Thinking of starting 5 2

This topic contains 3 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by sylvestra 10 years, 10 months ago.

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stanvan

4:26 am
24 Jan 14
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Hey everyone,
This year I’ve decided to lose a bit of weight and to lower my cholesterol levels and for the last 2 of weeks I’ve been watching my calories and have lost about 5kgs and ideally would like to lose another 5. I’m only slightly overweight but all my excess weight is in the stomach area which I’ve been trying to fix.

While restricting my calories is working really well for losing weight quickly I want to find something that would be easy to maintain for the future. I’m confident I can lose the weight I need to but I’d like some sort of plan to help me not gain it back again right away. I’ve also had IBS for the last 8 years or so and am interested in some peoples reports of IBS symptoms being lowered through fasting.

I was unsure about some details of the fast days though I was thinking I would try to stick to something simple and try to eat 2 small meals and a larger dinner, maybe something like a banana or sultana bran for breakfast, another banana or some dry biscuits at lunch time and then some grilled chicken with frozen vegetables for dinner. Would that be an acceptable fast day or is it really only going to work with only 2 meals?

I’ve had the odd day similar to this with the current diet I’m on where I’ve eaten only 500-700 calories and I haven’t really felt any hunger issues, for the 5 2 plan to work is it necessary for your body to start feeling hunger?

Thanks in advance for any answers or advice

Angie090465

6:27 am
24 Jan 14
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hi Stanvan and welcome to the forum

5.2 is a great way of eating/life and once you get a few fasts under your belt you will get used to it and probably wont look back!

as long as you use 600 calories ( assuming you are a man, lol, which given you name you must be!) on your fast days its up to you how you use those cals, throughout the day or one main evening meal, its what works for you..

I do hope you join us on this life journey, and if you do good luck! 🙂

Sassy

6:43 am
24 Jan 14
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Hi stanvan, welcome and congrats on starting this Way Of Eating! 🙂

There are a number of different approaches to the fast day – you may need to experiment to find out what works best for you.

– initially many people start off with 3 small meals a day, and that may be the easiest way to ease into this, but many people find the hunger pangs worse once they start eating, so tend to leave eating for as long as possible. Some have a miso soup or equivalent at lunch time it they need something to help get thru the day, but where possible I think most try to wait til the evening meal before eating. This has the added benefit of increasing the length of actual fasting time – ie when no food is consumed.

– drinking lots of water and non-sweetened clear liquids such as fruit, herbal, green, ordinary tea helps whenever hunger strikes.

– most try to avoid white carbs/grains and high cal fruit and veg on fast days – protein (fish/chicken/vegan alternatives) plus lots of lower cal veg seem to be the way to go – there are lots of recipes around for nutritious interesting food for fast days.

So if you can I would avoid the sultana bran, biscuits and the bananas if you can find lower carb alternatives that you like, Including a lot more salad and veg. However, if your proposed menu is within 600 cal, and you find that you can manage on it without feeling too hungry/deprived (and it sounds like you may be in that position) then it may be fine. Give it a go!

I am not sure if you have to feel hungry for this WOE to work, but almost everyone on this WOE does seem to feel hunger!

Re IBS, I suggest you put that into the Search box and read thru the many topics/posts it will bring up.

Pls also note that given you don’t have much to lose, results may not be quick – and no guarantees the weight will just come off the tummy, but hopefully some will!

Very best wishes for this journey.
Sassy 😀

sylvestra

10:36 am
24 Jan 14
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Hi @stanvan – welcome to 5:2 You’ve already been given useful advice and I agree – try to avoid the sugary cereals and calorie dense carbs (bananas come into this category too)

I don’t believe it is ‘necessary’ to feel hunger on 5:2. Frequently what we think is hunger is actually thirst so if you do feel ‘peckish’, have a glass of water or a cup of coffee or tea – remember to account for any milk or sugar you add – or green tea.

The main thing is stay at or under 500/600 cals on fast days and ABOVE your BMR and AT or UNDER you TDEE on non fast days. If you haven’t already calculated these, go to the ‘how?’ link at the top of the page. There is a calculator and an explanation of why you need to know these. After that you do it your way. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way. Everyone experiments until they find what works for them and what fits in with their lifestyle to make this sustainable.

Good luck

xx