Nearing end of week 1

[dotty_segs]

Hiya, I am nearing the end of week 1 - well actually its just over half way of the week for me but my weight is still the same! I have cut down on junk food and decided that I will try to incoperate the 5:2 diet - 5 days of normal eating (healthy food!) and 2 fast days of eating only 500 calories.

Wondered if this truly works? I have looked up a lot on this and it seems so at a healthy level without losing loads of weight then putting it all back on - its sustainable which is what I am looking for.

Any tips / advice please? Or share your stories?

Thanks in advance! =0)

[gingernut49]

Yes, it works!

I lost the three stone I needed to in six months 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 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!

Here Michael Mosley answers many questions on it dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...

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

[dotty_segs in reply to gingernut49]

Thanks for all the interesting info, gingernut49. Your weight loss is tremendous! I will most certainly continue - having had a weekend away I wasn't too careful as it was much needed long weekend break... However back to normal now and will ensure I stick to 2 fast days a week. I have encouraged two friends to do it with me but whether they will or won't I don't know - only time will tell! Thanks for the encouragement and all the info.

[gingernut49 in reply to dotty_segs]

Life is for living, and you shouldn't have to take a diet on a weekend away - I don't take mine on holiday but I try to be a few pounds lighter before I go so it doesn't take too long to repair the damage two weeks delicious Greek food can do!

I move my fast days around during the week according to what my social life is doing, as long as I still do my fast days, and I generally practise 16:8 fasting too every day, which means having your allotted calories within an eight hour window (for me that means never eating breakfast).

I've just run to the cinema two miles away, watched a film and run home again. I didn't start Couch to 5k until I was 63 and I'm 65 now and still running.