fast food?

I’m NOT one for complicated diets and the mere thought of “calorie counting” depresses me beyond measure. Like many people, I’m certainly aware that I’m a “little overweight” (a slight understatement perhaps - granddaughters Iris+Rosa are far more blunt and simply tell me that I’m “fat”!) and, ideally, would like to get below the 14st mark on the scales.

Actually, over the past year, I HAVE lost some weight. At one stage, I think I’d reached 15st 7lb but am now a stone lighter. I’m not entirely sure how this has come about – perhaps (much) less use of the car and far more regular walking?
Last Monday morning on the "Today" programme on Radio4, I listened to interviews with a professor and TV presenter Michael Mosley about the apparent benefits of including a limited amount of fasting within one’s regular weekly eating routine. Mosley had put himself to the test and had adopted a so-called 5:2 diet. As the name implies you eat normally 5 days a week, then two days a week you eat 500 calories if you are a woman, or 600 calories, if you are a man.
This is what he said: “There are no firm rules because so far there have been few proper human trials. I found that I could get through my fast days best if I had a light breakfast (scrambled eggs, thin slice of ham, lots of black tea, adding up to about 300 calories), lots of water and herbal tea during the day, then a light dinner (grilled fish with lots of vegetables) at night.
On my feed days I ate what I normally do and felt no need to gorge.
I stuck to this diet for 5 weeks, during which time I lost nearly a stone and my blood markers, like IGF-1, glucose and cholesterol, improved. If I can sustain that, it will greatly reduce my risk of contracting age-related diseases like cancer and diabetes”.
You can watch Mosley’s “Horizon” programme, entitled “Eat, Fast and Live Longer” by clicking here (I think it’ll be available on iPlayer until mid-September).
Well, I was so intrigued I’ve decided to “give it a go”.
From time to time (assuming my new food regime lasts for more than a couple of days!), I might let you know how it’s going!
PS: I've only blogged about this as a vague way of keeping me on track!