My big life plot twist & how it has inspired a new project

Five weeks ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. One in seven women will receive this bombshell news in their lifetime so I am very far from alone.

It’s meant I’ve had to shift my diet priorities, though I’m still passionate about 5:2. But it’s also inspired a brand new writing project, which I hope might take some of the fear out of cancer treatment.

Me sporting my new, pre-chemo crop - on doctor’s orders

three big changes

Two days before Christmas I started weekly chemo, after a quick haircut to make scalp cooling easier (this can help you keep your hair). Already I’m bowled over by the expertise and kindness of my medical team.

Chemo is the biggest change. But two others have affected my daily life. 

First, I had to choose whether to carry on with 5:2, which I’ve been loving for 12 years now.

And second, I’ve started a real-time diary of my experiences. Only a few weeks ago, I was in a state of insomniac terror, but the more I learn, less scary it seems. And I want to share why treatment is not nearly as frightening as the movies would suggest.

My diary is called… My Big Fat Cancer Plot Twist – as a novelist, I’m fascinated by stories and unexpected tests of character… and so my story is going to be honest, funny, informative and hopeful. I’m still the same Kate. And, of course, the diary is totally free to read.

 Check out my diary here  

Here are some of the topics I’ve talked about so far…

Becoming an ice queen during chemo to see if I can keep some of my hair

The sliding doors moment of getting a diagnosis (sadly, I didn’t turn into Gwyneth Paltrow)

Why my tumour reminds me of a very windy festive vegetable…

Fasting and me: big decisions to make after diagnosis

My chemo will last for six months and involve five different drugs. After that, I’ll have surgery, radiotherapy, and perhaps oral chemo for some years.

It’s going to be a long old haul.

But, way before my diagnosis, I read research about fasting being useful for chemo patients - potentially reducing side-effects, and maybe increasing effectiveness, too.

Big question 1: should I fast during chemo?

I asked my oncologist this question very early on - was the evidence for fasting good, and could I try it? He said there is some promising but early research - that the theory was good but most testing wasn’t in real, live patients. If I wanted to try it, he had no objection.

Please note that this was advice to me as an otherwise fit and regular faster – nothing in this post is intended as medical advice for anyone else!

Those close to me were more concerned. After I found the lump under my arm, I lost my appetite due to the worry. That has never happened to me before!  I am very much a comfort eater.

I was a healthy weight starting treatment but a little lower than normal. Could fasting - and potentially a reduced appetite during chemo - put me in danger?

So I decided not to fast on the first chemo, and to see if I wanted to use it as a tool later. Now I’m three treatments in, and I haven’t yet done a 5:2 day because I’ve realised that eating little and often helps me feel less icky - the opposite of my usual intermittent fasting routine of one or two meals.

But intermittent fasting is more than just 5:2 – why 16:8 is working for me right now

I am sticking with 16:8 (eating during an 8-hour ‘window’ - sometimes it’s 10 hours if I feel nauseous). This offers flexibility with the potential benefits of fasting. I might do some low-calorie fasting during chemo days once I get more used to it.

Big question 2: if 5:2 didn’t stop me getting cancer, do I have any regrets?

One of my original hopes with fasting was that it might reduce my chances of developing cancer, and specifically breast cancer, because a lot of women in my family have had it.

Many friends have been shocked by my diagnosis because I have taken diet and exercise so seriously for so long. I mean, I’m shocked too. But my consultant said breast cancer generally is very random. Plain bad luck.

Meanwhile, I don’t regret a single fast day. I know that fasting has had multiple benefits for me – helping me stay a healthy weight, reducing my diabetes risk, allowing me to feel comfortable in my body without any deprivation.

And who knows whether I might have developed cancer sooner had I not fasted and started running?

I’m grateful that fasting has kept me in very good physical health, aside from the cancer, which puts me in the best position for treatment and recovery. The doctor confirmed this – and told me to keep on doing what I’d been doing.

My food priorities right now

I’m being very conscious of eating well as I enter treatment. And I have just two rules:

1: Protein and pleasure are my foodie priorities: Appetite will come and go, so I have given myself more leeway when I’m feeling poorly to eat less healthy foods if that’s all I fancy. I don’t eat much ultra-processed anyway.

But one thing I am paying more attention to is eating enough protein – this is really important during treatment and recovery, because it maintains muscle mass.

As a vegetarian, I might not always have made it top priority but I am now incorporating tofu, nuts, eggs, seeds, Greek yogurt or cheese into every meal. I’m also taking an omega-3 supplement, with the pharmacist’s approval, as it can help prevent some chemo side-effects.

2: I’m not going to worry about my weight: When I started reading about treatment, a lot of patients reported weight GAIN on my kind of chemo. And I felt a bit fed up, briefly. But treatment won’t last forever. I need food to fuel my response and recovery.

So if I gain a few pounds, 5:2 will help me lose them again once I’ve ended treatment. For now, what will be, will be.

In writing news

My head’s too full for writing fiction right now. But I have been working on two brilliant podcasts – the history show, A Short History of… (here’s my episode about Marilyn Monroe). And if you love true crime, try Murder They Wrote (here’s one I researched for brilliant presenters Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling about The Scream Thieves).

You can read my diary here, for free.

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!

Rock Your Year: make 2021 the best it can be

Let’s face it, 2020 won’t go down in the history books as the best year ever… but as I write this, on New Year’s Eve, I am focusing on the things I can change - and that includes a complete update of my free download about making changes in your life. It’s available to members of my Book Club the instant you sign up right here…

The booklet is 20 pages long, plus free worksheets you can print off . I’ve given it a new title, too:

Rock Your Year

We can’t always be sure a year will go as planned - but we can take steps that’ll help us make the best of what life throws at us… and that’s the focus of the new book.

Do you want to be happier, healthier & more productive?

Are you overwhelmed by all the changes you’d like to make to your life?

Or maybe the pandemic has made you feel everything is out of control?

2021 and beyond…

2020 has left no one untouched by worry, frustration and loss. In the face of the uncertainties and awful headlines, we can feel powerless and trapped.

You might think that planning in these times is a mistake, or a waste of time. After all, so many things are beyond our control, right?

For me, planning is a source of fresh hope and new starts. And it doesn’t have to be done in December, or in the last few minutes before a new year. You can do this at any time of year.

You also don’t have to make goals for a whole year – this same process can help you plan for the next 3 months, six months or any period that works for you.

3 Steps to making the most of 2021

The 3-step process is simple and energising and it’ll help you:

1.  Review: what makes you happy and fulfilled

2. Refocus: identify what will make the biggest difference to you and those around you:

3. Resolve: to improve your life, whatever the challenges you face.

Why listen to me?

As someone who has struggled with depression, I can be a ‘glass half-empty’ person. But this annual process of looking at what matters most, and how I can put that first, makes a difference to my quality of life on a daily basis.

This approach has helped me:

• Lose weight and keep it off (even during pandemic lockdowns)

• Pivot my freelance work several times to focus on what gives me most creative satisfaction;

• Use grief to motivate me to become a keen runner;

• Move to a city I love.

These are all big changes that didn’t happen overnight. But what my process does is identify my dreams and see the smaller steps I need to take to make them real.

Imagine what this could it do for you…

Your dreams and ambitions will be different to mine. But the sooner you clarify those and start taking actions to get you where you want to be, the sooner things will change for the better.

Short of time? Feel like focusing on yourself is selfish?

Maybe you feel spending time reviewing your dreams is selfish when others are in need. But the happier you are, the more energy you have to support the people you care about.

It doesn’t take long to do the three-steps – and it’ll help you save time by ditching stuff that no longer matters to you.

To download the free e-book, or have it sent to you e-reader, just sign up for my free book club.