The FastDay Forum

Azureblue I have a lot of joint pain issues that have improved tremendously on 5:2 so I think it is the repair days as much as the weight loss for me that has helped. I am a vegetarian for moral reasons. I wonder if you would have the same health benefits doing just the 5:2 as opposed to eating creatures again? I also take Omegas but from an algae source so they are veggie as well.

I've been a veggie for 12 years, and a vegan for 8. Prior to that I did the whole WW thing, losing about 25lbs, and finishing up with a gold card.

I stuck pretty much to my 'goal weight' which was 10st 10lbs - and when I began this WOL, 18/19 months ago, I was about 10.12, with the weight I'd gained over Christmas.

I figured I'd lose those couple of pounds and that would be it - I wasn't in it to lose weight, just for the health benefits. However, I soon lost those 2, and I just kept on losing. Slowly, but surely, I lost 22lbs altogether - and I'm now between 9.1 and 9.4 depending on where I am with my 6:1.

Before I began IFing, my BMI was about 24.5 - whereas now it's around 21, and I feel very comfortable in my skin.

I've blogged about how I began - my blood results after 12 months - and my (today) discharge from the Lung Clinic:

http://nobreadisanisland.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/eat-less-live-longer.html

So, looking back, I can't help but conclude that WW kept me 20-odd pounds overweight for the past 25+ years!

Just caught up with the latest posts: I have about 20g of ground flaxseeds most days for my Omega 3. I quite enjoy it with a little fruit juice.

Breadandwine,

Glad you're feeling better.

What a great blog you have! I will go back and read much more when I have time.

I am almost vegan (aside from some by-products in food). Did you notice any improvements in your health or was it only for the animals?

Congratulations B & W!

Your blog is fascinating. As somebody who is interested in health - you and I are probably about the same age - as well as a small weight loss I would really like to progress on to a vegan diet from my present vegetarian one.

Two questions: first looking at your suggested menus you don't seem to have a lot of protein. I know protein is contained in small ammounts in veg.,grains etc. Can you say a bit more about your protein sources?

Second - less seriously. All that gorgeous baking!! I love making bread and especially kneading by hand. Very therapeutic. How do you resist eating it? All those calories and carbs! I would be just pigging out on it all the time!

Hi Pammy

Thanks for your very kind words!

About protein - I don't really think about it, particularly. Off the top of my head I know I eat a lot of pulses - mainly lentils and red kidney beans - and I eat a fair amount of seitan. I've just looked up that vital wheat gluten (the main component of seitan) contains 80g protein per 100g. However, when 100g of VWG will probably make 300g of seitan, the protein comes down to about 27g/100g - still pretty good.

But I don't want to eat too much protein, really - I've read that you should keep it below .8 of a gram per kilo of body weight.

Here's The Fast Doctor on protein:

http://www.fastingconnection.com/forum/Posts-for-The-Fast-Doctor/13463-recommended-protein#16703

Love what he says about vegans outrunning carnivores!

Well I do eat a fair bit of bread, that's true - but I have to be fairly disciplined. Knowing that just one nibble is enough to awaken the appetite keeps me on the straight and narrow (not always!)

I couldn't imagine going back to my pre-vegan diet - unless there were health implications, of course.

There's some interesting article on the No Meat Athlete website about protein for vegetarians http://www.nomeatathlete.com/where-vegetarians-get-protein/.

Breadandwine,

Glad you're feeling better.

What a great blog you have! I will go back and read much more when I have time.

I am almost vegan (aside from some by-products in food). Did you notice any improvements in your health or was it only for the animals?

Hi veggal

I'm sorry I didn't respond to this earlier - it must have slipped under my radar!

Glad you like the blog.

I gave up meat trying to avoid BSE, then I looked into the animal cruelty involving the dairy industry and became a vegan. Now my attitude is that I don't want an animal to die so that I can live. It's not necessary in this day and age and in this society.

Not sure I noticed any improvement in health at the time - but nowadays I feel super-healthy. A combination of being a vegan and IFing!

Regards, B&W