New start and juice on fast day

This topic contains 6 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Hopeless 9 years, 8 months ago.

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Hopeless

9:34 pm
25 Jan 15
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I am trying yet again to lose weight. I like the 5:2 but totally useless on calorie counting. So I tried those calorie counted ready made meals which seemed kind of unhealthy!! Also going through an emotionally challenging time which doesnt help as I eat whether I am happy or sad.

So am wondering if I made a juice out of mainly vegetables and a bit of fruit using my vitamix would that be ok to sip throughout the day rather than eating 500 calories?? I think I would rather drink fresh veg and fruit or eat nothing at all to try and take all temptation away. On the 2 fast days.

Any help or advice much appreciated.

Thanks.

gloriajv

11:36 pm
25 Jan 15
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The diet works better if you have a 12 hour (or as many hours as you can, if you can’t reach 12 hours) TOTAL break from calories. So if you have juice throughout the day, you are constantly giving your body a few calories, and not actually fasting.
If the juice and whatever else you eat still adds up to under 500 calories, of course you will lose weight, but you might not get the health benefits of the diet, e.g. increasing your insulin resistance.

If you are useless on calorie counting, as you say, might I assume you haven’t dieted or cooked much in the past? 😛

As a general rule:
Vegetables = very few calories
Lean proteins = moderate amount of calories, but essential building blocks for your body
Fruit = more calories due to sugar, but essential vitamins
Carbs = high in calories
Fats = extremely high in calories (group nuts and avocado in this category)

So on fasting days, you want all your meals to have lots of veg and some lean protein, a teeny tiny bit of fat (which you might find in your protein already), and virtually no fruit and no carbs.
Throughout the day, drink water, herbal teas, black tea or coffee only.

The Fast Diet cookbook would be a really good guide to you, as well as myfitnesspal app. Try searching the web for atkins diet recipes, because they tend to be high protein, high in veg, low carb.

I wouldn’t recommend any ready meals, because your fast day is meant to have those two meals that are made fresh and nutrient-packed and super healthy ingredients.

Amazon

12:33 am
26 Jan 15
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You can eat whatever you want within your calorie allowance and at any time during the day if you are doing 5:2 to lose weight. If you want to have juice or ready meals that is fine. Drinking the juice throughout the day will not make your weight loss less effective than eating one or two small meals.
Maybe you could try a calorie counting app like myfitnesspal which will help you keep an accurate record of what you are having.

Hopeless

5:02 pm
25 Feb 15
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Is there anyone that can give me a plain simple definitive answer on the number of hours that one is required to fast i.e. is it actually a 24hour period?

for example if i last eat on Sunday at say 3pm and then don’t eat anything, not even the 500 calories until 3pm the following day (monday) – thats a full 24 hours with no food. Is that ok??

many thanks in advance

simcoeluv

5:20 pm
25 Feb 15
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Hi Hopeless and welcome:

If you are interested in losing weight, there is no ‘time between meal’ requirement. You go to bed, get up, eat 5/600 or fewer calories while you are awake, at any time(s), go to bed, get up and eat ‘normally’. Number 6 in this thread explains the time between meal debate: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/

If you are interested in ‘other health benefits’, there is no research I am aware of that gives an answer to your question. Current research indicates it is doubtful if anything less than a few days without eating anything is seriously beneficial. Many people seem to believe otherwise, so without research to disprove their opinions, they can believe/act as they want.

My advice – don’t worry about it! Losing weight with 5:2 requires neither rocket science nor timers.

Good Luck!

Trying Harder

5:45 pm
25 Feb 15
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Yeah simcoeluv gave you all the relevant links to the first part of your question.

If I may respond to the second part: I’d add watch the juices. Better to eat a piece of fruit or veg rather than to juice it.

Juicing something means you get all the sugar without the fiber. And as we all know, sugar without fiber is a baddy.

Juices are really high in calories too. I’d forget juices if you are on any diet.

Something that I like is a really light tisane (herbal tea, no sugar or artifical sweetner) that I make the night before, cool down and have in the fridge to sip on throughout the day. It is basically flavored water! Not very strong !

I change ’em around depending on what I like at the moment. Masala spices or fennel seeds, a chunk of ginger or just the juice of a lime or 1/2 a lemon… I’m really liking those masala spices at the moment! But i was thinking maybe a few drops of orange blossum water might be cool! Be creative!

-Trying Harder

Hopeless

4:01 pm
27 Feb 15
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Thanks for the advise.

i thought i had nailed it if i ate at lunchtime say sunday then had nothing at all until 24 Hours the following day, as i find that relatively easy especially considering that i will have been asleep for approx 7 hours of the fast! I can even do without the 500 calories within that period as well.