My Big Fat 5:2 Diary: Week Three

Motherhood is wonderful but it can leave our bodies in a bit of a state. Follow Emma’s mission to eat more healthily and lose some of the baby (and post-baby) weight, through her weekly updates. If you missed her last Big Fat 5:2 Diary entry, you can read it here. 

Monday:

Start the week off with a fast day as we have a trip with the nursery tomorrow and I know it will be hard to do a fast day. My aim is to do three fasts this week (4:3) as I’m going out for a girly brunch on Sunday with unlimited barbecue and Prosecco. I’m not the kind of girl who exercises any self control in an unlimited situation so I’m aiming for a bit of damage limitation here. When I used to do 5:2 I quite often used to do ‘b2b’ (back to back fasting) and the second day is actually easier as you’re already in the zone but I will see how I feel later in the week. Pretty busy day today so the fast seems pretty easy. Start the day with tea, berrocca and one of my supplements and head out birthday shopping for the toddler. Before I know it, it’s nursery pick up and I make him fish fingers and chips. Of course one is in my mouth before I can say ‘Captain Birdseye’ so that’s 48 calories off the total for today. Have lots of tea and water and after the school pick-up we go bowling. Treat myself to a mojito flavour 7up free (vom!!) I really hate the taste of sweetener so the only diet fizzy drink I can tolerate is Coke Zero. Probably for the best really, water water water. I have pre-made shepherds pie for dinner and work out I can have 1/6 of it (a child’s portion!) with some veggies for 360 calories. It’s not all that big or filling but it’s really tasty and saves me cooking myself a separate meal at least. Feeling pretty devoid of energy by evening which is unusual for a fast day so head to bed early to do an online food shop. The sooner I sleep, the sooner I can eat.

Tuesday

Didn’t go on the planned trip as the toddler isn’t feeling well so decide to have a sort out day at home instead. As usual after a fast day I don’t wake up hungry but by about 10am I’m really starting to get pangs. I want to stick to my 8 hour window so I tell myself it will be acceptable to eat at 11 and carry on sorting out the cupboards. In the end I manage to wait until midday and then have granary toast with marmite, poached eggs and a couple of slices of ham. So tasty and kept me really full all day. Took a second supplement after lunch for an energy boost and went on to sort out toys before school run, drama club etc. Made pastitsio for dinner. It’s like a Greek pasta bake with lamb mince, very yummy. Of course it had to be washed down with a little glass of vino as well as the vino that went in it. 7 year old tells me he loves it when the food has wine in it, worrying. Had bedtime battles with the kids and by the time I had some peace the eating window was over. Did sneak a little frothy coffee though. I am fasting tomorrow AND possibly Thursday to make this a 4:3 week for a bit of a weight-loss boost.

Wednesday

Could NOT get out of bed this morning. Had my usual cup of tea and glass of water but forgot my supplements. Had a meeting at work first thing and I knew there would be tempting food so I bought a pack of barbecue chicken on my way to work and had that for breakfast (120 calories). It actually did a really good job of feeling me full for most of the day. Might try that again rather than skipping breakfast completely. Tempting foods turned out to be freshly baked cookies, didn’t actually have too hard time resisting. I like fast days like this. Half day at work today as have a meeting at my big boy’s school. The family have leftover dinner from yesterday so stop off and get myself a big bag of yellow sticker (love it!) vegetable stir-fry for 200 calories. Made dinner for the family early as partner is on nights. Special seafood pasta for the big boy smells SO good. Have to tip leftovers straight in the food bin in case I pick. Eat half my vegetable stir-fry as late lunch/early dinner with half a portion of mayflower curry sauce. It’s just like Chinese takeaway curry sauce and is only 77 calories for a fairly big portion. Gymnastics for the eldest tonight then more bedtime dramas with the toddler and  before I know it it’s 9.30 and time to have the rest of my dinner. Have managed 2.5 litres of water so I’m pleased with that and finish the day with a cherry stalk tea. Hope I wake up feeling positive and able to smash my third and final fast day!!

Thursday

Wake up in a pretty good mood and feel positive about managing a third fast day this week. On the way to work I get some more  barbecue chicken for 120 calories and wash that down with a coffee. I count my tea/coffee as 15 calories each as I don’t have sugar and only have a tiny drop of skimmed milk. Have a busy morning at work so the hunger doesn’t really catch up with me. Being bored on a fast day is a recipe for disaster. Decide to stay in work over lunch and have a little Netflix session and a big plate of king prawn salad with low fat French dressing (130 calories). Feel fine all afternoon, drink loads of water but at 5pm the hunger really hits me. Not just a normal kind of nagging fast day hunger, like an actual empty burning pain in my stomach but there’s no way I’m getting 10 hours into the day and giving up. Have a miso soup for 15 calories and another litre of water. As soon as I walk in the door from work I get dinner going. Poach a smoked haddock fillet in some skimmed milk with an egg and have it on a bed of spinach. Lots of fish today but you know what they say? If it swims, it slims. Decide to treat myself to a nice pamper bath in the absence of any wine. About half an hour in, toddler wakes up (of course!) and is crying for a wee. I pull him towards me from the bath, yank the pull up down and he pees… Right in my eye!! Thanks for that kid. Brilliant end to a painful fast day.Tomorrow I will be weighing in and ending this week’s blog and from next week they will run from Friday to Friday.

Friday

Delighted to have lost 3lbs this week. The hunger waves have been worth it and I’m off for some toast for breakfast. Don’t think I can make an 8 hour window happen today.  I hope you are enjoying my journey with me. Probably more than me if you aren’t enduring the fast days!

About Emma Dunn

I’m a London-based mum of two crazy boys. 33 going on 17. Snap Happy Foodie, Ginnie and Gobby. Just winging it (aren’t we all?) juggling all the balls and trying to raise gentlemen.  Peace out.