Fasting

[chugsy]

You guys have inspired me to try this out! Sorta started on Monday but I think I exceeded my intake by a few hundred cals (out of an fear for conking out on the commute home). Yesterday was much more on target with a salad/mackeral/boiled egg for lunch and a tin of soup for dins (an apple and a granola bar to round off). Felt fine on the rides (20 mile round trip). Fingers crossed I can keep this up - feeling a bit ravenous now!

 

[The Jogger]

If I ger hungry I find a diet drink helps.

 

[chugsy]

I had a 1000 calorie Tesco Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake ready meal for lunch (not as much in quantity as it sounds) and found myself feeling very full which was not expected! Does fasting the day before decrease one's appetite?

I'll stick with tea (+semi skimmed milk) or water - I stopped drinking diet pop about 6 years ago (but not for any particular reason). It wasn't difficult which was surprising as prior to that I must have had a can a day for 13 years.

 

[ColinJ]

Does fasting the day before decrease one's appetite?

I have not noticed a decrease in appetite, but I have noticed a decrease in my desire to eat when I am not actually hungry, which is not quite the same thing! I used to eat because I enjoyed eating, but now I tend to eat more of what I need and less of what I just want. Except for chocolate, that is ...

 

[chugsy]

I stopped buying biscuits as a new year resolution but occasionally snack on cream crackers when I want something crunchy. Chocolate I could eat all day if given for free - cake too. Like some here I do find it quite easy to not buy treats but trying to keep them in the house and not eat them? No chance!

 

[chugsy]

My new electronic scales have arrived at work - I officially record my starting weight here as 14 stone 4 lbs (5 foot 11). A bit gutting as all the spring scales I've used read just over 14 st.... but I knew they lied anyway! I think I've lost nearly a stone since Xmas just cutting back on biscuits and crap and portion control but there's plenty of moobage, love handles and belly to shift ;D

 

[Garz]

Does fasting the day before decrease one's appetite?

Both myself and the wife agree that the morning after a fast day we arent really as hungry as anticipated. Some nights I go to bed excited of what I can eat when I get up only to not feel that need.

I agree with the above that the fast plan is easy to factor into life and for many people now concur that it is better than most diets going around. My wife has lost two stone doing it and she does no exercise - only looks after our 1yr old.

 

[jazzkat]

Some nights I go to bed excited of what I can eat when I get up only to not feel that need.

That's exactly how I feel too. I do a 'proper fast' in that I have nothing to eat at all from the night before until my evening meal around 6ish.
Then I have all my 500 calories all at once
My stomach has definitely shrunk as I can't eat the amount I once could.

 

[jackforever]

Started the 5:2 diet at easter and also started cycling. I was 18st 7 and 6ft and im now down to 15 4. Still a fair way to go but I have been delighted with my progress. Feel fitter and healthier and love the 5:2, as its so easy and seems to bring structure and discipline to my eating habits. Completed the south wales bike ride today. Only 28 miles but a few months ago 3 miles seemed a long way. Cant get over the difference in me and how much im enjoying cycling and healthy eating.

 

[ColinJ]

I had to squeeze an extra fast in today because of disruption earlier in the week due to family parties, hospital trips etc. I had a friend coming round who wanted chocolate, which put choccy temptation my way, but I just bought one small bar for her while I made do with a couple of strawberries and 100 g of low fat natural yoghurt instead.

I want to keep my weight stable for a few weeks until my clots have started to disappear, then get back on my bike and start losing weight again.

I think my dodgy scales have finally died altogether so I might treat myself to a new, more accurate set. (I was weighed twice in hospital and both times I was about 14-4 which is about 4 pounds more than my scales were reading here.)

I have been doing this fasting diet for long enough now to say that it works for me. I can relax 5 days a week and just be careful on the other 2 days. I don't get particularly hungry on the fasting days and my weight is under control. When I can do more exercise I am sure that I will get my last 25 pounds or so of flab off and then start eating more on the 5 non-fasting days to stabilise at my ideal weight.

So, the official ColinJ verdict is ... 5:2 fasting diet: YES!

 

[MrGrumpy]

going to give this swirl. My weight is not really coming down much at all. We had a health check at work last week and I was healthy other than my weight, which according to the scales meant I should lose about 20kg. To be fair if I could lose 10kg In would be happy any less and I would look too skinny. I`m 184cm which puts my just over 6ft and weigh about 95-96kg. Ideally would like to get down to 85kg, my biggest problem is probably the snacking, other than that me diet aint to bad but my weight stayd the same. So just as well I cycle or I would be a heefer!! My only worry is lack of energy on fasting days but skimming the thread, it does not seem to be too much of an issue??

Just a a side note what books if any have people been using for recipes, advice etc ??

 

[The Jogger]

For the recipes I haven't bothered, I just don't eat throughout the day, water and zero coke then about 7pm I have two skinless and boneless chicken breast with mashed broccoli and cauliflower and also a nightcap of tea and 4 rich tea biscuits, 600 cals then eat normal the next day. There are recipe books for the diet.

 

[ColinJ]

I don't bother with recipes either. I usually have natural yoghurt and fruit on fasting mornings. On fasting evenings, it is usually a big salad with either a tin of tuna, or 2 or 3 hard-boiled eggs OR steamed veg (brocolli, cabbage and carrots) with a tin of tuna. If I feel peckish during a fasting day, I sometimes have an apple. I drink several mugs of tea with skimmed milk during a fasting day, and drink mainly water on a fasting evening.

 

[goo_mason]

going to give this swirl. My weight is not really coming down much at all. We had a health check at work last week and I was healthy other than my weight, which according to the scales meant I should lose about 20kg. To be fair if I could lose 10kg In would be happy any less and I would look too skinny. I`m 184cm which puts my just over 6ft and weigh about 95-96kg. Ideally would like to get down to 85kg, my biggest problem is probably the snacking, other than that me diet aint to bad but my weight stayd the same. So just as well I cycle or I would be a heefer!! My only worry is lack of energy on fasting days but skimming the thread, it does not seem to be too much of an issue??

Just a a side note what books if any have people been using for recipes, advice etc ??

I've never noticed any lack of energy on fasting days since I started at the end of Feb.

Recipes? I've settled on the same routine for every fast day so far:

Breakfast - 150g of zero-fat yoghurt with blueberries stirred in (initially also had a banana in it, but dropped that to allow for a cup of tea with milk & a sugar).
Lunch - small satsuma
Dinner - 1/2 tin tomato soup and a big salad (leaves, tomatoes, pepper, 1/2 small avocado, spring onions, garlic, sliced gherkins, drizzle of white wine vinegar).

When I get bored with this, I'll try a few other recipes.

 

[jazzkat]

I must admit to being a bit rubbish with my fast day meal.
I eat nothing 'til about 6pm. Just a couple of cups of black coffee first thing and water through the day. Then when I get home I start drinking tea with semi skimmed milk. For food it tends to be one of those packet rice thingies. Probably not the best, they come in at about 400cals per pack but it fits into my busy schedule. That gives me a few calories for a snack when I get back in again later in the evening if I feel peckish.
I should look into some simple recipies. Maybe when I get a bit of time.