Fast Diet Update #2

As I have mentioned before in this blog, I am trying to follow the Fast Diet (also known as Intermittent Fasting and 5:2). If you haven't heard of this diet before I explain the basic principles here or find more (professional) info on it here. To tell the truth I haven't been sticking to it very religiously recently and I have probably only done 2 fast days in a month - I should have fasted for a total of 8 days in that period. Surprisingly though I haven't put any of the weight that I had previously lost back on which I am very happy about! But I have been back on it this week and I thought I would share with you what I ate on my fast days this week in the hope that it might help or inspire any of you that also follow this diet. I split my meals into 3 - breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'm always on the go at work so I normally have to buy my lunches out so the choices I make are important. I'm also not too strict on myself, I don't count every single calorie to the digit and I make rough estimates so some days I may be over or under the 500 calorie allowance.

Day 1.

Breakfast: Small bowl of porridge made with water, a splash of soy milk and some blueberries. (aprox 100 kcals)

Lunch: Large bowl of vegetable soup (200 kcals)

Dinner: Corncake with a spread of light philadelphia, 1/2 a tomato and a tangerine (approx 150 kcals)

Day 2.

Breakfast: Banana and Coffee (80-100 kcals)

Lunch: Tuna Nicoise Salad (170 kcals - less if you skip the dressing, I used half)

Dinner: Poached egg on toast, 1 slice of smoked salmon and half a tomato, green tea (approx 250 kcals)

I'm starting to notice that "fast days" are getting easier. My body must be getting used to not having many calories on certain days. In fact, after a heavy weekend of eating and drinking I find I actually look forward to my fast days now. The only downfall to this is that at the beginning my stomach had shrunk and so I was eating less on my "feast days" too. However, my body getting used to this constant fasting followed by feasting means that on my feast days I have no problem stuffing my face. This week the goal is to be ever so slightly more restricted on my feast days too. I have also taken up swimming on the evening of my fast days. I find this keeps me busy so takes my mind off the hunger and apparently it is perfectly fine to exercise on fast days if you have the energy. I'm hoping to lose another 2lbs to add to the 4lbs I have already lost by the end of this week. I will let you know how this goes.

I plan to blog about this again as taking pictures of everything I've eaten has really spurred me on to be inventive with my meals and stick to the calorie limit! Wish me luck for this week.

Isobel x

Isobel's Diet - Update #1

As you might be aware, from a previous blog post I did two weeks ago, I have embarked on the 5:2 diet (intermittent fasting/ alternate day fasting). 

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The premise of the diet is that you fast (eat only 500 calories) for two days a week and the rest of the week you eat completely normally. So I have been on the diet for two weeks now and would love to update you on how it's going. Well, it's going really well! I'm not going to sit here and lie and say that the fast days have been easy (I have done 5 fast days in all) because they aren't but the truth is that they are bearable to get through because I know in the back of my mind if I want to eat something "I can always have it tomorrow". 

And boy do I! I feel like I pig out on my 'feast' days but actually, because my stomach has undoubtedly shrunk, I am probably being more reserved and making wiser, healthier choices with what I do eat. Apart from the obvious benefits (4lb weight loss!!) I am feeling much better in myself. I feel like my digestion is a lot better. I also feel like I have a better awareness of what my body needs and when. On my "feast" days, if I feel hungry, I will eat, but if I don't, I definitely won't just have something for the sake of it!

On my "fast" days I pretty much eat the same things. Dinner is normally a poached egg on wholemeal toast with spinach. I tend not to stray too far away from this as I hate counting calories and it's just easier for me to eat the same things and know I am not going over the 500 calorie limit. On "feast" days I just eat as usual. Dinner for me is normally something like a big bowl of pasta with salad.

A little heads up for other intermittent fasters out there - Miracle Noodles. 

As the website states 'Imagine a world where noodles are calorie free!' Miracle noodles are very low calorie pasta & rice products. Soy, wheat & gluten-free their main ingredient is water! I first read about them in a fantastic article by Anita Chaudhuri in last weekend's Sunday Times Style. I can't wait to try these, they could potentially be a perfect 'fast day' meal!

Let me know if you have tried the 5:2 diet (& how you are doing if your still going!) or Miracle Noodles, would love to hear your thoughts!

Isobel x