The FastDay Forum

Hi all

From experience with LL 4 years ago, I know that keeping an online diary helped me to keep motivated, both from the perspective of seeing what I'd achieved as I progressed through the diet, and also making me accountable to anyone who stumbles across the posts. There's nothing better than baring your soul to keep you on the straight & narrow, well at least it works for me.

I'm not planning on posting every day, but a couple of times a week, or when there's something i feel I need to record.

So, I started 5:2 on Monday 4th March 2013 having read the book the previous weekend (and watched Horizon last year).

Fast day 1 was fine, I can miss odd meals so breakfast was a breeze, although sitting through meetings with chocolates & biscuits was a small challenge. Missed lunch (planned) but was really busy so didn't notice & had a chicken & broccoli stir-fry for dinner with a tiny portion of boiled rice ~ 550 Cal.

Lots of water & black decaf passed the day with no trauma.

Tuesday was feeding day. I thought I'd weigh my granola and had a 45g portion which is the measure used on the pack - SERIOUSLY?? how tiny is that?? 100ml skimmed milk & a teaspoon and that was breakfast done. Again skipped lunch and had gammon steaks & veg for dinner. Total ~850Cal for the day but 80 minutes walking as well so still VLC. I think it may take me a long time to adjust to 'sensible' eating between fast days but I'm sure that's no bad thing.

So today is fast #2. so far just black decaf & water and planning on a prawn or veg omelette for dinner so confident at keeping sub 600Cal for the day. Still feel good & liked the rumbling belly I has last night.

Off to Crufts tomorrow so food choices may be limited, then weigh-in on Friday am, I'll update posts then

S

[carorees]

Sorry?! Did I read that right you had only 850cal on a feed day???!!! You do know you are supposed to eat normally on a feed day right? Anecdotal reports suggest that greatly undereating on feed days can impede weight loss not to mention be unsustainable in any case. You should be having around 2500 cal on a feed day.

But perhaps I misunderstood your diary entry...

Yes, was too low on Tuesday but I wanted (needed?) to get into the swing of things and was happy with how it panned out.

Weds 'fast' was simple, I finished the day with a delicious king-prawn omelette with peppers & chili flakes (~580 Cal) and felt completely satisfied, although my belly was rumbling all night I think that was the Chili on an empty stomach.

Thursday went to Crufts (Hound day) and skipped breakfast, but had a large pork, stuffing & apple sauce batch for lunch. Dinner was large chicken Caesar salad with too much crispy french bread & butter. 2 small glasses of dry white wine in the evening & a very satisfactory 2,200 Cal day with lots of slow walking (and wagging)

So Friday I've decided will be weigh day. I guess weight will fluctuate depending on if I fast on Wed or Thurs, and as I only really started on Monday it would be asking a bit much for a great loss this week, but happy to say in 4 days I've lost

4 lb

I know I'm losing as trousers are looser & suit jacket buttons up without me breathing in! Early days, but with my wife joining 5:2 next week this is a great start & initial motivator.

Now to the weekend, we're out at a concert tonight with overnight hotel in Nottingham so will no doubt have a meal, few beers & wine. Wish me luck

[carorees]

Good stuff! How did you get on at Crufts?

Do you mean did he win best in class?



Good one Beagle! Keep it up.

Not showing just supporting some friends & the great people at Beagle Welfare and Beagles UK

Did have one of our contacts come runner-up in agility to muscle in on the Collies!

[carorees]

You mean you are not a beagle, Beagle? I thought you must be with the references to tail wagging

That would be telling

So a weekend on 5:2, what was that going to be like? Well I was out in Nottingham on Friday with overnight hotel etc so knew it would be a bit of a celebration. Skipped lunch but had early dinner (2-courses, very nice with wine). Can of beer at concert then 2 pints & 2 champagne cocktails before bed around 2.00am. More than recommended calories, but not madly over considering alcohol content.

Saturday - cooked English breakfast (well needed something to mop up from last night), toast etc, met daughter for lunch (prawn salad) and cooked Catalan chicken for dinner/supper. One glass red wine and again a little over 'desired' calorie intake - although I was walking around with a bag most of the day so overall not too bad and considerably less than a "normal" Saturday would have been.

Sunday was a rush so again skipped breakfast and didn't have time for lunch (but were eating early so planned), did have a couple of licorice all-sorts mid afternoon, then a Sunday roast (pork) - no fat and only 1 small potato (I gave the other 2 away), gravy & veg and a square of honeycomb in the evening before bed. No alcohol, (unusual for a Sunday) and a decent walk & some running trying to train Hound recall! Again below 1,500 Cal day so well & truly back on track and ready to face the week.

Fast #3 today and the good news is my Wife is joining me this week. I again plan on going through to dinner but she 'needs' to eat regularly so made up one of the smoothies from the Fast Diet book for breakfast - I don;t know what she's planning to do at lunchtime but we have a fish dish (also from the book) for dinner tonight).

Feeling good & very positive as we move into week 2.

Wednesday brings fast #4.

Monday was fine with no ill effects and yesterday started with my normal bowl of granola and skimmed milk (how on earth is that 650 Cal??). Again was busy through lunchtime and sat through late afternoon meeting where there was a buffet laid on. Now I know it was a feast day but one of my 'issues' has always been eating simply because food is available, especially buffet food, and as it was only an hour or so before dinner time I really wanted to get to a 'planned' mealtime.

Just as well really as when I got home (about 90 minutes later) dinner was ready (sausage, onion gravy, mash) - and was absolutely delicious. Did fancy a yogurt later in the evening but none in the fridge so another black coffee & bed. ~1,400 Cal total day so not "enough" but at the moment I'm in the 'zone' and don't feel a need to fully eat every non-fast day. I'm sure this will change in a couple of weeks though.

So fast day today & considering another tomorrow as well as my wife is away for the day so easy enough for me to deal with - think I'll see how I feel when I get up.

Definitely losing inches if not weight this week. Be back on Friday

S

Here we are on Friday, end of week 2.

Weds fast was good, with nothing to eat until dinner (~550Cal feta & egg salad). felt good yesterday so didn't eat again until evening meal (OK had 1 grape for lunch), but then broke fast with Spag Bol, 6 biscuits & a couple of brandy night-caps, so ~ 1,800 Cal in the end but all back-loaded.

So, will the extra time of fast be a help or hindrance? I'd think it would help as I topped-up the calories to aid body recovery rather than risking slowing the metabolism - is this right?

TBH Wednesday was harder than Thursday, I was really hungry by 7.30 pm Wednesday night but I wonder if I hadn't eaten enough on Tuesday & that makes a difference?

It will be interesting to see how eating more between fasts affects the way I feel & weight losses as week 3 onwards I know I'll start to lose enthusiasm for watching what I eat on none-fast days.

Still meal plans done for next week (Mon & Wed/Thurs fast again), but planning on a trip to the pub tonight as end of a VERY taxing week at work so not going to stress.

Oh yes & weigh-in today lost 3lb so that's 1/2 stone gone & 10 weeks till holiday. TBH if I lost another 7lb I'll be happy, anything more is a bonus.

See you on Monday
S

Skipped posting yesterday as too busy.

Quick summary of weekend - 'let go' in a big style on Fri & Saturday with home made muffins, bread, sweets & booze - had a bit of a traumatic week finishing with some very unwelcome news Friday pm so guess I felt a little sorry for myself.

Still back on the bus yesterday with fast till evening then smoked haddock & broccoli ~ 450Cal

Good day so far today, small (ish) bowl of granola & skimmed milk & still feel full so no lunch. HD veg curry tonight & disinfecting rats' nest in shed to look forward to..

Happy days

What a hectic week that turned out to be!

Fast 6 was easy again, just kept busy & drank plenty of water to keep pangs at bay. Reasonable Thursday and Friday am weigh-in (week 3) and another 4lbs gone!!

Seriously surprised at that although clothes (especially shirt & jacket) are feeling much more comfortable. Thought I'd test the theory about inch loss & tried on my old suit (from when I lost all the weight on LL) and it fits Really pleased with that as I will need to buy another suit soon & really don;t want to have to go UP a size again, but it looks like I may at least stay the same or even have a smaller one.

Really determined now to shrink a little more than I can take my smallest jacket on Cruise in June - that will be a real thrill.

OK, so 'normal' weekend with a few beers & wine and 'normal' eating, although a 3 hour walk through the snow yesterday will have significantly helped offset some of the calories.

Back to Fast #7 today and feeling motivated for another week.

S

where has the time gone?

10 days since my last post, has included 2.5 fasts, lots of walking, too much wine and beer and even an indulgence in chocolate over the weekend.

Last weigh-in was end of week 4 and had lost another 2lb, making 13lb in 4 weeks and putting me very near to the "top end" of my personal weight 'box' (I have a target that's 1st in it's flexibility). Not been too long since I was last here (~ 2yrs) but good to be back again

So last weekend being Easter was a little unusual, and I definitely crashed calories on at least 2 days (3,000 + on each day) culminating with a large 70% Cocoa egg on Sunday night. I think this was a BIG mistake as I felt rotten all day on Monday, despite fasting as usual and still didn't feel great after the evening meal - I think my body was rebelling a little.

Every previous week, between fasts I've been careful and stayed well within ~ 1,700 Cals and the weight has dropped off, but yesterday I just couldn't handle it & had ~2,200 Cal (mostly in the evening). Fasting again today & feel fine so far, but I do wonder what will have happened this week.

I know there's a school of thought that you lose weight faster if you eat "well" between fasts so I guess this week will be the ideal test of that theory for me

SO on into fast #10. I'm going to France for 4 days for the rugby this weekend so next week will have to fast Tuesday & Thursday, should again be a challenge but then have ~ 8 clear weeks to holiday

Back soon

S

OK, into week 6 ( I think - losing track)

Last week my weigh-in after a major blow-out weekend and over indulgent mid-week I'd lost 1lb

making 1 stone in total

'top of my weight box' again, although be good to shed another 7-8lbs before June holiday

Weekend in France (Fri-Tues) LOADS of wine, beer, good food etc etc, and relatively little exercise (although did walk everyday & 2hrs on Saturday). No idea about calorie intake but must have been over TDEE for at least 3 of the days.

Started with a cold last Thursday & got steadily worse through weekend. By Tuesday I could hardly walk anywhere without feeling ill, but I did fast on Tuesday as planned, as only way I could fit 2 fasts into this week - felt really lethargic though & miserable.

normal day yesterday & fasting again today. Doctor has given antibiotics for chest infection and I'm feeling a little better although still no where near top form. Have a hairy-bikers' stir-fry planned for tonight & weigh-in again tomorrow. TBH if i've not put on more than 2lb this week I'll be quite happy.

Lets see & get back on-track next week!

TTFN
S

Quick update - fasted yesterday until dinner & HB stir-fry was just fantastic!

Weighed last night & had put ON 1lb which I wasn't unhappy with, but this am is strictly weigh time & today I'd LOST 1lb since last week, so now I'm really confused I think I'll give it a STS for the week which considering the week I've had is a major achievement.

Still feel ill, and now have swollen glands & viral infection on face to add to the overall effect, will feel better soon.

S