Hey all, new to this thread. I think I'd like to try the "5:2 plan with Fast 5 on the non-fasting days" and see if this can help me get rid of the last 10ish pounds and if it is a comfortable way of eating in maintenance.
For those of you who do this, on the 2 fasting days, do you tend to spread your limited calories out across the day. Or what?
Any other tips or tricks for someone transitioning into this? I currently eat 3 meals a day, with my largest meal at lunch.
Unless it is the weekend, and then I save most of my day's calories for Fritos and drinks in the evening (and amazingly, this hasn't been working to get the last 10 off, lol).
Mrs Snark Welcome! I've seen your posts on other parts of this board. I must admit I'm thrilled you're thinking of trying this
On my fasting days I eat all my calories at dinner (minus coffee with sugar and milk in the mornings!). Since you're used to eating 3 meals a day, you may want to start by either eating three small meals on a fast day OR skipping breakfast and eating two small meals, and then eventually moving to one meal if you prefer. I'd also say since you're used to eating your biggest meal at lunch, you might want to continue to have that as your main meal on "fast" days. The first two weeks are rough no matter what but it becomes second nature, and you'll have to play around with it to get it right for yourself.
Just my thoughts! Yogini? Sum? Anyone else?
I hope it works for you! I know of a few people (here and elsewhere) who switched to 5:2 when they were close to goal to help shift the last few pounds and have had success.
When you started this, did you just start with 5:2? And then add the Fast 5 window later? I'm wondering if doing both is too much right out of the gate? Or no it is fine? I can't decide.
I gradually worked down to mostly eating in the evening.
The day I got derailed this past week? They day I had a big lunch versus fasting for lunch. Threw my body for a loop it seems.
All is back to normal - 1/2 and 1/2 in my half caff coffee in the morning, maybe a nibble at lunch/late afternoon and then a big dinner.
Tonight's dinner plan is homemade grilled pizzas with lots of veggies and fresh mozzarella cheese. I LOVE that if I save my calories all day that means I can really EAT at dinner time when the rest of the family eats a big meal.
Going strawberry picking this morning, so I will probably eat a few while picking! Mmmm...
Last edited by berryblondeboys; 06-06-2014 at 09:19 AM.
Hmm. Well I started 5:2 in August, and only added Fast Five about 3-4 weeks ago. It might make sense to start transitioning to Fast Five, and then once you're used to the eating window, add your two fast days?
bbb - oh that sounds divine! My mom makes grilled pizza in the summer, it's a favorite. I am jealous Enjoy!
Strawberries have been AMAZING this year. I usually avoid Cali strawberries, but the local market has had them lately (for a pretty penny...) and they are honestly the best I've ever tasted. I don't think the local strawberries are quite ready yet with the cold spring we've had.
Well, I'm here in MD (near baltimore) and they have been going well for a week or so now. One farm says they are near the end (must be their variety). Another says the entire month of June probably. I've never picked strawberries before. I usually just get some at the farmer's market. I need to SLICK UP with sunscreen and wear a hat as like Mrs. Snark, I have had some skin issues already. Not melanoma (thank goodness) but other pre-cancerous spots removed on my face. Dermatologist said as fair as I am, that I HAVE to protect extra well and still expect to keep getting spots that will need to be removed.
Hmm, then I guess they should be ready for picking here too (I'm only an hour+ away from B-More). I honestly hadn't checked lately. I haven't been picking since I was a kid but you're making me want to go, sounds fun and delicious.
Welcome lotsakids and Mrs. Snark and Welcome back ShaMac.
Lightenup - I try to eat between 1200-1400 calories everyday. However on the weekends I am usually very active and I usually eat around 1600 a day. So I guess you could call that eating back exercise calories. But usually it means I'm eating out on the weekends and I eat what I want. Way to go on your 5.8 lbs. loss.
I had fasted a couple years ago doing ESE. Then a few months ago I started skipping breakfast, because I really only like donuts and snack cakes for breakfast. LOL So instead of wasting calories forcing down oatmeal (what I was doing). I just decided to skip it. It got to the point after a few weeks, that I found I wasn't really hungry at lunch but I ate it anyway. And I got tired of thinking up things to eat, so I started skipping it too. So I did kind of gradually fall back into IF, and I'm so glad I did.
Strawberries do sound good. Think I'll have to make something yummy with them for my break-fast next week.
Welcome Mrs. Snark! I just began Fast 5 last week and I'm loving it! I hope it goes well for you! I personally find it difficult to only eat 500 calories on a day, since once I start eating I keep eating, or at least I want to eat on throughout the day. Fast 5 is nice because if I want something at, say, 2pm, I "can't" because my window is not open yet. It's the black and white of it that I love! A while back I had tried some different methods of IF, and trying to save the 500 calories for the evening and then not have anymore was also difficult. IF seems to be different for different folks, because the ladies on here doing 5:2 seem to do well with it.
Mmmm, freshly picked strawberries! We actually picked strawberries for the first time a month ago. They were from an organic farm so they were relatively small berries, but yummy! Between the 5 of us we picked a load of strawberries, and ended up eating most on that day and the next. We did manage to save some for smoothies!
Well, TTOM is coming up, so I think I'm in for a gain or at least a stall. As long as I'm aware of it coming, it won't bother me. I don't track my cycle very well anymore, so I'm glad I figured it out now. So last night I was full again from what I eat at the beginning of my window, but managed to eat a small dinner with the kids, thinking I would eat more when my husband got home from his scout meeting. But I was not into food at all at that point and just had my glass of wine. I'm sure I was under on calories, but I'm actually still full today. I don't know what's going on--did my stomach shrink that much? Is that even something that really happens??
Thanks wvuchick! I guess I've always aimed for a little higher on my calories, say 1600, and then if I did exercise I just had a cushion for the calorie deficit. That would be like aiming for 1400 and then eating back my exercise calories. That's why now I'm a little worried about eating less AND exercising. I've thought about making my window a little longer, but I think I'll overeat then. But I could try it for a day, we'll see.
I did see your posts on an older IF thread, where you were doing ESE, and I was curious what happened to some of the other posters on those threads. I'm hoping they didn't burn out on IF and decide it wasn't sustainable long-term?
noname--I'm happy to hear you're feeling better! I agree, starvation mode is so much a worry, but I'm also wanting to maintain the nutrients that I need. I think I'll see how this goes for a couple of weeks and adjust if I need to. Have a fun wedding, I hope there's some good stuff there!
Hi Mrs. Snark!
Welcome Glad you are on board to try 5:2 and or Fast 5.
On my fasting days I eat all my calories at dinner except that I have coffee with half and half in the am. You may want to start by either Fast 5 or 5:2 first. You will have to play around with it. As NoName suggested, it may be easier to start with Fast 5 even, so you can gently get used to restricting your eating. Agree with NoName:"The first two weeks are rough no matter what but it becomes second nature, and you'll have to play around with it to get it right for yourself." Drinking water or tea really really helps. You will learn that the hunger pangs are temporary- they GO AWAY!!! You don't get weak- you get hunger pangs, and they are gone within 5 minutes usually.
From the 5:2 perspective, there are physiological benefits to having an extended period with no food, so eventually, you don't want to be having small meals all day long that add up to 500 cals. ideally. Rather has b-fast and dinner adding up to 500, or some people skip breakfast and like a bigger dinner. But everyone is figuring out what works for them. I find Fast 5 pretty easy to do, but I started with 5:2. My plan is basically. 5:2 twice a week, Fast 5 the other three days of the work week. No real "plan" on weekend, but don't go crazy.
Last edited by Yogini99; 06-06-2014 at 11:43 AM.
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Hi Lightenup-
Regarding eating back exercise cals- I agree w/ Noname- it's very easy to overestimate the amount burned and underestimate the amt you are eating to compensate!! I allow myself extra if I have done a biiig workout- like 2 hrs bike ride. If it's just something like walking or 30 minutes of HIIT, I don't eat it back - and I don't really believe those calorie burn calculators- I think they overestimate cals burned in general!!.
Thanks for all the great advice gang! I'm going to start 5:2 now and slowly start closing my eating window times on the non-fasting days and see how it goes.
I don't count calories now, and I don't want to start either, so hopefully on my non-fasting days I can still just eyeball my food for reasonable-ness.
Edited to add: I will count the calories for my 500 calorie fasting day. That shouldn't be too hard.
I've seen your posts on other parts of this board. I must admit I'm thrilled you're thinking of trying this 
