The 5:2 Diet

[MichiganChic 3,262]

OK, all you 5:2 friends - how is it going? I have not had one successful 500 calorie day this week. I have been below 900 3 days, and yesterday was 1100, so I am not surprised that I am still maintaining. I am still not cleared for exercise, though that will be soon. It's been super stressful at work, so I feel like I did a pretty good job keeping things in control this week.

Typically, I will find myself grazing during times of extreme stress, and I was able to avoid that. Doesn't sound like much, but it is to me.

So now the weekend is upon us again. I am hosting a family party for my dad's birthday Saturday. I know that I'm going to indulge a little- so that means next week I will need to cut back even more!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Strangefruit,good job. I haven't made that WW Soup in ages, do you have recipe?

[Strangefruit 179]

Strangefruit,good job. I haven't made that WW Soup in ages, do you have recipe?

It's really easy... I use FF low sodium chicken broth - but you can use beef or vegetable broth if you prefer... Here is the BASIC recipe, but I use whatever spices i have on hand and substitute vegetables per my mood...

2/3 c sliced carrot

1/2 c diced onion

3 c broth

1/2 c green Beans

1 tbs Tomato paste

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 chopped zucchini

Use nonstick spray and sauté carrot, onion and garlic...add other ingredients, bring to a boil ... Reduce heat and simmer until veggies are soft.

I like to use sea salt, shredded carrots, fresh green beans and more zucchini...I also add green onions and peppers... I also eat with hot sauce or Tabasco sauce, but I like spices...

Oh and today marks the end of week one of the 5:2... I am down 3.6lbs!! Wooot wooot!!

[Georgia 2,908]

I add broccoli to mine also. WW Soup

Edited January 23, 2015 by Georgia

[Georgia 2,908]

Well, MichiganChic, at least you are having lower cal days. I'm going to try really hard to rein in the wknd food fest this wknd! ????

Strange fruit, that's ALSOME! As my hubs says. ????

Edited January 23, 2015 by Georgia

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Fast yesterday up around 640... not TOO bad... but lunged at a treat at work without ANY little voice telling me to stop now!

At week three+ of fasts.... with feast days at my 1200 baseline... a little more with exercise. So at a little over three weeks, I have TADA!!!! Stayed the same! (Not to the oz, but with little bounces...). I just started using my fitbit again and hope that helps me stay on track with exercise too. Here is my 30 day weight record. You can see pretty clearly at the beginning a loss.. this was when I started getting a handle on my uncontrolled eating.. about a week after that I was in the swing of things again. I will not give up! 179.9 is still better than 183.4, and only 7-10 pound to my goal range.

Edited January 24, 2015 by feedyoureye

[MichiganChic 3,262]

Great job ladies! For all my whining and complaining this week, I didn't do that bad. Never really had a fast day at 500 calories, but overall, did much better about not grazing, and keeping calories around 900. As we all know, the weekend starts on Friday night after work - so that's usually when the food struggle starts for me. I am happy to report that yesterday was less of a struggle than it is at other times, and I was around 900 calories. So nice when that happens.

Georgia - good luck to this weekend fighting that fight, too!

FYE - you're doing great! And you are so right, any loss is far superior to a gain.

It's our lot in life. So glad to have all of you to share it with!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

i am feeling virtuous today. I made the WW Soup yesterday (thank you for reminding me - my personal modifications came back to my memory!) and started kickboxing today. Kickboxing - I think i have found my people.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I should make some of the WW Soup too. I could always add a little bit of chicken breast to put some Protein in it.

While I can't fast, I can still eat low carb. I was doing so well, and I got to my bf's house last night and he had bought my favorite kind of Cookies. I only had 2 but they are sure calling to me right now.

I need to get on the scale and see how I'm doing. I can usually drop a few lbs , just eating low carb. It's a lot easier to tell myself that my liver needs Protein and green leafy veggies and not to eat sugar because that's bad for the liver.

I'm not fasting doing any 500 calorie days because of all the infections in my back and my problems with my liver, but I am waiting to eat Breakfast much later, and not eating anything after 9 pm. One snack after dinner, somewhere between 7 - 9pm. That's got to help because I am not grazing all evening long.

[former_vbg 198]

I should make some of the WW Soup too. I could always add a little bit of chicken breast to put some Protein in it.

While I can't fast, I can still eat low carb. I was doing so well, and I got to my bf's house last night and he had bought my favorite kind of Cookies. I only had 2 but they are sure calling to me right now.

I need to get on the scale and see how I'm doing. I can usually drop a few lbs , just eating low carb. It's a lot easier to tell myself that my liver needs Protein and green leafy veggies and not to eat sugar because that's bad for the liver.

I'm not fasting doing any 500 calorie days because of all the infections in my back and my problems with my liver, but I am waiting to eat Breakfast much later, and not eating anything after 9 pm. One snack after dinner, somewhere between 7 - 9pm. That's got to help because I am not grazing all evening long.

Speaking of Cookies, I ALWAYS have a hard time when the girl scout cookies are out there!! I'm a sucker for those Peanut Butter cookies. OMG!

I'm not doing the 5:2 exactly, but similar to you. A few weeks ago, I stopped ALL sugar and doing high protein with some vegetables. I'm down 6# but I know the first few is Water weight. I'll take it though. I need to lose another 25# to get to back to my original goal weight of 125#. I look at pictures of me in my skinny jeans and yearn so badly to be back in them without looking like a squished sardine. One day I will get to wear them.

I ask myself, Why oh why didn't I fight harder to stay there or even better yet, why did I let it keep creeping up and up before I put a stop to it. Darn carb monsters!!!! Ugh!

[Nicolanz 1,484]

Hey guys and gals! I decided to give the 5:2 a try! After nursing school and the holidays, I've managed to put on 15 pounds and I feel like I've put on 50. My goal is to lose those 15 plus another 20 maybe. Yesterday was my first fast and it was hard and empowering at the same time. I drank tons of Water which I have been having a terrible time doing since surgery over two years ago. At around 3pm I ate 6 cherry tomatoes (13 calories) and around 6:30 I had seafood spaghetti (400 calories). Plus the milk in my coffee, I ended the day at 492 calories.

I think waiting until the end of the day to eat really helped me get through my evening workout and to sleep without being hungry. I plan to do Monday and Friday because my husband works those nights.

How is everyone doing? Are there any long term success stories? Is this maintainable? What is your fast day routine?

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Hey guys and gals! I decided to give the 5:2 a try! After nursing school and the holidays, I've managed to put on 15 pounds and I feel like I've put on 50. My goal is to lose those 15 plus another 20 maybe. Yesterday was my first fast and it was hard and empowering at the same time. I drank tons of Water which I have been having a terrible time doing since surgery over two years ago. At around 3pm I ate 6 cherry tomatoes (13 calories) and around 6:30 I had seafood spaghetti (400 calories). Plus the milk in my coffee, I ended the day at 492 calories.

I think waiting until the end of the day to eat really helped me get through my evening workout and to sleep without being hungry. I plan to do Monday and Friday because my husband works those nights.

How is everyone doing? Are there any long term success stories? Is this maintainable? What is your fast day routine?

Sounds like you are off to a good start! A few of us here started over a year ago.... and did pretty well getting off regain, or getting to goal. We are seeing some slippage, but we have stopped using the principles as strongly as in the beginning. I am now 7-8 pounds over my goal, and working to get it back off. After two weeks of doing fasts twice a week, and doing everything else as I did the first time, I am not losing, however, I have not given up, and know stalls all too well, so there ya go. I do like the 5:2.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

The... I am not really losing this go around either. I am down 2 pounds in same timeframe my girlfriend has lost 14.

I was very active this weekend and have sore muscles. I hope the s c a l e is reflecting Water retained in tired muscles!

I recognize further changes to make.... but it feels like the further post sleeve I am, t h e harder this gets for me.

[adargie 159]

Hello, new to the 5:2 thing. I am a year and half out and totally stuck at almost 80 pound loss. I have really ramped up my exercise for the past month and am noticing tightening and loss of inches but no weight loss. I am considering this as a jump start, I routinely stay at 1000-1200 mark on average days. Wondering what foods you DO eat on a fast day? How much Water? Thanks

[Queen of Crop 1,103]

HI adargie...welcome! Two suggestions...you might want to sign up for a weekly newsletter about the 5:2 here: https://www.fastday.com/ and I recently posted a post on my blog about my perfect 5:2 FAST DAY which shows you exactly what I ate with photos! Good luck! http://www.queenofcrop.com/weeklyupdates/my-perfect-52-fast-day/