What can I do to manage 600 calories/day?

st476

I am NOT starving myself, I'm trying Intermittent fasting (I think?) this week. So, I'm having 600 calories some days and 1900 on others. I just thought the title would get people's attention more lol

So basically, if anyone has done intermittent fasting or 5:2 or something of the sorts, how do you deal with the low calorie days? This is my first time and it's only 8am and I already feel like I could go for some food lol. I heard people really like intermittent fasting though so I want to give it some honest effort this week

BarbellzNBrotein

Kudos on your little marketing scheme there. Well done lol. I'm an avid IF'er I don't like to brand it that, that itself is a marketing ploy, I simply fast daily. Anywhere from 16-18 hrs. What you're referring to is the 5:2 diet which I don't rate mainly because no grown adult should feel the need to eat so minimal for 2 days. Each to their own and all that jazz. But with the IF protocol one essentially eats their normal caloric intake 7 days a week, just within set eating windows. Have you tried that before 5:2? And also bravo for the 1900 cal days, always great to see a girl who enjoys food.

lemurcat12

I'm thinking of starting 5:2 this week, as I've been curious about it for a while. My plan is to focus on eating lean protein and lots of low cal, non starchy vegetables. Made a bunch of skinless, boneless turkey breast in the crock pot to prepare. I think I could do enough of that plus the vegetables to keep protein in a respectable range with calories still at the fasting level.

From past experience with fasting (religious), it's easiest for me if I just don't eat in the morning. I'm going to try bringing the food to work and splitting it into two meals around noon and 6.

I'm keeping the other 5 days at maintenance.

archon

I tried it I noticed results - not sure of long term but I did think it was ok if i overate on one day because i knew id be starving the next. But i thought i can either eat a number if unsatisfactory meals all day or one decent one. So i mixed it with the old weight lifters steak and eggs diet and had steak and fried eggs for my 600 calorie meal thinking the protein would fill me up - which it did. Bathroom events werent that great though..

sijomial

Have a look at the two 5:2 groups on here - you will find there's many different approaches to the low calorie days.

I preferred a small lunch and dinner, my wife preferred breakfast and dinner. Quite a few people just have one meal a day.
There's loads of 5:2 recipe books and websites around. It does make you more creative with spending a small calorie allowance! Lean protein and veg would form the basis of my fast day foods but there's also things like berries that are surprisingly low calorie.

Exercise on a fast day took some getting used for me but eventually it felt much the same as training in a fed state.

It certainly doesn't suit everyone but for me it made adherence to a moderate weekly deficit far easier than an everyday deficit.

ETA - if you are interested in alternate day fasting then the work of Dr Krista Varady may be worth looking at. She did far more rigorous research than many other proponents of IF.

jemhh

For 5:2, breakfast and supper were my meals. I skipped lunch because I could easily stay busy at work and work right through it. I would eat 2 boiled eggs plus about 200g of strawberries and some raw veggies at breakfast. Then supper would be grilled meat and veggies and more berries.

rainbowbow

i like to have:
a ready to drink muscle milk (200 cals)
A big salad with low calorie dressing (150 cals)
An egg white omelete with veggies + salsa (200 calories)
A box of sugar free jello (50 calories)

Of course you can pretty much eat any low calorie high volume foods like most fruits and vegetables as well.