The FastDay Forum

I'm halfway through week 2 and am on track - no signs of falling off the wagon yet. I just thought I'd get other people's views on including low GI foods in the 500 cals - its seems to me that I'm not going to feel full on 500 cals, but by including low GI foods, at least my blood sugar will stay reasonably even - so have decided to include legumes in my evening meal - had quinoa on fast day 2 and found it helped. Any recipes under 200 cals (thats all I usually have left for my evening meal) which include legumes would be welcome.

I am really enjoying this site and have found it really helpful - have visited nearly every day, not just fast days. While I want to lose weight, I am also really interested in the other benefits of 5:2 - providing some protection against chronic diseases in later life (particularly alzheimers). I'm in my 50's so its time I started thinking about this - the weight loss is an added bonus!

And finally, like others doing the 5:2, what makes this different from a diet for me is the fact that its not a life-time of deprivation - no matter how hard it gets on fast days, I just think that I can eat normally tomorrow and it gets easier. Thanks everyone!!!

[Moogie]

Hi Libby & welcome! I'm afraid I don't have any recipes to offer as I use all my cals for one meal in the evening, and I don't bother with low GI/low carb/whatever although I'm sure it might help, I'm losing weight and enjoying my food on feed & fast days!

Isn't it lovely not to feel restricted all the time? I used to get so obsessive about food, I was probably borderline anorexic when I managed to get down to a size 8, I really bad eating habits which I simply couldn't maintain forever. 5:2 is so liberating! No more guilt. I'm going to the shops in a bit and am going to get some chocolate. So nice to be able to enjoy this stuff and still lose weight

You are so right - it is liberating - on the fast days its the hard and fast rules - doesn't matter how you look at it, 500 cals is 500 cals - no wriggle room - and on the feed days its the freedom to eat what you normally eat. The feeling on the fast days (I've only had 3 so far but no problems yet) of denial, then realising that its OK, I can have it tomorrow if I still want to is so different from other diets where you want something but have to think that you can never have it!.....and we wonder why we can't stick to diets!

Thanks for your reply - good to be in touch and I LOVE this site.

I got through my first fast day by thinking about the Chinese food I'm going to have at the end of the week.

Ready meals have been suggested as being an easy way to keep track of your calories. I don't like them personally, but I can definitely see the attraction of having someone else do all of the work for you.

I'm a vego so shop bought chinese food can be a bit of a challenge - its amazing what foods they cook in beef stock - but the concept of stir frys is a good one, just go easy on the oil. I need to base my evening meal on a maximum of 200 calories as its all I've got left by then - I spend nearly 200 a day on 2 coffees (with soy milk and sugar) - do you reckon I could get a tofu stir fry in at under 200?