Water is the
perfect slim line filler, either drank on its own to temporarily take the edge
off a hunger pang or, more particularly, incorporated within food to increase
satiety (the feeling of fullness which is gained from eating food). Chunky
soups plus lots of fruit and veg can work particularly well on a fast day
because they’ll help to make your stomach feel full. Foods such as fruit and
veg as these foods are bulky and low in calories, take up plenty of room on
your plate (a psychological boost).
Green leafy
vegetables, such as spinach, watercress, rocket, broccoli and cabbage are
particularly low in calories, as are berries, such as strawberries,
raspberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants. Tomatoes, peppers, orange-fleshed
melons and butternut squash join the low-calorie corner. Foods containing
protein is also advisable as when protein is released into the gut, a hormone
known as PYY is produced, which is believed to decrease hunger. So upping the
amount of protein in the diet will increase the body’s own supply of PYY,
helping to reduce hunger and perhaps aiding in weight loss, foods such as soy
beans, chicken, tuna, squash and pumpkin seeds are all high sources of this
nutrient.
Airy foods
take up more space on our plate (psychologically, it feels like you’re being
presented with more food). For example, if you really must have a desert, why
not try a small pot of whipped mousse which can have fewer than 80 calories.
Protein-rich
foods are particularly good at inducing that full feeling. It is possible that
they stimulate the release of hunger-controlling hormones in the gut. The
protein in eggs is a good food source for filling you up. Porridge is a great
choice for keeping you full for several hours as they are a wholegrain which is
now proven to keeping you fuller for longer. To keep calories down make porridge
with water or skimmed milk.
Wholegrain
versions of breakfast cereals, breads, pasta, rice and noodles take longer to
chew and are more satisfying, as the fibre they contain provides bulk but no
calories. Fibre also has a slowing effect on the passage of food through the
gut, which has the effect of keeping you fuller for longer. The portion size of
bread or pasta you can have on a fast day is to be small, but choosing a brown,
not white version can help to make it more filling. Altering rice/pasta for
salad leaves is a good alternative to save calories.
Focus on
whole foods. On average, foods that aren’t highly processed, pre-packaged or
high in sugar will tend to be lower GI and keep your blood sugar levels on a
more even keel.
Building up
an accurate picture of what actually constitutes 500 or 600 calories is one of
the most educational and interesting aspects of the 5:2 diet. It can help you
understand what constitutes a healthy portion and might also give a clue as to
why you ended up needing to lose a few pounds in the first place.
It is
important on the fast day not to second guess portion sizes as this shall
almost certainly calculate incorrectly and jeopardise weight loss. By serving
slightly larger amounts of food could add over 100 calories to the recommended
amount which could destroy the benefits of the fasting day.
Two Typical Fast Day Meal Planners
·
Breakfast: 1 poached egg on half a slice of
wholemeal toast spread with 1 teaspoon of low-fat spread and 1 medium tomato
grilled (163 calories)
·
Lunch/Snack:
1 rounded tablespoon (30g) of tzatziki with 100g cucumber and red pepper sticks
(60 calories)
·
Dinner: Thai Noodles with Tofu (276
calories)
·
Breakfast: Red Fruit Salad with 50g Greek yoghurt
( 132 calories)
·
Lunch/Snack: 2 clementines (44 calories)
·
Dinner: Grilled Sea Bass with Cherry
Tomatoes with steamed broccoli and spinach and 70g boiled new potatoes in their
skins (330 calories)
TOTAL 506 calories
Snacks That are 100 Calories or Less:
1.
1
slice of parma
ham wrapped around a breadstick – 58 calories
2.
1
medium apple – 53 calories
3.
1
round tablespoon of tzatziki with 100g cucumber and red pepper sticks – 60
calories
4.
1
rye crispbread with 30 g light soft cheese – 82 calories
5.
2
clementines and 1 kiwifruit – 73 calories
6.
300g
shop bought fresh carrot and coriander soup – 89 calories
7.
1
small glass (150ml) low fat strawberry milkshake – 90 calories
8.
1
slice of fruit loaf – 98 calories
9.
1
hard- boiled egg: 84 calories
10.
15g
salted popcorn: 83 calories
Snacks That are 50 Calories or Less:
1.
1
slice of cantaloupe melon - 23 calories
2.
80g
apple and grape snack pack - 45 calories
3.
50g
cooked jumbo prawns with a squeeze of lemon – 42 calories
4.
1
ginger nut biscuit – 47 calories
5.
3
seafood sticks – 50 calories
6.
½
cup (80g) mango cubes – 46 calories
7.
2
slices of wafer-thin ham wrapped round a celery stick – 43 calories
8.
100g
cherry tomatoes – 20 calories
9.
2
Melba toasts spread with 1 level
teaspoon of reduced-sugar jam – 34 calories
10.
1
mini pork salami sausage – 38 calories
10 Guilt-Free Treats
1.
6
medium strawberries with 12.5g serving of aerosol cream – 85 calories
2.
50g
gradvalax with sauce – 90 calories
3.
175g
pot ready-to-eat sugar-free cranberry and raspberry jelly with 80g raspberries
– 33 calories
4.
15g
cocoa-dusted almonds – 84 calories
5.
1
slice of Parma
ham with 3 watermelon balls – 48 calories
6.
10g
(around 2 lumps) crystallized ginger – 37 calories
7.
1
small juicy nectarine topped with 2 rounded tablespoons (60g/21/2 oz) of 0%
Greek yoghurt with honey – 95 calories
8.
2
mini spring rolls – 90 calories
9.
2
poppadoms – 100 calories
10.
250g
(8oz) shop-bought shell-on mussels in garlic butter sauce – 75 calories
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