Nina Buckley is a sucker for donuts, McDonald's Big Macs, and Indian takeout — food preferences that can easily derail any diet devotee's quest to lose weight. That's why after three months on Weight Watchers, the mother of three found she had actually gained a few pounds.
"It's like being teased with your favorite foods you can't have," said Buckley, 28, a who lives in England but is originally from Romania.
Buckley is one of the countless men and women who are grappling with how to eliminate pounds without having to sacrifice a lot of food.
The FastDiet, which recommends eating about a quarter of your typical calorie intake (500 calories for women and 600 calories for men) two days a week, and eating normally for the other five, meets dieters half-way. It's "forgiving" approach to dieting that Buckley has taken to.
The FastDiet's designers, Dr. Michael Mosley and journalist Mimi Spencer, both of the U.K., claim that their 5:2 plan makes you lose weight faster than other diets. They've written a book about the science behind their diet theory and why they think it works.
During these "fasting days" dieters can take in their calories in one meal or break it into multiple small plates. Does it work?
As always, the proof is in the pudding.
After four weeks, Buckley claims to have lost 13 pounds. She's done it by eating chicken and steamed broccoli, chili con carne, and yes, even pork casserole all for 500 little calories or less.
"This diet it's easy because I know I have to be strict for only two days, then the rest of the week I'm eating when I'm hungry. My appetite has reduced significantly," said Buckley.
A Facebook fanpage allows fellow FastDieters to interact by sharing their meals, and weight-loss success.
We've rounded up some of the meals to give you an idea of what FastDiet meals are like. Most of them look good. There are lots of vegetables and lean proteins. The question is: how long did the dieters last?
430 calories: Baked cod fillets (170 calories each), 5 cherry tomatoes, red onion, mixed cabbage and spring onion.
250 calories: Half a head of steamed broccoli, half a head steamed cauliflower, about 12 ounces of mixed roasted vegetables (onion, zucchini, peppers, and tomato), less than 1/2 cup of tomato salsa, and two portions of Smash instant potato.
135 calories: A breakfast of strawberries, black grapes and blueberries, and strawberry yogurt.
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