The 5:2 Diet

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I don't really crave sweets but I admit to limiting socializing with food oriented people.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I am floundering.... just went out and bought new pants.... the next size up like admiting defeat, but the "hangover" had to go. Hopefully its just a temp setback. I am carbing like crazy. Husband is leaving town in a two weeks, for 5 weeks... I am planing on a huge refer clean out and no temptations in the house month then.... until then, keep going after the fast days and such. BOO! I am still resisiting "dieting" I really don't want to do something to lose that I can't keep doing more or less after the loss....

[Strangefruit 179]

Today is the beginning of Week 3 with the 5:2... I am encouraged as I have lost at least 2lbs each week... Today is a particularly hard fast day though... (My fast days are Monday and Thursday)... A lot of head hunger... I ate my two daily gummie Vitamins and found myself craving more! I was lookin around for something more to eat like my always hungry beagle!

My "goal" is to stick to this plan for at least a month ... If I am successful, then I should be back close to my lowest weight since surgery... And then I will feel like that number is within reach... I keep reminding myself that this should be easy for anyone who had to do a two week pre-surgery Protein Shake fast...if I could do THAT, then surely I can do this! Whatever I am craving today, I *can* have tomorrow!

[Chelenka 827]

I've been reading this thread and lurking in the background. I am trying to do this fasting but find that I feel ravenously hungry and end up snacking myself into oblivion. Sigh. Also trying to stay very low carb. I find the low carb thing difficult at times but not as hard for me as the fasting. For some reason it makes me feel very fatigued. Does anyone else experience this? Maybe it's just not for me. I am very frustrated with myself and my inability to lose the holiday weight gain. Just seems like I never had the surgery sometimes except I'm fighting from a much lower weight than before. Other than that it's just as frustrating.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Today is the beginning of Week 3 with the 5:2... I am encouraged as I have lost at least 2lbs each week... Today is a particularly hard fast day though... (My fast days are Monday and Thursday)... A lot of head hunger... I ate my two daily gummie Vitamins and found myself craving more! I was lookin around for something more to eat like my always hungry beagle!

My "goal" is to stick to this plan for at least a month ... If I am successful, then I should be back close to my lowest weight since surgery... And then I will feel like that number is within reach... I keep reminding myself that this should be easy for anyone who had to do a two week pre-surgery Protein shake fast...if I could do THAT, then surely I can do this! Whatever I am craving today, I *can* have tomorrow!

Just keep in mind to maintain, you will have to continue what you are doing now to a degree... like fasting for one day a week....

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Perspective ladies... yes, it is hard and frustrating but I fought hard to try (and fail) to stay under 300#. Okay, I can't seem to get down below my goal weight of 158 and down to the 140s where I want to be...boohoo. My butt doesn't fit my size 2/4s pants but my 6/8s are fine. I am being very gentle with myself, treating myself like my friends do - which is - I am perfectly fine the way I am.

If you can't fast readily, don't torture yourself. I have had a hard time having 500 cal days, but i have plenty of 600-700 cal days and I focus on making them low carb too. I am not losing weight fast... but slowly inching down. That is the reality ... and it seems to get more real the further out from surgery!

[Georgia 2,908]

Why can't the rest of the world just go on a diet with us so that we aren't constantly being forced to watch people eat cake, Cookies, candy, chips, french fries, and my personal worse downfall, ice cream.

I strongly agree, Denise! LOL

[2babutterfly 483]

What about coffee in the mornings on fast days??? ????

[Georgia 2,908]

I've been reading this thread and lurking in the background. I am trying to do this fasting but find that I feel ravenously hungry and end up snacking myself into oblivion. Sigh. Also trying to stay very low carb. I find the low carb thing difficult at times but not as hard for me as the fasting. For some reason it makes me feel very fatigued. Does anyone else experience this? Maybe it's just not for me. I am very frustrated with myself and my inability to lose the holiday weight gain. Just seems like I never had the surgery sometimes except I'm fighting from a much lower weight than before. Other than that it's just as frustrating.

Oh, I guarantee that if you eat and follow all the guidelines you will fill the restriction still very strongly. I do. The difference is we are "grazing" around it. ????

Probably also, Chelenka, coming off the holidays you have managed to start a carb/sugar addiction as I have!

I don't get really fatigued but that sounds like how I feel once I try to cut carbs/sugar out for the first few days. Make sure you are eating enough Protein and include maybe a high protein/low carb shake like EAS carb control only a 110 cals but 17 grams protein. A few almonds or an egg/cheese so that you are not "empty" feeling and depleted.

Might not be for you but I'd give it a few more days of committed fasts first. It does work for most.

[Georgia 2,908]

Perspective ladies... yes, it is hard and frustrating but I fought hard to try (and fail) to stay under 300#. Okay, I can't seem to get down below my goal weight of 158 and down to the 140s where I want to be...boohoo. My butt doesn't fit my size 2/4s pants but my 6/8s are fine. I am being very gentle with myself, treating myself like my friends do - which is - I am perfectly fine the way I am.

If you can't fast readily, don't torture yourself. I have had a hard time having 500 cal days, but i have plenty of 600-700 cal days and I focus on making them low carb too. I am not losing weight fast... but slowly inching down. That is the reality ... and it seems to get more real the further out from surgery!

Truth, Sheryl. I'm not making many 500 cals either but a lot of 600-700 too. And that's a LOT better than I was.

And MichiganChic, truth! We know they would be days we would most likely be gaining even with non perfect fast days.

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

I enjoy reading this thread. I tried 5:2 for several weeks and it helped me break a stall. I've since returned to three meals a day, but I do see the benefit of this method.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I'm still with you, girls. Just not fasting for the moment. Just as soon as these surgical spots are healed, I'm coming back

Keep up the good work. And really, in what life time were we EVER able to eat 600-700 calories? That's success! Perfection is a myth, I'm sure.

[erp 2,016]

I've been reading this thread and lurking in the background. I am trying to do this fasting but find that I feel ravenously hungry and end up snacking myself into oblivion. Sigh. Also trying to stay very low carb. I find the low carb thing difficult at times but not as hard for me as the fasting. For some reason it makes me feel very fatigued. Does anyone else experience this? Maybe it's just not for me. I am very frustrated with myself and my inability to lose the holiday weight gain. Just seems like I never had the surgery sometimes except I'm fighting from a much lower weight than before. Other than that it's just as frustrating.

If I go too low with carbs (even after the initial 3 day withdrawals hump) I have lethargy. Low carb for me has to be more than 50 but less than 100 grams when trying to lose weight.

[Queen of Crop 1,103]

Good point Michiganchic! We have to stop beating ourselves up because we might hit 700 calories on a 5:2 day! Most of used to eat 700 calories at a sitting! And perhaps we should stop worrying so much about the scale and think about how we feel, how our clothes fit, how our blood work is, and how fit we are. Personally, I think I am more fit right now than anytime in my life...but for the life of me I cannot get below 139! But we are trying and we are doing our best and we all know, that most people eat 2 to 3 to 4 times more than we do and many of them don't have weight problems....but you know what? Many of them do!!! And we are no longer obese, morbidly obese, or super obese! We are normal weight or a bit over weight...and that's manageable!

Very impressed with everyone here....Rock on!

[VSG AJH 499]

What about coffee in the mornings on fast days???

I encourage you to examine your coffee. This is where I was taking in a number of surprising uncounted calories. I've heard "don't drink your calories," and I didn't think I was because I wasn't drinking soda, sweet tea, sports drinks, etc. When I began working on the 5:2, my husband pointed out that only black coffee is encouraged. I genuinely felt defensive of my coffee because SURELY it wasn't that bad to have a bit of half-and-half, however, when I actually measured out my half-and-half (or sugar-free non-dairy creamer), then calculated it in my morning cup of coffee (plus my mid-morning warmup or two, plus an afternoon cup), I was easily at 120-150 Creamer calories over the day. That's an awful big chunk of the 500 calories allowed on a fast day, and personally, I'd rather have food.< /p>