Hi, Tracey – it feels a bit weird saying welcome to the forum when I’m a total newbie myself, but I’ll say it anyway, hehe. I’m in Australia, but am a former pom. I haven’t read through many previous posts on here yet, but I think they will be a fount of knowledge and inspiration if you get a chance to have a look.

I’ve been on the 5:2 on and off for a year (definitely more off than on. I tend to get all motivated when the kilos creep back on, then go on it, it works, then I get slack again). But for me the thing is it DOES work, when combined with exercise and sensible eating on non-fast days. Like a lot of people have said, I’m sure, knowing it’s just one day when you’re potentially a bit uncomfortable and then the next day you can eat more “normally” really makes the difference and makes it feel like a less relentless ongoing diet situation where you constantly feel you have to have willpower.

I had no idea how I’d go when I started. I expected it to be much worse, actually. You’ve managed 5 days in a row previously, which shows you absolutely can manage one day, and then a couple or few days later another one day, and so on. I must admit I have a little over the 500 calories mark, it’s more like 600, but it still works perfectly well for me at this point. I’m not advocating that or anything. I’m sure you’d get even better results the stricter you are, but I figured if it was that or not do it at all, I’d give myself a break, at least in the beginning stages when it’s easier to shed the weight. I’ll no doubt tighten things up later.

A huge thing in being able to keep to it or not, I think (having had friends who struggled so much they just couldn’t continue and realising they didn’t make very good food choices on their fasting days) is the choices you make on those days. If you decide to blow all your calories on some kind of junk food item and have no decent food for the day you’re going to feel bad, I’m pretty sure of it, and it will be much harder to stick with it. So a bit of education beforehand on all the good healthy foods that are low calorie that can give you the nutrition you need for the day and make you feel as full as you’re able to on such a low calorie amount I would advise. Raw carrots, celery, big bowls of salad – that sort of thing – all good stuff! There’s an excellent spicy lentil soup in a veggie recipe book I’d be happy to share which is my staple fasting day dinner.

Good luck. You can do it!! Best wishes from Australia…. 🙂