5:2 diet friends, support and fast day tips!

Hi all, I joined up three weeks ago and have been doing the 5:2 diet since then. I've lost 12.8 lbs so far and lost inches from all over the place! Am absolutely thrilled with the way things are going at the moment as I have at least 7 stone to lose altogether. I'm often curious about what other people are trying on fast days and have been experimenting with many different foods so far. If people doing the same want company on their journey and to share tips and advice please feel free to add me as a friend so we can motivate each other on our journeys. Feel free to check out my food diary to see what I've been trying out each week on fast days which are every Sunday and Monday and I plan to add in the occasional Wednesday when I know I have heavy weekends planned. Good luck to you all :happy:

Replies

  • TristansHawk
    TristansHawk Posts: 114 Member
    Hey!


    First of all, congrats! I have only over the last month become serious about getting healthy, and have managed to loose around 6 lbs since December : )

    I am experimenting with the 5:2 diet (started today) and would love to have someone to do it with!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,330 Member
    Check out the Intermittent fasting group http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting
  • Hi. Just been reading about this and looked quite interesting and think it maybe a way forward. I have been on a low carb diet for the last two weeks on about 1400 cal a day and lost half a stone. Lots of walking as well, approx 10 miles a week (the dog's enjoying it!!). As a man, to reduce my cal intake to 5/600 a day on non consecutive days (as recommended) would be no hardship. So I may well give it a go. I want to lose the stone excess and couple of inches I put on trying to give up smoking (mainly successfully). Good luck!!
  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
    For those thinkin that fasting is the way forward, believe me, it is.

    It should be done by everybody on the planet. It would end the rising obesity issues in one quick swoop!!

    Only problem is... Us humans have no willpower.
  • Debinapril
    Debinapril Posts: 53 Member
    That's a great loss, congratulations. I started the 5:2 diet this week. So far so good. Feel free to add me if you would like support and to share experiences.:smile:
  • suziorr1981
    suziorr1981 Posts: 11 Member
    I'll certainly look at the intermittent fasting page! I love all of the benefits related to these diets. Thank you!
  • Teddyaderwich
    Teddyaderwich Posts: 69 Member
    Hi there, I started 5:2 two weeks ago - am on my 5th "fast" today.
    I choose to spread my 500 cals out over the course of the day - got around 250 left so waiting for tea time to get here..... not long now :-)
  • beattie1
    beattie1 Posts: 1,012 Member
    I'm hoping to get back into the 5:2 way in a week or so, so "bump for later".

    Looking forward to tips for low days & interesting recipes for making the most of not many calories. Here's my contribution - low calorie spicy tomato & lentil soup. It comes from http://www.tinnedtomatoes.com/ Written by Jacqueline Meldrum

    Ingredients
    1 tsp olive oil
    1 medium onion, finely chopped
    1 clove garlic, finely grated
    1 inch/2½ cm fresh ginger, finely grated
    2 tsp ground cumin
    1 tsp ground turmeric
    150g red lentils
    1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
    3 vegetable stock cubes, dissolved in 3 pints of hot water
    28g fresh coriander, finely chopped
    a good grinding of salt & black pepper
    Instructions
    1. Saute the onion, garlic and ginger in the olive oil until the onion is soft. Because we aren't using much oil, you may need to add a splash of water to prevent sticking.
    2. Add the spices and mix well until the onion is well coated.
    3. Pour in the tomatoes, lentils and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally as lentils have a tendency to catch on the bottom of the pan.
    4. Add the coriander and season with salt and pepper.

    Total time: 40 mins
    Yield: Serves 6 (123 cals) or 8 if you use smaller servings (92 cals)

    And the breakdown of calories:
    1 tsp olive oil = 40 calories 
    1 medium onion = 44 calories 
    1 clove of garlic = 4 calories 
    1 inch/2½ cm piece fresh ginger = 9 calories 
    2 tsp cumin = 0 calories (couldn't find anything but a 0 count for cumin) 
    1 tsp turmeric = 8 calories 
    1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes = 92 calories 
    150g red lentils = 477 calories 
    3 x Tesco vegetable stock cubes = 60 calories 
    28g fresh coriander = 6 calories 

    Total calories per pot of soup = 740 calories
  • JaziH
    JaziH Posts: 19 Member
    bump for recipe. Thanks !
  • suziorr1981
    suziorr1981 Posts: 11 Member
    Great recipe!! Will put up some of my fast day foods now to!

    Day 1: 2x Weetabix, 10 mil semi skimmed milk, 2 teaspoons of Granulated Sweetener. Total cal: 136
    Pot of hartleys no added sugar jelly. Total cal: 4
    Weight watchers Carrot and lentil soup, 1 weight watchers petits pain, Muller light Raspberry & cranberry yoghurt.
    Total cal: 262
    Daily total cal: 402

    Day 2: Skipped breakfast
    Lettuce, Cucumber, Extra low fat laughing cow cheese triangle, medium hard boiled egg 40g, Hartleys Jelly pot. Total:82
    Asda chosen by you reduced calorie tuna pasta bake, lettuce, cucumber. Total: 175
    Daily total cals: 257

    Day 3: 1 egg scrambled, piece of toast (no butter), Linda McCartney vegetarian sausage. Total cal: 304
    Heinze Vegetable soup, Weight watchers petits pain. Total cal: 245
    Daily total cals: 549

    Day 4: Lunch same as day 2 (82 calories)
    Carrots, Cabbage, Broccoli, Mini quorn breaded chicken fillets. Total cal: 141
    Snacks: Muller light Raspberry and cranberry yoghurt, Mcvities porridge oats (red berry) Total cal: 112
    Daily total cals: 335

    Day 5: McVities Porridge Oats (Apple and Saultana) x 2 Total cal: 114
    Lettuce, Cucumber, hard boiled egg 40g. Total cal: 58
    Asda chosen by you reduced calorie spaghetti bolognese. Total cal: 232
    Daily total cals: 404

    Day 6: Hartleys sugar free jelly sachet, 1/2 an apple stewed in water with 1 teaspoon of sweetener (makes 1 pint) Total cal: 78
    Hard boiled egg 40g, Wafer thin chicken slices x 2, lettuce, cucumber, laughing cow cheese triangle (extra low fat) Tot: 106
    Quorn cottage pie: Total Cal: 219
    Daily total cal: 403

    Day 7: Crumpet x1, weight watchers dairy spread 10g. Total cal: 77
    Weight watchers thick sliced wholemeal bread x1, 2x rashers of bacon. Total cal: 198
    1/2 The jelly from day 6. Total cal: 39
    Daily total cal: 314

    Day 8: Half raspberry/apple jelly (as above) Total cal: 39
    4x Crackerbread, 1 x extra low fat cheese triangle, 4 slices of wafer thin chicken, cucumber, lettuce. Total cal: 166
    Weight watchers thick sliced wholemeal bread x1, Weight watchers Carrot and lentil soup. Total cal: 155
    Daily total cal: 369

    I'm trying out this recipe tomorrow night for cauliflower pizza crust.......If I add tomato puree, kerry low low cheese 60g and 5 slices of Italian Salami the pizza totals 263 calories.
    http://www.eat-drink-smile.com/2011/04/cauliflower-crust-pizza.html

    Good luck guys....love getting tips and support x
  • sacha_1987
    sacha_1987 Posts: 79 Member
    Bump :)
  • Gianna5587
    Gianna5587 Posts: 59 Member
    Thinking about trying this too, looking for more info on how to go about it...
  • I've been doing intermittent fasting as well with great success (7lbs lost in less than two weeks) but unfortunately lost the plot with entertaining some house guests. I'm starting again. I typically eat a scrambled egg + 2 whites with smoked salmon for breakfast. Super low calorie and sticks with you. I've also been making a pot of cabbage soup (from the '80s diet craze!) to eat later in the day. It's soooo low calorie and so delish my hubby even eats it. I know I need to expand my menu fast, so I'd love to share diaries with you! I'm doing fasting AND morning workouts on M-W-F. More energy that way - so difficult for me to workout after a fast.
  • Hello, I have been on the 5:2 diet for a few weeks now - am doing it for the weight and health benefits (Alzheimers in the family) and I am finding it good so far.
    I tend to skip breakfast and then split my calories quite evenly over lunch and dinner.

    I found a couple of kindle books really good for more information - The 5:2 diet book, Kate Harrison is quite good and very reasonably priced. The book from the doctor who featured on the Horizon programme is The Fast Diet by Michael Mosley - a bit more expensive but lots of science on the health elements as well.

    One of my favourite fast meals:

    Fage 0% Greek Yoghurt - 170g - 97 cals
    Blueberries - 100g - 57 cals
    Strawberries - 100g - 32 cals
    Almonds - 10 - 69 cals
    Cinnamon (ground) - 2 tsps - 12 cals
    Total for the meal = 267 cals

    Looking forward to hearing more meals from others - good luck all!
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    bump
  • JaymeQ
    JaymeQ Posts: 8 Member
    Today is my first fasting day, and I am looking for meal ideas for lunch and dinner. I don't eat fist, so that's out. Today for lunch I am having some leftover turkey breast, and I'm not sure what else...maybe a grapefruit. Tonight my family is making tacos so I was going to just have 1....oh, and also my morning coffee :-)
  • suziorr1981
    suziorr1981 Posts: 11 Member
    well done on your first fast day!

    A few more fast day meal ideas....just in case!

    Heinz - Cheese & Tomato Tortellini In Tomato Sauce, 250 g cooked 229 calories and available in the pound shop.

    Breakfast
    Asda Fresh Tastes - Melon & Grape Corrected, 50 g 18 calories

    Lunch
    Morrisons - Spaghetti Rings In Tomato Sauce, 1/2 can 123 calories
    Warburton's Weight Watchers - Thick Sliced Wholemeal Bread, 2 slice 142 calories
    Weight Watchers - Dairy Spread, 20 g 24 calories

    Dinner
    A real junky one!!!
    Hartleys - Sugar Free Jelly - Raspberry, 0.2 sachets 7 calories
    Golden Delicious - 1 Medium Apple, 0.1 apple 8 calories
    Tesco - Granulated Sweetner, 1 teaspoon (0.5g) 2 calories
    Weetabix - Oaty Bars Toffee, 23 g 80 calories

    Total calories: 404

    Breakfast:
    Sunpat - Original Smooth Peanut Butter, 22.5 g 138 calories
    Warburton's Weight Watchers - Thick Sliced Wholemeal Bread, 2 slice 142 calories

    Lunch:
    Morrisons - Nume Low Fat Carrot Cake Slices, 1 slice 85 calories

    Dinner:
    Morrisons - M Savers Pasta Twists, 30 g (dry) 79 calories
    Asda Chosen by You - Soft Cheese Garlic & Herbs E, 15 g 23 calories
    Ashfield - Bacon - Diced, 10 g 19 calories

    Total Calories:486

    Breakfast:
    Morrisons - Caramel Rice Cakes, 2 Slice 80 calories

    Lunch:
    Cucumber - With peel, raw, 0.5 cup slices 8 calories
    Lettuce - Iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw, 1 cup shredded 10 calories
    Asda - Wafer Thin Cooked Chicken 100 g (12.5g Slices), 25 g 28 calories
    1 Egg - Hard Boiled Egg - Free Range, 40 g 40 calories

    Dinner:
    Bacon and mushroom omelette, 1 serving 273 calories
    Maltesers - Malteser Ball, 5 ball 55 calories

    Total calories:496 calories

    The omelette is made with the following:
    Generic - - Freshed Chopped Chives, 1 Tbsp/3 grams 1 calories
    Fry Light - 1 Cal Sunflower Oil Spray, 2 spray 2 calories
    Maldon - Sea Salt Flakes, 1/8 tsp (0.8g) 0 calories
    Mushrooms - Raw, 0.25 cup, pieces or slices 4 calories
    Asda Smart Price - Egg , 2 egg 147 calories
    Co-Op - Reduced Fat Mature Grated Cheese, 30 g 78 calories
    Morrisons - Nume Bacon, 1 rasher 41 calories

    It's an adaptation to the Hairy Dieters Prawn and Chive Omelette of 339 calories but with only 273!

    Breakfast:
    Muller - Light Raspberry and Cranberry Yogurt, 175 g/ 1 pot 90 calories

    Lunch:
    Lettuce - Iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw, 1 cup shredded 10 calories
    Cucumber - With peel, raw, 0.5 cup slices 8 calories
    1 Egg - Hard Boiled Egg - Free Range, 40 g 40 calories
    Asda Chosen by You - Tuna Chunks In Spring Water, 70 g 74 calories

    Dinner:
    Weight Watchers From Heinz - Carrot & Lentil Soup, 295 g 87 calories

    Snacks! Was on anti biotics so had to eat more for pills sake lol:
    Sunripe - Melon Medley, 170 g 44 calories
    Nestle - Kit Kat (Four Finger, Milk, 45.5g), 0.25 pack (four fingers) 58 calories
    Morrisons - Caramel Rice Cakes, 1 Slice 40 calories
    Weight Watchers - Instant Hot Chocolate Drink, 3 heaped teaspoons 40 calories

    Total Calories: 491

    Good luck all who have started and/or are thinking of starting! x
  • kawh707
    kawh707 Posts: 8 Member
    ttt