5:2 Fasting Diet

I commenced the 5:2 diet five weeks ago & have lost 9lbs so! I find it easy to do & very flexible.....usual do it on a Monday/Wednesday when I am busy,, but this week I am doing it on Friday as well, as I want to lose the 3lbs to round it up to ? stone!
I have tried every other diet going,but find that this one suits me. Perhaps knowing that there is a feast day the next day helps to encourage you!
My goal is to lose another 7lbs.

OOOPS! Easter tookk it's tol I'm afraid. I haven't gone near the scales but I can well imagine!
I am actually very glad to get back to a fast day today.
There was a very good report on this diet & fasting in general on The Food Programme on Radio 4 at the weekend. It inspired me & now I am sure this way of eating is affecting my general feeling of well being & I am not just imagining it. Very interesting.
Mind you I am glad it is only 2 or 2.5 days a week. I don't fancy 36 hours with no food.

I'm going to pick up on that programme on i-Player, GrandmaH. I'm well and truly stuck after having lost about 2.5 stone over the last year or so. However, it doesn't seem to matter how much I cut back now, the weight just isn't shifting. I've got the book, but didn't do the diet. I'll listen to it now!

Ryvita do another type of crisp read called Crackerbread. In a long yellow packet 19 cals per slice. Less than traditional Ryvita. With Marmite(love or hate!) and low cal soup makes a great lunch on low cal days.

Have just listened to it, GrandmaH, and think I may give it a go. How many days do you have between the fasting days?

It doesn't matter Marelli, as long as the fasting days are not consecutive. Just fit them in around your life.

Have you managed it ok, shysal? Don't you get really hungry and then overeat the next day?

Marelli, I fast on alternate days with no problem, but think I am gradually eating more in between, hence my weight is at a standstill. I am not too concerned though because I have lost all of the 2.5 stone I put on when on medication for an overactive thyroid. I think I am now at the weight that my body likes to be, although still in the overweight range rather than obese.

Thank you, shysal. My weight seems to have stuck after having lost 2.5 stones as well, and it just won't go any lower! I wonder if our bodies do just settle at the weight they 'like' to be?

Am trying 2pm to 2pm, it was mentioned on the 5:2 Facebook site. fingers crossed, has anyone else tried these times for fasting?

Just debunking it on radio4

It is odd but I actually look forward to the fast days now. I'm sure I feel more 'alive' if that makes sense. I was eating too much on feast days for a week or so & weight loss slowed but it was soooo cold! I'm certainly going to give those Crackerbread things a go. I like something to munch when having soup. I'm trying to have my fish on fast days as it is lower calories than most meat so you can have a bit more & I do find I drink a lot of water those days too.
I just think we all find different diets effective. Dukan works for me but it is too restrictive- this fits into my life without me really noticing I'm doing it.

Hartley's Low Sugar jelly. 10 cals a pot. Great for a sweet taste on low cal days. Xx Keep going!

I have decided to do it. Today is Day 1. For almost two years I have been on steroids for Polymyalgia Rheumatica and it's easy to blame them for the weight gain. I am sure they are responsible for around half of it but the rest is just my own lack of control. Now I am down to a very low dose - reducing today to 2.5 mg. I would like to lose at least three stone though two before the end of July would be good. I will be contributing to the weight loss thread from next week onwards. Wish me luck, please.

J52 , I use the sachets of Hartleys sugar free jelly, usually make 2 pints at a time, sometimes with some added fruit. Then if I find myself looking into the fridge for a snack I can have a bowl full, with some squirty low fat cream if the calorie count allows.
Good luck anno, I look forward to hearing how you get on. To be realistic, I think you will need to do alternate days to achieve 3 stone by the end of July.

I agree shysal I have also used the sachets they are good and make economic sense. Sometimes I'm lazy!!

anno, 3 stone by the end of July sounds a big task. The 5:2 & alternate day are quite slow, 2-3 lbs a week at best, but it does stay off. Good luck I hope you achieve your goal. Xx

I took my courage in both hands this morning and weighed myself. I am half a stone lighter than I had feared, so that's a good start. Just had a cup of bouillon made with Marigold stock powder - 12 calories. Now for a and I am lucky there in that I never take tea with milk.

I began it today. I was really hungry during the morning, but have had 2 mugs of Oxo at 13 cals each and an orange (about 100 cal) so far. The Oxo is tasty! I'd bought the book last month and then decided the diet wasn't for me, however, having read others' posts and re-read the book, I think it will be ok. I'll fast on a Tuesday and a Friday. Going to have a look on the Facebook site now. I'd like to get about half-a-stone off.

I am intending to start this but I need to organize myself a list of low calorie vegetarian menus for the fast days.

I hope that getting a variety of tasty recipes in mind will make it easy to stick to on a fasting day. Its not as if I haven't got a vegetarian slimming book to hand. Any tips gratefully received.

I would be interested to know what sort of times of the day others have their 500calories. A longer time between is supposed to be better which to me would been say breakfast and lunch only. I really do need my breakfast.

Nellie, I eat lunch and dinner on fasting days, then don't eat breakfast the next morning. However I don't think it matters much, but as you say a long time between is good.
I would suggest homemade soups, roasted vegetables or salads to fill you up, something that looks like a good plate full, so you don't feel deprived.
Let us know how you get on.

How do you work out how many calories your bowl of home-made soup would have, shysal?

this book , which lists foods alphabetically, so quick to use.

I've just installed My Fitness Pal on my phone. DS swears by it and he has lost a lot of weight in the past year or so.

Thank you, shysal. Just what I was looking for - ordered it a minute ago!

Am still struggling with this. Have not lost any more weight apart from the few pounds when I started. It seems that each time I have a feast day, although not gorging myself, I just put on what I lost! I have shingles at the moment so am not feeling special bu am persevering.