Week 7 of fasting coming up. Definitely thinner. Loving this 5:2 as it’s so easy to follow. Yes we are eating sensibly every day, with few ‘treats’, but nothing is forbidden, so there is nothing to feel guilty about, nothing to really miss. Really I’m finding that I don’t want so much to eat and we have got right out of the habit of snacking before our evening meals. I think a lot of that it is to do with not drinking alcohol most of the week.

We went out one evening last week, so I changed things around a bit with my meal plan and still have at least one menu which I didn’t use.

I’ll be going to the local market on Sunday morning and hoping to find local and seasonal watercress, cauliflower, carrots, leeks, pomegranate. Maybe some mushrooms?

I used to eat half a banana every day, for the potassium, but I discovered that mushrooms are also a good source and much lower in calories. I’ll also buy some luscious Prunes d’Agen – although all dried fruit is relatively high in calories, one of the problems with fasting for some people is that it can upset your regular bowel habit, perhaps due to reduced volume. 2 prunes is only 50 calories, so they can easily fit into a normal day.

I’m not showing breakfast except on fast day, or if I plan to try something new.

Here’s the plan:-

Saturday – a day to relax and have some of our favourites – but still with an eye on total intake!

• lunch: Home made Chorizo, Sundried Tomato and Mozzarella Pizza
  Mixed Leaf Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
  Satsuma
• supper: Chicken and Vegetable Curry with a flame-grilled poppadum and a small helping of brown rice, served with chutney, pickle and mint raita
  Apple and Ginger dessert
  
• extras: yes, wine and chocolates, if we feel like it – at this rate my box of Christmas chocolates are going to last right to my birthday in May (by which time I hope to have achieved my target weight)

Sunday – looks like it will be chilly, a brisk walk after lunch may be called for….

• lunch: Baked Guinea Fowl with a Pomegranate Jus and Seasonal Vegetables – I still have red cabbage, a little butternut squash, some green cabbage and a couple of parsnips to use up. Guinea Fowl is in season, but I may have to settle for a chicken or a couple of quail. I need just a little leftover meat for the soup tomorrow and I do like to make my own stock from a carcass.
  Chocolate Pear Crisp – 140 kcal (I couldn’t make this last week as I suddenly realised I hadn’t got any ground almonds)
• dinner: Watercress Soup
  Mushrooms and Grilled Back Bacon on Wholewheat Toast, green salad with balsamic dressing
  fresh fruit
• extras: wine and dark Belgian chocolate (that’s it for treats until next weekend…)
  

Monday – FAST day

• breakfast: Scrambled Egg with Lean Ham – 120 kcal
• dinner: Tom Yum Gai (Thai style chicken broth) – 75 kcal
  Superhealthy Salmon Burgers – I turn this recipe into small asian style fish cakes, served with pickled ribbons of carrot and cucumber – 245 kcal
  spiced fruit and fromage blanc – 55 kcal
  

Tuesday –

• lunch: Toulouse Sausage with Cauliflower Mash and Roasted Red Onions – These sausages are very meaty with no added cereal. Cauliflower makes a great mash with far less calories than spuds! 
  Filo cups with Apple and Blackberry
• supper: Indian Chickpea and Vegetable Soup with naan bread
  Figs Poached with Stem Ginger

Wednesday

• lunch: Tuna and Bean Salad with Feta Cheese – using kidney beans and green beans
  Crême Catalan au Lavande going to see if I can make a light version!
  
• supper : Indian Chickpea and Vegetable Soup with naan bread
  Five-Spice Cherries with Fromage Frais

Thursday – FAST day

• breakfast: Bircher Muesli with Apple (soak oats overnight, add grated apple in the morning)
• dinner: Simple Vegetable Soup
  Smoked Haddock with Poached Egg and Wilted Spinach
  Mocha Fromage Blanc

Friday

• lunch: Hummus and Crudités
  Stir fry Lamb with Feta, Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes
  Yogurt with toasted Almonds and a drizzle of honey
• supper: Wholewheat Penne Pasta with Duck Ragu
  fresh fruit
  

I’m lucky to have some home grown produce in the freezer – cherries, figs, blackberries, mange tout, courgettes and green beans at least and also my own sun-dried tomatoes – to bring a taste of summer into my otherwise seasonal menu.

I’m looking forward to it, and will try and photograph and write up my recipes. I’m a bit behind in getting all the information onto here – not enough hours in the day. But if you have any questions about anything here, don’t hesitate to either comment, or contact me through the Facebook 5:2 Intermittent Fasting group, where you’ll find me – Belinda Berry

We’re on to week 6 of our 5:2 lifestyle and I’m delighted to have got below a virtual milestone this week. On to my next goal!

So my plan for the week ahead. I still have some food left in the fridge – it’s amazing how much less we are eating. So I have to think about how to use up the odds and ends as well as making the most of whatever local seasonal produce I can find and also to keep things simple – I’m not going to be spending much time in the kitchen this week.

My choice of seasonal and locally grown foods for this week include: red cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, butternut squash, leeks, celeriac, parsnips, apples, kiwi fruit, pears, plus clementines from Spain.

I am working on a target of 450 – 500 calories on a fast day and 1200 calories on a feed day – any more than that has to be earned by exercise. The numbers are based on my calculations for losing 1lb a week according to my BMR (Basic Metabolic Rate), as a largely sedentary person of my age, height and current weight. You can calculate your BMR here.

My husband has a target of 600 calories on a Fast Day and 1800 on a feed day. He gets larger portions and tends to eat crackers with soup as well.

I’m not showing breakfast except on fast day, or if I plan to try something new.

Here’s the plan:-

Saturday

• lunch: Home made pizza – 320 kcal for my portion
  Mixed Leaf Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette – 50 kcal
  Satsuma – 30 kcal
• supper: Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower & Almond soup – 160 kcals (for 200 ml BBC Good Food version – mine is lighter)
  Mushrooms and Grilled Back Bacon on Wholewheat Toast, green salad with balsamic dressing
  Glazed Pineapple with Cinnamon Fromage Frais 160 kcal ( BBC Good Food again, my version is lighter, but I haven’t had time to write it up yet!)
• extras: yes, wine and chocolates, why not?
  I make the pizza dough in my bread maker. I split one batch to make 2 thin crust pizzas, which cuts the calories down enormously.

Sunday

• lunch: Moroccan Spiced Cauliflower & Almond soup – 160 kcals
  Farmhouse Paté with crispbread, light cole slaw and green salad – 260 kcals
  small piece of cheddar cheese – 10g – 40 kcals
  Fresh fruit salad (apple, pear, blood orange, banana)- 80 kcals
• dinner: Roast Pork with Seasonal Vegetables – going to try a variation of my healthy Sunday roast this week, using a lean pork fillet joint. I may base it on this recipe (290 kcals) and I’ll add some seasonal veg, like parsnips and red cabbage.
  Chocolate Pear Crisp – 140 kcal (I made this last week and it was yummy, but I think I can improve on it)
• extras: wine and dark Belgian chocolate (that’s it for treats until next weekend…)
  I’ll make a couple of wholewheat loaves today and freeze one. I’m trying to make sure that the majority of our staple carbs are wholegrain.
  

Monday – FAST day

• breakfast: Scrambled Egg with Lean Ham – 120 kcal
• dinner: Simple Vegetable Soup – 70 kcal
  Asian Poached Chicken
  Vegetable Salad (red pepper, celeriac, carrot, broccoli, spring onion)
  Vietnamese Style Dressing
  Cherry Choc dessert (0% fat fromage blanc, cherries and grated dark chocolate; no sweetener)

Tuesday

• lunch: Stir-fry pork and vegetables (using leftover from roast)
  Light apple and blackberry crumble
• supper: Caribbean Butternut Squash Soup
  No-Carb Caesar Salad with Crispy Parma Ham (this is a suggestion in The Fast Diet book, it is a really good idea. I’ll use leftover poached chicken in this).
  fresh fruit and fromage blanc

Wednesday

• lunch: Leek Risotto with Parmesan Crisps (Nigel Slater recipe) – 250 kcal
  I’ll use the chicken stock from the Asian Poached Chicken for this
  Frozen Cherry Choc dessert
• supper : Caribbean Butternut Squash Soup
  Farmhouse Paté with light cole slaw and mixed salad – 260 kcals
  light apple and blackberry crumble

Thursday – FAST day

• breakfast: Porridge with blackberries
• dinner: Carrot and coriander soup
  Teriyaki Salmon with steamed vegetables
  Clementine

Friday

• breakfast: Swiss style muesli with grated apple (soak oats overnight, add grated apple in the morning)
• lunch: Wholewheat Penne Pasta with Duck Ragu (from the freezer)
  fresh fruit salad
• Carrot and coriander soup
  Tuna and Bean Salad with Feta Cheese
  fromage blanc topped with chopped kiwi and dried cherries

There should be enough tasty variety of food there to keep us both happy – and keep the weight off. I’ll try and add the recipes as I have the time. I’ve got plenty more ideas!