The FastDay Forum

Weekly Poll

23 posts Page 1 of 2

How do you count your calories for a fast day?

Poll ended at 28 Nov 2014, 17:45

I weigh and measure my foods accurately
30%
42
I eat packaged food with counted calories
16%
22
I eat out where the calories are listed
No votes
0
I know roughly what is in my usual fast day meals already
30%
42
I've learned enough to judge meals as I make them
14%
19
I trust the recipe's stated calories
6%
9
I don't eat on a fast day, or eat so little I'm always within the allowance
4%
6
Total votes : 140

In a bid to learn a bit more about our community's fasting habits, motivations and other interesting foodie/fasting stuff we're going to be running a poll each week and would appreciate it if you could take a moment to cast your vote on the matter!

For this week's poll, we are asking:

How do you count your calories for a fast day?
Feel free to reply to explain your answer further, or if none of the answers are close enough for you.

Over to you!
I always know what I'm going to eat because I have a weekly plan. It's unusual for me to change the scheduled meal. I don't wing my consumption, I can make an informed estimate of the macronutrient and kcal content. I don't eat off-plan.
Similar to @Ssure tend to eat the same thing every fast day, know the calorie content. Any variation is just small so insignificant.
I only eat one meal on fast days, but I do have tea/coffee with a little milk during the day. I usually track everything on MFP (although I probably only need to if I'm eating a meal that I haven't made before).
Like @Ssureand @janeg, I eat mainly the same foods on fast days, it's so much easier and I know that whenever I change to different meals or eat anything extra that's when it all goes wrong.
I tend to eat the same foods on fast days, so don't count, I just know it's OK from having counted previously, but if I'm making something new, I weigh it out and use the calorie count website.
I tend to stick to low carb vegetarian meals like veggie curry for fast days and I only have one meal. Sometimes we'll have chicken, but I keep portions reasonably small. Having said that this week has not folowed that pattern. Tuesday I broke fast with a chippy tea and Thursday we had pasta. Might explain the 1.75 pound weight gain then eh :roll:
Doing this for quite some time now and having around the same weight for a year, since I reached my goal weight, I know what works for me on a fast day and it doesn't matter if I am 500 cal or a bit more.

When I was fasting and losing weight I only had home made soups and black coffee or tea on a fast day so I didn't count either.
When I first started, I carefully weighed and measured everything. Now I just eyeball it.
Like many others, I tend to eat the same thing every fast day, with a few variations for flavor, mainly things I've had before so that I remember how many calories are in a medium tomato or a measured amount of cottage cheese, or tuna, or sardines, or 2 large eggs. Sometimes I look things up if I'm incorporating an item I haven't had on a previous fast day.
You didn't give us the option: I use nutrition software to calculate the exact caloric value of my daily intake and weigh and measure to be sure I get portions right.

Obsessive, yes. Effective, very. This is the only way I've been able to lose weight after menopause.
On Tuesday it will be my 1 year Anniversary of 5:2! :victory:
I have gained internal health, feel better within myself, lost being lethargic, lost at last count (about 10 weeks ago) 20+ kilos.
And how do I count my calories for fast day?
By following set 5:2 recipes on my fasting days. It doesn't matter if I have had them before, I still read, gather ingredients, and
weigh them. I love these meals and am always looking for variety. Hubby enjoys them too.

Thanks to 5:2 and Fast Day I have found ME who became lost in the plethara of life, with children, husband, work, etc.
I am now back into my crafts, socialising and loving life. :cool:
Champage's at my place on 25th November, thats 1 year on 5:2.
Come, join the dance. :party: :cake: :musical: :booze:
tenshi
I haven't chosen an option.
Previously I would have said that I had learnt enough to be able to come to a rough estimate of the calorie content of a meal, however, after about nine months of this way of eating, as my appetite had reduced quite significantly, I started to eat only one meal on most days. As a result I stopped thinking about calories at all. I came to eat in a relaxed way. I'm not trying to lose weight at the moment, but I will simply eat a little less when I decide to climb back on the wagon after Christmas. Until then, if I notice any upward creep in weight, I'll cut back.
I've passed 2 years since I started fasting and I still write down my calorie intake in a book on fasting days. I use the Hairy dieters books, Kate Harrison's recipe book and I have a looseleaf binder with recipes I have collected from the internet and from this forum. If I am following a recipe I believe the calorie count. Everything else I weight and use a calculator to work out the calories. I have skimmed milk in a cup of tea in the morning and a decaf at bedtime which I count at 10 cals a pop. I just have one meal in the evening and am currently trying to keep to under 400 cals on a fast day as my TDEE is in the 1600s.
Apart from knowing what I generally eat on fast days, I also use the MyFitnessPal app on fast days to keep track things that I don't often eat.
23 posts Page 1 of 2
Similar Topics

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests

START THE 5:2 DIET WITH HELP FROM FASTDAY

Be healthier. Lose weight. Eat the foods you love, most of the time.

Learn about the 5:2 diet

LEARN ABOUT FASTING
We've got loads of info about intermittent fasting, written in a way which is easy to understand. Whether you're wondering about side effects or why the scales aren't budging, we've got all you need to know.

Your intermittent fasting questions answered ASK QUESTIONS & GET SUPPORT
Come along to the FastDay Forum, we're a friendly bunch and happy to answer your fasting questions and offer support. Why not join in one of our regular challenges to help you towards your goal weight?

Use our free 5:2 diet tracker FREE 5:2 DIET PROGRESS TRACKER & BLOG
Tracking your diet progress is great for staying motivated. Chart your measurements and keep tabs on your daily calorie needs. You can even create a free blog to journal your 5:2 experience!