mg Ca
HINT: This is enough for 4 one-cup servings OR two 1.5 cup servings with 1 cup left over. Save the remaining chili for a lunch or check other postings to see how we use it for breakfast.
For 1.5 cups chili served with cheese garnish and melon, as in photo: 276 calories 9.7 g fat 6.1 g fiber 13.3 g protein 19.4 g carbs 227 mg Calcium
15 oz canned red beans, drained and rinsed 16 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced, not drained 1 cup chopped onion 1 green pepper, chopped 2-3 tsp chili pepper, or more if you like it hotter ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin per serving: 1 Tbsp cheddar cheese, grated, as a garnish 2 oz melon
Saute the onion and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the stew is thickened. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. Serve one or one and a half cups for dinner tonight with the grated cheese on top, and melon on the side.