The FastDay Forum

Afyter not losing any weight for a few weeks Despite fasting was determined to do better this week......I think I have been eating what I like on non fast days and a few cakes etch are crept in, also I usually run a couple of times a week and this has not been so regular........anyway I had all good intentions this morning, burnt realised as I got to the station that my prepared lunch of celery and carrot sticks was still in my fridge........never mind I' ll just buy a salad for lunch........trickier than I first thought....after checking a few outlets I ended up in EAT and bought a rainbow and quinoa salad the sin on the shelf said 119 cals.......not too bad, but on scanning the label when retuning to my desk found that it was 500 cals!!!!!!!! Might as well got a sandwich........so that was a fail hopefully I will remember my lunch tomorrow and try again....anyone got any favourites for a lunch you can buy out for around 100-150 cals - I have a good selection as I work in the covent garden area.......

I think most people here don't eat lunch. They save all their calories for dinner. If I have lunch, it tends to be pretty basic: a boiled egg (~70 calories), 100g cottage cheese (~110 calories), roasted chicken without skin (~110 calories) or just some cherry tomatoes.

I wouldn't get too hung up on today's mistake. Have a low, but maybe more than 500, calorie day and move on.

Good luck!

Hi, this may not be massively helpful but I thought I'd chip in as one of the people on here who always eats lunch on 5:2 days! I have to say I generally make packed lunch (fast day or not), as I work in the middle of nowhere and our work canteen is rubbish...

But earlier in the year I did a training course in central London and did have to fend for myself for a couple of fast days. In my limited experience, it was next to impossible to find low-cal enough salads in the likes of EAT, Pret etc.
Wrong time of year I know, but have you looked at the soups? One example is that Pret do a miso soup which I remember being pretty low cal. Also, do you have a branch of Itsu near you? I remember seeing a few potential options in there.

I don't have lunches on my fast days any more, but when I did I sometimes bought a punnet of strawberries, or some melon from a supermarket - both are things that you get to eat a lot of for minimal calories. Or maybe a yogurt with a small fruit salad? A pack of rice cakes (I think one salt and vinegar snack a jack was about 40 cals) and some carrot sticks? I definitely think supermarkets are the way to go to give you more control - pre-prepared salads/sandwiches can be a nightmare as you know!

Hi, I don't eat lunch but then I don't work at the moment so I don't have to worry about not being able to concentrate.

The miso soup is a great idea, how about you pick some up from Asda they come in a box of about 8 sachets and they are only ....18 cals a sachet. Make up like a cup of tea, you just add water. Keep a couple in your work handbag then if you get caught out you have something to fall back on. Salads are a nightmare, it's rare you can get a green side salad with nothing on it outside of a restaurant so avoid those. Maybe keep some of the options suggested already in your work desk? Rivita are nice and around 37 cals a slice, good for emergencies. If you do have to go out again to pick up lunch I would stick to fresh fruit or fruit salads which are easy to count calories and are low cal.

As said before, as annoying as it is when our best efforts are spoiled just have it as very low cal day and don't beat yourself up.

Good luck. X

Thanks guys. Next time I will visit the supermarket. I did have a low cal day on weds, and did another fast day on thurs. Love how flexible this diet/woe is.
Plus thanks to the tube strike and extra walking I lost around 3lb this week........so it ended I success in ten end.

I did think of the soup option. Def one for the cooler months.

I usually miss brekkie, and allow 100cals is through the day for drinks and lunch and then aroun 400 cals for dinner.......has worked for me so far.

The pret miso is large - 80 cals. They do protein pots for 100-150 cals - spinach, egg, tiny piece of salmon - satisfying but you could make yourself for a fraction of the price ..... good for an emergency though. Some of their soups come in at under 200 cals - have a look at their website so you are prepared in the event of an emergency. As you might be able to tell ..... I have a pret within a couple of strides of my office.