The FastDay Forum

Okay. I know I'm probably just being a bit irrational about this and it's a hang-over from previous dieting techniques, but a bit of reassurance would be be very much appreciated...

Tomorrow we are going to visit MIL. OH (who's done 5:2 for ages successfully) says it will be perfectly okay to indulge in fish & chips with her (it's her Saturday treat). I keep reading and do kind of agree that it sounds okay, but can't help feeling that old panic about this kind of food. To be honest I'll probably only eat a few chips, a little batter, and ALL of the fish inside it as I find greasy food a bit hard going in any large amount - although will def enjoy what I DO eat.

Can someone please stop me being silly about this please. And, how long will I be like this? Hmmm.

Yeah, don't stress. I had fish and chips yesterday with bread slices and tea! Other than making you more ill than you used to feel, due to the fat, it's fine.

You might lose minutely less this week but it does stop you losing the fat-digesting enzymes altogether and means that days when not dieting are easier.

Fish and Chips, Pizza and Burgers are among the foods I've consumed in the five months that I've been doing 5:2, and I don't just pick at the edges either. I've lost weight every single week so far.

During my munchies phase, had quite a lot of chips! And yes, I've lost some weight. Feeling thin today after feeling fat all last week!!

I would have thought fish in batter is not bad for a feed day - pretty low carb, and hopefully cooked in vegetable oil? OD'ing on the greasy chips, with fat + carbs sounds less good.

Anyone with a more scientific take on this new addition to the perfect diet?

Technically, the fish is actually steamed...

but after the batter coating is put on it goes into the deep fat fryer doesn't it? The batter coating is probably not the healthiest stuff either, but there's not so much of it...

I would have thought fish in batter is not bad for a feed day - pretty low carb, and hopefully cooked in vegetable oil? OD'ing on the greasy chips, with fat + carbs sounds less good.

Anyone with a more scientific take on this new addition to the perfect diet?

Thanks.

TBH I'm not a big fan of chips. If I could steal just 5 or 6 from someone else I'd have enough. Noone seems keen on that idea. In fact, when I got together with my OH 20 years ago, one of the things he first told me was that I should never take food that is 'his' but he's quite happily buy me some of my own. Obviously, I listened to this advice and consequently we're still together! lol.

WOAH - thanks you lot. Aren't you quick??!!! Feeling much better now. Obviously won't be making it a regular meal, but will relax and enjoy what I have. A few chips, and the bit of the batter with the fish underneath. (On SW we were always allowed the fish that had been cooked in the batter as it had effectively been steamed - but never the actual batter unless we counted about a billion syns).

Thanks again

The chips are not great, the batter is terrible but the fish literally steams due to high temps of the deep-fat fryer.

I think I picked that up at SW too.

You seriously should not be worrying about having fish and chips once in a blue moon. If you were eating them on every feed day that wouldn't be healthy, but it goes against the whole point of 5:2 as I see it to deny yourself the right to eat a bit of "bad" food now and again.

[Moogie]

You really don't need to worry about having a chippie, although I understand why you feel that way - I worried the first few times I had that sort of stuff in the early days of 5:2. In one of the early weeks I had a takeaway Chinese as well as lunch out and didn't lose weight that week. I swore it was because I'd overeaten but since have realised it was that time of the month, and it seems those weeks I tend not to lose much if at all

I've lost almost every week on 5:2, with the exception of 'that time of the month', and haven't skimped on my treats, takeaways, dinners out, sides etc. But I do listen to my body - I don't keep stuffing my face when I feel full (well, maybe just one more mouthful to be sure ) and if I don't feel hungry the morning after a big dinner then I don't bother with breakfast, I just wait until I'm hungry.

I've probably averaged a takeaway or dinner out every 10 days or so while fasting, and have a couple of biccies, some choc, dessert or whatever most feed days. I enjoy it and don't feel guilty as I know almost every week the scales will be down by a pound, give or take a little. I don't mind that the loss has slowed down now as I can still enjoy my food and lose weight - which has got to be better than what I was doing before, enjoying the food and piling weight on!

If you're not eating fish and chips for each of the other five days per week, I reckon you're safe. Enjoy! If you need to ditch something, I'd say ditch the chips and enjoy the batter if its really crispy.

Isn't the whole benefit of this lifestyle/diet choice that you can indulge in your favourite foods within reason on your 5 days?! I'm still enjoying biscuits, chinese meals etc and losing weight.

I think the 'ayes' have it then. I'm vegan, so wouldn't eat fish, but it is heartening to read that people are 'reducing' whilst eating things they like, such as fish and chips.

I must admit that in the three weeks I have been trying 5.2 on I dream of things on fast days that I deny myself on feed days. Funny that.

OK, that's it, on Monday I'm having fried rice noodles come what may