How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it: a simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Join me in the Fasting Lifestyle.
Most people wonder how they will get through the day on only 600 calories. Friends of ours’ used to scoff at our “Starvation Days” and sometimes others will taunt us about what they can eat while we are depriving ourselves. But we are smug in the knowledge that the day after we will be a pound lighter and looking good. Since this is my 12th blog post, I offer 12 tips:
1. Watch the video of Dr Mosley’s program Eat-Fast-Live which we saw originally on PBS. This is what inspired us to start this Lifestyle and it might help you too.
2. Plan ahead. We write on the calendar what Fast meals we want to eat in a week. Nothing ruins a diet like coming home and having no idea what to eat for dinner. That’s when the default foods come out [carry-out or pizza]. You can avoid that by planning.
3. Prep ahead. You see in many recipe the HINTS about preparing food ahead. This is a real time-saver in the morning. Want your spouse to help you to stay on the diet when you get home late? Write out the recipe, leave it on the counter, include info about where to find ingredients, and maybe the meal will be in progress when you come through the door.
4. Shop ahead. Now that you know what you want to eat, have the ingredients on hand. When Fast Day comes, you want to be ready.
5. Portion as you shop. The recipe calls for 4 oz chicken breast, so when you get home, cut the chicken into the correct size. Wrap and label the part you need, save the trimmings for another use such as Chicken Curry [Feb. 11] or Chicken Noodle Soup [Jan 19]. The same goes for vegetables: slice and chop those 2 oz of bell pepper that you will need. It takes moments to do this as you unload the groceries, so do it to save time later.
6. Listen to Diane Rehm interview Dr. Mosley. http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows /2013-03-13/dr-michael-mosley-fast-diet Diane asks the tough questions and ends the conversation by saying that everyone on her staff can’t wait to try the diet!
7. Make the meal setting special. Instead of eating on the run or while standing over the sink, make a Fast meal an occasion. Use the good plates and flatware. Put the sparkling water in a nice glass with a twist of lemon. See the demitasse cup in the photo? It is the only one I have and it makes the breakfast table so pretty that it is saved for Fast days only.
8. Slo-o-o-ow down the meal. The other reason for the little cup at breakfast? By putting the coffee in a pitcher, I frequently have to stop to refill the cup. This bit of fussiness slows down the process. When you put food in your mouth, put down the fork. You don’t have to chew 30 times, but don’t simply cram the food in your mouth — savor it, taste it, and make it last.
9. Set goals by the clock. After breakfast, vow not to put any calories in your mouth until noon. Then at noon, tell yourself that you can hold out for another 2 hours. Maybe setting a timer will help you: while the timer is ticking, don’t eat. This does not mean that you will eat when the timer rings! No. Set a new goal.
10. Distract yourself. After breakfast, I pour a large [1.5 cups] glass of water which I sip on until 2 pm. Then I have earned a hot cup of tea — something bold-tasting or soothing as mood dictates. A touch of honey in the drink provides a real lift. Mid-to-late afternoon is difficult for me. Go for a walk [not to the kitchen or break-room!] or get involved in a long project to take your mind off eating.
11. Hide the temptation. I stash the bowl of pistachios in the cupboard on Fast Days. Yes, I still know they are there, but out of sight, out of mind.
12. Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow. This has a double meaning. 1] If you yearn for something on a Fast Day, tell yourself that you can have it tomorrow. It is not a promise that you have to keep. Tomorrow it might not be calling to you. 2] Tomorrow is the day that you will weigh less. Tomorrow is also weeks from now when you will be slimmer and thinking about new clothes. Tomorrow will come.
Use scallops or lobster or shrimp instead.] 
the seasoning of your salmon]. Pour into a pan which has been sprayed briefly with cooking spray. Before the eggs set, add the salmon and scallions. Scramble to taste. Brew your beverage and take the previously-made smoothie from ‘fridge. Plate with fruit of choice. HINT: This would be a wonderful dinner, as long as you didn’t eat eggs for breakfast.
could prep this the night before, cover the ramekin in plastic, and pop it in the ‘fridge for morning. Bake at 350º for 18 minutes. While it is baking, cut and plate the fruit, brew your beverage, and make your smoothie [or take it from ‘fridge if made last week]. 271 calories; 6.7 g. fat; 13.9 g. protein; 22.2 g. carbs
sp curry powder [more if you wish] and 3/4 tsp dry mustard over the vegetables and stir to combine. Add a bay leaf and 2½ c. chicken stock. Cook down until the mixture measures 2½ cups. If you are serving one person, you will use 10 fluid oz. of the sauce; double that if serving 2 people. HINT: Freeze the remaining sauce, either in 10 oz portions or 1¼ c. portions. To continue. Steam 1 oz carrot slices and ½ c. cauliflower florets. Boil ¼ c. yellow lentils until cooked. [You will need ¼ c. cooked lentils for this dish, so use any leftover another day.] Add the cooked vegetables to the curry sauce along with 2 Tbsp green peas. Add ¾ oz cooked chicken and heat the sauce to warm all the parts. Serve with the lentils on the side and a garnish of ¼c. diced tomato or diced cucumber. 288 Calories
on-stick spray and break one 2-oz egg into the container. Add 1½ tsp grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, herbs, and screw on the lid. Lower the coddler into barely-boiling water and simmer 4 minutes. Turn off heat and leave the eggs in the water 1-2 minutes longer, depending on how you like your eggs. Meanwhile toast ½ slice of 70-cal bread. Mix ¼ c. blueberries with 1 Tbsp yogurt and serve on the side. Coffee or tea. Fruit smoothie [Blog Post #1] or 6 oz apple cider.
Shrimp Stir-fry with Soba Noodles:
il the bottom is set but the top is still moist. Sprinkle on ¼ oz grated cheese — we like Gruyère or Cheddar. Fold and plate. Meanwhile toast ½ piece of the 70-calorie bread, pour the smoothie out of the jar where you stored it since last time, and sit down to enjoy this with your nearly [or totally black] tea or coffee. If you don’t want the toast, serve with 2 oz apple slices. If you don’t make the smoothie, then make this omelette with 2 entire eggs. It will come out to the same calorie count.
low heat. Remove hot dogs and add 1/3 cup baked beans from a can. Is this not fast and easy? Heat the beans in the pan where the franks cooked to get all their flavor. Meanwhile slice 1 c. zucchini or summer squash and heat in a little water until soft. In the photo you see bits of red pepper in there too. Add a dab of relish [10 more calories] and 5 celery or carrot sticks [not enough calories to mention] and there you are. If that took longer than 15 minutes, I’d be amazed.
up blueberries or strawberries over it all and sprinkle with 1¼ tsp chopped pecans. Serve with tea or coffee, nearly black. By now you know that I like a smoothie with this, but you could substitute 2 more Tbsp of cottage cheese instead. I think of this as the Spa Breakfast!
salmon for a prior meal, say a few Friday’s ago, save out 3 oz, wrap in plastic and freeze to have this meal later. Cook and cool 2½ oz of green beans. Slice or quarter a hard-cooked egg [HINT: use half today and make the other half part of tomorrow’s lunch] and cut 3 black olives in half. Arrange the beans, egg half, olives, and 5 cherry tomatoes over and around the fish. A few slices of radish make a pretty garnish. Another Spa Meal! Do try these sometime soon — they are delicious, attractive, filling, and packed with protein.
bowl and whisk with favorite herbs, salt, and pepper to taste. HINT: IF YOU ARE SERVING ONE PERSON: Beat eggs up with a rotary beater and pour into a measuring cup. Pour half of the beaten eggs into a small jar, put a lid on it, and refrigerate it for next week. Pour the eggs into a heated skillet which has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. 
arm. 
Eating well, with creative recipes, to follow the Fasting Lifestyle according to Michael Mosley's "Fast Diet." 