My 11th fastiversary - and how I got my confidence back!

Today is my official 5:2 Fastiversary – eleven years to the day since I first tried intermittent fasting. And I wanted to share some really raw, personal stuff about my last 12 months - and some hard-won lessons that I hope might help you too!

I went to the Royal Pavilion in my home city of Brighton this morning as the weather was sunny for the first time in ages! But only a few months ago, I wouldn’t have posed like this or worn this dress as it was too tight and made me feel so self-conscious… read on to hear why!

My rubbish 2 years - and how I got back on track!

Right now, I’m feeling good. But this time last year, I wasn’t exactly a beacon of body positivity. OK, I was still well within the ‘healthy BMI’ range. I was fitting in my 5k runs, and squeezing into my jeans (just about). But the inner confidence fasting had given me for so long was AWOL.

Where had my confidence gone?

If you are a regular newsletter reader, you’ll know I was grieving my parents and other losses. Plus dealing with ill health issues close to home, not to mention massive work disappointments. Fasting was still part of my routine, once a week, and it saved my vegetarian bacon by helping me stay in reasonable shape.

The fast days were fine but the other days – not so much. Back in 2012, when I’d been at my heaviest (11 stone 7 or 161lbs or 73kg) and least healthy, fasting had been revolutionary. I quickly achieved my goal of breaking through the 10-stone barrier – and I found it easy to eat well and in moderation on non-fasting days. Soon I was down to 9 stone 7 (that’s 60kg or 133 lbs), even less in the summer months. I wrote the book about it - well, six in total. It was my new normal, the best thing I’d ever tried.

And I stayed that way for nearly a decade…

Moderation? What’s that again?

But in the last two years, the stress of caring and grieving made me crave sweet things again. Plus, I think I was so overwhelmed by upset that my ‘off switch’ stopped working on non-fasting days.

My weight crept up. Friends insisted it was barely noticeable, but the lovely clothes I’d made for myself were tight and I felt ashamed.

Then, in January 2023, I was ill for over a month – an ‘old school’ virus that made me eat for comfort. When I recovered, I was approaching 10 stone/63.5kg and that didn’t feel good to me. So I decided to keep fasting but add in a lower-carb veggie approach – something that had worked well for me years ago when I was in my 30s.

When you have to recalibrate…

Nothing happened. Didn’t lose a single pound. Maybe it’s being past the menopause, or due to my stress levels but low-carbing no longer works for me. I lost no weight and felt very light-headed when I tried to run.

Next, I wondered if I could reduce the emotional pressure on myself by accepting that around 10 stone (140lbs or 63.5kg) should be my new ‘comfortable’ weight. It’s in the healthy BMI zone.

But that really didn’t help either. While for many people, it’d be fine, I know what I’m comfortable with. I am pretty short and I don’t carry extra pounds very well.

I also tried the Zoe plan – I loved the science part. But though I’d always guessed that my blood sugar control was RUBBISH, having it confirmed was disheartening. My parents suffered so much with type 2 diabetes, and I feared I was destined to be the same way, despite my decade of careful fasting. The food choices the plan recommended weren’t that tempting (I will share my full review one day soon) though it reinforced what I already knew about increasing diversity in my diet.

The Embarrassment Factor

Some days I felt I’d gone back in time to my days BF: Before Fasting. Out of control, embarrassed by my rounded tummy. Even worse, I was an accidental ‘diet guru’ now, yet I wasn’t where I wanted to be. From the outside, I still looked OK, yet inside I was low.

But the darkest hour comes before dawn. Spring sprung. My grief became less acute and some of my other worries faded a little. I cut down from having a glass of wine four nights a week to two. I started to feel I was taking better care of myself. And I didn’t weigh myself for ages.

June was a month of travel – and temptations. France first, then Greece. All the delicious cheese, patisserie, baklava, and yes, I was also drinking wine most evenings at sunset. I did eat loads of salads and the food was most unprocessed and very fresh. I also walked and swam a lot every day. But even so, I dreaded getting on the scales again when we got home.

Scale Victory…

But to my surprise – I’d actually lost weight. Encouraged by that, for the last 6 weeks I’ve been experimenting with longer fasts, to boost my immunity as well as fat loss: the scientific research on fasting safely has come on so much. On fasting days I’ve extended the time without eating up to 24 hours, and it’s really added to that reset effect (it’s REALLY important to check with a doctor if it’s suitable for you before doing the same, especially if you have acute or chronic health issues).

Within 3 weeks I was back at 9 stone 7 pounds (that’s 60kg or 133 lbs) and I’ve stayed there. But it’s not the numbers on the scale I’m celebrating as much as the way I feel in my favourite clothes, the energy I have, and the confidence it gives me to be the healthiest version of myself again.

I’ve turned a corner, just as I did 11 years ago this month. Sure, 7lbs doesn’t make a huge difference to my health – even before this, I’d maintained 75% of the weight I lost 11 years ago. But I am back to feeling great - happy to have my photo taken by another person again (as opposed to doing a very carefully controlled selfie). Plus the ability to eat well without cravings is wonderful.

So are my lessons from the last year?

Lesson one: Keep flexing your fasting muscles

Make changes and recalibrate if your old plan isn’t working as well. Your body changes over time, and so does the science. Challenge yourself but don’t throw out an approach, like fasting, if it’s worked for you before.

Lesson two: life happens, be kind to yourself…

I’m always honest in my emails and so you may have guessed that I’m not great at cutting myself some slack, even now. But telling yourself you’re rubbish or a failure never helps… try to turn your inner voice into a supportive best mate, rather than a harsh head teacher. It’s no coincidence that I started losing the weight when I went on holiday and relaxed…

Lesson three: allow yourself the pleasure of good food

Diets are a balance – yes, my blood sugar control might predispose me to diabetes. No, it doesn’t mean the odd cake will kill me. Sometimes cake is exactly what I feel like – but the nicer I am to myself, the more I feel like eating the tasty and healthy stuff! When I was in Greece and France, I probably ate more but avoiding processed and focusing on fresh made a big difference.

So, that’s my end of year report. After 11 years, my fasting regime is off to big school – and I reckon I’m back in the top stream… If you’ve found this useful, remember you can always get inspiration from my books and podcasts!

Worry Time - and our updated book about beating the blues

A few years ago, I got together with Brighton friend and fellow author Sarah Rayner to work on Making Peace with Depression – a short, comforting book full of tips and ideas for dealing with the blues. It had a great reception from readers – and now we’ve updated it, and it’s just been published with a lovely new cover (featuring the cutest ‘black dog’ ever) by Thread. It includes tips on crafty stuff and kitchen self-care.

A super-quick strategy for scary times

Right now, many of us are struggling with worries about the future, and I wanted to share one of the most useful strategies I’ve found, which I write about in the book.

 I am a champion worrier, and I can even multiworry, letting them build and build! But one very useful technique I use if I find I’m going through a period of ruminating too much is to set aside Worry Time.

Worry time… the simple strategy I use all the time

• I pick a time of day when I can devote myself to worrying, and if something niggles or stresses me out, I add it to my Worry List.

• Then at the designated time – say 8pm – I let myself worry in a concentrated way for 20 minutes. That might be constructive – trying to think of ways to tackle the worry or reduce the probability of something going wrong. Often it becomes so tedious that I go off and do something better – or the postponement means when I go through the list, I realise how trivial most of it was!

 This can be a good way to reduce the time spent ruminating, to try out gaining control over your own thoughts and, of course, to find solutions to the things that genuinely merit concern. It also helps you identify the worries that are entirely proportionate but out of your control. In many ways, those are the hardest ones to deal with.

When the first cases of Covid-19 were being reported, I was hugely anxious because I felt no one else was seeing the signs. It meant that once the world did begin to take action, even as other people become more worried, I felt better, because at least I no longer felt ‘responsible’ for warning everyone.

And now that we’re concerned about the conflict in Ukraine and energy supply and the climate, I’m trying Worry Time all over again…

PEACH & TOMATO PANZANELLA, 185 Calories

Simple but irresistible, the flavours of summer on a plate (I made it with our first tomatoes from the garden and it was perfection). Tomato and peach are a classic combination, and I’ve just added a little extra crunch with the bread to create a version of the traditional Italian panzanella salad.

Serves 1

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 3 minutes

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, 41 calories

• 1 x 30g slice stale country/sourdough bread, 66

• 100g mixed ripe tomatoes, sliced or halved into bite-sized pieces, 20

• 1 ripe peach, cut into bite-sized pieces, 51

• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 2

• Small handful of basil leaves, 5

• Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Heat a griddle and brush with a few drops of the oil (keep the rest for the dressing). Toast the bread on both sides, then tear into bite-sized chunks.

2. Arrange the tomatoes and peach pieces on a plate with the bread.

3. Mix together the remaining olive oil and vinegar in a bowl and drizzle over the salad, then scatter the basil leaves on top. Season well and serve at room temperature (ideally, wait for a few minutes to let the dressing soften the bread).

P. S. For a gluten-free version, substitute 10g of pistachio nuts (59 calories), lightly crushed, for the bread.

Add half a ball of ‘light’ mozzarella (100–109 calories) for a more substantial meal – it’s not quite as creamy as the full fat version, but it works on a Fast Day if seasoned well and accompanied by a tasty dressing. Or try salty, savoury crumbled feta instead.

Recipe from 5:2 Veggie & Vegan

5:2 books

Coconut Vegetable Curry

Sri Lankan inspired Coconut Vegetable Curry

Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free

I recently recovered from Covid-19 and since then, I’ve been craving lighter and full-flavoured food, so I started with one of my favourites, inspired by my first ever trip to Asia. I loved Sri Lanka – and even though I’m not really a big coconut fan, I loved the sweet-sour taste of their veggie dishes, which comes from coconut milk. This simple dish is always a winner.

Don’t worry if you don’t have the tamarind or the curry leaves. You can also leave out the desiccated coconut, but the coconut milk is pretty essential for this delicious dish.  Choose a rainbow of seasonal vegetables for a beautiful bowlful!

Makes 2 servings

Calories per serving: 240–265

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 13 minutes

1 tsp coconut OR olive oil 45 cals

1 tsp black mustard seeds 5 cals

1 tsp turmeric 5 cals

few black peppercorns

1 red onion, chopped 38 cals

½–1 small, hot red chilli, seeded, finely chopped 2–4 cals

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 8 cals

1–2cm-piece ginger, peeled and grated, to taste 3–4 cals

400g mixed vegetables, diced or chopped into equal-size pieces, including 80g baby aubergines 16 cals, 150g mixed butternut squash and sweet potato 92 cals, 1 medium courgette 34 cals, 1 red pepper 30 cals (150–200 cals in total)

Optional: 10g desiccated coconut, plus a little extra for serving 62 cals

1 tsp tamarind paste 7 cals or juice of ½ lime 10 cals

80ml coconut milk made up to 200ml with cold water 140 cals

100g Chinese cabbage, pak choi, or other greens 17 cals

Optional: 4 dried curry leaves, a few fresh coriander leaves, chopped to garnish

1.     Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook for 1 minute till they pop slightly. Reduce the heat and add the onion, chilli, garlic, ginger, turmeric, peppercorns and fry gently for 2 minutes.

2.     Add the chopped vegetables and desiccated coconut if using, and fry for 2 more minutes. Add the curry leaves, tamarind paste and coconut milk and water mixture and, bring to a simmer. Let it cook for 6 minutes.

3.     Add the Chinese cabbage or greens and cook for a further 2 minutes.

4.     Serve sprinkled with the reserved coconut and chopped coriander. Delicious served with 50g basmati or jasmine rice per person (dry weight: 166-175 calories per serving).

More ideas from the 5:2 Kitchen For more protein, add tofu, cooked prawns or cooked chicken at the same stage as the coconut milk.

To freeze Simply allow the second portion to cool before freezing in an airtight plastic container. Defrost the curry before reheating in a pan or the microwave. 

For more delicious, healthy recipes like this, read my book,

5:2 Good Food Kitchen

Dear Kate: I get cold on Fast Days

DEAR KATE,

I’ve started fasting and find it easier than I expected except for one thing: I get so cold on fast days! Is this normal, and is there anything I can do?

MEL

DEAR MEL,

I’m writing my reply with a throw on my lap, a pair of my thickest socks on my feet, and a mug of hot coffee at my side. Yes, it’s a Fast Day, it’s -2 degrees and there’s freezing fog outside, and it doesn’t feel much warmer inside either.

Brrrr...

Feeling colder than usual on a fast day is really common: some people get used to it while others (like me) just take steps to make it feel better.There are different reasons why you might feel colder. Firstly, your body creates heat when it digests food. So on a Fast Day when you’re eating less, you’re not generating that ‘central heating.’ Also, your body is very good at protecting your vital organs, which means if you’re not eating as much, it may sense that and prioritise them, so your extremities (hands and feet) cool down.

The good news about being cool...

The good news, is that your body actually burns calories maintaining a stable temperature, so you’re likely to be using energy that way. This fascinating Dutch research even suggests that turning down the central heating could help us stay slim.

Down with cold - tips to warm you up again

Stick on the kettle

Hot drinks warm your hands and your insides too.

Black coffee, herb teas, or especially a lump of fresh ginger and a slice of lemon in boiling water will soon make you toastier.

Pull on the socks (and the gloves) 

Your extremities are left to fend for themselves, so help them out with warm socks and, if you do a desk-based job, even fingerless gloves can help (I use these if I don’t want to stick the heating on as I work from home).

PS: a warm pet helps too…

Eat for heat…

When you do eat, plan meals with warming spices - a big pot of curry or chilli will be perfect and can be made fast day friendly so easily.

A bowl of soup always saves my life on a Fast Day, too. Chili peppers can raise the metabolism to warm you up and possibly burn a few more calories…

Jump around!

Being active helps get the circulation moving again. Getting up from your desk every hour and walking for a few minutes will help, or dancing to the radio. Better still, a walk outside (wrapped up warm) will energise you too. 

Want more tips and down to earth advice? 

You can read much more about my journey, fasting tips and weight loss science, in The 5:2 Diet Book.

With my VERY warmest wishes,
Kate x

How to Save a Life on BBC Woman's Hour

Since How to Save a Life was published, I’ve been on a real mission to spread the word about learning CPR – it was a privilege to talk to Emma Barnett on Woman’s Hour – she’s a brilliant interviewer and I would love to share the link with you – you can listen anywhere in the world:

Rarebit mushrooms - gorgeous supper dish, 280 calories

Portobello Mushroom Rarebit with Oven-Baked Tomatoes

280 calories, 16g protein, 2 portions of veg

This is a delicious dish for suppertime - or anytime. The rarebit mix keeps in the fridge in a covered container for up to two days, so you can use it on anything else you fancy. It’s great directly on toast or on top of a pre-cooked fillet of smoked fish, like haddock, finished off under the grill. Also great on sourdough served with the Cauliflower & Mustard soup.

Serves 4 as a main

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 14– 18 minutes

8 medium portobello mushrooms (around 50g each)

400g cherry or baby plum tomatoes

1 tsp oil

For the rarebit mix:

2 eggs

80g mature Lancashire cheese, finely crumbled or grated

2 tbsp stout or semi-skimmed milk

2 tsp English mustard

1 small red onion, finely chopped

To serve:

4 x 50g slices sourdough or gluten-free bread

50g rocket or dark leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas mark 6. Wipe the mushrooms and remove very woody stalks. Halve the cherry tomatoes and place cut side up in an ovenproof dish, then put the mushrooms on top, gill-side up. Brush with a little oil and bake till the mushrooms have just softened (the biggest mushrooms may take a little longer), around 8–10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the rarebit mix. Beat the eggs with a fork in a small bowl. Add the cheese followed by the stout/milk, mustard and onion and mix well. Season well.

3. Spoon the egg mixture on top of the mushrooms (if they’ve released a lot of liquid, pour this off the baking tray first). Place back in the oven for 6–8 minutes, until the cheese mixture puffs up and browns, but don’t let it burn.

4. Toast the bread and serve the mushrooms on top, garnished with the salad leaves. VARIATION: You could use pesto instead of mustard (1 tsp of shop-bought pesto is around 23 calories, depending on the brand).

From: The Dirty Diet: Ditch the guilt, love your food