Back to the grind: January guilt and the cheese baby

~ eaton24 ~ Leave a comment

 (When work events feature a cheeseboard like this one, it’s hard not to conceive a cheese baby)

I’ve been a very bad faster. The ‘oh I’ll treat myself to a bit of a break from fasting over Christmas’ mentality hasn’t done me any favours. As they say- ignorance is bliss. Or at least, it is until in one of the family Christmas photos it looks like you’re about eight months pregnant ( and no. That one is NOT going on Instagram). While at this current stage in life I find it far more preferable to be ‘with cheese’ than ‘with child’, it was still a pretty major shock. So this and the fact that last week I was in Bulgaria on an all-inclusive skiing holiday playing the game of- let’s see how quickly one can shove goulash, feta bread and spag bol in ones face before hitting the slopes again- has not stood me in good stead to kick start 2016 in any remotely slender state.

I’d managed to avoid the scales throughout the Christmas period until yesterday when I had to lie down in order to relinquish the subsequent shooting pains up and down my arm. I’ve put on about 10lbs. Shit.

But hey. It probably would have been more had it not been for the skiing and I did have a bloody good Christmas. If anything, living the 5:2 lifestyle for the past 13 months has taught me that weight is actually quite easily controllable. So it’s time to once again grab the reigns of weight management I think, starting with my first returning fast day today of coffee, banana, Bovril and salad. It’s actually pretty good to get that virtuous hunger feeling back again.

So to all my fasting friends, followers and dieters in general, my cheese baby and I wish you all a slightly belated Happy New Year. Let’s get back to the grind.

p.s fasters, dieters and friends. If you do enjoy reading my blog, please, please use the following link to vote for me in the UK Blog Awards. Go on. I’ll love you forever…
http://www.blogawardsuk.co.uk/ukba2016/my-entry/eaton-eating



 


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Fast inspiration: A couple of fasting day favourites
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ 2 Comments					

				

		
I’m well overdue another post, so the bloggers guilt has finally got to me and I write this as I sit watching my boyfriend watch Chelsea vs Swansea in the premier league (apparently I’ve lost all right to domestic conversation for the next nine months). As much as I hate football, it might just be the mind numbing boredom inducing catalyst that I need in order to kick me up the arse and get me writing again.


So anyway, instead of my usual ramblings I thought it might more useful to share some of my favourite fasting day dishes. Generally I try to experiment with a range of different dishes, with 200 cal or under for lunch and up to 300 cals for dinner (I never eat breakfast anyway-so sorry if you were hoping for some fast-day morning inspiration.. I might have some great smoothie recipes up my sleeve which I will post at a later date).


Lunch:


Garlicky Buffalo Mozzarella and tomato salad: 


This one is all about flavour (hence the garlic) so choose the best quality tomatoes as you can possibly source. My Mum has her own allotment in France and grows her own- I will fail to express the difference in taste between home grown and supermarket toms if you haven’t already experienced it yourself. I bang on about this a lot. Sorry. I’m very boring. But if you cook this one, try to find some tomatoes that actually look like they’ve come out of the ground.. something like this…


Picture courtesy of Mike Eaton. Vegetables courtesy of Linda Eaton
Picture courtesy of Mike Eaton. Vegetables courtesy of Linda Eaton


Admittedly I’ve actually had to use the Tesco-bought tomatoes for want of access to my lovely mother’s allotment, the harvest of which is featured in the image above, and have been pleasantly surprised by the quality and flavour of their on-the-vine Kentish range.


Recipe:


Garlic- 1 clove


3 medium sized vine tomatoes


30g buffalo mozzarella


Balsamic vinegar (Tablespoon)


A sprig of fresh basil


Tomato Mozarella


Dinner:


Thai Marinated Chicken with steamed veg


Okay, so I’ll admit upfront that the chicken featured in this recipe is bought from Waitrose- only because I was having a lazy fast day on this occasion. However, a thai marinade is easily made using Thai Taste Thai Green Curry Paste, rice vinegar, soy and fish sauce and a small amount of demerara sugar .. as for the calories in that, it might be worth experimenting with marinades on a non fast day.. hence the somewhat lazy attitude to fast-day cooking.


So this one is literally 1/2 a pack of the Waitrose chicken breast chunks in aromatic Green Thai Marinade cooked with fry-light spray and mixed steamed veg. On this occasion I steamed the veg, but this would also work brilliantly as a Thai-style veg stir fry, using light fry-spray and a little soy sauce. Either way- this one is high in protein, delicious and amazingly satiating.


Thai Chicken with veg



		
	
			

	


			
				


	

			
The 5:2 and religious fasting: lessons to be learned from religious fasting
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ 1 Comment					

				

		
Whether you’re religious, spiritual, atheist or agnostic, I believe a lot can be said for the religious fasting and I believe we 5:2ers ought to pay more heed to the connections here.


Last week marked the start of Ramadan, a period of extended religious fasting for the duration of a 29-30 day lunar cycle, practiced by Muslims across the globe as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The Ramadan fasting means that those practicing will fast from dawn till dusk a total of roughly 17 hours for those in the UK.


As a member of two Facebook groups on intermittent fasting and the 5:2, (and I am by no means bad-mouthing these pages, the fellow fasters on the web have helped, advised and supported me throughout my 5:2 quest and for that I am eternally grateful) I have noticed a general focus on weight loss as the key factor of the 5:2. I hold my hands up. I am absolutely guilty of this myself. In fact, for a long while my daily routine involved stepping on the day-ruining-machine before I’d even brushed my teeth.


I’m considering taking a leaf out of the respective books of those religious fasters, who fast not for the purpose of weight loss, but for something else entirely.  Is it possible to be an agnostic, but also spiritual? If so, then that is what I am, so I don’t think I’ll be converted any time soon, but I am opening myself to the idea of a more ‘mentally focused’ approach to fasting.


Throw away the scales 


You may have gone out and,being the keeno that you are, bought one of those expensive, fancy new-fangled set of scales that tells you your BMI etc etc, but throw them away. Or if that’s too far, then get a friend or partner to put them somewhere you won’t find them for a while. The scales are not your friend. Meet your new friend, Mr Tape Measure.


Freeing up food time


I actually think that since I’ve started the 5:2 way of life, thinking about food takes up quite a lot of my brain space. My new fasting resolution is to liberate my food-obsessed brain and think about things other than food. While religious fasters focus less on material things and concentrate on prayer and growing their relationship with God, I might take time to re-evaluate nurture my relationships with friends and family or do something else I love, like baking or reading.. on reflection let’s go with the latter.


Practice self-discipline


This is what inspires me the most about religious fasters. Many Christians fast during the 6 weeks of Lent, practicing self-denial and self-restraint the resistance of temptation. On many an occasion I have broken my fast simply because somebody offered me a Krispy Kreme doughnut or invited me out for a drink. I think observing more of the behaviours of religious fasters might help give me that shift in focus I’m in need of.  Or I could take- up road meditation- as pictured.


Road meditation

			

	


			
				


	

			
Falling off the motivational wagon and getting back into the little black dress
		

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ 3 Comments					

				

		
CatAbout three years ago I invested in a classic French Connection little black dress. About one year ago I made the decision to keep said dress in the already overly-filled wardrobe even though no amount of industrial strength stomach-sucking-in pants would have made it fit. I’d put on an incredible amount of ‘comfort zone’ weight (two stone of it to be precise) since meeting the boyfriend.


Over the years I have actually kept or purchased a number of these ‘motivational’ items just because I knew I wanted things to change. A pair of Levi skinny jeans, a lovely silk red Jasper Conran shirt dress, and a stunning tartan Dolce and Gabbana jacket (a charity shop purchase and bought prior to the Elton John boycott debacle)  make up just a few of the ‘It’ll fit me one day’ collection timeless classics.


Over the past couple of weeks, weight loss has been particularly slow. I’ve continued with my 2 fasting days a week but I’ve plateaued, I’ve gained a couple pounds, lost one or two, then gained again. At this point, self-motivation got a little tough until I re-discovered the skinny dress. Going out to dinner with my best friend wearing my little black dress was the best feeling I’d had all week. Of course, cocktails were necessary to mark the momentous occasion (oh and we found a cat in the pub. Hence the picture).


This along with a number of comments from people have renewed my confidence and made me realise it’s better to focus on the little everyday triumphs than obsessing with the number on the scales.


So, fellow 5:2ers, if you don’t have any motivational items of clothing in your wardrobe, I’d highly recommend investing in something in your target dress size. I’m looking forward to throwing out a pile of frumpy clothes that don’t suit or fit me anymore and investing in a few new outfits once I’ve reached my target weight. I’m not quite at the ideal just yet, but these little wardrobe-related milestones make all the hard work worthwhile, and keep my moving forward.

			

	


			
				


	

			
PSHD- Why Skiing is awesome and we should all quit our day jobs
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ Leave a comment					

				

		
For the past week I have been suffering from severe PSHD- Post Skiing Holiday Depression. I genuinely think this is a real condition. Having spent a week throwing myself down mountains in Andorra, I come home, return to work and get ill. Back to life. Back to the reality of a sedentary lifestyle.


While I was away I must confess I didn’t adhere to my 2 fasting days.. or even one. The idea of a full day of non-stop exercise on just 500 calories seemed like it may have been more foolish than sensible. It would certainly have been a shock to the system. The weighing scales welcomed me home with a 3llb reduction anyway (in spite of an insane accumulative consumption of goats cheese, pizza and schnapps during the 6-day trip).


Having lost a little weight though, I proceeded to put this straight back on after about 2 days back into the routine of having a desk job. After 6 days of relentless physical activity I was restless, endorphin/adrenaline deficient and had so much energy, making concentrating on emails and press releases somewhat tricky.


My body was craving the gym.. something I never NEVER thought I would say. So I obeyed and found that my fitness levels are probably now better than they have ever been (certainly a lot better than before the holiday). I didn’t manage to keep hold of the triceps, which had made a fleeting appearance as a result of excessive ski-pole action, but my legs, particularly knees are noticeably stronger and my stamina has improved. However, sitting at a desk all day means I have to work myself into a sweaty crimson mess at least 3-4 times per week in order to have the slightest chance at retaining any of that. The sedentary life we lead is a bit shit really isn’t it? I basically spend 8-9 hours (if not more) just sitting. Wow that’s depressing.


End note: If there are no more entries in this blog, it’s because I’ve quit my job and have moved to Andorra. Please direct any fan-mail to Soldeu, Granvalaria. Thanks.

			

	


			
				


	

			
Silver service, smoked mash and why the 5:2 feast days are essential for hospitality professionals
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ Leave a comment					

				

		
Today I find myself in York. I’ve never been to York before. I’m up here for two days with work attending an industry trade show with my boss. If I haven’t mentioned it before, I work in the events and hospitality industry (or, more specifically, I work for a PR consultancy specialising in this sector).


During the past 2 years of working in this industry I’ve learned that having a flexible diet regime is absolutely essential. Hospitality and events industry professionals are absolutely spoiled when it comes to food, be it an awards event with a sit down 3 course dinner, reception drinks with canapés or a breakfast meeting,  amazing food is pretty unavoidable. I’m fairly convinces that my 2 year introduction to the world of work in this field is what made me put on 2 stone in the first place. So needless to say, in terms of dietary choices, we’re in need of a little give and take which is exactly what the 5:2 offers.


Being a massive fan of food anyway, I absolutely love this about my job (although I would like to just note here that PR people aren’t just all about schmoozing, boozing and fine-dining- contrary to popular belief). The featured picture shows one of the many courses I enjoyed during a press lunch at one of our client venues in London last summer. This involved silver service, something called smoked mash and there were cloches present (if you know what a cloche is then you know more than I did before this experience!)


My point is, that when it comes to hospitality clients, the phrase ‘It’d be rude not to’ really does ring true. I was once attending a meeting in Kent for one of our catering clients, having already eaten my sensible fasting day lunch of a sushi snack pack and diet coke on the move, I was greeted with a spectacular spread which my client referred to as an ‘executive lunch’. Needless to say, this sent my fasting day into oblivion. At that moment I learned that client meeting days, it’s fair to assume, will not make for good fast days.


The beauty of the 5:2 diet though, is that tomorrow offers another opportunity for a fresh start and a fresh fast day, no guilt necessary. Non fast days are great, but the odd feast day (the ones where you can relish the fact that you work in such a great industry, not worrying about what the 3 course lunch and copious amount of red wine might have added up to in terms of calories) are absolutely essential. This is what makes the 5:2 diet a lifestyle choice, not a diet.


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A day in the life of a 5:2 faster (Part 1): The fasting day
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ 3 Comments					

				

		
Many people I meet are shocked when I mention I do the 5:2 diet. There is a general perception that the 5:2 is quite ‘intense’. Those who have never heard of it seem to believe that they would perish if they attempted to live on 500 calories for 2 days a week. The funny thing is I can actually remember having a similar reaction when I first heard about the 5:2, thinking it would never be something I’d have the motivation to do, wondering what people could even eat on a ‘2’ day. Since I first heard about the 5:2 a couple of years ago, perceptions of it have changed. Generally now it has become so popular that most people know someone who is on the 5:2, or a friend of a friend and by and large, the reviews are pretty favourable. But I still get asked the question; “how do you survive on just 500 calories?” to which my most common answer is: my body has simply got used to it. It has become a habit, and not even the type of habit that is tedious and annoying. People look at me like I’m a Martian when I tell them I actually find my fasting days really refreshing. Because we are of a generation and culture who eat so frequently and have such an epic fear of hunger, people believe that we 5:2ers must spend our fasting days curled up in a corner in a semi-human state, incapable of normal interaction. This is not how it goes. I’ll walk you through a typical fasting day: Continue reading →

			

	


			
				


	

			
Healthy in numbers: Why getting your partner on board the fast train is a great long-term plan
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ Leave a comment					

				

		
I’m slowly working towards a fasting empire. At the beginning of January I got my boyfriend on board with the 5:2 diet. Having chewed his ear off and sung its praises for the past 6 months it was no surprise really that he would be tempted to have a go (even if only for a quiet life). I think being naturally interested in health and nutrition is often a precursor to the first 5:2 attempt and having watched me shed the pounds over the latter half of 2014 he was intrigued to see if it would have the same effect for him. In the last couple of weeks his mum has also started on the 5:2 and is also doing brilliantly- having lost 5ilbs in just one week.


According to a recent study, conducted by scientist at UCL which I read about on the BBC, when one half of a couple adopts a healthier change in lifestyle, the other is likely to also adopt these habits. Admittedly the study was conducted on those over the age of 50 but I still believe this would have a strong effect on most couples who live together.  I think in my case this is because we both have a healthy competitive spirit which spurs us on along with the desire to be healthy in general for the long term.


I’m not going to lie, his 10lb weight loss (in just 3 weeks) makes me jealous. I am now losing weight much more slowly than when I initially started on the 5:2, but this makes me even more determined to get closer to my target weight before he does, sneaking in high intensity gym sessions or a long power-walk while he is out and consciously making healthier choices when we eat out on non-fasting days.


Being in it together also means less temptation on a fasting day, there’s nothing worse than being on a fast while everyone around you has ordered pizza. But now there is no need for solitary confinement, we just have to tell ourselves that salmon salad is equally yummy and that we can have a treat night on Wednesday. Fasting on the same days of the week also makes food shopping a lot easier and means we can keep the fridge bare and temptation free when it needs to be.


Moral support is also key, be it in the form of him prizing the chocolate muffin from my hands at 10pm or me telling him to play football or (the virtual equivalent) FIFA to distract himself from the hunger gremlins (this is my opportunity to have a long, relaxing bath and read a trashy magazine). We’ve also found that our attitude towards food changes after fasting, making us much more conscious of what we eat (and drink..) and making it all the more enjoyable when we do indulge in the odd treat night.


I also don’t think it needs to be a loved one. I believe having a fasting buddy can help motivate us and adopt healthier lifestyle choices. I have a friend who has taken up the 5:2 and she is a great source of new recipe ideas, tips and general moral support and motivation. Lets be honest. The 5:2 is clearly pretty contagious, so there’s a lot to be said for being healthy in numbers.

			

	


			
				


	

			
The dreaded weight-loss plateau and learning what muscles look like
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ Leave a comment					

				

		
I’ve reached the weight-loss plateau. For about the last 6 weeks I have maintained exactly the same weight. Feeling like I have followed the 5:2 regime pretty diligently, I should be just a couple of fasting weeks away from 2 stone total weight loss. Needless to say, the little self-destructive voices in my head are getting rampant.


Here’s my tripartite plateau breaking plan (try saying that one quickly…)


Focus on exercise


A study conducted by University of Cambridge researchers has suggested that inactivity is actually more fatal that obesity. I found this piece on BBC Breakfast yesterday morning pretty enlightening. We all tend to fixate on the aesthetics, of being ‘fat’ as the indicator of bad health when we should perhaps be equally worried about our sedentary lifestyles. I sit at a desk for at least 8 hours five days a week as I’m sure is very common. While the 5:2 aims to combat bad diet habits and the diet related issues we develop in later life, it is really up to the individual how much they choose to support the diet with exercise. I’d like to retract my advice in an earlier blog that one shouldn’t go to the gym on a fasting day. At first I did find this tough, but having practiced during the Christmas break I actually found it’s a great way to distract you from hunger. Exercising in a fasted state also seems to achieve the greatest results in terms of weight loss.


Focus on the positive achievements 


Although my weight loss has slowed down considerably since first starting the 5:2, I have noticed some favourable changes other than what the scales say. I think I may be developing what people refer to as ‘muscles’? Or at least, these have only now become visible. It’s quite a novelty. My stomach, while still carrying the joyful extra tyre and the remains of quite sizeable ‘love handles’,  is also beginning to display the slightest hint of what people call ‘abs’. Considering I avoid the weights section of my gym, as this is the grunting, 90% steroid- people’s territory, I’m not sure where these so called ‘muscles’ have come from. But I’m pleased that they have finally made an appearance.


Focus on the end goal


I’d like to look like Beyoncé. Yea. Okay so that isn’t going to happen. But I do know what my ideal weight is. Once I reach that goal I can change my fasts to the 6:1 maintaining method, giving me a bit more freedom to choose what I eat and when. According to Weight Loss Plateau: Tips on How to Break It, the weight loss plateau is a very common occurrence on the journey to reaching the ideal weight and weight loss becomes harder, the leaner we become. So persistence is crucial. Mentally visualising ourselves having achieved the weight loss goal is the key and I find that looking at old photos of myself at my ideal weight, helps me gain great motivation. Keeping hold of those size 10 skinny jeans and trying them out every now and again as a mental reminder of the end goal is also a good way to implement a bit of ‘tough love’ motivation. The most important thing is not to loose faith.

			

	


			
				


	

			
Why 2015 is the year of the steadfast faster
		

			

					

				

						 ~ eaton24			 ~ Leave a comment					

				

		
It’s the start of a new year. It’s a time for reflection and the setting of the annual New Year’s Resolution. I’ve asked many of my friends what their 2014 new year’s resolution was. I don’t think any of them were able to remember. I think this speaks volumes. Mostly we’re guilty of setting ourselves vague and unobtainable weight loss goals, making our resolutions intangible and thus forgettable.


Having seen the original Horizon TV programme on the subject of fasting a while ago, I have only just read the 5:2 book, which outlines information on the research and medical benefits of fasting in greater detail. I bought the book really to revise the health benefits and re-affirm why I am doing this not as a ‘diet’ (I have qualms with this word), but as a sustainable lifestyle choice.


It’s the prime time of year for the marketing and media frenzy around new fad diets, weight loss pills and gym memberships, with advertisers tapping into the standard January ‘health drive’ messaging. My issues around the word ‘diet’ lie with its connotations. A ‘diet’ has become something temporary. I will always avoid using this word when referring to the 5:2 because I believe that unlike fad diet plans and slimming programmes, the 5:2 has staying power.


No shallow promises- results are down to you


Part of the problem is that people want there to be a magic ‘make me skinny’ solution to dieting. There isn’t. You have to want it, you have to work at it and stay focused. The 5:2 doesn’t make unnecessary claims that it will make you look like Cheryl Cole or Taylor Swift. The USP is that it makes biological sense, so we trust that it works if we stick to the rules.


It’s a part-time diet with long term results 


We 5:2ers only have to worry about calories for 2 days out of our seven day week. Needless to say we have to be sensible during the other 5 but it doesn’t give us the permanent 24/7 low blood sugar headache that most diet programmes do.


It’s viable 


The 5:2 teaches us that hunger is not excruciating and shouldn’t be feared. It therefore helps people to overcome the mind over matter challenge which is a constant battle if we felt we were depriving ourselves and incessantly counting calories all the time. We can enjoy the food we want tomorrow. In fact, more than 2/3rds of our week is spent enjoying food, this makes it unbelievably tolerable, a very viable alternative to any other diet.


It’s proven


I’ve lost 2 stone in 6 months. Many others have achieved even greater success. The weight loss is a given. Although the medical research is still in the early stages, there is no denying that there are major health benefits aside from weight loss. Prevention of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s and other age related diseases such as cancer have all been cited in relation to fasting. I have heard stories of GP’s recommending the 5:2 to their patients for reasons outlined above. Hopefully we will see more of this in the coming months.


Contrary to popular belief, I don’t own shares in the 5:2, in fact I haven’t had to fork out any money at all apart from a small and worthwhile investment in the book. I am simply an ambassador, a 5:2 evangelist. I like the science, I like the sense and I like the simplicity. While many of the diets and weight loss solutions and programmes we see at this time of year are fleeting, the 5:2 has staying power. It is the tortoise of the dieting world. I predict that 2015 will be the year of the steadfast faster.