5:2 tips

[sweatlikeapig]

I've realised I need to do something as I'm finding my clothes are getting a bit snug now... I've put on huge amounts of weight on my tummy and thighs, and it's time to do something about it!

I tried the 5:2 diet last year and went from 85kg to 75kg so pretty good, however I got bored and found it hard to keep motivated and my weight has jumped right up to 90kg

I'm on week 2 of couch 2 5k and I'm finding it pretty good to stick to. I'm starting the 5:2 diet tomorrow, was wondering if anyone else has done this and could share some tips and low calorie recipes for fast days? Thanks and good luck reaching your goals

[old_git]

Hi SLAP ( is that worse than SweatLikeAPig! ) i'm currently doing both and personally find it best to do early morning runs on my fast day. I tend to have a brunch of poached eggs and tomato and evening meal of either salmon and veg or mushroom omelette. As a bloke, my catering is pretty basic but it works for me! I'm sure others on here will help with better food choices Good luck

[sweatlikeapig in reply to old_git]

Thanks, I will definitely be trying those out. I mainly have soup on fast days as you get a lot for your calories and it's convenient and easy. I'm in need of some variation so will definitely be adding in salads and poached eggs!

[Hope23]

I find this diet great too. Just because it only feels like 2 days a week diet! Although for speedier weight loss I'm trying to do 1200-1400 on feast days too. But at the weekend I still enjoy wine and/or chocolate! I've lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks!

There's some great forums for 5:2 on Facebook and I have a book by Kate Harrison called 5:2 recipie book. Was £3.99 on offer at Amazon. Lots of tips and food ideas in it. Also the forum the5-2dietbook.com/forums gives support and food ideas.

I think it's a sustainable diet, but you're right I guess over time you may feel bored or just too hungry. I think then is the time to really try out the recipes so you feel more excited about food on fast days

Some say it's better to miss breakfast all together and enjoy yr calories in two meals but I feel like I just need something little. I have low fat Greek yoghurt with strawberries and raspberries for breakfast. Half tin of chunky soup lunch time then a big salad (with lots on like radish, yellow pepper, onion, tomatoes to make it really tasty, and no iceberg lettuce...yuck! Too boring. I always have rocket, or the mixed bag as it's so tasty) with ether a cod fillet with a little sweet chilli sauce on or small piece of meat. I use the balsamic glaze to make it more interesting, and it's much lower calories than mayo etc! If I have calories left I'll have a few ryvita with thin spread of marg or low low cheese spread.

I posted some oat and Blueberry Pancakes on here, from a fast book, so if you can't find the post let me know and I'll try and send it to you. They were yummy!

Good luck! Xx

[sweatlikeapig in reply to Hope23]

Thanks for the tips, and what a brilliant weight loss! I used to skip breakfast on my fast days but find I get awful migraines if I don't eat. I will have to have a read of that book as it's mainly boredom that makes me lose motivation, I have quite a busy life so it's easy to fast. I will DEFINITELY be trying out those pancakes as a healthy treat!

[gingernut49]

I lost the three stone I needed to on the 5:2 Diet after watching Michael Mosley's excellent Horizon programme in 2012, "Eat, Fast and Live Longer" tinyurl.com/qzgo7tq or tinyurl.com/a8ppjl7 and went from a size 16 to a size 10 by eating 500 calories two non-consecutive days a week. I've been maintaining my weight loss since April 2013 by just fasting one day a week - in the past I piled the weight back on as soon as I finished 'dieting'. I'd very much recommend you read Kate Harrison's book, "The 5:2 Diet" (tinyurl.com/qe6mz4u) - it really does work and it will save you a fortune (towards your smaller clothes!).

I'd also very much recommend a free app for your phone called MyFitnessPal. Counting calories is very important so you can see how much you're eating and therefore eat mindfully rather than mindlessly. There are excellent videos in the Help section on the app that show you how it works - there's even a barcode reader to scan in branded foods.

It's important you don't eat more than your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) on non-fasting days. You can work that out here thefastdiet.co.uk/how-many-.... If yours works out at more than 2000 then aim at 2000 on non-fasting days.

Here I am in the Daily Mail on 7th January tinyurl.com/m7rqecq. The other two ladies’ stories are inspiring!

This little video explains more youtu.be/W9Aj6hRYg4A(Not working as expected?)

dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...