The FastDay Forum

I started 9 weeks ago, mainly for the health benefits, I wasn't really overweight but wouldn't mind looking really ripped some time in the not too distant future, so for what it's worth...

I eat nothing on Mondays and Thursdays, since I don't care if I'm hungry it's easier that way. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays I naturally tend to eat more healthy than I used to, I just don't feel like overeating, saving it for later.

Fridays and Saturdays are my planned binge days, where I drink a lot and eat whatever I want. I've noticed I have become a lot more specific, it has to be sweets or snacks that I really like a lot, before 5:2 I ate whatever was put in front of me.

It has to be just the exact brand or the specific type of snacks I like most of all, otherwise I lose interest.

I still drink too much Fridays and Saturdays, but I told my girlfriend to stop me when she thinks I've had enough. It works surprisingly well so far, bless her.

So yes, my "normal" eating behaviour have changed considerably without me really making much effort, more vegetables, really healthy food and less empty carbs. I don't enjoy junk food and candy as much anymore. And I guess I drink a little less.

It's a way of life I think is very sustainable long term, not much will power required from what I've experienced so far.

[carorees]

My typical non-fast day:

Black coffee
Small bowl of home-made granola (40g) with home-made yoghurt

A big howl of veggies/salad as a starter for lunch
2 boiled eggs and half a slice of toast or small cheese sandwich
A few plums, berries, or other fruit

Some days: A small slice of cake with afternoon coffee

Some days: a few nuts and a glass of red wine
100g chicken/fish/other meat
Big helping of mixed veggies (steamed, stir-fried or oven-roasted)
1 small potato

If no cake in the afternoon, maybe some kind of dessert, e.g., meringues, berries and cream or stewed fruit with yoghurt.

Lots of water during the day

Usually comes in at around 1600 cal without the treats, around 2000 with the treats!

Since I have been doing 16:8 during the holidays I have not had the granola and yoghurt or I've had it but not had lunch, resulting in a daily average of around 1200 cal.

The progress tracker says my TDEE is around 1900 and the Libra app is saying I am eating 800 cals below TDEE with my current weightloss, so it seems about right.

Not sure if this is any help to anyone!

Two major changes I have noticed since starting 5:2 in April are as follows:

1. I stop eating when I feel comfortable

2. I only eat when I am hungry but I eat whatever I like so long as I keep within my weekly total calorie allowance (TDEE)

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

I am going to fast 2 days a week (3 when possible) and try to keep calories down on non fast days during the week so I have more to play with at the weekend for wine and pizza. Not sure how healthy this is but rightly or wrongly sustainable weight loss is my priority.

Lilsmiler

I like Julieathome's advice, because I agree, the alcohol consumption is going to push the cals right up there. I didn't want to put that out there, because I know for me at least, during my party days it would have gone in one ear and out thee other.

Anyway, I think she is spot on - either drink/party less OR up the fast days etc (as explained in paragraph three).

Good luck! You can do it!!

Hehe thanks Dana, yes I am not prepared to give them up but am prepared to cut it down it's actually more the staying in I like with good friends drinking lots of nice wine and cracking out the cheese and biscuits.
I will try and do it more sensibly though and at least stay away from beers and ciders!
Thank you all your help!!

I use the Progress Tracker too which does all the calculations. It's on the Toolbar under the banner at the top of the forum. I took a while to find it as I was looking for it within the forum.

Personally I think I'd find it hard to maintain my TDEE on feeding days, though I haven't really checked. I used to calorie count religiously and got fed up with it because it's so tedious. Two days a week though I do, and I weigh everything.

I've lost about 6 kg since starting 5:2 before Easter this year, but had lots of breaks due to holidays and travel and a bad bout of flu which kept me down for over a month. I've found I'm not bingeing on my feeding days - often feel a bit hungrier than normal on the day after, but also enjoy the "light" feeling of not having too much in my tummy. I'm positive my stomach has shrunk. The best days of the week energy-wise are the days after a fasting day. I feel positively empowered, and I think apart from anything else it's like some sort of detox.

I agree with all that's been said about alcohol, and I love my red wine, but with that too I'm knowing when it's time to stop now, whereas before once I started I could keep going - plus it increases my appetite. So, I still usually enjoy 2 sometimes 3 glasses of red on my feeding days. I do actually feel physically full much quicker than I used to, and it doesn't matter what I eat and/or drink - there's a stopping point now.

Great to hear you're doing so well Pipsqueak.

[Tracieknits]

I have to say my eating habits have changed a LOT.

I used to snack and graze all the time. Now I tend to only eat regular meals, and often a dessert at night. But I don't have midmorning snack, 2nd breakfast, midafternoon tea, or an afterschool nosh. And I don't even miss it. If I wanted it, I'd have it. Now, I only snack in the afternoon if I'm hungry - which is almost always because I forgot to eat lunch. So it's not a snack, it's a late lunch!

I also don't always eat as much - although sometimes I can still put it away. I can rarely finish a whole hamburger now, for example, or a whole salad from Chipotle.

We had a 'fry up' with chips for dinner tonight. The portions were the smallest I have ever had, I still couldn't eat it all, I even *shock horror* had to leave a whole butchers sausage and half a slice of bacon on the plate. I now have my 'you have eaten enough' switch back. I wasn't bloated or overfull, just had enough.
if this diet had done nothing else for me, restoring that part of my eating habits is enough. It does mean that the snacking is now minimal.