ADF - A diet that works and is good for your health!
Discussion
CHIEF said:
I've only just had a butchers at this thread, What do people actually eat on their fasting days and how many calories can you have? I hear its around 600 calories for blokes.
As an example, I might have two eggs scrambled in the morning with a small amount of smoked salmon. For supper, some salmon or skinless chicken breast, spiced up, with loads of green leaves (sprayed with a little olive oil and balsamic). Coffee, no sugar or milk during the day, and loads of water.Not a particularly difficult diet to follow.
M&S, Sainsbury's etc do some instant meals which are <400 cal. There are also Weight Watchers soups to consider.
If you search on Amazon for 5.2 in books, there are a few recipe books.
I've just got round to downloading the 'my fitness pal' app. It's very good, it has also been a real eye opener. It reckons that if I don't get a net 2350 Kcals per day, I will not even maintain my 'dangerously low' current weight 
. So far this week, the best I've managed is 1750 Kcals (net). I haven't got much of an appetite, so I guess I'll have to knock the exercise back a bit 
. It also says something (which I thought was a load of old b
ks) that if I drop my calorie intake below 1200 a day, my body will go into 'survive' mode, and slow my metabolism down accordingly .
. So far this week, the best I've managed is 1750 Kcals (net). I haven't got much of an appetite, so I guess I'll have to knock the exercise back a bit . It also says something (which I thought was a load of old bks) that if I drop my calorie intake below 1200 a day, my body will go into 'survive' mode, and slow my metabolism down accordingly .Chris Type R said:
CHIEF said:
I've only just had a butchers at this thread, What do people actually eat on their fasting days and how many calories can you have? I hear its around 600 calories for blokes.
As an example, I might have two eggs scrambled in the morning with a small amount of smoked salmon. For supper, some salmon or skinless chicken breast, spiced up, with loads of green leaves (sprayed with a little olive oil and balsamic). Coffee, no sugar or milk during the day, and loads of water.Not a particularly difficult diet to follow.
M&S, Sainsbury's etc do some instant meals which are <400 cal. There are also Weight Watchers soups to consider.
If you search on Amazon for 5.2 in books, there are a few recipe books.
And for dinner I had a chicken breast cooked in half a tin of chopped tomotoes, with quarter of a sliced onion mixed, with 100g of boiled new potatoes.
Other days I'll have fish for tea or even a low cal packet pasta meal.
Its easy to make low cal sauces - either tomato based or low fat creme freche based which will always liven up a dull chicken breast or piece of grilled fish.
Plenty of water & sugar free dilute orange through the day.
Dan_1981 said:
Yesterday I didn't have breakfast, lunch I had an Asda Pot soup - Pulled Pork and Orzo - 149 calories.
And for dinner I had a chicken breast cooked in half a tin of chopped tomotoes, with quarter of a sliced onion mixed, with 100g of boiled new potatoes.
Other days I'll have fish for tea or even a low cal packet pasta meal.
Its easy to make low cal sauces - either tomato based or low fat creme freche based which will always liven up a dull chicken breast or piece of grilled fish.
Plenty of water & sugar free dilute orange through the day.
Keeping hydrated is the key to managing hunger too. Soups are good for lunches and fruit pots you find in most supermarket 'lunch' sections work well.And for dinner I had a chicken breast cooked in half a tin of chopped tomotoes, with quarter of a sliced onion mixed, with 100g of boiled new potatoes.
Other days I'll have fish for tea or even a low cal packet pasta meal.
Its easy to make low cal sauces - either tomato based or low fat creme freche based which will always liven up a dull chicken breast or piece of grilled fish.
Plenty of water & sugar free dilute orange through the day.
I've taken to griddling fish for evening meals and skipping breakfast all together. Seems to be easier than skipping lunch.
Also. Herbal tea by the gallon.
Well done everyone on your results.
Just checking in with my latest. Results since last check in not so impressive, but I have had a few more normal eat days than in the month previously due to birthdays, visitors coming to stay etc. It is great really, still eating what I want on normal days without feeling guilty and still losing weight and more importantly - feeling better and more energetic
5th April I was 14st
3rd May 12st 11 lbs
17th May 12st 6 lbs
Just checking in with my latest. Results since last check in not so impressive, but I have had a few more normal eat days than in the month previously due to birthdays, visitors coming to stay etc. It is great really, still eating what I want on normal days without feeling guilty and still losing weight and more importantly - feeling better and more energetic
5th April I was 14st
3rd May 12st 11 lbs
17th May 12st 6 lbs
CHIEF said:
I've only just had a butchers at this thread, What do people actually eat on their fasting days and how many calories can you have? I hear its around 600 calories for blokes.
I'm a fussy veggie so my fast days can beBreakfast - farleys rusk (love them) or nothing if not hungry
Lunch - banana or pear plus slim soup
Dinner - loads of vegetables with Quorn fillet or veggie sausages
or huge salad with boiled egg and baked potato
Snack - pear or banana or cuppa soup
I don't have any dressings or sauces as I don't really like them, so I will put mint sauce on the veggies and with the salad I will have some beetroot and sprinkle the juice over the salad to liven it up a bit
As others have said, drink a lot through the day though
I fast every other day, and I pretty much fast.
I drink tea with skimmed milk, black coffee and have an apple around lunch time. Around half the time that's all I need. I might even have another apple.
If I feel real hunger, I might have something in the evening, porridge is easy, as is no sugar museli, with a little skimmed milk.
None of this is very imaginative but easy to measure on the scales ie work out an accurate calorie count.
Eat days I just eat whatever I fancy.
While 600/500 M/F is a great general guide it seems that some folks can't abide not having a little and often small meals on their fast days.
Whereas others folks like me find not eating ( but drinking lots of fluids ) easier than eating a little as for me this approach makes me feel hungrier.
YMMV
From family members feedback I think men seem to find the just skip the meals ie fast / feast easier than the women. That isn't however any way scientific sample.
I drink tea with skimmed milk, black coffee and have an apple around lunch time. Around half the time that's all I need. I might even have another apple.
If I feel real hunger, I might have something in the evening, porridge is easy, as is no sugar museli, with a little skimmed milk.
None of this is very imaginative but easy to measure on the scales ie work out an accurate calorie count.
Eat days I just eat whatever I fancy.
While 600/500 M/F is a great general guide it seems that some folks can't abide not having a little and often small meals on their fast days.
Whereas others folks like me find not eating ( but drinking lots of fluids ) easier than eating a little as for me this approach makes me feel hungrier.
YMMV
From family members feedback I think men seem to find the just skip the meals ie fast / feast easier than the women. That isn't however any way scientific sample.
LeftmostAardvark said:
Keeping hydrated is the key to managing hunger too. Soups are good for lunches and fruit pots you find in most supermarket 'lunch' sections work well.
I've taken to griddling fish for evening meals and skipping breakfast all together. Seems to be easier than skipping lunch.
Also. Herbal tea by the gallon.
It is very easy to mistake 'thirsty' for 'hungry'. It sounds odd, but its a mistake that is very common (especially after working out).I've taken to griddling fish for evening meals and skipping breakfast all together. Seems to be easier than skipping lunch.
Also. Herbal tea by the gallon.
Gwagon111 said:
I've just got round to downloading the 'my fitness pal' app. It's very good, it has also been a real eye opener. It reckons that if I don't get a net 2350 Kcals per day, I will not even maintain my 'dangerously low' current weight . So far this week, the best I've managed is 1750 Kcals (net). I haven't got much of an appetite, so I guess I'll have to knock the exercise back a bit . It also says something (which I thought was a load of old bks) that if I drop my calorie intake below 1200 a day, my body will go into 'survive' mode, and slow my metabolism down accordingly .
Your case is interesting to me due to how big a weight change you have gone through.. So far this week, the best I've managed is 1750 Kcals (net). I haven't got much of an appetite, so I guess I'll have to knock the exercise back a bit . It also says something (which I thought was a load of old bks) that if I drop my calorie intake below 1200 a day, my body will go into 'survive' mode, and slow my metabolism down accordingly .A few questions if you don't mind?
How do you feel energy wise compared to when you were at your biggest?
I assume you've lost some strength, how much do you think you've lost?
What's your opinion of BMI now, and has it changed since losing the weight?
I quite admire what you've done because you seem very happy with the change (as much as you can tell through PH), I guess now it's about finding a weight that you can level out at and enjoy maintaining?
DuncanM said:
Your case is interesting to me due to how big a weight change you have gone through.
A few questions if you don't mind?
How do you feel energy wise compared to when you were at your biggest?
I assume you've lost some strength, how much do you think you've lost?
What's your opinion of BMI now, and has it changed since losing the weight?
I quite admire what you've done because you seem very happy with the change (as much as you can tell through PH), I guess now it's about finding a weight that you can level out at and enjoy maintaining?
Thank you. I feel a lot better for having shifted the weight. My energy levels are much improved. That stands to reason, I was lugging around 40 KG's that I didn't need to after all. BMI is really just a guide, I've never set my stall out by it. I think if I get to about 75 KG's that will be about right. I'm certainly not too concerned about anything weight wise, at present. I'm not a million miles away from where I need to be. I'm just keeping half an eye on making sure I don't drop any significant weight off. A few questions if you don't mind?
How do you feel energy wise compared to when you were at your biggest?
I assume you've lost some strength, how much do you think you've lost?
What's your opinion of BMI now, and has it changed since losing the weight?
I quite admire what you've done because you seem very happy with the change (as much as you can tell through PH), I guess now it's about finding a weight that you can level out at and enjoy maintaining?
el stovey said:
I did this amazing diet, it involved eating less rubbish and drinking less alcohol and doing more exercise. I think it's good for your health too.
I'm doing that one Using the MyFitnessPal app. Try to stick to around 1500 calories a day (or more when I exercise).
Cracking first week (as to be expected - 6 pound loss), since then consistent 2lbs loss per week.
I'm 5' 10" and trying to get from 13 1/2 stone to 11. Once at my goal weight I'll try to stick to about 2500 calories a day and continue with the exercise and see if that's about right to maintain my weight.
Edited by B17NNS on Monday 20th May 00:05
Hi all,
Just wanted to post here as I've started IF (5:2), with today as my first fast.
By way of background, I'm 5'11 and pretty active besides a sedentary job; gym 2-3 times a week plus some form of walking, sport with friends etc at weekends.
Up until 12 months ago I was a steady, lean 11st 7lbs with a definite 32" waist and around 12% BF. Since starting a more stressful job, that's crept up to 12st 3 as my diet during the week has become worse (snacking on crap, drinking a bit more, later finishes meaning raiding the fridge at 9/10pm etc). My waist is now more like a 34" and just doing more cardio in the gym hasn't helped. So it's time to shift half a stone and get back to where I'm happy.
Diet today has been / will be:
35g Alpen with approx 200ml soya milk. Espresso.
MyProtein diet shake - 240kcal
Tablespoon of peanut butter
1 large apple, 1 banana
All with lashings of water which is my staple drink anyway.
On my non fast days, I'll be cutting out the crap but aiming for circa 2000 - 2250 kcal a day and doing 45 mins cardio 3 times per week in the gym.
It's my intention to keep fasting on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Well done to those who have started / been on it a while already; some impressive reading in this thread.
Will elt you know how I get on!
Just wanted to post here as I've started IF (5:2), with today as my first fast.
By way of background, I'm 5'11 and pretty active besides a sedentary job; gym 2-3 times a week plus some form of walking, sport with friends etc at weekends.
Up until 12 months ago I was a steady, lean 11st 7lbs with a definite 32" waist and around 12% BF. Since starting a more stressful job, that's crept up to 12st 3 as my diet during the week has become worse (snacking on crap, drinking a bit more, later finishes meaning raiding the fridge at 9/10pm etc). My waist is now more like a 34" and just doing more cardio in the gym hasn't helped. So it's time to shift half a stone and get back to where I'm happy.
Diet today has been / will be:
35g Alpen with approx 200ml soya milk. Espresso.
MyProtein diet shake - 240kcal
Tablespoon of peanut butter
1 large apple, 1 banana
All with lashings of water which is my staple drink anyway.
On my non fast days, I'll be cutting out the crap but aiming for circa 2000 - 2250 kcal a day and doing 45 mins cardio 3 times per week in the gym.
It's my intention to keep fasting on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Well done to those who have started / been on it a while already; some impressive reading in this thread.
Will elt you know how I get on!
ShortShift811 said:
Up until 12 months ago I was a steady, lean 11st 7lbs with a definite 32" waist and around 12% BF. Since starting a more stressful job, that's crept up to 12st 3 as my diet during the week has become worse (snacking on crap, drinking a bit more, later finishes meaning raiding the fridge at 9/10pm etc). My waist is now more like a 34" and just doing more cardio in the gym hasn't helped. So it's time to shift half a stone and get back to where I'm happy.
Good luck. Do you know what your current BF% is ? Chris Type R said:
Good luck. Do you know what your current BF% is ?
Cheers.Best guess re BF (based on where I've been in the past) is probably 15-16%, although I haven't measured that recently. I'm a 39" chest, 33-34" waist and have never been a 'skinny' build (think somewhere between mesomorph / endomorph). Over the last few months I know some fat has hit my midsection so I want to stop the rot before it gets any worse.
My aim with IF is to hopefully get myself back to a lean frame over the next 4-6 weeks, then I can maintain and perhaps build a bit of muscle from there.
Well, apart from being a bit tricky mentally, my first fasting day only had two noticeable effects: feeling hungry and a bit of an erratic night's sleep. I normally sleep right through but woke up a couple of times and felt restless from roughly 4am.
The gym this morning was a bit harder too. I train before breakfast normally, so getting in there for cardio at 6:30am having had 600kcal the day before meant I felt a bit weak, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.
Onwards and upwards! I'll do my weigh-in next Tues morning and see where it takes me...
The gym this morning was a bit harder too. I train before breakfast normally, so getting in there for cardio at 6:30am having had 600kcal the day before meant I felt a bit weak, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.
Onwards and upwards! I'll do my weigh-in next Tues morning and see where it takes me...
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