Cro and I, and many others, are following the eating change made public by Dr Micheal Moser on his 'Horizon' programme 'Eat, Fast & Live Longer'. I call it my 5:2.
Two days of the week we 'fast' (males no more than 600 cals, females, 500). The other five days we can eat (more-or less - don't go crazy!) whatever we like.
Last 'fast'* day I had a late breakfast of 1/4 cup of weight-watcher's muesli with a teaspoon of dried goji berries (from Helsie), three roasted unsalted almonds, and 1/3 cup of light soya milk. This is 170 cals.
I had a couple of cups of green tea during the next five hours and by five pm I was sitting down to this:
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| Looks good to you? You can't imagine how good! Food tastes SOOO wonderful when you 5:2! |
grilled eggplant: 30 cals
grilled pepper: 20 cals
sticky rice: 50 cals
broccoli stalk: 20 cals
2 spears asparagus: 6 cals
skinless chicken leg meat: 180 cals
2 teaspoons peanut satay marinade: 30 cals
tot: 336 cals
Total for the day: 506 cals.
* Not really a fast at all, as you see. But it works. 1/4 your usual intake twice a week, and although people tend to eat more on the other days, it's been found we don't quite make it up. To the tune of being down about a 1/4 of a day at the end of each week. Which equals steady, sustainable weight loss, but more importantly, some very very good other health benefits...
PS. re. The link to the clip - it's long (nearly an hour) and unless you have better and cheaper interclacken access than me, I suggest downloading it to watch at your leisure. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it very highly.
Katherine, eating less is the key ~ our bodies need less calories as we grow older. And we forget to adjust our calorie intake ~ 5:2 sounds like an easy way to manage it. Just eating more unprocessed food has benefits I find ~ less bread etc. ~ and only eating when we are hungry, rather than tired, bored etc.
ReplyDeleteYes Carol. But the good thing about the 5:2, is that you don't have to dread a life of culinary poverty stretching ahead. Just watch what you eat two days out of each week.
DeleteI ought to try this.....I'd lose several pounds working out all the calories and weighing stuff.
ReplyDeleteThe meal does look good; good enough for a second helping.
Adrian, once you've worked out four 'fast day' menus, it's an easy matter to rotate them. You only eat the same thing twice a month.
DeleteAnd you only have to delay your gratification for a day. You can always have second helpings tomorrow!
I find that with the two fasting days each week, I'm less inclined to over-indulge on the other five. I started following the 5:2 diet about two months ago, and have lost almost a stone, without really having deprived myself at all! Thank you Dr Mosley.
ReplyDeleteThis is almost exactly my experience too Cro.
DeleteWell, I certainly NEED to lose weight . Just don't know how I'd cope with the fasting days.. I think there's a lot of truth in what Carol says too. Might give it a try. Need to find my calorie counter.
ReplyDeleteTwo of the great things about the 5:2 is that
ReplyDeleteA. you choose any two days of the week to 'fast', as long as they are NOT together.
B. You only have to wait until tomorrow and you can eat that thing that's tempted you today.
Terrible thing fasting two days a week. Like being double catholic, who are supposed to fast every Friday, but eat fish instead. Why should you do it? Eat less or move more makes more sense to me.
ReplyDeleteIt's nor really fasting Ben. It's just eating less.
DeleteThe weird thing is I seem to have more energy on fast days, so move more then too! But may I add, on a personal note, that you probably eat little and move a lot compared with many, many people. The Horizon programme suggested the 5:2 as only one of a number of alternatives towards a healthier life. Doing some regular exercise was, obviously, another. The clip is worth viewing.
To tell a secret, I run, bike, skate and tennis not because I like sports but only because I like eating so much. Apart off course from the social aspect.
DeleteI could do with losing a few pounds myself. I might have a look at this diet - alternatively start buying lighter clothes, shoes etc. and buy some wonky scales. Much easier that way I'd say.
ReplyDeleteYP, you'd be surprised at how easy this is. Once you reach your target weight, you do only one day a week to maintain it. Even my Doctor said that a lot of his other patients were doing it. He was rather off-hand when he said 'Seemed to work for people'. But HE loves to do huge amounts of exercise at the gym. It's a great way for those who have/choose a more sedentary lifestyle, to lose a bit of weight & get healthier. The clip is worth watching, explains it better than I. With all your walking you'd probably go to the one day only ...
Deletehey there, kate'''the problem with the above is finding all that being available<><>really all i was doing just now was rationalizing<><>i do flatly love stickey rice, and eggplant the only one time i had it
ReplyDeleteI just eat what's in season Putz. That way I enjoy different things as the year rolls around.
DeleteDo you like asparagus? My parents used to call it 'sparrow's grass' when I was a child. So I used to believe the sparrows would come and eat the red berries when it goes to seed. But I don't think they do.
Oh hang on <><><> I think the berries are yellow.
DeleteA feast for the eyes to be sure
ReplyDeleteAnd the tummy John. Unless you're a scallop, and you have eyes along the edge of your stomach, in which case you can combine the two.
DeleteThat programme was on TV here as well and watched by many - me included. Didn't feel like "my thing" though - too irregular. (I finally managed to work out my own though: Basically increasing my intake of vegetables and cutting down on the carbs. But eating about the same amount every day. The result? Having to buy a whole new wardrobe, 2-3 sizes smaller. It's an expensive business, dieting...)
ReplyDeleteThat is really great Monica. But of course, expensive too!
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