Wednesday 27 February 2013

The 5:2 Diet The 5:2 Diet: Slimmers' recipes to help you lose weight fast

Fans of The 5:2 Diet share their stories, recipes and ideas for the two-day fasting diet plan             
 
With the 5:2 Diet's focus on fasting twice a week - women have no more than 500 calories and men 600 per Fast Day - then eat normally for the other five, it has quickly gained a committed following, and Kate has been astounded by the way the forum has grown.
"Now there are 2,200 of us from all over the world, sharing our stories, our wobbly moments and our triumphs. It's so inspiring to go on there every day, and the recipe ideas and everyone's tips are amazing. They help keep us all going," says Kate, who lost 21lb in six months and has since set up the website www.the5-2dietbook..com
"There are so many people contributing to it that it can be hard to keep track of so much support. Plus, all the support is free. Like the diet, this approach needn't cost you a penny."
Here, some fellow 5:2 dieters share their home-made recipes and tips on how they have lost weight using the diet that everyone is talking about.
Lynda's Curried Carrot Soup
Lynda Goodson, 42, from Preston, Lancs, is a sales manager and lives with her boyfriend.
She started the 5:2 Diet in January and has already lost a stone. Her Curried Carrot Soup feels like a luxurious treat on Fast Days - and it's less than 100 calories per portion.
Lynda says: "It's a simple recipe that I just threw together one day!
"I even make it for my 75-year-old mum to have during the week, too."
(Serves four, 91 calories per portion)
  • 1,600 to 1,800ml water
  • Chicken or vegetable stock cube (16 calories)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 600g carrot, chopped into 2cm rounds (246 calories)
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped (40 calories)
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped (4 calories)
  • 1g mild curry powder (3 caloriess). Alternatively use curry paste (check calories on the jar)
  • 35g light soft cheese (Philadelphia is 55 calories)
Method: Boil the water in a large pan, add the stock cube and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the carrots, onion and garlic. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the carrots are tender. Wait for it to cool slightly before using a hand blender. When serving, add curry powder and the cheese. Reheat gently so the cheese melts. If you like a crunch, serve with crispbread (Ryvita, 37 calories each).
Judy's Ratatouille
Writer Judy Astley, 61, from Twickenham, Middlesex, likes to make a batch of this colourful veggie dish and keep it in the fridge to use for meals over two days. Her 5:2 tip? "Don't waste Fast Day calories on sugars and processed carbs - they'll just make you feel hungrier."
(Serves three, 65 calories per portion)
  • 1 medium chopped onion (40 calories)
  • 1 small aubergine, chopped into chunks (18 calories)
  • 1 cal cooking spray (1 cal per spray)
  • A clove or two of garlic (4-8 calories)
  • 1 pepper, chopped into chunks (31 calories)
  • 1 medium courgette, chopped into chunks (18 calories)
  • 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes (80 calories)
  • Thyme and a couple of bay leaves if you have them
Method: Gently fry the onion and aubergine in 1-cal spray, adding a splash of water if it looks like it's drying out. Add the garlic, pepper and courgette and cook on a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and herbs and heat gently for 10 or more minutes before serving. It's just as good cold and can be delicious on a small slice of wholemeal toast (57 calories.)
Becca's Perfect Pizza
Care assistant Becca Black, 29, lives with her partner in Gloucester.
She's training for a marathon in October and says: "So far I've lost 5lb in three weeks and 3in off my waist - I'm looking to shed one-and-a-half stone."
And her top tips? "Plan fast days and buy in advance so you don't end up in a supermarket while fasting. I love this recipe."
(Serves one, 284 calories)
  • 1 tortilla wrap (107 calories)
  • Tomato puree, 20g (18 calories)
  • 5 cherry tomatoes (12 calories)
  • 50g mozzarella (88 calories)
  • 30g feta cheese (47 calories)
  • 40g baby spinach (12 calories)
Method: Spread the puree on the tortilla and top with the tomatoes and cheese. Bake for 15 mins at Gas Mark 6 or 200C. Add the spinach and bake longer if desired, or serve with the spinach on the side. This could be adapted with sweetcorn, mushrooms or with my most recent find, tinned ham, which is also low in calories.
Simone's Cauliflower Rice
Simone Baker, 50, from Reading, Berks, had to take early retirement due to the complications she suffered from a car accident. She now uses a wheelchair and says: "I am making it my aim to use this year to lose 4½ stone and get fitter!"
Her recipe is a great low-cal alternative to rice with curries or stews.
(serves two, 31 calories per portion)
200g/½ small cauliflower (62 calories)
Method: Grate or finely chop cauliflower florets until they resemble rice grains. Cook on full power in the microwave for 2½ mins in a covered dish. DON'T add water. Use this recipe in place of rice, mashed potatoes and pasta. It's faster to make than rice and is great with strong-flavoured dishes. It's only 31 calories for 100g as opposed to rice/pasta/potatoes at about 150 cals for the same weight.
Janice's Chicken Diana
MS sufferer Janice Wright, 55, from East London, lost 3lb in her first week and has not looked back. Here is her adapted Steak Diane recipe.
(serves one, 301 calories)
  • ½ onion (20 calories), sliced
  • 1 cal cooking spray (1 cal per spray)
  • 1 large 100g open mushroom, sliced (5 calories)
  • 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes (80 calories)
  • 1tbsp tomato puree (14 calories)
  • 150g skinless chicken breast (181 calories)
Method: Fry the onion in 1 cal spray until soft, then add the mushrooms, tomatoes and puree and heat through. Put the chicken breast in foil then top with the tomato and mushroom mix, to keep the chicken tender. Bake at Gas Mark 6 for 200C for 25 minutes (make sure chicken is cooked through), and serve with choice of green veg.
Kirstin's Cod with Tomatoes
Kirstin Chaplin, 43, is a child minder from Berkhamsted, Herts. She now weighs 10st 6lb having lost 3lb in two weeks. She wants to reach 10st.
(Serves one, 94 calories)
  • 1 frozen cod fillet (80 calories)
  • 4 cherry tomatoes (8 calories)
  • 2tsp capers (6 calories)
Method: Put the frozen cod, tomatoes and capers into foil, bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at Gas Mark 8 or 220C. I like to serve the cod with loads of fresh veg, like 100g of steamed green beans (25 calories) or broccoli (32 cals) and some baby sweetcorn (100g is 24 calories). This is really easy to make and satisfying!
Top tips
"Experiment to keep away the monotony. Nothing is worse when you're dieting than feeling restricted in what you eat. High-protein foods such as scrambled eggs will help to stop those hunger pangs during the majority of the day. Quorn is also a great meat replacement on Fast Days. You find things you never liked before are truly wonderful now and things you'd binged on like takeaway burgers are just rancid and tasteless."
Suzi Orr, 31, Sutton, Surrey
"Use Fast Days as a relaxing or meditative type of day. Have lots of nice tea and vegetables, go to bed early and then feel cleansed and smug the day after."
Sarah Gibson, 38, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester
"Read the book, inwardly digest and do it! It really works. I've lost 10lb since the beginning of January. I don't obsess about food now because I know that five days out of seven I can eat what I like. I don't even count calories these days as I'm not hungry. Food doesn't rule my life any more. I just love it."
Tracey Hussey, 50, Milford on Sea, Hants
"Fasting on a Monday after a weekend is a really great way to start the week. I like sparkling water with a slice of lemon. And reading the group's weight loss is inspiring. Oh and ENJOY IT."
Nina Clarke, 42, London
"Make your own soup. Spicy food seems to satisfy me more on a fasting day. Support is also important. I am doing this with my husband, but the forum is good for ideas as well."
Carol Chapman, 62, Worthing, West Sussex
"Don't eat until the evening so you can have a bigger meal. Plan food for each fast in advance making sure you have the food in ready and keep busy on the Fast Days."
Anne Sharman, 59, New Eltham, South East London
"Cooking from scratch makes calories go further. When I make a casserole, I list every ingredient then decide how many meals it will make to suit Fast Days. With meals in the freezer I never go shopping on Fast Days so temptation is out if the way."
Elaine Everest, 59, Swanley, Kent
       http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/dieting/recipes/the-52-diet-1724964

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