Down Day help!

tortzblue

Hi, I'm finding it a bit hard to keep to 500 cals. What do you eat on your DD? Can anyone give me a few ideas plz?
Also is it best to have up to 500 calls in one meal or spread it out in smaller snacks?
Thanks.

kiwit22

I split my 500 cals in (sort of) half. My usual day is -

Breakfast - small glass of milk (to take with pill).
Lunch - big bowl of soup (approx 200 - 250 cals)
Dinner - Either porridge or baked beans.

I've been doing this for three weeks now and am getting less and less hungry at dinner so may (when off anti-flams) try doing a single meal day. But splitting my meals hasn't affected me weigh loss yet. I've lost on average a kilo a week so far, woo hoo.

Oh yeah and that is without exercise cause I can't at the moment.

Joanne

marilou0511

I split my 500 cals in (sort of) half. My usual day is -

Breakfast - small glass of milk (to take with pill).
Lunch - big bowl of soup (approx 200 - 250 cals)
Dinner - Either porridge or baked beans.

I've been doing this for three weeks now...

Hellofrom Chicago!
Congratulations on your 3-week success. This is my 1st week on ADF and am failing miserably. Aside from not hitting on the Down Day limit, I'm over-indulging on the Up Day. Resolving to use my TDEE calculation [Total Daily Energy Expenditure] as my 'feast day' calorie guide.

Don't you get bored eating the same things though?

kiwit22

Hellofrom Chicago!
Congratulations on your 3-week success. This is my 1st week on ADF and am failing miserably. Aside from not hitting on the Down Day limit, I'm over-indulging on the Up Day. Resolving to use my TDEE calculation [Total Daily Energy Expenditure] as my 'feast day' calorie guide.

Don't you get bored eating the same things though?

Hiya from London and kia ora from NZ

I struggled the first few down days get the calories right but got there in the end. I still over-indulge on up days but am trying to focus on eating healthy food and avoid some of my bad habits (ie picking all the time). If I want a biscuit I have it but I make sure I am conscious of eating it.

And no I don't get bored eating the same thing - I am either so hungry that a boiled sock would taste good or not hungry and the food is just fuel to get me through.

sicchi

I have been alternating for 2 weeks either side of my holiday i just came back from, so hope it works!
I find these few things help me
- delay breakfast/lunch if i can. I usually have a large UD meal to help with that.
- I make big pots of vegetable soups and freeze them (100 cal each)
- I have half a protein shake choc flavour, mmmm (103 cal)
- drink lots of fluids
- a can of tuna in springwater is like 70cal and nicely filling whenyou are STARVING!
- coctail pickled onions give me a real zing for flavour when i need it at only 2 cal each
- and if i am absolutley, mentally, crazy woman starving, I just steam or stirfry half a cauliflower and add salt, pepper and any spices i have around. THAT WORKS! No more pangs. Honestly I try for a 250 meal at night and spread the rest out as i can. Im still learning this myself but i can say it gets easier. When you start to know what your body needs to make it under 500, you'll have a plan. Try your best and learn what foods fill you more for little calories.
Hope this helps.. im on UD tomorrow, woo hoo! today was ok but i reckon i ate close to 3000 yesterday at the party inc grog. Oopps! Well we will see what the scales say :noway:

marilou0511

...When you start to know what your body needs to make it under 500, you'll have a plan. Try your best and learn what foods fill you more for little calories...

Thank you for the food tips and encouragement. I really want to give it a try because of all the medical and scientific benefits I've read about. Today is a new day!

mermer45

If you struggle with 500 calories on the DD - don't worry about it too much. Try 750 and see if you can manage that.... it still a significant drop in overall calories. This limit of 500 is quoted because it was one that has been covered most in the media - but it is an arbitrary figure. There's no science to suggest it is the optimum figure.

I consume all the calories at one sitting - at supper. My reasoning for this is:-

1. Personally, I find it easier. I feel much more satiated. I find it easy to get through the day, knowing that I will eat a fuller meal in the evening.

2. It means that by the time I eat I have fasted for a complete 24 hours. So, I am not just benefiting from reduced calories but also from fasting for longer period.

sicchi

when fasting all day, what do you do when hunger pangs kick in? I find I need lunch but do like a big dinner too....

kiwit22

when fasting all day, what do you do when hunger pangs kick in? I find I need lunch but do like a big dinner too....

I don't fast all day but do get hunger pangs I find herbal tea helps me a lot. My favourites are lemon and ginger or liquorice (particularly liquorice mmm). Get a sweet, spicy kick for only 1 calorie.

mermer45

when fasting all day, what do you do when hunger pangs kick in? I find I need lunch but do like a big dinner too....

I sort of embrace and welcome the hunger pangs, odd as it may sound. Now they don't last very long - and like others here I've now become a green tea junkie!

marilou0511

Anyone diabetic? How do you handle Down Days, what is your eating plan on fasting days? Eating only one meal a day is not an option for those who have diabetes but would still like to fast!

AKbluedragonfly

I eat only 1 meal a day on down days so that I feel very satisfied and full from it. Usually soups or salads do the trick. Otherwise I try to eat a lot of veggies because it's hard to get 500 calories of vegetables!