I am 46 soon I wanted to be a fit Mr at 40 no I might end up flabby at 50.

[wheredidthatcomefrom]

Oh dear I thought I would be a fit forty, heading for fat at 50!!!!!!!!!! New member today, thinking about Tesco diet on line, what do you kind people think?

[Prin]

I would if you can, have a lifestyle change rather than a diet since once it's achieved often the weight goes back on, what about trying the nhs choices 12 week plan?

[gingernut49]

Don't bother with slimming clubs, they're only after your money. Have you heard of the 5:2 Diet, where you combine eating sensibly with two non-consecutive days of eating only 500 calories (fasting). It's easier than you think and very effective. I lost 42 pounds (three stone) in six months and now keep it off by just fasting one day a week. Here's a little video about it: thefastdiet.co.uk/the-fast-...

The diet is based on Dr Michael Mosley's amazing Horizon programme, "Eat, Fast and Live Longer" aired in August 2012. It's still available on vimeo.com/54089463 and very much worth watching.

[tequila in reply to gingernut49]

Hi,I watched the video link and wonder how many calories your allowed on non fasting days?The example it gives is 2000,which i think would be too high.

[gingernut49 in reply to tequila]

You don't want to eat more than your TDEE on non-fasting days. That varies according to your age, weight and height and can be worked out here: thefastdiet.co.uk/how-many-... Let us know how you get on.

[tequila in reply to gingernut49]

Thank you i will.Ive lost a stone already by reducing cals to 1400,but now plateaued;so want to try 5;2 way of eating.

[gingernut49 in reply to tequila]

I've always struggled with my weight - but now I'm slim in my sixties!

[wheredidthatcomefrom in reply to gingernut49]

Thank you, I will check it out, my worry is I need to find self control, without it I am doomed anyway. I will post how I decide to move onwards.

[Windswept1]

I also rcommend forgetting the word diet. Go for this as a lifestyle change.

nhs.uk/LiveWell/Loseweight/...

I know rhe 5:2 works for some but I can't cope with being hungry so the nhs plan was for me.

My tips are portion control, don't get hungry and smaller plate size.

Good luck

[wheredidthatcomefrom in reply to Windswept1]

Thank you, I will check it out, my worry is I need to find self control, without it I am doomed anyway. I will post how I decide to move onwards

[gingernut49 in reply to Windswept1]

Hunger is something that goes in waves and can be allayed by having a drink. I agree with you about the smaller plate sizes. Have a look at some of the stories here: thefastdiet.co.uk/more/all/...

[stepheng]

Hi, I have done the Tesco diet plan twice and to be honest I find the fitness plan the same. It records your daily intake of food but more so it makes me very aware of what I am eating by writing in down. Very effective for me and it's free. Best of luck!

[Hidden]

Reading books on losing weight, it seems the best way is not to go on a diet as that is restrictive but stick with the calories that NHS 12 week plan suggests, eat what you would normally eat but within those calories and I am sure that over the next few weeks you will automatically take on better choices in food, well some days more than others, a calorie is a calorie no matter where it comes from.

Good luck.

[gingernut49]

Don't be ridiculous. I've reported you.

[wheredidthatcomefrom in reply to gingernut49]

Good for you, great worry is that some will get sucked in. been looking at 5:2, guess it is a way of reducing calorie intake.

[gingernut49 in reply to wheredidthatcomefrom]

If you watch the video of the Horizon programme you'll see the main advantage of 5:2 is for the health benefits - reducing the risk of diabetes, cancer, dementia etc, rather than just being any old diet. Do try it - it really works and is easy to maintain afterwards.

[OlsBean in reply to gingernut49]

Aren't those health benefits based on test subjects (mice) being fasted, ie denied food for long periods? Most people I have seen on here are not actually fasting for 2 days, they are simply following a Very Low Calorie Diet 2 days a week, with 2 or even sometimes 3 meals on those days.

I'm not trying to challenge you, from all your posts about 5:2 you're obviously knowledgeable about it, I'm genuinely curious to know, management is key to successful weight loss and I can see how as a management tool the 5:2 works well for some people however I'm just a little sceptical about some of the claims, I think with a lot of things on the internet, facts can get blurred, it's a little like chinese whispers en masse.

[gingernut49 in reply to OlsBean]

Thank you for your comment. If you watch the Horizon programme (vimeo.com/54089463) you'll be convinced, as I was, that intermittent fasting is worth a try. I was 62 when I watched it and an unhealthy 12 stone 4 pounds, size 16, and very unhappy with my weight. I decided that this was something that I definitely wanted to try and was more than happy to be a 'lab rat'. More than a year on and I've lost three stone, started running - something I hated at school - and I'm now nearly 64, a size 10 and run for 30 minutes three times a week and aim at walking around five miles a day.

Many of my fellow 5:2 and intermittent fasting dieters on the Facebook groups I belong to have reported lowered blood pressure, lowered cholesterol, and some that are now not showing the risk they were previously demonstrating of diabetes.

This is a way of life that really works.

[OlsBean in reply to gingernut49]

Thanks and congratulations on your weight loss. I've watched the program before, I watched it on the TV last year when it was first aired.

I agree that for some people as a weight management tool it works, how it works over the long term we've yet to see hopefully it will be successful, as anything that tackles the overweight issue in this world has to be a good thing.

My question is if you like are about the claims being made that it reduces the risk of cancer, dementia because like I said (if I've understood it correctly) the animal studies that backup that claim are based on those animals being fasted for periods of time, it's their bodies reaction to being starved that produces the claimed benefit and most people I've met whether it be in the real world or in the virtual world are not actually fasting they are eating 2 or sometimes even 3 very low calorie meals on the fast days, so how does that work/effect it then?

I'm sure there are people in your group that have lowered their blood pressure, cholesterol and even reversed Type II Diabetes as you would expect to be able to do when switching to healthier lifestyle which includes reducing weight, rather than because they are fasting 2 times a week, although of course in their cases it's the fasting that has enabled them to lose the weight

[gingernut49 in reply to OlsBean]

I'm content that I've lost the weight and that I'm doing my best to improve my health and keep going fit and well into my 100s. Longevity is in my family - my mother and aunts are in their 90s - but I want to keep active and healthy to enjoy it. Who knows whether human trials will prove the theory but it's worked for me and anything that gets people slimmer has to be good. I especially like the fact that it only cost me £1.99 for the book and have saved a fortune on my grocery bills - I live on less than £20 a week.

[gingernut49]

MyFitnessPal is a brilliant free app that even scans in bar codes of foods.

[Hidden]

I must admit I do not feel restricted with food as today my menu is:-

Orange: Crumpet with cheese for breakfast: 2 eggs scrambled on toast and a Blue Riband for lunch and for my supper I have planned Steamed salmon, new potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, leeks. followed by fresh Pineapple: I also have planned an apple all this comes to less than a 1000 cals with 400 cals left over for any treat I fancy later.

Each to their own way of weight loss this has worked for me as its not a diet as such.

Good luck

[Hidden]

I've used slimming clubs in the past but found calorie counting and exercise has worked for me. I've used Nutracheck and am still there. Good luck.

[Roadhog]

I don't know the Tesco diet online but I am following the NHS advice on diet and exercise as I am also heading for the fat fifty. My kids call me flabby daddy and that is something I really need to change so I have bought a bike. I just wanted to wish you all the best, for me I need to lose three stone, good luck with your goal.