So, as I mentioned, I started the 5:2 or 'Fast Diet' yesterday. I decided to do it spontaneously on hearing from some workmates how easy it was and how it had worked well for then. I'll be trying to follow it for 8 weeks, until I go on holiday to Ibiza in September.
Yesterday was the day I decided to do the diet and also the day that I had my first 'fast' day.
And it actually went pretty well! Obviously it's only the very first hurdle, but I have been known to fail even at this early stage! Of course I was hungry. But it's totally do-able because you only have to tell yourself to wait until tomorrow- and even I can do that!
I decided to play the first day a bit by ear. There aren't any rules about what you eat or when on a fast day- only that you can't have more than 500 calories in total.
For me, if I eat breakfast, I get hungier during the day. It's ironic but true- if I have a big breakfast, I usually want to eat again about 11am! So I decided to see how long I could go without feeling ravenous.
I had a cup of tea with semi skimmed milk when I woke up (tea is a non-negotiable deal breaker for me!) and then just had a black coffee. I was alright most of the morning but felt really hungry about 12. This is usual for me, even if I have breakfast!
I ate lunch at about quarter to one. I had some watermelon and a peach and 200ml of unsweetened almond milk to fill me up. I also had a Diet Coke. I felt filled up enough just on that, which surprised me. I think it helped that I love watermelon so it felt like a treat- albeit a low calorie one!
I'm not going to lie, I was starving in the afternoon. About 4pm my tummy was rumbling so hard in a meeting, really embarrassing! I just tried to drink water and I was really busy at work which helped a lot to take my mind off it.
I walk to and from work (about 40 minutes each way) and I felt really sick on the journey home. It could have been hunger but there's a big heat wave here at the moment so the humidity didn't help.
I got home late so my husband had prepared dinner. He didn't know about my diet as I'd only decided on it that morning, but thankfully dinner was a light one anyway - just an omelette (two eggs, no filling) and a green salad, with a few oven chips.
I would have thought I'd wolf it down but I actually are quite slowly as I was feeling a bit queasy still. Felt satisfied but still very sick for about an hour after dinner, but I just kept sipping water and trying to ignore it.
The only major sense of sacrifice I had today was that I was only allowed one cup of tea this evening. Normally I have one when I sit down and one before bed, but I had to cut out the one at bedtime, which felt like a bit of a wrench! Trust tea to be what breaks me! However, anything seems to be possible when it's only one day! I stuck to my 500 cals with less suffering than you might expect. Being a bit hungry (but not starving) at bedtime is easily ignored when you can just look forward to porridge the next day!
I probably still didn't drink enough water, partly because I was so ridiculously busy at work it didn't occur to me.
On the exercise front, excuse central! I got home too late to fit in a gym visit and I felt it was too humid and hot for a run, so I guess today is my one 'off day'! I hate when work interferes with my downtime but unfortunately it couldn't be helped. I never have enough time for everything. I did obviously walk a few miles on my way to and from work, so I wasn't completely inactive.
Verdict so far: Ok, it's only day one and there's a long way to go until the 8 week mark. But although I've been hungry, it's all been bearable thinking that the next day I can eat normally again. I really think this could work for me and I'm actually excited to see if I can stick to it. Feeling so sick for a few hours was a bit horrid, but maybe that will go in time. I almost quite enjoyed feeling 'empty' and light for once. I can see how experienced 5:2 ers sometimes say they 'look forward' to their fast days. Wish me luck!
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