Oi! FATTY! On yer bike love!!

5:2 was brilliant last Autumn for kickstarting some weight loss but then house moves and Christmas came and got in the way.  It all seemed too difficult in January to start up again and life has been busy enough to ignore my ever-increasing girth.

But recently, the summer sun has come out to play and shamelessly revealed all my wobbly bits! There is nothing like trying to squeeze into last year's summer shorts to force the realisation that, yes indeed, I have put weight on and there are no more winter jumpers to hide inside...

So I have to grit my teeth and get some resolve.  I have undone all the good work I did last autumn and now have only 68 days to sort myself out before I get married.  The first part of the plan is to up the anti on the exercise because I would like some tone.  The second part is to give 5:2 another go in order to see some weight loss (realistically).

40+ miles on Saturday was a good start to the exercise regime.

This week I aim to get out on my bike, go spinning and maybe try morning swimming.  Bit apprehensive of the swimming as not sure I will have enough time to do that and get to work at a decent time (teaching already requires early starts).

Starting with a fast day tomorrow (Mon), I am going to go back to my old favourite prawn recipe (it is tasty and very filling) but will try a new quinoa based recipe on Wednesday.

I am too ashamed about the weight I have put on to post my current dimensions to the world, but I will post any losses over the next few weeks.

My Favourite Fast Meal EVER!

I think that a winner has been found when it comes to fast day satisfaction!

It comes in the form of some delectable and tantalising spicy prawn skewers set down on a bed of zingy lemony courgette and bean salad.  It is truly one of the best meals I have ever tasted and I would eat it on a non fast day as a treat!! It really is that good.

Thai Prawn Skewers (without skewers) with
Griddled Courgette (without griddle), Pea and Mint Salad,
Fast Diet Recipe Book

In other news, the Fast Diet really is working for me.  Here are my latest vital statistics:

Week 9 Vital Statistics:
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 65.8kg (1.4kg lost since week 4!)
BMI: 24.17 (down by 0.51)
Waist: 33.25" (another 1/4 inch lost round my middle)
Arms: 10.5" (1/4 inch lost)

I have to be honest.  I didn't fast last week because I was feeling poorly and overworked.  I am also not fasting this week because I am on holiday.  It will be interesting to see if I have regained weight/inches by next week.  However, whatever the results, I fully intend to be back in the habit of fasting come next Monday!

I think perhaps it is time I thought about doing something to tone (or build) some muscle...

Is the puff pastry to blame?

Definitely a weekend of over indulging in tasty pastry treats and a naughty indian takeaway.  I think maybe this, plus the fact that my Wednesday fast day wasn't strictly a fast (rather a reduced calorie day) has resulted in a week which hasn't yielded quite the results I might have hoped for.

Week 4 Vital Statistics:
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 67.2kg (0.1kg lost this week!)
BMI: 24.68 (down by 0.02)
Waist: 33.5" (another 1/2 inch lost round my middle)
Arms: 10.75" (no change)

Is the puff pastry to blame?

Keep on keeping on though!  Monday's fast day was a success and due to a fancy dinner thing I am attending on Thursday, I will be fasting again on Wednesday.  Tonight I am visiting a gym to check out their spin studio... Winter fitness beckons!

Day 7 Menu:
Breakfast: Jordan's cereal bar 143 cal.
Drinks: water, tea
Dinner: Puy Lentil and Roasted Veg Salad 238 cal
Pudding: Ski Mousse 90cal
Snacks: Rice Cake, 30 cal. Werther's Sugar Free Original 8 cal.
Total: 509cal*
*Calories sourced from the back of packets and/or 'The Fast Diet Recipe Book'.

Fast Treats

Today has been a culinary triumph! I would never have imagined saying that about a 5:2 fast day! But it is true...

Hunger seems to be more of a psychological test than a physical one.  One big mistake from last Thursday was to watch the 'Hairy Bikers' talk about fast-food just after I had finished my dinner.  As tasty as my spicy stir-fried king prawns were, the sight of food on television for 30 minutes after I had finished my tea, kept me feeling ravenous all night!

Day 4 Menu:
Breakfast: half a tin of peaches and three spoons of natural yogurt. 183 cal*Drinks: water, herbal teas, tea with semi-skimmed milk Dinner: stir-fried king prawns with basmati rice. 350 cal.**
Snacks: Werther's Original Sugar Free Sweet. 8 cal.*Total: 541cal*
*Calories sourced from My Fitness App for iPhone.
** Calories sourced from 'The Fast Diet', Mosley and Spencer.

Spicy Stir-fried King Prawns, from Indian Superfood

In contrast, today's menu has given me less calories but a bit of psychological trickery has beaten the hunger!  I have swapped the full fat yogurt for fat-free to reduce my calorie in take in the morning.  This doesn't have any impact on my hunger but means I can consume more in the evening.  As it happens, the meal I have chosen for dinner is very low calorie and so even with the additional of a pudding, I am still below the 500 limit allowed by the 5:2 regime.  The pudding is significant.  The introduction of a second course has given the illusion of eating more and therefore has eradicated the hunger itch. Hoorah!

Day 5 Menu:
Breakfast: half a tin of mandarins, three spoons of fat-free yogurt. 73 cal*
Drinks: water, herbal teas, tea with semi-skimmed milk 
Dinner: warm puy lentil, roasted peppers and spinach salad with basil yogurt dressing. 238 cal** 
Pudding: Ski Coconut Mousse. 90 cal.*
Snacks: Werther's Original Sugar Free Sweet. 16 cal.*Total: 417cal*
*Calories sourced from My Fitness App for iPhone.
**Calories sourced from 'The Fast Diet Recipe Book', Spencer

Warm Puy Lentil Salad, The Fast Diet Recipe Book

I also feel the need to highlight the fact that tonight's main course was delicious.  To quote my other half, "I would eat this on a normal day."  Spencer really does know how to make low calorie meals have the wow factor on taste.  I will be looking forward to trying out more of her recipes in the coming weeks.

Proof that this 5:2 thing is working for me...

Week 3 Vital Statistics:
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 67.3kg (0.7kg lost this week!)
BMI: 24.7 (down by 0.25)
Waist: 34" (another 3/4 inch lost round my middle)
Arms: 10.75" (quarter of an inch off my arms)

In the interests of making this slightly more scientific, I must note that my weight was recorded on my brand new SALTER electronic scales (which also record body fat and water statistics).  I can now record weight loss below a single kilogram! My old scales are also registering weight loss so the fast diet is definitely working!!

I might even consider going wedding dress shopping soon... to celebrate the beginning of the end of the bulge!

Progress?

Day 3 of fasting has been ok for most of the time but not being in class this afternoon gave me more time to think about feeling hungry. 'How many hours left until I can eat? What foods have the least calories so I can eat more of them?' And various other fantasies about tonight's tea.

Tonight's food was tasty though.  The first morsel of food that passed my lips was a slither of iceberg lettuce, doused in cider vinegar, salt and pepper.  Boy did it taste good.  It formed part of a really delicious Nicoise salad, which included boiled egg and feta cheese but left out the tuna. 

Day 3 menu:
Breakfast: half a tin of peaches and three spoons of natural yogurt. 183 cal*
Drinks: water, herbal teas, tea with semi-skimmed cows milk (gone off the goat's milk)
Dinner: Feta Nicoise salad (recipe from Mosley and Spencer's 'Fast Diet') 360 cal.
Snacks: Werther's Original Sugar Free Sweet. 8 cal.
Total: 551cal*
*Calories sourced from My Fitness App for iPhone.

Week 2 Vital Statistics:
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 68kg (no weight loss recorded)
BMI: 24.95
Waist: 34.75"
Arms: 11"

Disappointed to not have registered actual weight loss.  I am however, very pleased to have lost three quarters of an inch from round my waist!

I will keep on keeping on!

Wise use of leftovers!

After such an indulgent evening, I would usually be feeling guilty enough to opt for a healthy breakfast choice.  Not so today.  I have opted for Delia's American-style pancakes served with yesterday's leftover summer fruits with amaretti, chocolate sauce and lashings of maple syrup!  It was delightful.

American-style pancakes

The question is, will my weekend indulgences neutralise the effect of my fasting this week? Or will I see a drop in either weight or waist/arm measurements come Monday?

There are ten months until our wedding.  Ten months to get into the shape of my life.  My hope is that fasting can become a way of life such that I stay in the shape of my life, rather than springing back to being a little chubby and sluggish as soon as the nuptials are over.  This is the reason why I am not trying too hard to avoid 'naughty' foods in between my fasts.  I want this diet (if that is what you want to call it) to enable me to indulge at the weekend without piling on the pounds.  I want it to be realistic.

Besides being svelte when I tie the knot, I also want the benefits of being lighter when riding my bike.  I know for a fact that when I am carrying less excess, it easier to turn the pedals faster, it is easier to get out of the saddle on the climbs and it is easier to keep going for longer.  That sense of ease makes it more of a pleasure, boosts my self-esteem and makes me want to progress further.

Still, at the end of the day (to coin a favourite phrase of mine), I want to eat American-style pancakes on a lazy Saturday morning.  I don't think that will ever change!

Naughty naughty lovely tea!

I think I am marrying possibly the best man in the world ever! Tonight, he has taken me ten pin bowling and is now cooking me a very naughty dinner!

Menu for my non-fast day, Friday night:
Strawberry Champagne cocktails (yes, with the good stuff!)
Pesto salmon with dauphinois potatoes and fresh stir-fried mangetout, sugar snap peas, peppers and baby sweetcorn.
Chocolate, amaretti summer fruits pudding
Red wine

Preparations in action

Pesto salmon on a bed of sugar snap peas, baby corn and red pepper with dauphinois potatoes 

Nom nom nom.

And the best bit?  Apparently, due to the benefits of my two fast days this week, I can eat this lovely scrummy dinner guilt free!

I cannot wait.  Pictures to follow.

P.S. He thrashed me at ten pin bowling: 162-80!!!
P.P.S. Will post photos of the dessert shortly...

Summer fruits with amaretti and a special chocolate sauce