Spencer - The FastDay cookbook : delicious low-calorie meals to enjoy while on the FastDiet

Other FastDiet Books The FastDiet by Dr. Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer The FastDiet Cookbook by Mimi Spencer with Dr. Sarah Schenker FastExercise by Dr. Michael Mosley with Peta Bee

It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering medical, health, or any other kind of personal or professional services in the book. The reader should consult his or her medical, health or other competent professional before adopting any of the suggestions in this book or drawing inferences from it. The author and publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and applications of any of the contents of this book. Copyright 2014 by Mimi Spencer Limited Photographs 2014 by Romas Foord A slightly different version of this work was previously published in Great Britain in 2014 by Short Books. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Atria Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 First Atria Paperback edition October 2014 and colophon are trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or . The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Spencer, Mimi. The fastday cookbook : delicious low-calorie meals to enjoy while on the fastdiet / Mimi Spencer ; photography by Romas Foord.First Atria paperback edition. 2. 2.

Reducing dietsRecipes. I. Title. RM222.2.S674718 2014 641.5635dc23 2014019292 ISBN 978-1-4767-7881-5 ISBN 978-1-4767-7884-6 (ebook) For my incredible shrinking father

Its for people who have read The FastDiet , the book I coauthored with Dr. Michael Mosley, and who are keen to introduce 5:2 into their daily lives. Soon after the FastDiet took off last year, I wrote The FastDiet Cookbook to accompany it, a book designed to bring life, flavor, and a bit of drama to the characterless landscape of low-calorie eating. It was aimed at people who, despite wanting to lose weight, quite liked to cook on a Fast Day. But this book, The FastDay Cookbook , is different. FastDieters have asked me for something served straight, no twist.

Theyve asked for simple, practical basics. They want familiar favorites and hearty food, some of it in substantial man-size portions; a decent plate of proper nosh to leave them feeling satisfied and content, even when sticking to a Fast Day calorie quota. In short, they wanted a support system for the 5:2 diet. So here it is. Dont expect to fall off your seat in surprise. Most of the recipes here are cherished classics, rejigged to lower the calorie content but retain every bit of flavor.

Ive aimed for speed and convenience, with recipes that are easy to follow rather than game-changingchiefly because a Fast Day necessarily demotes food to fuel. That, in part, is the point. So save the dreamy recipes for other daystherell be plenty of those. The FastDiet: A Quick Recap It may be radical, but the FastDiet is also wonderfully economical with its rules. All you really need to know is that: You eat normally for five days a week and then, for two days a week, you consume a quarter of your usual calorie intakearound 600 calories for men, 500 for women. So, it is not total fasting, but a modified version.

You wont starve on any given day; there are still calories coming in. You can do your Fast Days back to back, or split them. Michael tried both ways and found he preferred nonconsecutive days, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. So, it is not continual fasting, but intermittent. Most people divide their calorie allowance between breakfast and an evening meal. You can, of course, skip breakfast and have a more substantial evening meal if it better suits your day.

The key is to aim for a lengthy fasting window between meals. It does matter what you eatplan your 500 or 600 calories by sticking, as the recipes here do, to the FastDiet mantra: Mostly Plants and Protein. That way, youll stay fuller longer and get adequate nutrients in your diet. Do this, and you should experience the many benefits of Intermittent Fasting. These include: Weight loss of around a pound a week A reduction in a hormone called IGF-1, which means that you are reducing your risk of a number of age-related diseases The switching-on of countless repair genes A rest for your pancreas, boosting the effectiveness of the insulin it produces in response to elevated blood glucose. Increased insulin sensitivity will reduce your risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive decline.

A rise in the levels of neurotrophic factor in the brain, which should make you more cheerful... which, in a happy positive feedback, should make fasting more achievable. What, When, and How to Eat Its worth spending a little time preparing for a Fast Day. It matters that you have at least thought about what youre likely to eat, simply to avoid the prospect of falling face first into the nearest chocolate fudge cake the moment hunger calls. This book contains only recipes, which would best suit an evening meal since this is the time when inspiration is usually required. Breakfast on a Fast Dayif you choose to have itis usually a simple affair based around the humble egg.

A couple of eggs, scrambled and perhaps pepped up with tarragon or chives, grainy mustard or chiles, clock in at around 200 calories and will really set you up for the day. Oatmealwith pear and cinnamon, or berries and honeywill release energy slowly, particularly if you stick to jumbo oats. But its supper, which requires most attention; besides, its the thing we Fasters look forward to most during the day. Its part of what gets us through. For many people, speed and convenience are of the essence here. Get it fast from a packet or a bag if necessary.

Open a can. Poke about in the freezer. The following facts, tricks, and tips should help you meet your Fast Day target. PROTEIN: The body does not store protein, so we recommend that you boost the protein content of your diet on Fast Days, making it a greater proportion of your daily diet on just those days. That way, you benefit from its satiating effects (protein really does make you feel fuller for longer than carbs) and you will have adequate levels of protein at all times. MEAT: Cooking meat and poultry with its skin on will maximize its flavor and prevent it from drying out, but dont eat the skinits a calorie trap.