Like any diets the 5:2 fasting diet is difficult to do during Christmas. The additional holidays, parties and the sheer amount of food associated with the season would play havoc with anyone’s resolve, however bright their halo shines.
During the holiday season there just doesn’t seem any be any opportunity to have a fasting day. To follow my Finnish/Swedish customs, we have a traditional Nordic Christmas Eve which means a lot of food. On Christmas Day we are going to be visiting The Englishman’s family, and Daughter’s birthday falls in the days between Christmas and New Year. So the only days possible to do the fasting would be during the weekend (which we don’t do – see my tips on the diet here). The Englishman toyed with the idea of fasting on Boxing Day, but that idea was soon gunned down by his (loving?) family.
So, after a lot of umming and arring, I decided it’d be best just to accept defeat before the holidays, rather than feel disappointed with myself for not making the fasting days. I have therefore decided that between 22 and 31 December I will take a break from the fasting, and go on a 7:7 seafood diet – see food and eat it.
This may sound drastic to you, especially as my experiences with the diet are going to be included in Dr Mosley’s forthcoming book, The Fast Diet, and so I feel a bit of a poster girl (hah!) for the intermittent fasting idea. But there are a whole 12 months in the year 2013…
It’s the season to be generous and kind – even to myself!
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| Christmas picture of terrier just as a little seasonal bonus. |
How fascinating to see that you are doing the 5:2 diet too! I've been doing it for a few months, I really like it, it's changed my relationship to hunger, I am not bothered by feeling hungry, I don't rush to eat, and I think psychologically that's a really interesting thing for me. Wow, you're going to be in Michael M's book?! I am such a fan of his… how did that come about? Tell me all! And, by the way, would you mind sharing a bit more info about how you do the 2 fast days – when do you eat etc…?
I have come to almost the same conclusion. I am trying to do today and probably the 27th this week.
But have almost resigned myself to the fact I will probably fail. The first missed week since the start in Aug. But it is Xmas
Tania, I'm going to do a detailed post about how I do it in the New Year! And I agree, it has also changed my relationship with hunger! Exactly teh same as you. x
Ken, indeed it is Christmas!
Helena xx