Hello there

[Skinnymini]

Hello lovely people, so I've decided yet again to sort my weight problem out! I've always been quiet trim but slowly but surely my weight has crept up over the years. I just recently had a baby (4 months ago) and had gestational diabetes (mild but it was there). I've been told by the nurse I need to lose st least 2 stone ( i am 12.1 and want to go down to at least 10 or 9.7). I plan to do the 5:2 diet but diet 5 days and keep calorie portions to 500 calories And then on weekends, enjoy a treat. I've always loved running on my treadmill and since a I have a little baby that's the safest easiest way for me to enjoy some cardio. My plan is to workout after school run, wash and leave my breakfast till mid day. Then have my main meal before 5pm. Now not sure about anyone else but I've always had an issue with weighing my self on home scales. I always get different reading so I will be weighting myself the exact same time in the same area every other day. Wish me luck and hope you all achieve your weight loss goals 😊

[Weygirl]

Good luck. I am starting the 12 week NHS plan today trying to up my activity levels. I have around the same amount of weight to lose as you do so fingers crossed we will both reach our goals with the support of this forum. X

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello Skinnymini and welcome to the weight loss forum 😊

I've no experience of the 5:2 diet but it does work for some people. However, did you mean to say you intend to eat only 500 calorie for 5 days of the week? That is no where near enough 😕 From what I hear the recomendation is 500 calories for two days only.

Have a good look around the forum 😊

The first place to look is at the Pinned posts section to the right of your screen (bottom if you're using a mobile), read the Welcome Newbie thread first and move through to the challenges, where we hope you'll find at least one that will appeal to you 😊

Move down to the Topics, to find a variety of threads, collated into specific topics for ease of access and we ask that you also 'file' your own threads, so that others won't miss your important news 😊

Take a look at the NHS 12 week plan, as many people have had success with it. Also use the BMI checker to find your target calories, it's important to eat enough. This was a major turning point for me, realising I could eat anything I wanted as long as the calories are accounted for 😊

Don't forget to take your starting measurements and a 'before' picture, as they can be very motivating on days that the scales refuse to co-operate 😊

The forum also have group weigh-ins every day if you wish to take part. The posts can always be found in the Events section on the 'home' page 😊 Unfortunately Monday is currently over subscribed but you are welcome to join any other day 😊

You'll notice a grey box next to people's names, these are achievement badges, and as a new member you may have a 'Newbie' badge. If you have any questions or would like a Newbie badge please just ask 😊

We've found that to get the best out of this community, we need to be active on the forum, as it's where we exchange information, get motivation and inspiration and make friends. We hope that you'll join us here, regularly, too 😊

Best wishes

Anna

[lucigret]

Hi Skinnymini , I tried the 5:2 a couple of years ago and had some success but not a lot. I found the two 'diet' days really difficult, I just felt dizzy and sick all day. It does work for some people though. I have a different attitude towards loosing weight now, slow and steady and not a diet a new eating plan for life that will be sustainable. For me the 5:2 was not going to be sustainable, I didn't want to starve myself two days a week for the rest of my life. I have lost 10lbs over the past 8 weeks by following the NHS 12 week plan. It took me 4 months to loose half a stone on the 5:2 and it all went back on as soon as I stopped. I'm not trying to put you off, I know some people are very happy having fasting days, it's horses for courses, we all do it differently, just make sure it is sustainable for you. I have also read recently that you are now able to eat 800 calories on the days you fast, you don't have to have 500. Please make sure you have enough calories on the days you don't fast. You don't want to start feeling tired and lethargic with a little one to run around after. Good luck and keep posting to let us know how you get on

[IndigoBlue61 in reply to lucigret]

Your experience echos mine lucigret 😊

I definitely prefer to eat a little more and lose weight slowly 😊

Have a look at the 12week plan Skinnymini , you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight 😊

[AnnTandy]

While I can appreciate a wish to lose weight quickly, if you're planning on dropping to 500 calories a day only for the majority of the time then you're falling into the trap so many of us have been in before. You probably actually need to eat MORE in order to lose weight safely and sensibly. By going down to 500 cals per day so regularly your body will soon think it's starving and hang onto as much as it can. And once you start eating "normally" again you're likely to pile it all back on, in the way we yo-yo dieters are so familiar with. Have a look on the NHS website to see how many calories you should be eating per day in order to still lose weight, it will be at least double and probably triple what you're planning. Plus, 500 cals isn't going to give you much pleasure in life! The 5:2 can be a really good booster diet but the 500 cal days (or 800 now) do need to be planned, because they're difficult, the more so if you have a busy life. if you're happy to count the calories necessary to stick to the 5:2, then the 12-week plan is probably a better bet for a long-term, sustainable weight loss. And if you average your calorie intake properly you can probably still have those weekend treats!

[HubbysMissMouse]

I fully agree with you, when I ate less than I should all I did was have my body store fat so made me always put on weight and always end up the fatter member of all my family. You certainly won't be helping yourself Skinnymini Good luck though.