I'm hoping to be back to being good, healthy and motivated!
I've been reading up on the 5:2 Diet (intermittent fasting).
Have any of you tried it?
It sounds very interesting. You fast 2 days a week, surviving on only 500 calories a day for women, 600 for men. Not a lot of calories but the idea is for the rest of the week you don't have to monitor what you eat.
I've never tried a "fad diet" before, I've only ever tried weight watchers really.
However this diet appeals to me as I tend to do very well at eating healthy Monday to Thursday then go a bit crazy at the weekend!
It's also a bit like the old weight watchers plan where you could save points so I would often have very low point days to save to party at the weekend.
Plus it would be nice to have a break from points and calorie tracking for 5 days a week!
It boasts other health benefits such as lower cholesterol and even helps fight ageing. Sounds great.
Here's the official website to read more:
http://thefastdiet.co.uk
I didn't buy the book, I just decided to go ahead and give it a go.
So I've fasted 2 days so far and day 1 I found quite easy. Below is what I ate.
Note: I've added pro points where I can for anyone on weight watchers. Some food amounts are too low to point but I need to include every calorie to have an accurate fasting amount.
Monday - Day 1 fasting
Breakfast:
1 Ryvita light Crackerbread =
19 calories (2 for 1 pro point)
I spread with a tiny bit of my favourite
Jam from Ikea = 6 calories & had a
Coffee with almond milk (Alpro unsweetened) = approx 4 calories.
Total breakfast = 29 calories
(2 pro points)
These crackers do the trick for a low cal low point carb fix.
Lunch:
Egg white frittata
3 egg whites = 48 calories
2 cherry tomatoes = 6 calories
20g Weight watchers reduced fat grated cheese = 43 calories or 1 pro point
1 tbsp of skimmed milk = 11 calories
Lunch time snack:
Tea &
2 mini weight watchers orange cookies from a pack of 8. (8 = 2 pro points)
= 11 calories each
Total lunch = 130 calories (approx 3 pro points)
Dinner: (recipe to follow)
50g King prawns = 35 calories (1 pro point)
1 pack of oodles of noodles = 89 calories (2 pro points)
2 tbs soy sauce = 20 calories
1 tbs rice wine vinegar = 5 calories
1/2 tbs shiracha sauce = 5 calories
50g Little gems lettuce = 8 calories
15 ml kraft fat free French dressing = 6 calories
Total dinner = 167 calories ( approx 4 points)
Snacks:
1 Cadbury snack bar (purple wrapper) = 120 calories (3 pro points)1 mini meringue shell = 19 calories
1 coolpop = 20 calories
Frozen grapes = 15 calories
Total daily calories = 500
I didn't find day 1 difficult, I think mainly because I'd prepared so much over the weekend and was actually looking forward to it. Day 2 didn't go as well, i'll add this to my blog soon!
In the meantime here are some articles to read more about the 5:2 diet or intermittent fasting:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/melaniehaiken
/2013/05/17/hot-new-fasting-diet-from-
europe-hits-the-u-s/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.
cfm?id=how-intermittent-fasting-might-help
-you-live-longer-healthier-life
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/13/
new-diet-craze-offers-five-days-feasting-for-
two-days-famine/
