The 5:2 Diet

[windycitymom 60]

Thanks MichiganChic! I'm glad to hear I'm not alone.

I'll never forget what a great man once told me. "Ya know, i can operate on your stomach to make it smaller but I can't operate on your brain"....... Dr. Alberto Aceves February, 2012. I still think about this statement almost every day and I understand a little more every day as I "grow into" my new tummy (almost 3 yrs later).

I find myself grateful for my new tummy that reminds me when I am grazing and reminds me when I've had enough or when I've made some unhealthy decisions. For me it's the mental/emotional hunger game that challenges me. For the first 1 - 1.5 years post op, I rarely thought about food as I really could do anything with the thought. In the last 1 - 1.5 years (yrs 2 and 3 post op), I can actually do stuff about it, I can chose to carb graze, I can chose to eat unhealthy foods, I can overindulge but the difference in my mental state is that if I have a rough day, the next day when I wake up in the morning my stomach has forgiven me. The question is will I let my brain's "sabotaging thoughts" overrule my tummy and make me have another bad day.

Every day, i have a new choice and the great news is that I get another "new day" tomorrow. 3 years ago, if I had a tough day, it could last me for months or longer sometimes (mentally). I would beat myself up and make it too difficult to make healthy choices for myself. Post Surgery, I have some days with healthful choices and other days I do not. The key for me is to decrease the amount of tough days and try not to hold a grudge. The 5:2 plan allows me the opportunity to feel in control (when I do it) which also works my "self sabotage recordings" inversely so that I have the confidence to make good decisions for the rest of the day.

I like where I'm at today (mentally) and I am learning how to use my strengths and challenges to help me get a healthier lifestyle. I weighed in at 138.9LBS this morning and hope to continue with the 5:2 lifestyle so that I can continue to work on my brain and feel in control while making healthful decisions.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Fasted yesterday which is good. I also found my lost fitbit (in the couch!) and have been wearing it to get another tool back on track. It feels really dofferent wearing it than not.... I actually feel my movement more with the myfitnesspal hookup and such in place. As far as loss goes... the same pound has been on and off twice so far.... hopefully it will stay off this time and get a couple of more friends to join it!

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

AJ I know that in the first 6 months I ate really low calorie, like below 800. Then after that, I went up and 3 year later i've gained about 10 lbs, give or take. It is not easy......I was eating Cheetos, candy, all kinds of junk food. And I beat myself up many many of times and still ate crap....My family brings it in and if I'm in an emotional place I will eat it until it's gone. I know better, but still do it. Last week I did 2 600 to 700 calorie days and lost about 3 lbs....Got emotional over something and ate what I wanted. I stopped logging etc. Last friday I had gained some of the weight back. Now yesterday, I gained an additional lb. So tomorrow is a fast day of eating healthy. I will also be cleaning out the refrigerator of the junk my family brought in. Just so sad to fight this fight. If I eat over 1200, I gain, but i avoid counting calories...this is how i sabotage myself. Time to stop and get back on track once again. I need to handle my emotions differently than with food. I am a food addict..........

[rebecca_dsu 241]

I just wanted to tell you ladies you are so inspiring! I have decided to give the 5:2 approach a shot (I have read the "how to", and think it is doable). Just a little background on myself...I was sleeved in June of 2013, got pregnant 4ish months later (not on purpose...apparently that whole 99% effectiveness on condoms caught up with us since we'd had sex way more than 99 times since being married...), and had a baby in July of 2014. The lowest I ever got down to was 185, one week postpartum. I am now back up to 195, and am desperately trying to get back on track to reach my goal. I admittedly did a very poor job of following the "basics" with my sleeve such as Protein first, etc, and I'm paying for it now with the carb cravings, and slidder food addictions. But I'm slowly getting back to using this tool I still have, and that does still work when I use it right.

Looking forward to hanging out with you guys here as we cheer each other on with the 5:2 and just sleeved life in general. (I'll check in as often as one can who has a 6 month old...haha!)

[feedyoureye 3,087]

HI Rebecca! Best of luck!

[Georgia 2,908]

Fasted yesterday which is good. I also found my lost fitbit (in the couch!) and have been wearing it to get another tool back on track. It feels really dofferent wearing it than not.... I actually feel my movement more with the myfitnesspal hookup and such in place. As far as loss goes... the same pound has been on and off twice so far.... hopefully it will stay off this time and get a couple of more friends to join it!

I know what you mean, Kim! I have worn a Fitbit One for that last year or so then took it off in December for specific reason. Felt lost without it. I bought a Fitbit Charge and love it! Also tracks my sleep and caller id.

I really check my steps a whole lot more and am conscious of moving.

And likewise on the pound. I've got 3-4. Lose them on fast days at end week them sabotage myself weekend and they are back. Good fast day yesterday and two of four are gone again. ????. Hopefully, I'll successfully lose them for good this week and have a better wknd!

Edited January 21, 2015 by Georgia

[Georgia 2,908]

I just wanted to tell you ladies you are so inspiring! I have decided to give the 5:2 approach a shot (I have read the "how to", and think it is doable). Just a little background on myself...I was sleeved in June of 2013, got pregnant 4ish months later (not on purpose...apparently that whole 99% effectiveness on condoms caught up with us since we'd had sex way more than 99 times since being married...), and had a baby in July of 2014. The lowest I ever got down to was 185, one week postpartum. I am now back up to 195, and am desperately trying to get back on track to reach my goal. I admittedly did a very poor job of following the "basics" with my sleeve such as Protein first, etc, and I'm paying for it now with the carb cravings, and slidder food addictions. But I'm slowly getting back to using this tool I still have, and that does still work when I use it right.

Looking forward to hanging out with you guys here as we cheer each other on with the 5:2 and just sleeved life in general. (I'll check in as often as one can who has a 6 month old...haha!)

Good luck, Rebecca! And congrats on the baby!

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

"Also tracks my sleep and caller id."

Calories?

I read this and said hey!! I want that!!! Caller ID! Then realized I already have a FitBit One and nope, no caller ID.

Lol!

[former_vbg 198]

"Also tracks my sleep and caller id."

Calories?

I read this and said hey!! I want that!!! Caller ID! Then realized I already have a FitBit One and nope, no caller ID.

Lol!

Do a search for "White Pages" on your smart phone, it's free and provides caller id.

[rebecca_dsu 241]

Actually the new FitBit Charge does have caller ID...it's a watch style tracker and does sync to your phone to show you incoming calls. She did mean Caller ID...not Calories

https://www.fitbit.com/charge

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

Whoa! I stand corrected. Happily!

[Oregondaisy 2,019]

I am bummed. My liver numbers are in the scary zone from all the antibiotics I have been on since I had my back surgery and became septic and my incision has never healed right. I also have Hep C.

So, I can't fast. It's really bad for my liver. I have to eat right and eat a lot of Protein.< /p>

If there are any medical people on here, if you would read my problem, posted in the lounge, I really need help. I live in a really small town and i am 4 hours from Portland. I have an appt. with my surgeon again on Fri. and he wants to open me back up again!

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I am bummed. My liver numbers are in the scary zone from all the antibiotics I have been on since I had my back surgery and became septic and my incision has never healed right. I also have Hep C.

So, I can't fast. It's really bad for my liver. I have to eat right and eat a lot of Protein.< /p>

If there are any medical people on here, if you would read my problem, posted in the lounge, I really need help. I live in a really small town and i am 4 hours from Portland. I have an appt. with my surgeon again on Fri. and he wants to open me back up again!

:( :( :( :( How scary Denise! Sorry you are having to go throught all of this....

[Strangefruit 179]

Today is a fast day... I made a pot of that weight watchers 0 point vegetable Soup for fast days...it works out to be about 21 calories for a 1 cup bowl. Nice and filling... I had a Protein Shake with frozen fruit in the blender for Breakfast, the veggie soup for lunch and will have a nice salad with chicken on it for dinner... The advantage that some of us have from others doing this plan, is that having to fast for TWO WEEKS living on only Protein Shakes pre surgery makes this one day fast seem like butter. Oooh...shouldn't think about butter on fast days.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

@@Oregondaisy so sorry to hear this! Right now focus on Protein and adequate nutrition. Such a bummer that this didn't go smoothly for you. You can always deal with the weight once you are healed. You probably need somewhere between 500-1000 extra calories a day for post-operative healing, depending on who you talk to. It's a catch 22 for us - we will certainly gain like that, but we won't heal without it either. I will look for your story on the other thread when I get a chance this weekend.