I've been following this thread since about a week after Karencoutts first posted it. I really like this 5:2 idea and beginning today, I've decided to give it a go. I have about 8-10 pounds of fluff that I would like to lose. I was there 2 years ago and I hope that this approach will help get me back on track. :-)
I've tried strict calorie counting, but it just doesn't seem to work very well for me. With calorie counting, I tend to over-restrict carbs and/or get other macros wrong. I typically feel really good for a few days when doing this and then the fatigue hits me like a brick and my workouts begin to suffer. At this point I tend to get very nervous and binge on a mass quantity of food. That's all it takes for me to go back to my old eating habits. I'm thinking that because this involves a 1-day fast, my body won't hit that brain fog/super fatigue low that so often derails me. We shall see. I also really don't "want" to calorie count day-in and day-out for the rest of my life. I think eating should be intuitive when possible, but I also know that weight loss isn't rocket science... it's about creating enough of a calorie deficit so that your body starts using some of its fluff.
Anyway, this is an approach that I haven't tried before and it seems simple enough. I have no plans to indulge in pizza on non-fast days. I want to keep it clean and healthy... I just don't want to be afraid to eat brown rice anymore (like I am when I count calories). So I'm onboard and I like the idea of having a support system here. My plan is to fast on lighter training days (like today... it's a swim day) and then eat sensibly (without calorie counting) on the day before a long/key workout & the day of long/key workout. This will mean that the day that I fast on will vary slightly each week, but from what I've read, that seems to be OK.
Here are my starting numbers/goals:
Start (May 10): 128.4 pounds at 5'5"
Goal: 118-120 pounds (and I'd like to be there before November)
I've tried strict calorie counting, but it just doesn't seem to work very well for me. With calorie counting, I tend to over-restrict carbs and/or get other macros wrong. I typically feel really good for a few days when doing this and then the fatigue hits me like a brick and my workouts begin to suffer. At this point I tend to get very nervous and binge on a mass quantity of food. That's all it takes for me to go back to my old eating habits. I'm thinking that because this involves a 1-day fast, my body won't hit that brain fog/super fatigue low that so often derails me. We shall see. I also really don't "want" to calorie count day-in and day-out for the rest of my life. I think eating should be intuitive when possible, but I also know that weight loss isn't rocket science... it's about creating enough of a calorie deficit so that your body starts using some of its fluff.
Anyway, this is an approach that I haven't tried before and it seems simple enough. I have no plans to indulge in pizza on non-fast days. I want to keep it clean and healthy... I just don't want to be afraid to eat brown rice anymore (like I am when I count calories). So I'm onboard and I like the idea of having a support system here. My plan is to fast on lighter training days (like today... it's a swim day) and then eat sensibly (without calorie counting) on the day before a long/key workout & the day of long/key workout. This will mean that the day that I fast on will vary slightly each week, but from what I've read, that seems to be OK.
Here are my starting numbers/goals:
Start (May 10): 128.4 pounds at 5'5"
Goal: 118-120 pounds (and I'd like to be there before November)