Anyone do the 5:2?

[PTR]

Been meaning to kickstart with this for months now - but I need to build an array of simple things to eat on starve days.

I absolutely hate "diet food" in almost all cases having been forced to eat whatever slimming world or whatever says "tastes just like the real thing" on and off over the years - so I'm looking for suggestions please.

5:2 seems like a really good idea for me - it requires much less planning than most diets, which is the reason why I tend to eat badly at times (lack of time and inclination to plan and cook something nice). I do eat reasonably healthily most of the time though.

Any thoughts?

 

[Deleted User 11453]

My very first post on this sub forum related to 5:2 as I wanted to lose some clem.

It has worked for a lot of people and there are benefits to intermittent fasting. I would want to eat more on the off days though.

Try it? At the end of the day if you want to lose weight you need a calorific deficit and there are many ways to achieve that.

 

[PTR]

My very first post on this sub forum related to 5:2 as I wanted to lose some clem.
It has worked for a lot of people and there are benefits to intermittent fasting. I would want to eat more on the off days though.
Try it? At the end of the day if you want to lose weight you need a calorific deficit and there are many ways to achieve that.

To the extent that I'm willing to commit, I've tried loads of diets. They usually work for a bit, then 6 months later I find myself about half a stone heavier than I started.

At 37, I know what I'm likely to do and what just won't realistically happen (there's no point nodding and saying I'm going to do something when inside, I know I'm lying to myself). I was so so happy to find a way to get myself into the gym a few times a week - I cracked it and its worked brilliantly. Then I got hurt yesterday, and that's made me think "if I can't train, at least I can focus on the weightloss bit for a few weeks and get that kickstarted".

But diets - nope. The missus does all the shopping and 90% of the meal planning. I don't have time for any of it. And I don't want to.

2 days fasting means I don't have to change anything in my normal life. I can just have a very small bite during the day, then eat whatever the wife has made for tea minus the carbs and sugars (so say, its chicken with mash, veg and sauce - I can just have the chicken and veg).

What I really need are some things I can eat for breakfast/lunch on the starve days. Any suggestions?

 

[Deleted User 11453]

To the extent that I'm willing to commit, I've tried loads of diets. They usually work for a bit, then 6 months later I find myself about half a stone heavier than I started.

At 37, I know what I'm likely to do and what just won't realistically happen (there's no point nodding and saying I'm going to do something when inside, I know I'm lying to myself). I was so so happy to find a way to get myself into the gym a few times a week - I cracked it and its worked brilliantly. Then I got hurt yesterday, and that's made me think "if I can't train, at least I can focus on the weightloss bit for a few weeks and get that kickstarted".

But diets - nope. The missus does all the shopping and 90% of the meal planning. I don't have time for any of it. And I don't want to.

2 days fasting means I don't have to change anything in my normal life. I can just have a very small bite during the day, then eat whatever the wife has made for tea minus the carbs and sugars (so say, its chicken with mash, veg and sauce - I can just have the chicken and veg).

What I really need are some things I can eat for breakfast/lunch on the starve days. Any suggestions?

Porridge with fruit/honey will fill you up.

Hard boiled egg on some brown bread.

Try looking on the website that the plan creator has setup.

Personally I'd rather reduce calories over a week.

 

[PTR]

Porridge with fruit/honey will fill you up.
Hard boiled egg on some brown bread.
Try looking on the website that the plan creator has setup.

Personally I'd rather reduce calories over a week.

Reducing calories over a week involves counting calories, making different meals to what the wife has, planning 31 meals a week etc. I can't be doing that.

I'd happily eat plain porridge for breakfast every starve day - I'm happy with that. I have those pots that I can drop boiling water into at work - perfect.

 

[Deleted User 11453]

Reducing calories over a week involves counting calories, making different meals to what the wife has, planning 31 meals a week etc. I can't be doing that.

I'd happily eat plain porridge for breakfast every starve day - I'm happy with that. I have those pots that I can drop boiling water into at work - perfect.

Eat with your Mrs every evening. A normal meal can't be more than 800-1000 cals e.g. Variations of meat veg pasta spuds etc.

Don't have a dessert. Eat about 800-1000 or so calories over the rest of the day depending on how big you are and how much you want to lose.

 

[PTR]

Very
Lots
Lol

 

[Deleted User 11453]

Very
Lots
Lol

Get yourself on https://www.iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

 

[Pricey]

I don't think 5:2 is sustainable long term, not for me anyway, perhaps try what was mentioned earlier, counting calories but use a phone app like myfitnesspal, you can bleep the barcode of whatever you're eating add the amount you ate and it'll add them up for you.

You can eat whatever you like but you only have 1750 calories (for example) a day to "spend" and after a while you'll realise just what crap you eat and how many calories things you eat contain, it really teaches you to read labels when shopping and the value of calories.

 

[PTR]

I've tried MFP before. It didn't work for me.

Don't mean to sound harsh, but I'm not looking for suggestions on what to do - I'm asking for suggestions for what to eat on starve days

 

[Pricey]

I'm asking for suggestions for what to eat on starve days

Melon.

 

[FishburnMackem]

To the extent that I'm willing to commit, I've tried loads of diets. They usually work for a bit, then 6 months later I find myself about half a stone heavier than I started.

At 37, I know what I'm likely to do and what just won't realistically happen (there's no point nodding and saying I'm going to do something when inside, I know I'm lying to myself). I was so so happy to find a way to get myself into the gym a few times a week - I cracked it and its worked brilliantly. Then I got hurt yesterday, and that's made me think "if I can't train, at least I can focus on the weightloss bit for a few weeks and get that kickstarted".

But diets - nope. The missus does all the shopping and 90% of the meal planning. I don't have time for any of it. And I don't want to.

2 days fasting means I don't have to change anything in my normal life. I can just have a very small bite during the day, then eat whatever the wife has made for tea minus the carbs and sugars (so say, its chicken with mash, veg and sauce - I can just have the chicken and veg).

What I really need are some things I can eat for breakfast/lunch on the starve days. Any suggestions?

Weetabux and 1% milk.

 

[Deleted User 11453]

Melon.

I was about to call the ungrateful fatty a 'plum' but your insult will suffice.

 

[AndrewP]

Been meaning to kickstart with this for months now - but I need to build an array of simple things to eat on starve days.

I absolutely hate "diet food" in almost all cases having been forced to eat whatever slimming world or whatever says "tastes just like the real thing" on and off over the years - so I'm looking for suggestions please.

5:2 seems like a really good idea for me - it requires much less planning than most diets, which is the reason why I tend to eat badly at times (lack of time and inclination to plan and cook something nice). I do eat reasonably healthily most of the time though.

Any thoughts?

Pointless and unsustainable, others might disagree.

 

[Deleted User 11453]

Pointless and unsustainable, others might disagree.

That's no use to Mr 'I know it all fatty @PTR' mate. He wants to know what brand of mouse food to eat on 2 days of the week.

Sauteed H2O is nice.

I've tried MFP before. It didn't work for me.

Don't mean to sound harsh, but I'm not looking for suggestions on what to do - I'm asking for suggestions for what to eat on starve days

Nowt. That's what starve means.

Reduced calories is different. Salad and water based stuff, but there's not much there nutritionally to sustain you over a long day.

You need some protein in the morning to fill you up, slow release carbs perhaps so that's why I suggested a boiled egg on brown bread. You will soon get bored of endless bowls of porridge - it's why the jocks sacked York in 1314.

 

[AndrewP]

I'd suggest eating nothing on starve days.

 

[Deleted User 11453]

I'd suggest eating nothing on starve days.

He would find it easier to gradually extend the overnight fast, I don't eat from about 20:30 until 11ish the next day. If he had something to eat at 11 in the morning that was sub-400 cals then he should be able to survive until 8 in the evening. Gradually extend the fast or reduce the cals.

 

[AndrewP]

Drink less too. Lots of calories in beer.

 

[PTR]

Melon.

Suggestion or Slur?

I was about to call the ungrateful fatty a 'plum' but your insult will suffice.

Indeedy!

Pointless and unsustainable, others might disagree.

I've had a few people tell me that the 5:2 is sustainable because its not a diet. You don't have to go without for the length of the diet. Its just 2 days a week that you eat very little (600 cals). So if you crave a coffee and biscuit, you know you only have to get through one day. You eat your normal diet 5 days a week, including the weekends.
And once you've lost the weight, apparently you can switch to just one starve day a week.

Its an interesting idea, and on the face of it, not as bad for you as say, Atkins.

That's no use to Mr 'I know it all fatty @PTR' mate. He wants to know what brand of mouse food to eat on 2 days of the week.

Nowt. That's what starve means.
Reduced calories is different. Salad and water based stuff, but there's not much there nutritionally to sustain you over a long day.

You need some protein in the morning to fill you up, slow release carbs perhaps so that's why I suggested a boiled egg on brown bread. You will soon get bored of endless bowls of porridge - it's why the jocks sacked York in 1314.

When I say starve days, I mean the 5:2 600 calories days. Starve is just quicker to type.
I don't want to be eating horrific ryvitas with quark, and all that shite - I absolutely hate all that stuff.

I eat Porridge about twice a week anyway - so there's absolutely no reason not to have it on my starve days. That or natural yoghurt and a bit of granola which I often have too.
Never been a fan of boiled eggs - but its a good point as it isn't "horrible diet food" and can be made the night before and taken to work - thanks. Its that sort of thing I'm looking for. Proper food that will stop me from climbing the walls, but at about 200cals per "meal".

Drink less too. Lots of calories in beer.

Seriously thinking about knocking the alcohol right back until September (Floria holiday). I think I tend to have "the odd glass of wine" through the week more than anything these days. Its rare I have a "proper" drink, although I do drink more at the caravan. Might have to stop that too.


Thanks for the suggestions, I know its a bit of an arsey question. But I know what I won't do for more than a fortnight, and I'd like to try something different (which worked for the gym - something I can fit around my normal days without much fuss)

 

[AndrewP]

I've had a few people tell me that the 5:2 is sustainable because its not a diet. You don't have to go without for the length of the diet. Its just 2 days a week that you eat very little (600 cals). So if you crave a coffee and biscuit, you know you only have to get through one day. You eat your normal diet 5 days a week, including the weekends.
And once you've lost the weight, apparently you can switch to just one starve day a week.

Its an interesting idea, and on the face of it, not as bad for you as say, Atkins.

Best not to think about diets, but to think about permanent lifestyle changes instead imo.

Seriously thinking about knocking the alcohol right back until September (Floria holiday). I think I tend to have "the odd glass of wine" through the week more than anything these days. Its rare I have a "proper" drink, although I do drink more at the caravan. Might have to stop that too.

It adds up like. I eat more crap when I drink too.