5:2 LifeStyle – Report One

Ten days of 5:2 – The fast diet is not new and has its critics. However, the progress articles are written from my experience of following the method. There is no interest in the “pro’s and con’s” of following 5:2 fasting for weight loss.

My perspective is: 

Millions eat fast food, sweets, crisps and gallons of fizzy drinks, become overweight, obese and diabetic. And they think of their diet as usual. The body can take a substantial and sustained beating without problems for many years. Of course, my body evidences the fact that at some stage the battle of health becomes lost.

With a distressed liver and pancreas: losing excess weight and returning to reasonable fitness is key to recovery. If the target is attained, there is no longer a danger of diabetes: it is mission accomplished. If I fail to lose six stones over the next eighteen months or I return to fat camp 21 stones four pounds. Insulin and regret will be the reward.

Remember: The choice is to use the guidance of two books written by Dr Micheal Mosley – The Fast Diet and Fast Exercise. My preference is to chip away the weight at around one to two pounds per week over eighteen months. This is not an excessive demand and is realistic. Scouting around the internet, it is easy to discover many have lost six stones in a year and kept the target weight without issue using intermittent fasting.

To recap:

I do not wish to become diabetic – The method for the lifestyle change is to utilise the 5:2 diet and fast exercise. 

5:2

Reading the book for the first time reinforced the fact people seek excuses. The word fasting provides an excellent reason not to begin the lifestyle change. If fasting is a feared forget the idea and stay in the queue waiting for illness. There is no easy way to lose weight if the mindset is against the objective. However: Dr Micheal has adapted the full intermittent fasting diet. The complete intermittent diet is known as 16:8. In this version, you eat in an eight-hour window and fast without food for sixteen hours. For 16:8 the calorie intake is around 2250 for men and 1900 for women.

The 5:2 diet is somewhat different. We eat for five days each week and semi-fast for two days. The days can be chosen as preferred. My two fasting days are Tuesday and Thursday. On non-fasting days the calorie intake is no more than 2400, and on fasting days the consumption is no more than 600. 

Being overweight is a life-limiting disease in itself. My mindset is changing; I now consider excess weight as a disease, killer and burden. It is not seen as a friend or comfort, and it is not there because there is something wrong with my body. It is there because of my laziness, gluttony and sloth.

Here is the first mindset change: There is no flexibility in my mindset. A desire for a chocolate bar or glass of beer is quashed with powerful thoughts, not excuses. After drinking 500 ml of water: specific mantras spin in my mind:

‘Happy Healthy Wealthy’

‘The weight I am carrying is a disease, killer and burden.’

‘I do not wish to become a slave to insulin.’

The excessive weight is a reflection of a poor mindset and neglect. As already written, how can I possibly be part of an Inspirational Well Being Organisation and look like Billy Bunter? I have friends who are overweight and unfit; this doesn’t mean I do not love their company. There is no critic of other people here. I’m writing from my viewpoint. The intention is to share my victory or failure with hundreds of people. You will help me on the way because every ten days or so progress will be updated on this platform. And what an advantage and incentive to attain the goal.

The last three paragraphs contain lessons beyond weight loss. 

To achieve anything one has to think carefully for the reason or purpose for the objective. And then consider how to reach the goal. On another level, it is no use saying: “I want to be a millionaire or a television celebrity” and hoping the universe will provide the desire. Thousands are wishing for the pot of gold and the flashing of paparazzi cameras. Truth to tell the ‘stars’ are in their hundreds, chances of success as slim as I wish to become. Therefore focussing on reality is the only way to victory.

Over the last three weeks, my thoughts are ones of focus and choice. The two books are becoming manuals of freedom and wellbeing. I’m not changing my routine in one leap of faith. The alternative is to read, think and reason and begin to put the lifestyle change into practice.

No more words about the mindset. Although, the intention is to consider ways to reinforce the determination to succeed in other articles. It is the resolve to accomplish which is the stumbling block of many weight losers. Lowering the numbers is straight forward enough, keeping them down is the long term issue. So, between articles, I’ll research this aspect of the lifestyle change and write about ways to harden the resolve to be healthy, happy and wealthy.

A significant advantage is the enforced alcohol embargo. Years of alcohol excess is the way my liver is struggling. Fortunately, there is no evidence of cirrhosis, and the liver is an organ which is capable of repair. 

The symptoms of my liver struggling to cope were numerous: Small spots on my skin, they were very itchy and unsightly — a tendency to light perspiration. Of much concern was the flushing of cheeks and forehead. The ‘solid’ and uncomfortable feeling below my right rib cage. Finally the feelings of dizziness and nausea combined to make life miserable.

After only ten days all symptoms have completely gone! My head is clear, and my vision seems to be sharper. If this is the result of ten days of the change, the future appears to have extensive possibilities.

The reader may be interested in the fasting days food:

The morning meal is one of the following:

Poached egg and tomato or poached egg on toast.
Fruit and yoghurt.
Tomato with two slices of bacon.
Oats and teaspoon of honey.
Black coffee or coffee with Oatley.
Smoked salmon and scrambled egg.

Lunch:

Mixed fruit and a few nuts.
Water and coffee.

Evening meal one of the following:

Rice and steamed vegetables.
Vegetable omelette.
Roast pork with broccoli and cauliflower.
Chicken stir fry.
Vegetable soup and a brown bread roll.
Sardines and salad.

The 5:2 app contains hundreds of recipes for the fasting days. And if the choice is to eat vegetarian a very substantial plate of food will be the result. There is no need to feel hungry.

Choose elderflower, cranberry or lemon cordials. Hot drinks include lemon tea, black coffee or fruit teas. And of course as much water as possible!

The final question:

After nine days of mental preparation and beginning the lifestyle change. Have I lost any weight?

The answer:
Start weight: 21stones 4 pounds.
Present weight: 20 stones 11.5 pounds.
Loss of 7.5 pounds.

This is more than the target of 1-1.5 pounds per week. And I have not begun to follow the fast exercise method.

Let’s see where we’ll be in ten days:

Ian