In Podcast 11, we feature a remarkable woman who set out to lose 11 stone in weight 15 months ago… and has so far lost nine stone/57 kilos and gone from a size 32 to a UK size 14… After a lifetime of dieting, Sharon Munsey from Bideford in North Devon had very low expectations when she started doing 5:2, but now she’s gone from a size 32 to a UK size 14 and has just taken up running for the first time, at the age of 54.Sharon talks to Kate Harrison about how she’s lost her chocolate cravings and fills up on soup and porridge instead, and the thrill of shopping on the high street again after decades of buying ‘big tents to wear’ online. She also reveals how she eats on Fast and non-fasting days, and how beating her husband on a bike ride is the icing on the cake!Sharon’s story is proof you can change your life through intermittent fasting – whether you want to lose 10lbs or 10 stone.
Podcast Show Notes
Sharon talks about adjusting her calorie-count on Fast Days and non-fasting according to her TDEE and changing it as she lost weight, which is very sensible. People who weigh a lot more or less than average, or are more/less active, will find the average calorie guidance (around 2,000 for a woman, 2,400 for a man) doesn’t always fit their needs: so Sharon tailored her Fast Days to have a little more to keep her going, and chose to limit her calories a little to 1,400 on non-fasting days as otherwise, as she put it , she’d ‘take forever to lose the weight.’ To find out more about TDEE, use our calculator.
She also cooks a lot from The Ultimate 5:2 Recipe Book and 5:2 Good Food Kitchen, which also features an in-depth interview with Sharon.
Sharon also kept a record of her face and shoulder shape over time - she genuinely does look like a completely different person!
Couch to 5K
There are lots of different Couch to 5K apps and programmes, but the basic idea is the same: they train you to go from sitting on the couch to running 5K without stopping over an 8-9 week programme. It’s very popular with 5:2ers because you can see such rapid progress, but it starts gently. I’m on week 5 myself of this fun (paid for) app which combines your own music playlists with a Zombie mystery story (yes, you do have to run away from zombies quite often...!) but there are lots of free podcasts with music that you can download to help you become a runner! The NHS one is a great place to begin.
Important Note:
This podcast is for information only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. There are some people who shouldn’t follow this diet: children and teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. If you take medication have a pre-existing medical condition, including Type 2 diabetes, you should talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes. In addition, anyone with a history of eating disorders should definitely not undertake this without talking to their doctor or specialist.