Anyone do the 5:2?

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PTR said:
If I had to spend a couple of hours a week planning what to cook, then going to buy the ingredients, and then had to stand and cook them each night, I wouldn't have time to go to the gym anymore. So its pointless when I can just have 2 "starve" days which require almost no effort.
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Aye, but your wife does that, so you don't have to. Why would that have to change. As I said though, I'm probably missing something obvious?
 


AndrewP said:
Aye, but your wife does that, so you don't have to. Why would that have to change. As I said though, I'm probably missing something obvious?
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She wouldn't necessarily want to eat the same stuff I do, neither would the bairn. I can't expect her to do any of this - I'm lucky enough she does nearly all of it now.

CatRyan said:
My sister is on this and she is gradually getting fatter and fatter, but she is probably not doing it properly.
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"I'll just have one of them cakes, nobody will know"

???
 
Stevie Freestein II said:
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.
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I also don't eat from 8.30ish til about 11.30ish the next day. Don't even have a coffee or tea on a morning, just water.

If you haven't heard of it before, look into this, you might find it interesting. Some scientists think you're best off eating in a 8/9 hour window every day, has been shown in mice to reduce weight and body fat, etc.

https://draxe.com/time-restricted-eating/

I've been doing it for a while now and it's pretty easy to be honest. Haven't lost any weight but I've generally been eating whatever I want within reason and haven't gained anything.
 
Started today.

Porridge for breakfast
Got a packaged salad for lunch
Some sort of stew for tea, so I'll eat the meat and veg, and skip the potatoes
 
PTR said:
Yep.
600 Cals

Porridge 190
Salad 180
Leaves 230 for tea - which is impossible to really tell, as its a homemade stew (which is one reason why I fell out with MFP, which is faffy for home made stuff)
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A stew should be a lot more than 230 like. Double that at least for a small-average portion.
 
PTR said:
Yep.
600 Cals

Porridge 190
Salad 180
Leaves 230 for tea - which is impossible to really tell, as its a homemade stew (which is one reason why I fell out with MFP, which is faffy for home made stuff)
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if you use it enough you can have a good go at guessing.

Small portion of stew:
80g lean stewing steak
50g carrots
half an onion
50g celery
100g new potatoes
10g plain flour
1tbsp veg oil

Won't be nailed on if you're not cooking but give a decent guideline.

that lot would come to 420 cals

could probably cut the oil down to 0.5 tbsp saving 60 cals
 
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PTR said:
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?
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Don't eat anything. It's easy once you get sorted. I did it and have now got a maintained weight and I fast once a week for the health benefits. Today is the day in fact and I have had nothing but water and will have nothing until a very small meal tonight then go for a swim.

It's a challenge at times but it really kick starts your body and mind.

chriswallace85 said:
Like what?
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Watch michael Mosley's Eat,fast Live Longer.
 
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oROSSo said:
if you use it enough you can have a good go at guessing.

Small portion of stew:
80g lean stewing steak
50g carrots
half an onion
50g celery
100g new potatoes
10g plain flour
1tbsp veg oil

Won't be nailed on if you're not cooking but give a decent guideline.

that lot would come to 420 cals

could probably cut the oil down to 0.5 tbsp saving 60 cals
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There will be hardly any oil in it, the missus rarely uses it unless she's frying. This was done in the slow cooker.
And no taties either.
So I reckon I can have a small portion of it. I don't think the 600cals is a absolute limit, it seems to be more of a plan to cut out 2000 cals twice per week without really causing much fuss.

Well,
Is half seven and I've just done about an hours work in the garden. Pretty hungry now, but I was done until just now.

Think I'll go and get a big drink and see how it goes
 
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I do a version of this, and it seems to work for me - I skip an evening meal 2/3 times a week, plus breakfast quite often.

I find a long run in the evening means I come home less hungry than if I sat around and watched tv, so it's win/win if I do it (or lose/lose if I don't!)
 
Yesterday wasn't too bad.

I did feel tired early, but I often have a night when I'm knackered towards the end of the week. Got woke up by the bairn at 4am, and couldn't get back to sleep, so I was dead on my feet this morning so much that I wasn't even hungry.

Wish my shoulder would get better, I hate missing the gym
 
xmfd said:
I also don't eat from 8.30ish til about 11.30ish the next day. Don't even have a coffee or tea on a morning, just water.

If you haven't heard of it before, look into this, you might find it interesting. Some scientists think you're best off eating in a 8/9 hour window every day, has been shown in mice to reduce weight and body fat, etc.

https://draxe.com/time-restricted-eating/

I've been doing it for a while now and it's pretty easy to be honest. Haven't lost any weight but I've generally been eating whatever I want within reason and haven't gained anything.
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Thanks for the link I have found 5 spare mins to read the article. It's similar to something I read early last year and skipping breakfast on 4 days per week has become a habit.
 
Stevie Freestein II said:
Thanks for the link I have found 5 spare mins to read the article. It's similar to something I read early last year and skipping breakfast on 4 days per week has become a habit.
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I find that really strange - the number of times I've heard "never miss breakfast", "most important meal of the day" etc?????
 
PTR said:
I find that really strange - the number of times I've heard "never miss breakfast", "most important meal of the day" etc?????
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Everyone is different mate.

Consider what breakfast actually means - breaking the overnight fast. It's easier to extend that fast than doing it at another time.

Also consider that until relatively recently humans didn't have a choice and would be hungry until they caught their next meal.
 
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Stevie Freestein II said:
Everyone is different mate.
Consider what breakfast actually means - breaking the overnight fast. It's easier to extend that fast than doing it at another time.
Also consider that until relatively recently humans didn't have a choice and would be hungry until they caught their next meal.
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Oh, absolutely. But you hear those comments all the time. Makes you laugh doesn't it, how people state ideas, thoughts and beliefs as facts.
 
PTR said:
Oh, absolutely. But you hear those comments all the time. Makes you laugh doesn't it, how people state ideas, thoughts and beliefs as facts.
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To be fair if I travel to e.g. an away match then I eat like a pig at breakfast. Firstly to force a dump out whilst in the comfort of home and secondly I don't know when I'll next eat.
 
Well, that's 2 starve days done - finding it very easy, which is surprising me. Small hunger pangs later in the day, but I'm also using it as my "early night" night of the week as I always end up shattered by the end of the week, so it all fits.

Possibly a bit of dehydration, but lost 6lbs in a week.
 
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