The FastDay Forum

Hi just wanted some advice please.

I do my fast days on Mondays and Thursdays (don't want to change these days as I love my Mondays after I have indulged at weekends and Thursdays give me a nice break in between). I go to a Zumba class on a Thursday evening at 8pm - 9pm. Last week I had a soup for lunch (200 cals) with a banana before I went to the class followed by some cereal with skimmed milk when I got home.

During the class I began to feel faint and realised that this was not the best plan of action when doing a high energy class like Zumba.

So my question is what would you recommend I eat before the class and at what time should I have this before my class at 8pm.

I really love my Zumba and also this new WOE - just need to know how to combine the two together.

p.s. There is no other day for the Zumba.

Thanks.

[Moogie]

Just wondering how long you've been doing 5:2? Exercise shouldn't be a problem although it may take your body a few weeks to adjust to the fasting first. I know that doesn't help much right now though sorry!

Maybe you have answered your own question with 200 cals for lunch and the banana not enough. You have 500 cals to play with. If like me you don't want to eat just prior you may have to have the main meal later in the day but enough space to feel light before the rigour of the class. Personally I would do another day Friday for instance, you have a whole week to play with

Delay your lunch and have a mid afternoon meal, maybe half your calories then and the rest after the class. Or have most of your calories 2 or 3 hours before class to give it time to travel, then just a mug of hot chocolate before going to bed.

Gilly I really don't want to change my fast day from Thurs to Fri as I generally go out for a drink after work (after all the weekend begins then!) As I am at work its not so easy to have a main meal as such, its got to be something I can prepare beforehand to take in. I think you are right tho in saying I need to eat all my 500 cals say at 4pm and have nothing after the class. TBH after I have come home, showered it is nearly time for bed and I never feel very hungry after a class.

Sorry typed this before your reply Julie - yes I think I will start doing that.

Thanks guys !

How long have you been fasting? You will probably find that after a few months, your body is so used to fasting that you can do any exercise without a problem.

This is what works for me when I do an hour of pilates followed by an hour of circuits on one of my fast days. The pilates is at 6pm, and I usually eat about 400 calories at 5pm, and then a bit of fruit before bed.
There is ALWAYS a banana on standby in my bag! And one time I did need it.

However I started the circuits after starting the 5:2, so my system was maybe more used to it?

I hope you find a way round it that works for you, as zumba looks fun!

Thanks Annurca can I ask what you eat before your classes?

sorry for all the questions!

That's an easy question to answer, as I'm not one of the forumites who devise interesting and different dishes each fast day!
So on cold days it is a vegetable curry, often butternut squash, but always with tinned chickpeas or other beans cooked into it, and always a can of tinned tomatoes in too. (That makes enough for two fast days, or OH eats it with a big dollop of yoghurt on top)
On hot days, it's usually half a cucumber, some tomato, two sticks of celery and any other salad stuff in fridge chopped and mixed up with a tin of spicy mackerel fillets in tomato sauce. And just occasionally I ring the changes by having cottage cheese instead of mackerel!

Both of these meals are quite large physically (definitely a factor in why I like them) so I'd probably leave over an hour if I was going straight to circuits.

Hope this helps!

[carieoates]

I usually save my cals till dinner, exercise or not. Yesterday I was a bit busy so had a 370 cal ready meal which included rice an hour and a half before my class. So yes I agree with eating your cals before classes. Just a thought but I get dizzy spells once a month from my contraceptive implant, and used to get them from the injection. Buts that's another story!