The FastDay Forum

pre Roman UK.

Eh?

[carorees]

Before 55BC presumably! The Romans introduced a huge number of new foods to Britain, like garlic, onions, shallots, leeks, cabbages, peas, celery, turnips, radishes, and asparagus, apples, cherries, mulberries, grapes, wine, rabbits, white cattle, chickens, Guinea fowl and pheasants.

What did the Romans do for us eh?

I actually like how I feel on a fast day, somehow lighter and cleaner, if that's possible. I also think it actually teaches you a bit of discipline. It would be so easy just to keep saying "Oh I can't be bothered to fast today". I also think (although it hasn't happened yet!) that eventually I will automatically make healthier choices on the other five days. I probably am doing something already without thinking as I know I'm not bothering so much with chocolate. I'm not much of a wine drinker so its quite similar in that wine drinkers have to omit the booze on diet days. For one day, that's no hardship and they may even start to drink less overall.

I'm working through the Paleo information at the moment looking for a way to get enough calories to support exercise without eating meat, being a vegetarian who occasionally eats fish. I can believe a lot of the anti-grains philosophy but feel a bit of an idiot that I allowed the dietary instructions given to endurance athletes in the 80's and 90's to become a way of eating for life, even after my long-distance running days were effectively over. I read John Yudkin's book "Pure White and Deadly" in the 70's and knew from that that sugar in combination with fat was a killer but fat on its own was OK. I still ended up following high carb/low fat eating plans whilst training for marathons etc and the habit continued until now. For me the Paleo grudging acceptance of potatoes is a start towards a workable diet and I shall heed the warning on cereals (funnily, my usual porage oats with soy milk has been the last thing I have fancied to break my fasts with since starting 5:2) but I don't want to start eating meat at all, or having fish every day. I always have tons of veg anyway! Maybe cheese is the answer, in which case it will be fine with me!

Pete - Another reason why low carb/paleo looks appealing to me is that with exercise I feel that I have never fully adapted to being more reliant on fat. Whilst 5:2ing I feel that I am always jumping between fat and carb reliance (big generalistion...). There are some days when exercise feels way harder than it should and this feeling hasn't really lessened after 6mths 5:2ing. By adopting paleo/low carb maybe with time, that discomfort will disappear and fat reliance will become the norm? I've recently been working my way thru Pater Attia's blog, eatingacademy.com. He has interesting views on exercise and paleo, he's an exercising MD and runs tests on himself so whilst what he writes isn't totally based on emperical scientific evidence it is nevertheless good food for thought. I'm not sure I could go totally paleo. One of my all time fave food is freshly baked bread with butter, could never wave good bye to that or all the choc. Mark daily apple advocates a 80:20 adherence policy, making it sound more achievable. I think next steps for me will be trying to cut out the confectionary whilst carrying on with 52

Many thks to everyone else for your comments. Anyone out there with low carb/paleo experience?

I have to say when I was typing the original post the subject of roadkill and the python what have the roman's ever done for us scene weren't what i was thinking about

Before 55BC presumably! The Romans introduced a huge number of new foods to Britain, like garlic, onions, shallots, leeks, cabbages, peas, celery, turnips, radishes, and asparagus, apples, cherries, mulberries, grapes, wine, rabbits, white cattle, chickens, Guinea fowl and pheasants.

What did the Romans do for us eh?

When you look at Italian/Mediterranean food these days, it's amazing that they didn't have tomatoes and peppers until they were brought over from the new world!

I think I can agree with others on this thread. All the other diets I have followed in the past have restricted food in one form or another...

5:2 works for me as I can eat what I like on non-fast days - nothing is restricted and fast days now have become as norm and are just part of my way of life.

Krissie x

Many thks to everyone else for your comments. Anyone out there with low carb/paleo experience?

I tried it because it was recommended to me by Dr Myhill (see earlier post) as I simply couldn't lose weight due to thyroid problems. I did lose a significant amount of weight but got bored and felt deprived - that emotional connection to comfort food is very important to me and I can't ignore it: ultimately it's about knowing yourself, don't you think? There were too many foods I missed which meant it was unsustainable in the long term - pity, really, as I did feel much better eating low carb/paleo style. I'm currently unable to exercise much due to severe mobility problems. Again, I think a combination of modified paleo/IF might be the way forward for me - I don't believe we're all the same and that 'one size fits all' and it's so useful and informative to have inputs and experiences over the whole diverse spectrum, so thanks for that.

I have to say when I was typing the original post the subject of roadkill and the python what have the roman's ever done for us scene weren't what i was thinking about

But don't you just love it? Really made me laugh (again) - thanks for posting Dominic.

[carorees]

I have to say when I was typing the original post the subject of roadkill and the python what have the roman's ever done for us scene weren't what i was thinking about

But don't you just love it? Really made me laugh (again) - thanks for posting

It seems to me like the "best" weight loss eating plan and lifestyle is the one that works for you. I've done low-carb/paleo stuff before and like others say, it gets much too boring for me. I like my carbs. I like to bake cookies with the kids. I like to eat pasta. I LOVE bread. When I'm doing 5:2, if I get chilly, I get up and walk about/do something active. I've only been doing it for 4 weeks now, but I *love* how much better I feel. Mentally clearer, physically less sluggish, and my fast days are actually a treat for me! I don't have to worry about meal-prep on those days.

Also, I have a large-ish family - hubby and 4 kids - none of the others who need to loose any weight (well, hubby is 5:2 also, but the kids are very slender and healthy!) Paleo eating is VERY expensive for a family of my size. I don't believe most of the gobbledy-gook about wheat/gluten/whole grains being 'bad' for you if you are a healthy person who is not allergic. I keep refined carbs (sugar, white flour) out of my house - baking is done with substitutes as much as possible (honey, agave, stevia) and whole-wheat flour and so on - but it *IS* done.

For these and other reasons, I am very happy that I have 'found' the 5:2 wol. It has fit very well with my family and my goals.

If you prefer/like Paleo and it works well for you, then congratulations and happy wellness!

5:2 gives my body a chance to enjoy the lightness of cool water, small meals and single tastes, balanced with the chance to revel in the delights of palate pleasing, nutritious and sociable meals, and yet, still manage my weight reduction. Wonderful for me.
I was teetering on the brink of a return to the poor diet of a famous weight loss company's programme when I 'took a risk' and fasted for a day! I now love my 2 quiet days of uncomplicated food and appetite deferral.
regards, Sandcastle of Oz. ( In Maroubra, Sydney, that is.)

I'm sorely tempted by a low carb approach but, as a veggie, wouldn't want such a reliance on dairy. This paper, for example, indicates that low carb animal protein diets are not a very good idea long-term, whereas plant based ones are okay (Low-Carbohydrate Diets and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=746013).

Although it is possible to do a vegan low carb it would appear to be extremely limited, with a huge reliance on soy.

Still, dumping the sugar and any other refined and processed foods is surely a step in the right direction!

NO THANKS!

Fancy coming into a forum with many motivated people following a particular type of eating regime and loving every minute of it, and getting results, and asking us to quit!

It's like asking us to switch religions.

Go to another forum

Every 6 months I do a Paleo/Primal-inspired detox for 2 weeks. Though still use my vitamix! I have to agree that much of it is marketing, and these days you can get your paleo meals delivered to you at your crossfit studio, which I'm not sure existed pre-ag revolution.
Even crossfit to be honest is not all that "paleo" - were hunter-gatherers doing burpees?
in any case, cutting out gluten, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, vinegar, soy, dairy, refined oils, most fruit, and starchy carbs sucks initially but feels soooo good by week 2. i've actually managed to extend the 2 weeks to 3 with little difficulty. but then an event comes up and here comes the carbs and sugar!

deprivation in an age of abundance seems out of sync with our lives and our bodies but IF is a type of deprivation too and that one works easily. so why not other types? i think the "never again" piece is what scares most people? but going 80/20 isn't the same as never eating a piece of bread again.

i like 5:2 because it's much easier to regulate 2 days vs 6.


i also disagree that it's hard to do a vegan low-carb without soy. i know plenty of people who do it. it involves lots of beans and quinoa.