Veggie Police Recruit training and 5:2

This topic contains 11 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Mark Mywordz 7 years, 10 months ago.

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sanguinepenguin

7:20 pm
17 Jan 17
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Hi! I just want to say thank you to anyone who actually opens this thread and reads my laundry list of problems/questions/concerns! So here we go:

I’ve just been offered a job with the state police. (I’m in the US)
I have 5 weeks to get in the best shape of my life (yes, I know it takes longer than that, but I’m giving it a shot!).
I have done 5:2 with fantastic results before but I fell off the wagon and am now clambering back on, trying to do IDF or 4:3, ideally.
I *should* be working out every day, and have been so far. The workouts consist of a lot of pushups, situps, and sprints, with a few longer runs thrown in. Workouts generally last about 50-60 minutes. Some longer, some shorter.
I try to maintain a mostly vegan or vegetarian diet.

So here are my questions:
How do those of you who work out every day cycle your eating/fasting/workout periods?
What’s a good vegetarian/vegan 500 calorie meal for fast days? (I only eat once a day on fast days—it’s what works best for me) Is oatmeal with chia seeds adequate?
When I feel like poop on the day after a fast day while doing a workout, is it because I’ve fasted, or is it because I didn’t eat enough before the workout?
Anything else I should know about combining 5:2 with exercise?

Thank you!!

LA Chubster

7:49 pm
17 Jan 17
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I’ve been doing 5:2 for a year.

I stick to lunch and dinner and eat them in an 8 hour window without any snacking. This is to say I follow a 16:8 program when I eat. And when I fast, I fast — nothing but water in the form of unsweetened ice tea. I don’t eat vegetarian or vegan tho I have cut back dramatically on the amount of meat I eat. In fact, I have salmon most of my food days and very, very rarely have red meat. I also have cut sugar and grains out of my diet but that’s purely personal because they cause me strong cravings.

I eat a salad with about half veggies and half greens plus a generous amounts of beans and olive-oil based dressing for lunch on my food days. It’s a very large salad that leaves me completely full. I have veggies and a generous serving of animal protein for dinner. I don’t count calories. I don’t leave myself feeling hungry or deprived.

I take supplements including probiotics and electrolytes.

My Fast Days are Mon & Tues. Regardless, I am able to work out for an hour on Mon-Fri with no observable differences. IF I were to dial back on Mon & Tues because my body demanded it, I would and I wouldn’t think twice about it but my records show similar calorie expenditures whether I eat or don’t. Perhaps because I do my workouts first thing in the morning when I never eat anyway or perhaps because my body has accepted that this is the pattern that I’ve evolved over my time on IF.

It works for me. I’ve never felt better in my life.

Good luck finding your regimen and securing the position you’re hoping for.

Amazon

8:15 pm
17 Jan 17
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Hi,

I don’t eat before lunchtime on non fast days and on fast days I only eat dinner.
I work out in the mornings and rarely have a problem with either a lack of energy or feeling bad afterwards.

I often eat vegetarian/vegan food on fast days as it usually means a big plate of food and lots of fibre containing veggies to keep my gut functioning properly.
If you are going to be fasting 3 or 4 times per week oatmeal with chia is going to make it very difficult for you to eat a balanced diet and get all the vitamins and minerals you need.

I make calorie counted batches of things such as veggie curries and veggie chili ensuring I add lentils or beans and freeze them in portions so I always have a quick nutritious and tasty meal to hand on a fast day. I’ve made veagn lasagne using tofu, pasta, a layer of spinach and tomato sauce.
It means a couple of hours in the kitchen but worth the effort for 8-10 FD dinners.

I also make a lot of salads using raw and cooked veggies, pulses, avocadoes, eggs, cheese.

It depends on how much time you have/want to spend in the kitchen but the choices are endless.

I hope this has given you some ideas.

sanguinepenguin

8:47 pm
17 Jan 17
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Thank you, LA and Amazon, for your responses. Both are helpful. Re: the oatmeal and chia—I freely admit that, while I love to cook for my partner and myself, I don’t like cooking for just myself, so I rely on things that are easy to make when I’m alone and/or fasting. My partner travels for work, so I’m at home by myself often. I have been trying to make salads and will continue to do so. Re: the veggie chilis and curries, those sound delicious but I abhor calorie counting. Do you have a tried and true recipe that makes, say, 2-4 500 calories servings? I suppose I’m asking too much, aren’t I? 🙂

Anyway, thanks again for your replies. Do let me know if you think of anything else!

Amazon

9:22 pm
17 Jan 17
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You are asking too much as I use seasonal veg/whatever is in the fridge and once I’ve worked out how many calories in the whole batch I decide how many portions, usually 300-375 calories each which leaves me some calories for milk in my coffee and maybe some yoghurt or cheese on top of whatever I’m eating.

You could do it once using veggies that you can get all year round, write the amounts down and you’ll have your own recipe. You can use canned pulses which should have the calorie count on the label.

Mark Mywordz

3:43 pm
18 Jan 17
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Hi sanguinepenguin
If you’re just eating what’s in the fridge and you’re not keen on counting calories, I think you should cut out the high carb stuff completely. So NO bread, cereals, pizza etc., potatoes, rice, pasta etc. Throw it all out of the house. Just eat veggies and protein (eggs and cheese) but keep your consumption of cheese fairly low.
I always cook for 8 people, even when I’m alone in the house. I freeze 5 or 6 portions each time I cook. That way I’m not thinking of food too much.
I like curries, chilli, any veggie casserole, omelettes, fried eggs, BIG salads. I make my own vinaigrette with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp water, salt and pepper. Put it in a bottle and give it a good shake before using. Allow yourself 1 Tbsp (max) with each salad.
I was off diet for 4 days recently, so I’m doing the Indian vegetarian GM diet for 3 days (just the first 3 days of that diet). Its here, if it helps you: http://www.thefitindian.com/the-fastest-indian-vegetarian-diet-to-lose-weight/
You WILL achieve your goal.

LA Chubster

7:48 pm
18 Jan 17
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I’d endorse what Mark Mywordz has to say. If you eliminate the starchy carbs and added sugar you’re much safer not bothering with calorie counting. I’d go on to say that if you pass on the processed foods in favor of simple foods you prepare yourself from natural ingredients you’re much safer. Then there’s really little need for concern about the calories.

sanguinepenguin

7:32 pm
21 Jan 17
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Hey all, just checking in. Thanks again for all the great words of advice. I’ve been playing around with 16:8 in addition to 4:3 and also reducing or eliminating bread, potatoes, rice, oats, etc. As a result, I’ve been dropping about .5 pounds per day (not sustainable, in my opinion, but an interesting experiment). However, I learned a hard lesson at the track yesterday so I don’t think I’ll be going carb-free anytime soon. While it may be possible to jog, lift weights, swim, bike, etc. on veggies and protein, I am simply not able to run 400m sprint repeats at goal pace when I’ve had nothing but fruit, eggs, and salad. I knew this, but thought I would give it a try anyway. As a result, I was like a turtle with four broken legs out there. Not a pretty sight. So, I’ll continue to eat clean——eliminating refined carbohydrate and sugar and upping my intake of veggies and protein——but whole oats, brown rice, and some potatoes will gain a seat back at the table. I will also continue to eat as later in the day on non-fast days, but will try to consume a small snack or meal prior to hard running or sprint workouts. Hoping to find a way of eating that enables me to become faster and stronger while also reducing the waistline 🙂

fatrabbit

9:53 pm
21 Jan 17
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A really good, quick and filling veggie meal for fast days is a drained tin of kidney beans mashed with chili powder with a couple of slices of feta on it topped off with frozen peas or a few other vegggies and zapped in the microwave.

When I cook properly it is vegan but when I do it quickly just for myself I use cheese and that actually makes it more filling. I cook big batches of vegetable and bean curries or stews or chili about three times a week and just have small bowlful on fast days and then more the following day. I make sure to use at least 5 different veg in them and a variety of beans. And lots of spices.

Mark Mywordz

10:59 am
22 Jan 17
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Hi SP
That’s amazing – 5 pounds per day lost! I have just reached a healthy BMI but near the top of that range. I lost 5 pounds over the last 4 days and am pretty pleased with that. I did the Indian GM vegetarian diet to achieve that but only for 3 days. I have found a new recipe I really like, Spaghetti Bolognese made with TVP and veg and using broccoli in place of spaghetti Here’s the recipe: Skinny spag bol
205 cals per portion Serves 8
2 cups TVP
3 cups veg stock
OR (boiling water + 3 Oxo cubes)
2 tsp Marmite
Salt and pepper
2 large onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
4 celery sticks, diced
2 red peppers, diced
400g mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp mixed spice
2 x 800g tins tomatoes chopped
6 tbsp tomato purée
1 or 2 courgettes, diced
Rehydrate TVP in veg stock and Marmite, s+p.
Add onion, garlic, celery and pepper to the pan and cook gently for 2-3 mins until softened.
Add all other ingredients and bring to boil.
Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 mins – longer if possible, to enrich the sauce.
Check seasoning and serve.
Instead of pasta, serve with… • broccoli
Tastes even better on 2nd day. Make 8 portions and freeze some.

sanguinepenguin

5:07 pm
22 Jan 17
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Fatrabbit and Mark, thanks for the food ideas! I’ll be sure to incorporate some version of those recipes into my rotation.

Mark, just a quick note to assure you that I have not lost five pounds per day, merely .5, or one-half pound per day! 🙂 And nice work on the five you lost in four days!

Mark Mywordz

10:30 am
23 Jan 17
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Phew, that’s a relief. half a pound per day could well be sustainable in the short term and it is still reason for you to congratulate yourself. My 5 pounds in 4 days is not sustainable but it gave my diet a welcome push in the right direction and it makes me feel that it might be possible to achieve and maintain the BMI I want.