Hi All

Had a real boost today – fasted yesterday to make up for the fail on Tuesday and on the scales this morning was 800gms down on last weigh in. That makes a total of 5kgs since I began this WOL on 14 October.

I do exercise – walk my dogs for 30 mins each morning and go to aqua fitness 3 times a week but the results are remarkable. I have been walking the dogs and doing 3 classes of aqua for 12 months and lost a total of 5 kgs in that time. Added in fast diet and 5 kgs have gone in 5 weeks. It seems I have found a WOL that will deliver me from my unhappy overweight state!

Happy fasting!

Good evening, at least it is here in Katy, TX

I stared this “eating regimen” on Nov 6 after visiting my cardiologist. I’ve recently turned 59 and having given up a 40 year tobacco habit a year ago, found that I had gained about 30 lbs. It was time to take it off and I came across this “eating regimen.” I call it that because to me it’s a change in eating habits and much less a diet. In the three weeks on this regimen I’ve lost nearly 10 lbs. My fasting days are Sunday and Wed as I figure one day of fasting at work would be better for me and the folks I work with in case I get a little crabby. I’ve also lost one inch from my waist and still have about 5 inches to go. Every ounce of extra weight I carry is around my waist and I’m going to enjoy watching it “melt away”.

I’ve read some about sleep patterns being disrupted and I can attest to that and trust that in another week or so things will return to a more normal sleep pattern. I’ve told several people about this plan and the wonderful benefits that come from it.

I’m looking forward to reading everyones post and occasionally add a note or two. Have a great evening and a great week ahead.

Hi ladies.
We do not celebrate Thanksgiving Day, so it was a normal week, unfortunately with too much wine, even on FD, which had as a result the scales showing 1.5kg up!!! I was devastated, but decided to cut down on the wine and see how it goes. Yesterday was a FD and in the evening, when we went down to cook, I did miss my drink and was on the verge of pouring a glass of wine (we do cook with wine and sometimes even put it in the food), but tried to reason with myself and succeded in keeping my hands off the glass. Habit is SO strong! Hope to manage the next two FDs and see what the scales show on Sunday morning. Friday night we have a party with a birthday cake, so Saturday’s FD should be vary spare. I need to see the 8 in my kg weigh go away forever!

Katy in TX, well done! I myself gave up smoking about 13 years ago after having smoked for 35 years. One of the best decisions I ever made and one I’m extremely proud of.
Wish I’d known about the 5:2 programme then but at least I do now.
Best of luck with your regime!

Hi there, I am 67 and starting this way of life TODAY with a fast day. Since I have no trouble fasting I decided to start with a bang and have a fluids only day today. I look forward to keeping up with the forums on this site and have enjoyed reading many of the posts – having such a lot of folk to spur you on or support you during the inevitable, occasional back-steps is going to be tremendous.

Nothing like good company and encouragement! It can become as addicting as …um… food. 😉

Glad you found us! We may be over the hill but we’re not under it yet!!! 😂

That’s awesome, LA Chubster! From size 22 to a size 10? Wow! There’s hope for all of us.
I know what you mean about the belly, it’s a middle age thing and my biggest problem too, although my belly is much smaller than it was in August.
Enjoy your size 10 🙂

LAChubster – What a fabulous and inspiring achievement. You’re going to have to think of a new handle…

Hi everyone. I am 73 and need to lose weight to help with arthritis. Like let-it-be, I saw over 60s and thought I must introduce myself. This is my first post and I am hoping to find the courage to start my first fast day tomorrow. Looking forward to joining in and hopefully to losing weight. Liz

Wow LA Chubster – what an inspiration you are for us all – that is my aim – size 10 – just the odd 25 kilos to go.

Curiouser take heart from the Chubster’s success – she has proven it can be done. Great ideas from MsGadjetty for getting through a FD, I will get some canned soup for emergencies!

Have a great incentive to lose the weight as I have just booked my trip to the UK for next July. My son, DIL and 2 grandchildren moved to the UK for my son’s job in September so I will be coming over to visit them. Also decided to add in a trip through Rome to Paris so I am super excited. Am thinking of those airline seats and am determined to have plenty of room around me!

FD for me today as yesterday I went to the first of the Christmas functions and wasn’t going to just eat lettuce. Will weigh in tomorrow and see how I went!

Cheers to all

Oh poor Curioser. We all go through the tough times. And bad weather doesn’t help a thing! Tell us what you’re doing and what you’re eating and maybe we can help with some ideas.

Don’t let my recent enthusiasm get in your way. I was disgusting the entire Summer and put 20 pounds back on because I was going through a stretch of no results. And I’ve seen many many people on these forums have to try a lot and give up categories of food one by one until they hit their strides.

Here’s one hint: many of us don’t get into a groove and get results while we eat commercially prepared foods with things like transfats and lots of sugar disguised by using all its different names to make it appear as though there’s less of it. And starchy carbs mess up more people than you might guess. It took me nearly a whole lifetime to discover that I can’t eat grains — none of them no matter how “whole” and “healthy” they may be for others.

In any case, we’re here to provide company and encouragement. We all want everyone to succeed!

Congratulations, La Chubster! That is impressive weight loss over just a year and proof this thing works. You are an inspiration and I agree with Sarah that you need to change your handle…maybe LA Slimster 😉

Curiouser, I know what you mean about cold, dreary weather…it makes me want to nest and eat comfort food. I’m just starting this plan, too, but I’m inspired by LA Chubster and others who report losing weight even when they fall off for awhile. I guess it’s just giving ourselves a break when we derail aand when we’re ready, get right back to it until it’s a habit. Don’t be too hard on yourself…I think it really does take awhile for us to get in the flow of it. What I find filling for breakfast on a FD is oatmeal, which is about 200 calories. Soup is also perfect and very low calorie. I’m a newbie, so I don’t have much advice, but just hang in there and every day is a new start.

Welcome, Liz! I’m new, too, and I’m finding this 60 plus group to be pretty great for support and good ideas. I came here after my doctor recommended the 5/2 program after he saw my blood work numbers–BP, cholesterol, etc.–starting to inch up. He’s convinced this program is the fastest way to a healthier life without going on meds. For me, at almost 65, I feel it’s now or never, and if I’m lucky enough to live a long life, I want it to be in the best possible health.

Dear Curiouser. Oh babe! I know *just* where you are! You sound like me. Except that I wasn’t vegetarian at the beginning — tho I am MUCH closer to it today eating just salmon and the occasional piece of pork belly.

I don’t measure and weigh either. Too, too much trouble, no spontaneity and no bloody fun. BUT if you do it a few times you will get an *idea* where your calories come from. You could do it for a week, right? Especially if it meant you wouldn’t have to do it again, no? Once you have a realistic idea about how much you’re eating and which foods are less productive for you, you can eyeball it thereon.

I use the internet for my calorie and nutritional summaries. Try this one: http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-fresh-or-dried-vegetables-green-sweet-peppers-sauteed-with-oil_f-ZmlkPTEyNzMyOA.html

You’ll see quickly that all your veggies are not the problem. Bulk up on them! And that’s great because, if you’re as much like me as I guess, you may have a big capacity for food and really have trouble being hungry. Most of us don’t have problems with reasonable amounts of oils and fats either.

Are you familiar with cocoa nibs? They’re the toasted and broken up parts of the actual cacao bean that are turned into chocolate sans the sugar and other additives. They have a pleasant smokey slightly bitter flavor. Try nibbling some of them and see if they can help you back off on the candy. I also nibble on mustard seeds sometimes when I just want food. Another thing that helps calm the belly is warm broth.

And, when it comes to giving up non-productive stuff, what worked for me was to give up one at a time. This isn’t a race. It’s a change in your life. A very positive one so be invested in it and give yourself the time to make it secure.

I gave up sodas first — all of them, with and without sugar. I wasn’t even “dieting” at the time. I just didn’t want to pay multiples and multiples of what flavored carbonated water was worth. But, once I gave up sodas, I asked myself if fast food was really what I wanted. Like you, I considered myself a foodie and started thinking about the quality of the foods I was picking up on the run. Next was trigger foods that just fueled my appetite and made me “feel” “hungry” right after I’d already eaten.

Once I had identified my triggers and vanquished them one after another it wasn’t even hard. That’s the point at which I went looking for “diet” information and came across Dr. Mosley and 5:2. His documentary was soooo impressive in it’s research and many parts of it sounded familiar in my life. For instance, I’ve never really wanted breakfast and succumbed to the pressure of the culture including nutritionists who said it was so important. But, in truth, when I ate breakfast, it just increased my hunger all day long. So I rethought my eating patterns and assessed my eccentricities and decided that I could fast better than I could limit what I ate. Is that true for you too?

I did a couple days fasting and, after I had, it was easier to stick to an ample but sensible approach to food thereafter. For me that’s an ENORMOUS salad for lunch full of veggies as well as greens and a generous amount of beans for protein. And for dinner I have a generous amount of protein and veggies. I can have enormous amounts of veggies to help me feel full and satisfied and I’ve come to LOVE beans. And, a lifelong LOVER of starchy carbs from winter squash to loaves of homemade bread, I no longer eat grains in *any* form. And, MORE remarkable, as long as I stay away from them, I don’t WANT them and I don’t feel deprived. Finally, without them in my life, I don’t have the insane food cravings that used to run my life. I feel calm and confident and free of so many aches and discomforts. I can spend half an hour on my recumbent bike because I don’t start out with my lap full of belly and pushing that around to pedal!

This has gone on and on, Curiouser, but I want so much to help you. Just start out being honest with yourself about what works in your life and what doesn’t and take one goal on at a time. And remember, we’re here for you!!!!

I agree LA Chubster, I found I was eating from habit not hunger but would not have even thought of that if I hadn’t begun to fast. I also loved starchy carbs and couldn’t contemplate a day without bread of some sort but now find that I eat maybe 2 slices a week and don’t miss it at all. Ditto for sweets – I was (am) a sweet (read chocolate) fiend and have been able to go the entire 6 weeks since I started this WOL without one piece and haven’t really thought about wanting any. I think it is all due to the FD which resets your body and your mind goes along with it.

Don’t give up hope Curiouser, it is achievable – we just go along at different rates but stick with it and you’ll get there. If I can get these results, anybody can believe me.

Welcome, Grace! I love how many of us are still fighting and kicking in our 60s. ::said the girl who will exit her 60s into her 70’s in a few months::

Hi Northrancher,
My doctor (thanks Dr Rajap) also was the one who made me aware of the 5:2 diet and Dr Mosley’s TV programme. I told my GP that I’d tried anything I could think of to lose weight but that I’d given up. Hypothyroidism, menopausal weight gain and less exercise due to a hip operation in 2015 resulted in me putting on the pounds.
I watched the programme the same day I’d seen doctor (end of July 2016) and it changed my life. Wish I’d known about it years ago when the programme was first broadcast!
Recommended the programme and book to my husband as well (we currently live apart due to work commitments), and he wanted to give it a try too.
It took me another 2 weeks or so to mentally prepare myself for the 5:2 lifestyle, but I haven’t looked back and have now lost over 12kg.
My husband has lost around 10kg and we diet on the same days in order to support each other and celebrate our victories.

With regards to motivation no one can give that to you. That has to come from within. As you said, youre running out of chances. As stupid as this sounds the next time you reach for that non healthy cream biscuit before you bite into it, go to the mirror. Shout out aloud. I can do this. Make it really loud and say it like you mean it. Repeat as often as need be.

Ok what to do to make the task easier for yourself. Go to the cupboard and throw away any biscuit, cake, lolly, chocolate. Into the bin they go. Get rid of any and all “crap” food. if its not in the house it will make youre task easier. You wouldn’t expect a recovering alcoholic to have a stash of booze in the cupboard, so why tempt fate.

OK this is my take of what healthy and not healthy. There is some debate amongst those that are not in maintenance, very little debate amongst those that have reached their goal weight. Do not have grain based processed foods, they are not healthy for you. So that means no bread, pasta, pizza, biscuits, breakfast cereals (these are real bad) etc. NO SUGAR!!!!! No fruit juice (its NOT healthy for you!!). You want fruit, have a whole piece of fruit. No potatoes. Get your carbs from cruciferous veggies. Some fruit is OK, go for your berry type fruits like strawberries, blueberries etc. Kiwi fruit is good. Apples (the sour types) are OK. Pears are OK. Not bananas, too much sugar.

Fat is OK. Get your fats from avocadoes, cheese, high fat low sugar yogurt. Nuts like almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts are good for you. Limit cashews. Beans but not the ones in cans with added sauce. Pure crap. Eggs are good, some lean meats like tuna and fish and chicken. Tofu is good.

Read the labels on cans. More that 5-7% sugar content, put it back on the shelf. No soft drinks!! Even the ones with zero sugar!! Ask yourself, whens the last time you saw a thin person drinking a diet soda? Theres a good reason for that, the artificial sweetener plays havoc with your brain.

Im sure other successful fasters will also chime in with their take on what works.

Good luck, 5:2 works if youre genuine about it. Success doesn’t chase you, you need to chase success.

Hi, Purpledays. Welcome!

Retirement may be a mixed bag for you at first. The upside is you’ll be able to prepare your own fresh food without sugar and additives. Many of us find that processed foods are full of the addictive cocktail that keep us going back for more, more, MORE.

The downside is that you will have a lot of unaccustomed time on your hand. One of the best strategies for fasting and for life in general is to keep busy. Time on your hands is often the beginning of urges to eat out of boredom rather than hunger. So plan day trips or volunteer activities. Start re-organizing closets and sorting through accumulated magazines and going through stacks of mail. Get yourself in a book club. You’ll figure it out!

I’m betting if you do 2-3 weeks of 5:2 you’ll start feeling better and want to continue.

Hey Purpledays, welcome!

I’m the same age as you and in East Sussex. Please read my post a bit higher up on what I eat at the moment with the weather being colder.

Motivation has to come from within, but you have plenty of support here and many success stories. Give it a go and keep busy on FD. Don’t go food shopping on those days either and stay away from temptation. It’s not as hard as it sounds and you can always look forward to eating lovely food the following day.

Come the following day, chances are, you won’t want half of what you were thinking about the day before. 😉

LA,

In moderation Im not saying they are problematic. Compared to my go to choices like almonds, brazil nuts (my favourite) walnuts they have about double the sugar content and half the fibre content. Don’t get me wrong I do occasionally have them, they just aren’t my first choice.

Thank you all for your comments and advice. I plan to fast on Mondays and Thursdays because they are relatively busy days. I will keep checking in here. Thank you everyone. 😀

Thanks for the warm welcome, LA Chubster and MsGadjetty! I so agree we are still kicking it in our 60’s, which is the new 40’s, right? LOL. I hope this program will work for me like it’s worked for so many of you. In reading through the threads, I can see the impressive results many of you have had, so I’m inspired. I’ve decided to do Sunday and Thursday as my days to fast. Do you weigh yourselves daily, weekly?

And, BigBooty–your post of what to eat and avoid is very helpful! I already cleared out all the cookies, crackers, soda, etc. and went to Whole Foods to load up on veggies, organic chicken, soups, etc. My biggest challenge is just around the corner, my birthday and Christmas. I know I won’t want to give up birthday cake. Yikes.

Hi
I am new to all this and have never used a forum before. I have been reading all your posts and wondered if I may join you.

I turned 60 in November, am overweight and need some support. I am planning my first fast tomorrow.

I have dieted all my life and do not want to do it anymore so I see the 5:2 as a new way of life rather than a diet. Just hope I can stick to it

Yep, welcome Kazoo!

I you had asked me in July, I would’ve been sceptical, but a few months down the line I’ve seen how this “programme” works and what it can do for me. Have to postpone tomorrow’s diet day due to some commitments and am nearly disappointed as I know the FDs keep me on the straight and narrow. So I’ll be doing Tuesday and Thursday this week instead of Monday and Thursday.
I will probably take a little break between Christmas and New Year, but I hope I won’t put on too much weight then (if any).

Good luck with your first FD and let us know how you’re getting on. 🙂