Intermittent fasting

Back to the grind: January guilt and the cheese baby

~ eaton24 ~ Leave a comment

 (When work events feature a cheeseboard like this one, it’s hard not to conceive a cheese baby)

I’ve been a very bad faster. The ‘oh I’ll treat myself to a bit of a break from fasting over Christmas’ mentality hasn’t done me any favours. As they say- ignorance is bliss. Or at least, it is until in one of the family Christmas photos it looks like you’re about eight months pregnant ( and no. That one is NOT going on Instagram). While at this current stage in life I find it far more preferable to be ‘with cheese’ than ‘with child’, it was still a pretty major shock. So this and the fact that last week I was in Bulgaria on an all-inclusive skiing holiday playing the game of- let’s see how quickly one can shove goulash, feta bread and spag bol in ones face before hitting the slopes again- has not stood me in good stead to kick start 2016 in any remotely slender state.

I’d managed to avoid the scales throughout the Christmas period until yesterday when I had to lie down in order to relinquish the subsequent shooting pains up and down my arm. I’ve put on about 10lbs. Shit.

But hey. It probably would have been more had it not been for the skiing and I did have a bloody good Christmas. If anything, living the 5:2 lifestyle for the past 13 months has taught me that weight is actually quite easily controllable. So it’s time to once again grab the reigns of weight management I think, starting with my first returning fast day today of coffee, banana, Bovril and salad. It’s actually pretty good to get that virtuous hunger feeling back again.

So to all my fasting friends, followers and dieters in general, my cheese baby and I wish you all a slightly belated Happy New Year. Let’s get back to the grind.

p.s fasters, dieters and friends. If you do enjoy reading my blog, please, please use the following link to vote for me in the UK Blog Awards. Go on. I’ll love you forever…
http://www.blogawardsuk.co.uk/ukba2016/my-entry/eaton-eating



 


Vote for me now in the UK Blog Awards #UKBA16

			

	


				
					


	

			
The 5:2 and religious fasting: lessons to be learned from religious fasting
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ 1 Comment					

				

		
Whether you’re religious, spiritual, atheist or agnostic, I believe a lot can be said for the religious fasting and I believe we 5:2ers ought to pay more heed to the connections here.


Last week marked the start of Ramadan, a period of extended religious fasting for the duration of a 29-30 day lunar cycle, practiced by Muslims across the globe as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The Ramadan fasting means that those practicing will fast from dawn till dusk a total of roughly 17 hours for those in the UK.


As a member of two Facebook groups on intermittent fasting and the 5:2, (and I am by no means bad-mouthing these pages, the fellow fasters on the web have helped, advised and supported me throughout my 5:2 quest and for that I am eternally grateful) I have noticed a general focus on weight loss as the key factor of the 5:2. I hold my hands up. I am absolutely guilty of this myself. In fact, for a long while my daily routine involved stepping on the day-ruining-machine before I’d even brushed my teeth.


I’m considering taking a leaf out of the respective books of those religious fasters, who fast not for the purpose of weight loss, but for something else entirely.  Is it possible to be an agnostic, but also spiritual? If so, then that is what I am, so I don’t think I’ll be converted any time soon, but I am opening myself to the idea of a more ‘mentally focused’ approach to fasting.


Throw away the scales 


You may have gone out and,being the keeno that you are, bought one of those expensive, fancy new-fangled set of scales that tells you your BMI etc etc, but throw them away. Or if that’s too far, then get a friend or partner to put them somewhere you won’t find them for a while. The scales are not your friend. Meet your new friend, Mr Tape Measure.


Freeing up food time


I actually think that since I’ve started the 5:2 way of life, thinking about food takes up quite a lot of my brain space. My new fasting resolution is to liberate my food-obsessed brain and think about things other than food. While religious fasters focus less on material things and concentrate on prayer and growing their relationship with God, I might take time to re-evaluate nurture my relationships with friends and family or do something else I love, like baking or reading.. on reflection let’s go with the latter.


Practice self-discipline


This is what inspires me the most about religious fasters. Many Christians fast during the 6 weeks of Lent, practicing self-denial and self-restraint the resistance of temptation. On many an occasion I have broken my fast simply because somebody offered me a Krispy Kreme doughnut or invited me out for a drink. I think observing more of the behaviours of religious fasters might help give me that shift in focus I’m in need of.  Or I could take- up road meditation- as pictured.


Road meditation



		
	
			

	


				
					


	

			
Falling off the motivational wagon and getting back into the little black dress
		

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ 3 Comments					

				

		
CatAbout three years ago I invested in a classic French Connection little black dress. About one year ago I made the decision to keep said dress in the already overly-filled wardrobe even though no amount of industrial strength stomach-sucking-in pants would have made it fit. I’d put on an incredible amount of ‘comfort zone’ weight (two stone of it to be precise) since meeting the boyfriend.


Over the years I have actually kept or purchased a number of these ‘motivational’ items just because I knew I wanted things to change. A pair of Levi skinny jeans, a lovely silk red Jasper Conran shirt dress, and a stunning tartan Dolce and Gabbana jacket (a charity shop purchase and bought prior to the Elton John boycott debacle)  make up just a few of the ‘It’ll fit me one day’ collection timeless classics.


Over the past couple of weeks, weight loss has been particularly slow. I’ve continued with my 2 fasting days a week but I’ve plateaued, I’ve gained a couple pounds, lost one or two, then gained again. At this point, self-motivation got a little tough until I re-discovered the skinny dress. Going out to dinner with my best friend wearing my little black dress was the best feeling I’d had all week. Of course, cocktails were necessary to mark the momentous occasion (oh and we found a cat in the pub. Hence the picture).


This along with a number of comments from people have renewed my confidence and made me realise it’s better to focus on the little everyday triumphs than obsessing with the number on the scales.


So, fellow 5:2ers, if you don’t have any motivational items of clothing in your wardrobe, I’d highly recommend investing in something in your target dress size. I’m looking forward to throwing out a pile of frumpy clothes that don’t suit or fit me anymore and investing in a few new outfits once I’ve reached my target weight. I’m not quite at the ideal just yet, but these little wardrobe-related milestones make all the hard work worthwhile, and keep my moving forward.

			

	


				
					


	

			
A day in the life of a 5:2 faster (Part 1): The fasting day
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ 3 Comments					

				

		
Many people I meet are shocked when I mention I do the 5:2 diet. There is a general perception that the 5:2 is quite ‘intense’. Those who have never heard of it seem to believe that they would perish if they attempted to live on 500 calories for 2 days a week. The funny thing is I can actually remember having a similar reaction when I first heard about the 5:2, thinking it would never be something I’d have the motivation to do, wondering what people could even eat on a ‘2’ day. Since I first heard about the 5:2 a couple of years ago, perceptions of it have changed. Generally now it has become so popular that most people know someone who is on the 5:2, or a friend of a friend and by and large, the reviews are pretty favourable. But I still get asked the question; “how do you survive on just 500 calories?” to which my most common answer is: my body has simply got used to it. It has become a habit, and not even the type of habit that is tedious and annoying. People look at me like I’m a Martian when I tell them I actually find my fasting days really refreshing. Because we are of a generation and culture who eat so frequently and have such an epic fear of hunger, people believe that we 5:2ers must spend our fasting days curled up in a corner in a semi-human state, incapable of normal interaction. This is not how it goes. I’ll walk you through a typical fasting day: Continue reading →

			

	


				
					


	

			
Why 2015 is the year of the steadfast faster
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ Leave a comment					

				

		
It’s the start of a new year. It’s a time for reflection and the setting of the annual New Year’s Resolution. I’ve asked many of my friends what their 2014 new year’s resolution was. I don’t think any of them were able to remember. I think this speaks volumes. Mostly we’re guilty of setting ourselves vague and unobtainable weight loss goals, making our resolutions intangible and thus forgettable.


Having seen the original Horizon TV programme on the subject of fasting a while ago, I have only just read the 5:2 book, which outlines information on the research and medical benefits of fasting in greater detail. I bought the book really to revise the health benefits and re-affirm why I am doing this not as a ‘diet’ (I have qualms with this word), but as a sustainable lifestyle choice.


It’s the prime time of year for the marketing and media frenzy around new fad diets, weight loss pills and gym memberships, with advertisers tapping into the standard January ‘health drive’ messaging. My issues around the word ‘diet’ lie with its connotations. A ‘diet’ has become something temporary. I will always avoid using this word when referring to the 5:2 because I believe that unlike fad diet plans and slimming programmes, the 5:2 has staying power.


No shallow promises- results are down to you


Part of the problem is that people want there to be a magic ‘make me skinny’ solution to dieting. There isn’t. You have to want it, you have to work at it and stay focused. The 5:2 doesn’t make unnecessary claims that it will make you look like Cheryl Cole or Taylor Swift. The USP is that it makes biological sense, so we trust that it works if we stick to the rules.


It’s a part-time diet with long term results 


We 5:2ers only have to worry about calories for 2 days out of our seven day week. Needless to say we have to be sensible during the other 5 but it doesn’t give us the permanent 24/7 low blood sugar headache that most diet programmes do.


It’s viable 


The 5:2 teaches us that hunger is not excruciating and shouldn’t be feared. It therefore helps people to overcome the mind over matter challenge which is a constant battle if we felt we were depriving ourselves and incessantly counting calories all the time. We can enjoy the food we want tomorrow. In fact, more than 2/3rds of our week is spent enjoying food, this makes it unbelievably tolerable, a very viable alternative to any other diet.


It’s proven


I’ve lost 2 stone in 6 months. Many others have achieved even greater success. The weight loss is a given. Although the medical research is still in the early stages, there is no denying that there are major health benefits aside from weight loss. Prevention of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s and other age related diseases such as cancer have all been cited in relation to fasting. I have heard stories of GP’s recommending the 5:2 to their patients for reasons outlined above. Hopefully we will see more of this in the coming months.


Contrary to popular belief, I don’t own shares in the 5:2, in fact I haven’t had to fork out any money at all apart from a small and worthwhile investment in the book. I am simply an ambassador, a 5:2 evangelist. I like the science, I like the sense and I like the simplicity. While many of the diets and weight loss solutions and programmes we see at this time of year are fleeting, the 5:2 has staying power. It is the tortoise of the dieting world. I predict that 2015 will be the year of the steadfast faster.

			

	


				
					


	

			
Confessions of an angry eater: comfort food and why we crumble
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ Leave a comment					

				

		
A good friend recently reminded me of a time when we would sneak off to MacDonald’s after a bad day, order a big mac meal (usually large), have a good old moan and gorge on the terrible, terrible excuse for food that is Maccy d’s. We coined this as an ‘angry eating sesh’. It became a bit of a problem.


However, we weaned ourselves off, joined the gym, and you’ll be pleased to know that neither of us were hurt or became clinically obese in the process (my nameless friend is also now a fellow faster and doing extremely well).


This led me to think about the concept of ‘comfort food’ and why we turn to food when life gets a bit shit (sorry- no other language choice would fit the bill here).


Apparently the fatty acids in certain foods function as a mood enhancer, which would explain the cravings for comfort food when we feel low. More recent studies however, have claimed to disprove this, meaning that the whole concept of ‘comfort food’ is potentially a bit of a deception. It’s difficult to know how comfort food really affects our emotions but it’s likely that our attitudes towards it will stay the same as long as the very name ‘comfort food’ exists. It is one of the many justifications we use when we slip-up, and as long as we are human, we will slip up.


I am definitely guilty of turning to food after a bad day. This week I crumbled. I momentarily fell off the 5:2 wagon. My justification is that ‘it’s Christmas’.


Yes I’m disappointed in myself, but I’m still a firm believer that everything in moderation is key. This is essentially what intermittent fasting is all about. Comfort food shouldn’t be too harmful as long as portion control is adhered to. I’ll be back to the fasting days in a week, but in the meantime I intend to eat, drink and be very very merry.

			

	


				
					


	

			
The mince pies are everywhere and I can’t get out: A brief survival guide for festive fasting
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ 3 Comments					

				

		
Fasting days at the moment seem to be a little more torturous than normal. I’m putting this down to the season of ‘merriment’. With mince pies in the cupboard along with cheese, pate and all sorts of other goodies, events such as Christmas ‘lights on’ festivals and pubs with open fires beckon and tempt us with the promise of mulled wine and comfort food make fasting days tougher than ever. In fact everyone in the office today is a walking, talking mince pie..


As I’m not really a big breakfaster on a normal day I find the fasting days more of a challenge in the evenings. Hot soup at lunch generally keeps the hunger gremlins at bay until about 1700 hours at which point I HAVE TO EAT SOMETHING NOW! Or somebody gets hurt.


I’ve come up with a little routine which helps me curb the temptation during cold wintery evenings:


    

  1. Eat something– Protein is good if you have enough calories to play with. The other night I had roast trout fillet on a bed of spinach leaf and plum tomato salad, a little feta and olives and a lemon and dill dressing. I didn’t go to bed hungry- which is always the aim.
    2. 

  2. Avoid the TV– at this time of year the adverts alone are enough to make me want to break a fast. I have been known to uncontrollably shout ‘I WANT CHOCOLATE BAUBLES’ at the telly in response the one of this year’s supermarket advertising delights. You know the one.
    3. 

  3. Read a book– It’s always good to stay distracted. At the moment I like to indulge in a trashy Christmas novel (a guilty pleasure). Alternatives if you’re not the bookish type are: magazines, newspapers or doing a spot of online Christmas shopping for an extra sense of accomplishment!
    4. 

  4. Peppermint tea– Mint is apparently an appetite suppressant. It could be the placebo effect of course, and it isn’t quite the same as having a proper brew (white, one sugar) but it seems to work for me.
    5. 

  5. Have a bath– This is probably my favourite part of the fasting day evening (or close second after the bit that involves eating). I’ll play my favourite new itunes purchase and wallow in bubbles and self pity. It’s blissful.
    6. 


			

	


				
					


	

			
5 things I’ve learned from 5 months of the fasting diet
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ Leave a comment					

				

		
I’ve been doing the intermittent fasting diet since July- a total of just over 5 months. For those that don’t know- this means 2 days per week of reducing calorie intake to 500 per day. Here’s a rather self-indulgent little review in the form of 5 key things I’ve learned from the experience.


#1 Food is really pretty awesome isn’t it?


It’s about discipline. Having the self-control to forgo the office biscuit stash when it does the rounds, means that yes, I am thinking about a large slice of chocolate and caramel tart by the end of the day. However, when tomorrow comes and I’m no longer worrying about calorie counting, I will be partaking in said chocolate caramel tart. I might even have it for breakfast. Most importantly it will taste AMAZING because I’ve realised that food is awesome.


#2 Going to the gym on a fasting day is a very silly idea 


On one miserable fasting Monday I went to the gym after work. Monday is the day that the local Henley-on-Thames sprogs have their after-school swimming lessons, before crowding into the showers. I think I’d probably managed to burn more calories than I had consumed on that day and was therefore dizzy and shaking. The aforementioned sprogs VERY nearly witnessed a naked woman collapsing in the middle of the shower alley. Potentially a scarring situation for everyone involved. Enough said.


#3 Eat sushi 


Sushi is my little lunchtime survival kit. It’s low calorie and it tastes awesome, especially with wasabi, and it is filling. I highly recommend the Shapers range at Boots, which are normally under 200 calories.


#4 Trying to do 2 fasting days in a row is also a very silly idea


This week I tried to do 2 fasting days in a row. By the end of the second day my blood sugar levels were horrifically low and I was utterly incapable of human interaction. My loving boyfriend had to put me into solitary confinement because everybody looked like steak.


#5 Don’t step on the scales every day


The 5:2 isn’t just about weight loss. When I first started fasting I weighed myself every day. Having a little internal celebration when I stood on the scales one morning, followed by a funeral the next, is not so fun. I’ve found that a weekly weight-check gives a much better indication of progress.