Weight / Fat loss

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24032000-200-fasting-power-can-going-without-food-really-make-you-healthier/

Wouldn't it be better to eat when hungry?

The article concludes that if you're in decent nick alread, then probably, yes. It reckons that it's inconclusive whether fasting does more than help you lose weight that there's a good chance any other health benefits experienced by people who've been intermittently fasting are just because they've lost a bit of weight, rather than because of the fasting itself.

decided to try and lose some weight - anyone had any experience/success with 5 2 diet?

Just in time for the month leading up to the holidays!
No experience with the 5/2, but I wouldn't rely on much more than maintaining weight over the festive period...

first fast day today - I have a headache!

@dancing james I think from a quick search. Also @Greenbank

I did it

It worked

But there is a misconception that you calorie restrict for two days a week and can eat as much as you like of anything. What you do is eat whatever you want but within normal calorie amounts. So two days of pain a week. Instead of usual diets which are miserable 7 days a week.

I've spent the last two months trying to stick to no / low carbs (ideally less than 20g net a day). I guess it's sort of lazy keto as I've been using high-fat content food (almonds/avocados/cheese) as a way of getting calories in or feeling full.

Weigh in this morning shows I'm 10Kg down in a little over 8 weeks. Obviously, I'm super happy with that.

3 - nearly 4 - inches off the waist so far, along with dropping from L to a comfortable M (Medium is a little too baggy in some shops). Face gains are also great.

In terms of no carbs, I definitely miss beer and the pre-football curry + naan ritual but in general, I sleep better, have more attention span and have more money.

Aiming for another 4 or 5kg minimum before slowly reintroducing a few more carbs into daily life.

The next major decision is drinking over the festive period...

@dancing james good to know - Mrs EB and I are both trying it

That's mad. Do you actually feel full from the fatty foods? I've always found I don't - I can eat an insane amount of nuts/seeds before I feel full. Well, maybe not an insane amount, but an insane amount of calories worth

Nuts and seeds are certainly not my main source of food - just a good snack to tide me over and I definitely have to control my portions to avoid overeating. Cheese is also a great snack for quick calories in.

At work, I eat a half roast chicken (Sainsbury's hot counter) and a whole avocado for lunch almost every day. I'd say most days I struggle to eat 60% of this. In the beginning, I was smashing this down in 5 mins and still feeling hungry. For treat days, I may have a sashimi box from Itsu but they're £££ in comparison to the £4 it costs for the Sainsbury's meal.

Dinner is some form of meat or fish with leafy greens (piles of kale, broccoli, bok choi etc) or salads.

I don't eat breakfast.

I get a bit peckish towards the 12noon mark as lunch creeps up but that's about it. Drinking lots of water also helps.

I wonder how much moving to more calorie dense foods (protein and fat) from carbohydrates has simply impacted your stomach size? Smaller stomach = fuller quicker = harder to put on weight

Not in any way saying that's what has caused your weight loss - it sounds like you've been really disciplined

It's definitely part of it. I was overeating both in terms of calorie content and portion size.

The hardest part has been avoiding snacks and lunch invites at work...

I've found that its a different type of fullness initially and takes getting used to. More of a lack of hunger (and realisation of that that) compared to feeling 'stuffed' as you do with lots of carbs.

Half a roast chicken and a meat-based dinner every single day? Fucking hell.

What's wrong with that?

I would add that half a chicken by sainsburys hot counter standard amounts to a small to medium chicken breast and a small chicken leg. I would estimate it to be no more than 450 calories worth.

Tonight's meat (or fish) based dinner is a small salmon fillet with chilli, ginger and a pile of kale.

compared to feeling 'stuffed' as you do with lots of carbs.

this is what I love though

^^ I also just had five walnut halves or 2.5 whole walnuts if that makes any difference to your level of horror.

I used to think this. I actually prefer how I feel after eating now.

I don't feel hungry, just satiated and I don't get that bloated / food baby stomach from eating carbs.

So much nicer.

My horror is grounded in sustainability and ethics, not calories...

Sorry, I know it's not really the place for it, but I was taken aback.

I don't think it is really the place but is two meat or fish based dishes a day really that unusual??

Long gone are the days where I would eat a whole chicken, a stick of tiger bread and a pot of coleslaw for lunch at school, and still be hungry by early afternoon...

No, but then neither is heart disease. ;)

My horror is grounded in sustainability and ethics, not calories...

Yeah but weight loss tho!!!