Starting the 5:2 Fast Diet

Today I started the 5:2 Fast Diet as famously recommended and tried by Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer.  If I had waited until tomorrow I may have felt differently and less motivated to try it - so I decided to take advantage of my state of mind.

I had already read Kate Harrison's book - The 5:2 Diet Book - which kick-started my interest and made me eager to try it.  My brother recommended Michael Mosley's book - The Fast Diet - which I am already halfway through reading on my Kindle.  (I love the way Kindle allows you to access books instantaneously.)

But back to this morning.  I woke up and suddenly felt that today was the right time to start.  I have to admit, though, that I still had my morning Digestive biscuit with my first cup of Earl Grey, knowing that it would have to form part of my 500-calorie allowance.  I had two further cups of Earl Grey and lasted without any hunger pangs at all until about midday when I decided to have some breakfast which comprised 100 g of Yeo Valley natural organic yogurt, 9 frozen blueberries and 5 blanched almonds.  I signed up to www.myfitnesspal.com and used their excellent tool for calculating how many calories I'd had up to that point - 207 - so far, so good.  "This is easy", I thought.  A bit later I had some black coffee, followed by a licorice tea when a friend called in.  "This really isn't too bad at all", I thought to myself again.

By 3.00 pm the hunger pangs started and I have to admit that the next 2 hours were tough.  We went for a walk during that time which actually seemed to help a bit.  But when my friend left, I really needed something.  I tried another black coffee but it didn't alleviate the hunger and I succumbed to eating 1 green olive and a small raw carrot, adding a further 26 calories.  At the time of writing this, I now realise I'm going to exceed my 500 calories as I've planned to have a salmon fillet and vegetables for dinner.  However, it doesn't matter - if I make sure it's less than 600, I'll be happy with that.  It's now 6.37 pm and boy am I looking forward to my dinner this evening.  The one thing that is worrying me, though, is being hungry when it's time to go to sleep - that will be really hard.  I'll let you know in my next blog.  But tomorrow's a normal eating day - it's not so hard after all.