ADF - A diet that works and is good for your health!
Discussion
Welcome all thread noobs!
The feeling hungry thing is harder at first but it either lessens with time or you get more used to it. I think some of us sort of welcome it after a while - it's a way of denoting you are not taking in as much as your body is used to and is therefore "progress".
Anyway, I think it was Cyril Smith who once said "Il faut souffrir pour etre belle"...
...actually, probably not
The feeling hungry thing is harder at first but it either lessens with time or you get more used to it. I think some of us sort of welcome it after a while - it's a way of denoting you are not taking in as much as your body is used to and is therefore "progress".
Anyway, I think it was Cyril Smith who once said "Il faut souffrir pour etre belle"...
...actually, probably not
^^^
Bathroom scales showed 15st 4 and a quarter this morning
I have been stuck around 15 7 + or - a pound or so for the last 3 weeks so was pleased to see this reduction today. I suppose the break from the gym over Xmas didn't help but thought I had plateau'd at that weight with the current regime. Apparently not! The regime continues...
Bathroom scales showed 15st 4 and a quarter this morning
I have been stuck around 15 7 + or - a pound or so for the last 3 weeks so was pleased to see this reduction today. I suppose the break from the gym over Xmas didn't help but thought I had plateau'd at that weight with the current regime. Apparently not! The regime continues...
Thanks for that Gwagon. Duly noted.
I suppose that there are bound to be stages where your weight stabilises for a while as your body adjusts to the changes imposed upon it. Also, it was the period around Christmas and all that entails so I hadn't really contemplated any great change to the existing 2/5 but if it had remained at the same level for 6 or more weeks, I may have considered trying (?) to fit another gym visit per week or some other additional exercise if time permitted. As it is, I am carrying on just as before. TARGET : 15 stone. If and when I reach that, I may post a pic here (or on the Transformation thread?).
Anyone else got any news to share??
I suppose that there are bound to be stages where your weight stabilises for a while as your body adjusts to the changes imposed upon it. Also, it was the period around Christmas and all that entails so I hadn't really contemplated any great change to the existing 2/5 but if it had remained at the same level for 6 or more weeks, I may have considered trying (?) to fit another gym visit per week or some other additional exercise if time permitted. As it is, I am carrying on just as before. TARGET : 15 stone. If and when I reach that, I may post a pic here (or on the Transformation thread?).
Anyone else got any news to share??
I was just going to post that, jwo - good article and some ideas for low calorie meals.
Also interesting that they have reiterated the health benefits in regard to cholesterol levels, heart disease, breast and other cancers and even asthma, amongst others
Good luck everyone who is starting tomorrow and for daveparry, I would think that walking would be a good start unless you have any other relevant health issues. I believe cycling is quite low impact on your joints etc but, unless the area around you is pretty level (and free from traffic!), probably best to build your fitness level up slowly at first or try an exercise bike where you can alter the intensity and more easily measure distance and speed to gradually increase them without traffic / wind / snow etc. Post up your progress and best of luck for your op.
Anyone else want to give some stats of where you're starting from etc - it can help to share the info for some extra encouragement to stick to the program.
Also interesting that they have reiterated the health benefits in regard to cholesterol levels, heart disease, breast and other cancers and even asthma, amongst others
Good luck everyone who is starting tomorrow and for daveparry, I would think that walking would be a good start unless you have any other relevant health issues. I believe cycling is quite low impact on your joints etc but, unless the area around you is pretty level (and free from traffic!), probably best to build your fitness level up slowly at first or try an exercise bike where you can alter the intensity and more easily measure distance and speed to gradually increase them without traffic / wind / snow etc. Post up your progress and best of luck for your op.
Anyone else want to give some stats of where you're starting from etc - it can help to share the info for some extra encouragement to stick to the program.
All other things being equal, the amount of weight you lose over any period of time will also be affected by your metabolism.
If you look back at my progress, I have only lost about 1 lb per week and others on here, nearly twice that. One of our sons eats a HUGE amount of food, probably more than twice what I eat on average - he is 21, about 5'8 and approx 9 stone. He just doesn't put weight on (although that may well change in a few years time?).
So, al, your first week's progress is pretty good - keep at it and encourage your wife to do so too and you will both get results. Also, it is easier to ADF with a partner. Post back next week and let us know.
If you look back at my progress, I have only lost about 1 lb per week and others on here, nearly twice that. One of our sons eats a HUGE amount of food, probably more than twice what I eat on average - he is 21, about 5'8 and approx 9 stone. He just doesn't put weight on (although that may well change in a few years time?).
So, al, your first week's progress is pretty good - keep at it and encourage your wife to do so too and you will both get results. Also, it is easier to ADF with a partner. Post back next week and let us know.
^^^
Well said, LG.
Last night on one of our low-cal days, we had a stir fry - mostly veg with a few strips of turkey - and it was very tasty and quite filling. We have had some of the "packet" meals, too and they vary enormously in quality. Some, as you say, are comparable to poor quality, in-flight fare, others are actually very good.
In a couple of the more popular supermarkets (rhyme with "drainsvery" and "clarksandfencer" ), they do a small range of chicken, turkey and fish dishes which are really good and even with plenty of veg, still come out at about 350 to 400 kcals per meal. So, shop around a bit or get one of the many recipe books which specialise in low-cal meals if you prefer to DIY.
Well said, LG.
Last night on one of our low-cal days, we had a stir fry - mostly veg with a few strips of turkey - and it was very tasty and quite filling. We have had some of the "packet" meals, too and they vary enormously in quality. Some, as you say, are comparable to poor quality, in-flight fare, others are actually very good.
In a couple of the more popular supermarkets (rhyme with "drainsvery" and "clarksandfencer" ), they do a small range of chicken, turkey and fish dishes which are really good and even with plenty of veg, still come out at about 350 to 400 kcals per meal. So, shop around a bit or get one of the many recipe books which specialise in low-cal meals if you prefer to DIY.
That's interesting in that it seems to say that missing meals out completely is not good for you which would appear to contradict the hypothesis behind ADF.
However, the distinction between fasting and reduced calorie intake would appear to be crucial as ADF (despite the title) is not advocating fasting, at least in our general interpretation, just reducing how many calories we take in in a certain number of hours or days: I'm still having 3 meals a day, it's just that on 2 days, they are very much lighter in calories than on the other days.
I would therefore conclude that ADF as being generally practised by us on this thread, would not lead to an increase in T2 diabetes.
Is that a valid argument, 968?
However, the distinction between fasting and reduced calorie intake would appear to be crucial as ADF (despite the title) is not advocating fasting, at least in our general interpretation, just reducing how many calories we take in in a certain number of hours or days: I'm still having 3 meals a day, it's just that on 2 days, they are very much lighter in calories than on the other days.
I would therefore conclude that ADF as being generally practised by us on this thread, would not lead to an increase in T2 diabetes.
Is that a valid argument, 968?
No problem LG. All part of a healthy debate and 968s comments are interesting regarding the possibility of some long-term negative effects but my instinct is that the various forms of ADF and IF which we are doing on this thread don't truly qualify as "fasting". We are all still eating but at a reduced rate, part of the time. To me, "fasting" would mean an extended period of time - perhaps more than a day or two - over which no food was taken.
I am in complete agreement with wiff:
The 2/5 diet fits in with my lifestyle, has reduced my weight effectively, is sustainable and means that we still have meals out, alcohol, sweets etc on our non-ADF days. It really does seem to give you the best of both worlds. Together with the exercise, I feel healthier than I have for a very long time and am enjoying it. Hopefully, there are also benefits to longevity and better health in old(er) age and it seems logical to assume that this regimen would contribute toward that.
I am in complete agreement with wiff:
wiffmaster said:
I had two options to shift the last few kg:
- Eat 1500 calories a day, every day
or...
- Eat 2200 calories 4x a week and 600 calories 3x a week
Either way, I'm eating the same calories each week...but using the ADF method allows me to successfully lose weight and maintain a social life. I can still have a meal/beers with friends on a Saturday night and not have to worry.
So many people fail at losing weight because it ends up taking over their life and so they give up. I know because it happened to me on numerous occasions. They have to count every single calorie every single day, they have to say "no" to going down the pub at the weekend and they have to eat tasteless crap all the time and feel guilty if they have a treat. Eventually, they just think "bugger it" and go back to their old ways. Classic yo-yo dieting.
Eight weeks in to ADF and I've lost another 7 kg. I feel good, people mention that I'm looking much slimmer, it's not hard to stick to and it doesn't dominate my life. In short, it fits my lifestyle and I've yet to experience any negatives. I don't consider ADF some amazing revolutionary diet...I just find it's the easiest way of managing a calorie deficit over a week. Any other purported health benefits are just an added bonus in my mind.
I have never bothered to diet before, mainly because I didn't consider myself to be terribly overweight (although I did want to lose the spare around my waist) but also because I really couldn't be bothered to worry about every calorie, every day for the rest of my life.- Eat 1500 calories a day, every day
or...
- Eat 2200 calories 4x a week and 600 calories 3x a week
Either way, I'm eating the same calories each week...but using the ADF method allows me to successfully lose weight and maintain a social life. I can still have a meal/beers with friends on a Saturday night and not have to worry.
So many people fail at losing weight because it ends up taking over their life and so they give up. I know because it happened to me on numerous occasions. They have to count every single calorie every single day, they have to say "no" to going down the pub at the weekend and they have to eat tasteless crap all the time and feel guilty if they have a treat. Eventually, they just think "bugger it" and go back to their old ways. Classic yo-yo dieting.
Eight weeks in to ADF and I've lost another 7 kg. I feel good, people mention that I'm looking much slimmer, it's not hard to stick to and it doesn't dominate my life. In short, it fits my lifestyle and I've yet to experience any negatives. I don't consider ADF some amazing revolutionary diet...I just find it's the easiest way of managing a calorie deficit over a week. Any other purported health benefits are just an added bonus in my mind.
The 2/5 diet fits in with my lifestyle, has reduced my weight effectively, is sustainable and means that we still have meals out, alcohol, sweets etc on our non-ADF days. It really does seem to give you the best of both worlds. Together with the exercise, I feel healthier than I have for a very long time and am enjoying it. Hopefully, there are also benefits to longevity and better health in old(er) age and it seems logical to assume that this regimen would contribute toward that.
Personally, I would happily have a hot chocolate or anything else I fancied on a "normal" day. By sticking to the calorie limit on the low-cal days, you should be able to have the odd indulgence and not even feel guilty about it IMO.
This is one of the real advantages of IF / ADF over most other diets: It is easier to stick to when you know that you can have that indulgence at any time on your other days and I have found that when you have that freedom, you quite often decide you can manage without it anyway and end up eating less, more healthy food by choice, not imposition.
This is one of the real advantages of IF / ADF over most other diets: It is easier to stick to when you know that you can have that indulgence at any time on your other days and I have found that when you have that freedom, you quite often decide you can manage without it anyway and end up eating less, more healthy food by choice, not imposition.
RECIPES
Following a conversation I had with Mrs BL last night, I thought it might be an idea if we could post up some ideas for what you can eat on a 600kcal day to inspire everyone and add a bit of variety to our diet on those days. To give an idea what I mean, I'll start:
Breakfast: Small bowl of Fruit & Fibre cereal with semi-skimmed milk. (c 140kcals)
Lunch: Small bowl of soup - 1/2 a pot / tin / packet in various flavours. (c 100 kcals)
Dinner: JS Turkey escalope (190 kcals), 1 Rosti potato (90 kcals), mixed veg steamed (80 kcals) TOTAL : 600 kcals
Most low-cal days, breakfast and lunch are more or less the same as above which leaves c 360kcals for the evening meal. Alternative mains we have had include chicken fillets (whole and in stir-fry); lean beef and fish (cod, haddock etc), all with a selection of vegetables, steamed or roasted. (If you haven't tried cutting up peppers and onions with other (inc. root) veg etc into small cubes then roasting them, give it a go - very tasty IMO - just don't add too much oil
). If you don't mind Quorn and the like, they can make a bit of a change, too.
So, over to you. Please post up your choices / ideas with a "RECIPE" in the top LH corner, as above - might lead to a book...?
Following a conversation I had with Mrs BL last night, I thought it might be an idea if we could post up some ideas for what you can eat on a 600kcal day to inspire everyone and add a bit of variety to our diet on those days. To give an idea what I mean, I'll start:
Breakfast: Small bowl of Fruit & Fibre cereal with semi-skimmed milk. (c 140kcals)
Lunch: Small bowl of soup - 1/2 a pot / tin / packet in various flavours. (c 100 kcals)
Dinner: JS Turkey escalope (190 kcals), 1 Rosti potato (90 kcals), mixed veg steamed (80 kcals) TOTAL : 600 kcals
Most low-cal days, breakfast and lunch are more or less the same as above which leaves c 360kcals for the evening meal. Alternative mains we have had include chicken fillets (whole and in stir-fry); lean beef and fish (cod, haddock etc), all with a selection of vegetables, steamed or roasted. (If you haven't tried cutting up peppers and onions with other (inc. root) veg etc into small cubes then roasting them, give it a go - very tasty IMO - just don't add too much oil
). If you don't mind Quorn and the like, they can make a bit of a change, too.So, over to you. Please post up your choices / ideas with a "RECIPE" in the top LH corner, as above - might lead to a book...?
Hi everyone,
Well, the beginning of month 5 of the 5/2 ADF and I have just got back from the gym and stood on the scales / BMI machine for the monthly progress report and... well, not much progress actually: I'm not too surprised though - January was a particularly crap month both at home and for the amount of work at, er, work! As a result, I hardly got to the gym and wasn't able to stick rigidly to the 600 kcal limit on low-cal days (although I did try).
Anyway, the results according to the gym scale thing for this month (against last month) are:
Weight : 15 st 4 (- 3 lbs)
BMI : 28.4 (-0.1)
Body fat % : 24.2% (-.2%)
Body fat mass : 23.5kg (-0.5kg)
I'm hoping things will be a bit more "normal" this month and better progress will result...
Well, the beginning of month 5 of the 5/2 ADF and I have just got back from the gym and stood on the scales / BMI machine for the monthly progress report and... well, not much progress actually: I'm not too surprised though - January was a particularly crap month both at home and for the amount of work at, er, work! As a result, I hardly got to the gym and wasn't able to stick rigidly to the 600 kcal limit on low-cal days (although I did try).
Anyway, the results according to the gym scale thing for this month (against last month) are:
Weight : 15 st 4 (- 3 lbs)
BMI : 28.4 (-0.1)
Body fat % : 24.2% (-.2%)
Body fat mass : 23.5kg (-0.5kg)
I'm hoping things will be a bit more "normal" this month and better progress will result...
Damn! Another not-so-successful month just passed (where is time going???) with work and home life conspiring against me so I have not lost any weight etc due to reduced visits to the gym and some wavering from the 600 cals on low-cal days. Ho hum - must try harder!
) so, unlike most diets which last for a specific time, either by design or by giving up on it, you can continue to do ADF variations for the longer term. This should help you maintain your target weight when you get there. Good luck, SO.
Sargeant Orange said:
Been following the 5\2 for 2 weeks now and lost 7lbs in the 1st week and 7 this week. That's starting at 18st & 6ft2in. My target is 15 1\2 st.
Ive found the 600cal days pretty easy to do when in work, special k at 7am, a muller light at 12 and a tin of chicken noodle soup at 6pm. My concern at the moment is that I'm not eating enough on the other days and that this may hinder my loss as I get closer to my target weight.
I went from 20st to 14st in my late teens so I'm very disappointed that i've allowed myself to put it back on. The problem for me is managing my weight once i've reached my target, its either all or nothing and very difficult to eat a balanced diet to maintain weight (lifestyle doesn't help either). I've got back into rowing recently which should hopefully help.
Keep posting the updates fellas, very inspiring.
One of the chief benefits of the 5/2 diet is that it IS sustainable (I think we've proved that now, despite what I posted above Ive found the 600cal days pretty easy to do when in work, special k at 7am, a muller light at 12 and a tin of chicken noodle soup at 6pm. My concern at the moment is that I'm not eating enough on the other days and that this may hinder my loss as I get closer to my target weight.
I went from 20st to 14st in my late teens so I'm very disappointed that i've allowed myself to put it back on. The problem for me is managing my weight once i've reached my target, its either all or nothing and very difficult to eat a balanced diet to maintain weight (lifestyle doesn't help either). I've got back into rowing recently which should hopefully help.
Keep posting the updates fellas, very inspiring.
) so, unlike most diets which last for a specific time, either by design or by giving up on it, you can continue to do ADF variations for the longer term. This should help you maintain your target weight when you get there. Good luck, SO.Hi everyone,
(Holy thread resurrection etc).
Thought I would post up on this thread as it has now been more than a year since we started doing the ADF thing which may confound those who thought it was not sustainable...
To be completely honest, my OH has stuck to it more rigidly than I have: She has lost over a stone in weight and is now a steady weight which she is really happy with and a size 8 dress size. My weight has stabilised around 15st 7 (which I am pretty happy with) but I have been more "flexible" with my eating and exercising habits, partly through choice and partly through work and other commitments but overall, it does seem to have done what we set out to achieve.
The potential benefits to health and longevity are still hard to quantify but the evidence collated by others does seem to back up the claims. Well, it can't do any harm, anyway.
So, anyone else out there still doing one of the ADF regimes? How long have you been doing it and are you still improving or have you plateau'd too?
(Holy thread resurrection etc).
Thought I would post up on this thread as it has now been more than a year since we started doing the ADF thing which may confound those who thought it was not sustainable...
To be completely honest, my OH has stuck to it more rigidly than I have: She has lost over a stone in weight and is now a steady weight which she is really happy with and a size 8 dress size. My weight has stabilised around 15st 7 (which I am pretty happy with) but I have been more "flexible" with my eating and exercising habits, partly through choice and partly through work and other commitments but overall, it does seem to have done what we set out to achieve.
The potential benefits to health and longevity are still hard to quantify but the evidence collated by others does seem to back up the claims. Well, it can't do any harm, anyway.
So, anyone else out there still doing one of the ADF regimes? How long have you been doing it and are you still improving or have you plateau'd too?
Good stuff, Halb! I'm promising myself to do the gym more regularly again - was going twice a week quite regularly up 'til about September when I had an "enforced" period of garden landscaping for about 3 weeks: That slimmed me down and built some muscle even though I couldn't keep to the diet, I can tell you.
I won't ask why you were dressed in armour at the weekend - what you do in your private life...
I won't ask why you were dressed in armour at the weekend - what you do in your private life...
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