Read the book, thought this through! Anyone care to be my buddy?

This topic contains 69 replies, has 17 voices, and was last updated by SAMM 10 years, 8 months ago.

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Nina6

2:38 pm
27 Jan 14
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Hello everybody! I ran into this fabulous idea while reading about the Dukan diet and trying to find out what I was doing wrong, since I couldn’t stay on it for more than 2 days… The truth is I am really fed up with dieting, I’ve tried so many diets, I even went on diets when I didn’t actually need to lose more than 4 or 5 pounds. I have moved to the UK fairly recently and have been so depressed I put on almost 20 pounds in the first year and it seems I can’t do anything about it. My biggest problem when starting a diet is the fact that I am actually on a diet, I don’t want to be a person that is on a diet, I want to be a “normal” person who eats healthy, does some mild exercise and lives. This diet seems so close to that! I can eat like a non-obese person for 5 days and feel so normal and just fast for two days. That’s actually what a thin person does! Thin (or better non-obese) people, eat when they are hungry and they might also forget to eat a lot for a day or two, they don’t care, it’s not an obsession for them.

I am very close to depression I am afraid (my doctor has reassured me of that as well) and I can’t afford to risk it since I have two children who are very vulnerable due to their moving to another country and being forced to leave so many people that adore them behind, so I need to be really strong for them. I suspect that 80% of my sadness comes from the extra pounds so I really need to do something about it.

I am 158 cm tall and 75 kilos. I know I look and feel good when I am 60-62 kilos so that will be my goal. Any newbies for support?

Angie090465

5:17 pm
27 Jan 14
Permalink

hi Nina and welcome to the forum!

reading your post I really think you going into this with the right frame of mind, I never feel I am on a diet with 5.2, its a way of life,its flexible, its free 🙂 and you can fit it around your life!

I am very sorry to hear about your personal problems, I am not a newbie as such since I have been doing this for about 6 months now but I will be your buddy if you have me 🙂 although am sure others will be along to offer their support too!

good luck on your goal, am sure you will get there, happy fasting!! 🙂

LittleDragon

5:28 pm
27 Jan 14
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Hi @nina6 and @angie090465 – I would be happy to support you along the way – I am a similar size to you – 5’2 and when starting on the Fast Diet, I was 11 stone 3. (my highest weight is 11 stone 7, which is only a pound more than you currently weigh).

I’m currently on my third week of fasting, and it’s going really well. I have no doubt once you commit to it, you will succeed. It really is a way of life adjustment and it gets easier. I remember my first fast day I was absolutely starving, light headed and grouchy but soon enough you realise that so rarely do we let our bodies feel real hunger. I find that I’m a lot more mindful of what I eat on normal days and although I’m only on week three, I think this is definitely a long term thing for me. I have lost 2 pounds for each week i’ve fasted and i’m now happy to say I am down to 10 stone 3.

I really want to shed at least a stone by 1 May, which is when I go on holiday. Happy to support you along the way in your goals… keep your head up and believe in yourself!! 🙂

josie40

5:34 pm
27 Jan 14
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Hi nina I would also be your buddy!!! I’m just on my second week I started at 10st 12 and would be happy to get to 9st 7 that’s where I was a year ago unfortunately due to stress as my brother in-law took his own life I did a lot of comfort eating & drinking so sort if know where your coming from. Let’s do this!!!!

Good luck Josie x

Angie090465

5:57 pm
27 Jan 14
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Wow guys that is such a lovely response!!

Nina, you are now fully supported, way to go girl! 🙂

Nina6

6:07 pm
27 Jan 14
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Guys I can’t believe this! I just checked the forum, not expecting any responses at all, and here I am reading posts from all you wonderful people. I am so excited! I will come back a little later (when the little monsters are in bed, cause right now they are jumping around me, screaming for attention:)

nellymay

6:24 pm
27 Jan 14
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Hi Nina I wish you well with the 5.2 diet I am not new to it as I tried it last year in September when we came back from Italy on holiday.i am 5 2 and I was doing so well up until Xmas then I have gone-down hill and am really cross with myself as I cannot stop eating.so silly but I am determined to get back on track and I start again tomorrow.i now weigh 10 sone 6 originally 11.1 but it’s my big birthday in April and I am desperate to get down to 9 6 I might need everyone’s help.i really hope you can do this this and would love to help you and be your buddy cheers everyone

Emma2780

6:43 pm
27 Jan 14
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Hello – I’m new on this too. I only want to shift a stone but that last stone is always a pain to loose and I have felt more out of control with what I eat for a while.
Today has been my first Fast day. I prepared myself over the weekend by cutting down a little so today has been a bit easier.

The worst bit was cooking my daughter and hubby their dinner when I was just eating a tiny thing. I know I could have probably eaten the same with them but Im having 3 small meals a day instead of 2 or just 1.

Good luck to you and everyone else who is starting out xx Looking forward to tomorrow’s breakfast! tee hee

Lindyw

6:54 pm
27 Jan 14
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We will all be your buddies Nina!
This is a very friendly supportive forum, and as Angie says IF is a sustainable way of life for us and you.
We have all been yo-yos counting calories or points, losing a few pounds then finding it too restrictive and falling by the wayside collecting our lost pounds plus a few more 🙁
Moving house is very stressful and moving country must be even more so.
First thing to do is read the book (very motivational) then weigh yourself and take your measurements particularly your waist.
Then plan your week – decide which two days fit into your lifestyle for your fast days. Remember this is not set in stone and if you need to move them about you can with no guilt.
Good luck and I am sure you will enjoy this way of life 🙂

Nina6

8:49 pm
27 Jan 14
Permalink

Here I am! The munchkins are in bed:) I am so excited about tomorrow, my first day fasting! I read the book (although I must admit I haven’t yet read the first part which is the scientific basis, however, in my defense, I have read a lot about fasting in the past and I know I am on the right track – or truck??? – here) and I really feel so different about this diet!

I intend to start tomorrow with a good breakfast (eggs on a frying pan without oil and some light cheese, maybe also a tomato or a green pepper) and eat again in the evening a yogurt, or a salad with some meat. I am an expert on calories counting, I believe I wont make any mistakes there! I have also realized by reading the book that the best thing to do on fast days is to fast for as many hours as possible, lets see how tomorrow goes and maybe I will do something more rigid next time! I hope that tomorrow is really a good day to start, since I work until 4 (I don’t work every day) and this will keep me busy. I made plans to cook for my husband a food that I don’t like at all but he loves (he is generally into things like lentils, beans and this type of food which I don’t like at all)so we will both be happy!

I also intend to walk as much as possible in general (walking has worked miracles on me in the past and I really like it) but it all depends on the weather…

However, I am not sure I fully understand a few core things: mainly, are the two days enough? Does anyone do 3 days of fasting? Is it doable? Also, on the non-fasting days, I can’t imagine giving in to crisps and chocolates, although people in various forums have suggested that they really eat freely on those days. I intend to control my calories intake on those days as well, but not in an obsessive way, or I could just try to eat in a healthy way, altogether avoiding bad carbs, I don’t know exactly what to do, I might be a little confused on this.

Thank you all for your support and I really would love for us to do this together, so I intend to login every day and write a few words about how I progress, and of course any one is welcome to pm me and discuss things in depth (I feel so lonely this last year in the UK, I could so much use some friends, especially since we have this common interest).

Angie and LittleDragon, thank you for joining in, although you are not new to this and I believe you don’t need any support, especially you Angie (6 months! you must be so proud of yourself!). Josie, so sorry to hear about what you’ve been through… makes me feel my problems are so mondaine… Please, lets stay together on this, I promise I wont let anyone down, we will do this together! Nellymay, don’t be cross at yourself, we are only human, I bet each and every one of us here have been through this so many times! I’ve been there myself with almost all the diets I’ve been on (and definitely with their maintenance plans:), we will be together on this and we will do it this time, this is such a fantastic alternative to all the restricting, self-humiliating diet plans that are out there! Emma, I have done this too, cutting down a bit during the last two days, first time in my life I don’t feel like I need to eat everything right now cause I won’t be able to eat it for a long time:) And Lindy, thank you so much for the advice, lets do this!

Angie090465

8:55 pm
27 Jan 14
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Nice to see you again Nina! 🙂

You sound like you have a good plan for tomorrow lol, i will be fasting too so you wont be alone!! Did you calculate your TDEE? Sorry if i have already asked, its the amount of cals you should consume on feed days, top of the page there is a section called “how?” and a tool will calculate this for you 🙂

Have a good evening, and lets bring on this fast tomorrow!!!! Take care xx

Nina6

8:04 pm
28 Jan 14
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Hello! Well, it’s been a rough day I must admit. I woke up late, didn’t have time to have breakfast, thought I would stop by the house during lunch break but something came up so I was at school until 3. After I picked up the kids from their school I thought “lets go all the way” and decided not to eat anything today! I did it and I intend to go to bed really early tonight cause it hasn’t been easy. But I am happy! Although I foresee the difficulty of having to do this in the process, that is when it will not be my first day and there won’t be so much enthusiasm.

Tomorrow I will eat normally. Angie, yes, I calculated my TDEE after you asked me last night and it is around 1650 calories/day. So I guess I should stick to this on the non fast days. How did you do today?

I will probably buy a notebook tomorrow, in order to write down what I eat and feel I am in control, although I have found in the past that this doesn’t work out for me in the long run, in the sense that it becomes an obsession and that’s the least I want. However, I will experiment this first week and see what suits me! Next fast day is Thursday, when I am working again, which makes it a lot easier.

How is everyone else doing today?

Angie090465

8:22 pm
28 Jan 14
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Hi Nina

Great to see your fast went well, wow youa re strong lady, eating nothing all day, i cant do it lol!!
I am now wishing tonigh away and be tomorrow grrrr, today was not too bad, for once i didnt eat anything in the morning till about 12, first time ever i do this and it was ok!!

Hope thursday fast goes just as well for you, way to go now!! 🙂

Tubbycustard

8:28 pm
28 Jan 14
Permalink

Hi Nina! I’m jumping on your buddy board too, as I am also a new starter, about the same height and weight as you (maybe plus a little!) I have 2 small children, with special needs, and I first piled on the pounds when I moved to England! I am totally with you on the anti diet thing. As soon as I feel deprived it makes me want to stuff, and I want to be someone who can just enjoy food without worrying about it. I think this might be the way to go.

I have done 3 fast days now. First ok, but ate too much for the next two days. 2nd difficult, but really felt dreadful the day after, couldn’t shake the headache at all. HOWEVER! Ate what I wanted over the weekend and didn’t put anything I’d lost back on, and found yesterday’s fast MUCH easier, so feeling very positive. I skipped breakfast, which goes against the grain, but really worked, as I had a few calories to play with later on. Had chicken salad for lunch, chicken casserole with loads of veg for tea, a Harley’s jelly for pud, and a weight watchers biscuit for evening nibble! Great!

Today, I feel great, not too hungry until that 4 o’clock time, when my last graze box arrived and I pigged out. However, I was brave and put everything I’d eaten into My Fitness Pal, and still below tDee. Just makes me realise how much I must have been eating to have out all that weight on. Think ‘chop and pop’ is my big flaw!

Do you think if we mention it enough My Fitness Pal could come up with an alternative 5:2 version!? Ooh, gap in the market!!

audrich

8:31 pm
28 Jan 14
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Well done, Nina, you go girl!

I definitely swear by a wee notebook where I chart my (OMG SLOW) weightloss progress and my cals are entered on an Excel spreadsheet (I confess, I am an Excel freak; there’s no hope for me) where I can keep very tight control by planning my day’s intake on fast days and feed days, so I can re-plan if I’ve gone over or just accept the fact that if I’ve stuffed up, & there’s no excuse.

Also, ( & Angie) many folk build themselves up to a total day’s fast, finding it gets easier as you learn more acutely about your hunger pangs (‘Am I really hungry, or is it something else? Can I distract myself’) and coming on the forum helps if you need advice or even just a morale boost.

Good luck!
Aud x

LittleDragon

11:58 am
29 Jan 14
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Hi all, just a quick update – I’m on my third week of fasting now and my second day for this week – it’s going well so far – I’ve been drinking lots of mint tea and not really felt hungry at all.

Today I plan to have a miso soup and noodle broth for lunch (192 cal) and a veggie lasagne for dinner (312 cal). I figured 10 calories over wouldn’t hurt… or I’ll just not finish the lasagne to ensure I don’t go over 500 calories…

Had a big Italian meal last night so was worried I would wake up feeling hollow but surprisingly really don’t. This fast diet really does get easier.

How is everyone else doing? Please share your progress!

Nina6

12:15 pm
29 Jan 14
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Hi! I am doing great, fasted for 36 hours, had 2 eggs with cheese this morning (which is not a fast day), I am at a school now (I am a supply teacher) so can’t write much, just wanted you to know that I am still here and intend to stay here for a long time! I will logon later in the evening to share details!

Angie090465

12:24 pm
29 Jan 14
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you go Nina!!

well done lady, haver a good day 😉 x

LittleDragon

12:45 pm
29 Jan 14
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Well done @nina6 on your progress – look forward to reading another update from you tonight.

josie40

12:56 pm
29 Jan 14
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Hi everyone I’m on my second week just finished two fast days in a row, didn’t plan to but was busy yesterday morning so didn’t eat until nearly 3 so just made it a fast day!! Sticking to my cals today and going to change weigh in day to a Thursday so fingers crossed for the morning!! Good luck everyone

Josie x

Stef.

4:56 pm
29 Jan 14
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Well done Nina! Starting slowly… 😉 NO food at all on your fast day??? That is really hard core!

On my fast days I usually eat nothing until dinner and then consume my 500 cal in one go. This is easier for me as if I eat a small thing during the day it seems to wake up my tummy and it screams for more food. On my fast days I consume a lot of water and green tea which help to keep the hunger at bay.

Over the last 2 1/2 months I have done a combination of 5:2, 4:3, ADF, calorie counting and changing my diet to an overall healthier one which led to losing nearly 7kg. (I did not have to lose too much weight to begin with so seven kilos is more than 10% of my original weight)

I like spiking things up a bit and I hate routines, that’s why I alternated different approaches over the last 10 weeks. I am also trying to stick to 16:8 as much as I can. Here you consume all your calories with in a window of eight hours, then eating nothing for the remaining 16 hours.

Keep it up and you will see that you weight will come down!

Best of luck,
Stef.

Nina6

8:48 pm
29 Jan 14
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Hi everyone! Well, strange day today. I had my eggs and cheese in the morning (total of 270 calories, since the eggs were done without any oil and the cheese was Leerdammer light – 56 cals a slice)and then they called me to go to work on a short notice so didn’t have anything else until 6, when I returned home. Then I ate a 0% yogurt(65 cals) and 3 chunks of chocolate (100 cals according to the wrap) and I could leave it here and consider this another fast day but, to be honest, I really want to eat something and I am obsessed with chocolate right now, so I am thinking: should I eat that chocolate (Snickers: 260 cals) and get it over with and fast tomorrow as planned? Should I maybe not eat the chocolate? I haven’t eaten any proper food after breakfast and that can’t be good either, but I don’t want to think about it right now. I ‘ll probably eat the chocolate and have some crispbread with some light cheese (I was thinking of 3 crispbreads – 25 calories each according to the packet – and 2 la vache qui rit light – 25 cals each) and that’s it. I will be happy and satisfied and go one with my fast day tomorrow, cause tomorrow it’s such a busy day and such a good chance for me to fast:) Tell me what you think. It’s not that I am waiting for your opinion to take my decision, I just want to see how the rest of you are thinking on this.

I am still very happy with myself, I feel much different cause I know I am doing the right thing, and I am especially happy for this forum, since I still can’t believe how supportive you guys are! Too bad there is no private messaging in this forum though…

So, starting from the end: Stef, your post was really an inspiration! I also intend to experiment a little and alternate fasting options, and you have it all so well in your head, thank you so much. It’s good to know that other people are doing/thinking what I am thinking to do (that is, go from 5:2 to ADD and to 4:3). One question about the 16:8 though: do you do that regularly on the days that you don’t fast, do you do it every day, do you do it every now and then? 7 kg is a great success since you didn’t have to lose a lot of weight in the first place, we all know how difficult it is to get rid of the extra kilos when it’s few of them!

Josie, way to go! Let us know about the results on the scales and I really wish you smile tomorrow morning!

Angie, you are such a sweet person, tell me how you are doing! When are you fasting again? Let me ask you also: since you are not new to this, have you tried any of the other options (like ADD, 4:3 etc)?

LittleDragon, I love it that you write what you ate all day! Makes me want to do the same thing, I think it helps everyone here:) Keep everyone posted, I ‘ll do the same thing, it’s so nice to share this experience! It really helps a lot!

Audrich, I didn’t buy a notebook actually, I have done this before, it doesn’t help me, I might do it though when I have lost the first 5-6 kilos (the rest will be harder to shed). One thing it helps with though is that it doesn’t let you binge, cause you don’t know how to write this little piece down so you just avoid it. Does this make sense (my English doesn’t help here)?

Tubbycustard, it looks like we have a lot in common and I can totally get what you are going through (plus the SN thing, which I don’t have, you are a hero). Lets try to make life away from home a bit better! Let us know how it went today:)

Sweet kisses to each and every one of you, I am so happy to be able to talk to you about my day and hope you continue to do this as well!

sylvestra

9:01 pm
29 Jan 14
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Miss out the chocolate and have the crackers and cheese, you’ll still be near enough within your 500 cals.

xx

Angie090465

9:47 pm
29 Jan 14
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Hi Nina!

Glad your day went ok, i did ok yesterday on my fast though i coudnt wait for the day to end!! I havent tried 4.3, to be honest i dont think i could 🙁 2 days is hard enough, maybe one day i will!! I have done 16.8 , skipping breakfast and just javing lunch and dinner but nothing to eat after 8pm.. Only once but its easy enough, i think a lot of people on maintenance are doing this, in additionto one fast a week…
I will be fasting again on friday, i’ll be at work very early in the morning as i commute but it has to be done 🙂
How about you, good luck for tomorrow though am sure you’ll be fine, you are so positive and taking the bull by the horn as they say lol!!!
Have a good one and let us know how you get on!! Take care xx

LittleDragon

9:52 am
30 Jan 14
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Well done Nina, the first few fasts are always a struggle, don’t beat yourself up for not becoming accustomed to it right away. I found the first week of fasting so difficult by try and push through it and tell yourself you can do it and you can have whatever you want the next day!

@angie090465 – i love that i see you popping up everywhere on this forum and wishing people good luck in their fasts! Best of luck for your fast tomorrow!

Angie090465

10:18 am
30 Jan 14
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awww thank you LittleDragon!!

hope your fasts go well too, we can do it!!! 🙂 xx

Nina6

9:14 pm
30 Jan 14
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Hello! Well, yesterday I did have the chocolate in the evening, but it was a non fast day anyway, so I am ok. So, to sum up I did a total fast on the first day (Tuesday), that is I drank only black coffee and water, I had what I had yesterday which was not a fast day, but since I was really busy all day I had no more than 700 cals and today I had another fast day (only water, a black coffee in the morning and a diet coke in the afternoon). So, you can understand that now I am starving!!!! But I will sleep early tonight and will have a nice breakfast first thing in the morning (I can’t wait!!!). In general I was ok during the day, but it was kind of hard cause they had Chinese day at my children’s school and although I don’t particularly like Chinese food the temptation was huge, plus we went to a soft play area with some friends in the afternoon and ordered cheeseburger with fries for the children and today they decided they didn’t want to eat more than half of it….. Anyway, I did it, and now I feel really happy with myself (and I am even happier that I can eat some things I like tomorrow!)

I will get on the scales right after the first week is over, and make sure it’s after a fast day too!

Of course now I am happy, but I will definitely be happy if I see that although I do eat quite normally on non fast days (within my TDEE) I lose weight. I don’t see why it should not happen but I need to see it and this will take a few weeks. I’ve never been happier on a diet, but lets establish whether it’s actually a diet with which I personally can lose weight!

So, I would like to hear from you guys now! Lets see how everyone did today!

sylvestra

9:49 pm
30 Jan 14
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@nina6
Did you have a zero calorie day followed by a 700 cal day followed by a zero cal day? If this is the case you are definitely not eating enough…your BMR has to be be more than 700 cals (unless you are exceptionally small, light and old) and you need to eat ABOVE that figure on non fast days.

You say ‘although I do eat quite normally on non fast days (within my TDEE)’ – 700 cals is only just above your calorie allowance for fast days and isn’t ‘normal’ eating (nowhere near your TDEE) and it wouldn’t be surprising if you don’t lose weight as your body will hang on to what it has.

Apart from the fact that your eating levels are not sustainable, I’m afraid that if you carry on at these dangerous levels you will make yourself ill and put yourself into a full blown eating disorder.

xx

Nina6

10:23 pm
30 Jan 14
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Hi Sylvestra! If you read my post very carefully you will see that the phrase you quote is part of a hypothetical sentence. I don’t intend to go on like that!!! It just happened. However, thank you very much for your concern, I really appreciate that you are trying to protect a total stranger. The past 3 days have been dangerous since Tuesday and Thursday were my fast days and I didn’t eat enough on Wednesday but I really don’t intend to repeat it:)

sylvestra

11:01 pm
30 Jan 14
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Hi @nina6 …I am so glad to hear that you don’t intend to repeat this. 😀

When you post on here you are making things public and when others see a post that read as yours does it can set alarm bells ringing. So many people get obsessed with eating or not eating and end up making themselves unwell.

You can put it all down to the fact that some of us are a little bit (well OK a big bit) older and can get a tad protective. 😀 😀

xx

hondakawi

7:18 am
31 Jan 14
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Omg nina6 I did the same thing prettymuch. I had 300ish Mon fast day 500ish Tue feed day-wasnt hungry @ all, and wed 30 cal. Didn’t mean to do 3 days in a row it just happened! So happy to have some nice healthy meals today to my tdee. Food tasted so much better!

Nina6

9:25 am
31 Jan 14
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@hondakawi, was this your first week? I believe it is normal to get overexcited during the first weeks and do a stupid thing like the one we both did (mine was worse, since I water fasted Tuesday and Thursday and just had 700 cals on Wednesday) but what’s done is done. I am resuming normal eating today (although somehow after my breakfast – 2 slices of toasted bread with honey – I am really really not hungry at all, but I will eat some more later, or better I’ll have a full meal in the evening and maybe a yogurt in the afternoon). I don’t know if I will fast during the weekend at all, cause it really seems hard when you are home all day, I’ll see what I will do.
How is everyone else doing? Where are my buddies? Give us an update, it’s so nice to know how everyone else is doing, even if they are not doing great. That’s the magic about this diet, you feel like you can resume it even if you fall off track for a day (and I don’t mean to encourage overeating and then fasting, if anyone reads my comment that way:)))

LittleDragon

2:22 pm
31 Jan 14
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Hi @nina6 – well done completing your first fast week! You’ve done the hardest part (the first day was definitely the most difficult for me). This will help you focus your mind on the food you eat on non-fast days and if you’ve seen any weight loss this week hopefully it’ll spur you on for next week. I’ve found this diet has helped me feel so much more in control of myself and realise how little we actually need throughout the day. It’s also making me drink a lot more water which is no bad thing.

How have you felt this week has gone? As someone else has suggested above, perhaps it’s a good idea to keep a diary in a notebook.

Going in to your second week, why don’t you buy ready-meals in advance, so you know that you’re eating the right amount of calories? I find that this really helps me stay on track – I will have a lunch of around 200 calories and then a dinner of 300, and if it’s already prepared for me, then I don’t have to worry about cooking and I know exactly the amount I’m eating!

I fasted Monday and Wednesday this week, went to the gym once so far and will go for a run hopefully Saturday and Sunday but at least Saturday… I’ve lost another two pounds this week which I’m thrilled about. Wishing you success and a great weekend!

kernowmum

2:46 pm
31 Jan 14
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Hi I am a relatively new starter, I have been looking tried a couple of days but crashed big time on non fasting days.

I lost 3 stone two years ago on meal replacement, and am ashamed to admit 2 1/2 have gone back on 🙁
I have been motivated by this site and so far managed Monday and Wednesday with no hiccups, trying today as well. I thought 4 to 3 would be a good kick start.
I’m having breakfast Porridge with water & blueberries, then nothing unti evening. Tonight i have an Innocent pot at 258 cal plus a home made sugard free jelly 10 and a few frozen berries.
Sunday is weigh day so fingers crossed.. I will follow everyones progress and hopefully be motivated by you all

Tubbycustard

4:49 pm
31 Jan 14
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Hi all am 7lbs down! Think a couple will reappear, but still chuffed and TBH completely amazed that I can eat the way I’ve been eating and still lose weight! There will be no zero calorie days for me, I’d have to be very ill for that to happen!

LOVE that I can just forget about being on a diet for most of the week! Little dragon, I find the ready meals very useful too, and also useful to have pre-cooked chicken breast in the house. And jelly! Have ordered chocolate favoured tea as recommended by someone on here a while ago, I’ll let you know how that goes.

Good luck all for your next fast.

TC xx

funky

7:38 pm
31 Jan 14
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Reported Ryss as SPAM

Nina6

10:03 pm
31 Jan 14
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Thank you funky!

Well, hello! I am on my fourth day on this diet and today is a non fast day (and the weekend will also be non fast). However, I again didn’t have many calories so far since I was really busy, so I had less than 500 cals. But now I will have dinner with my husband and I will make an omelet for me (2 whole eggs, 1 white, no oil, with a green pepper and a tomato) and probably eat a few fries as well (sensibly). I think I will have even more cals tomorrow since we will be home all day. I hope I can start some walking as well, since it has always helped me with weight loss. I am so curious to see what the scales will show on Wednesday (since I won’t fast Friday/Saturday/Sunday, I think it would be nice to fast Monday and Tuesday, then resume eating on Wednesday, then again fast on Thursday and again go for a normal Friday and weekend). However, I think I know it will work on me for various reasons. One hint I have is the following: on January 4th I started with the Dukan diet and I managed to do it only for 2 days (typical of me) and then decided it doesn’t suit me at all and stopped, trying to decide how I should proceed (thinking I knew all the diet plans in the world, until I ran into this one). I lost 2 kilos those two days, and I had eaten very little (also typical of me in the beginning of a diet). Well for the rest 22 days (until I started 5:2 fast last Tuesday) I ate quite normally, not trying to avoid anything in particular but it was ok in general (but definitely a bit above my TDEE) and I never put on back those two kilos.

About the ready-meals: I think I won’t enjoy them, every time I have tried anything like that I always think that real food is better and give up, so I ll stick with my water fast, it’s so much easier. LittleDragon, remind me how long you have been on this diet for!

Kernowmum, welcome! Lets post in here as often as we can our progress, I believe it’s helpful for everyone. I don’t feel lonely at all, it’s so strange how I feel that I have friends on this, and it’s only on a forum!

Tubbycustard, way to go! 7 lbs down is a very good result for the time you have been on this diet! I am happy for you!

I also thought of experimenting on different approaches (5:2, 4:3, ADD). Any other interesting ideas about alternative plans?

I have to go, cause hubby is waiting to have dinner!

xxx

hondakawi

7:28 am
1 Feb 14
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Oh no not my 1st week. I did do a 4:3 my 1st week tho(then went to 5:2 for 3 weeks). Im on my 5th weekly I switched to a 4:3 and wasn’t hungry, so it was easy to mess up. Did the math it was like a 77 hour fast! Wtf. How’d.I do that. Well got fasting done 4 week. Cept 2day didn’t have but 650. Maybe I’m more of an ADFaster…the experiment continues…2moro is a 1800 day!

Nina6

9:37 pm
1 Feb 14
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Hi there! Non fast day today (yesterday too), I think I did well both days, although I ate below my TDEE. It is 1650 cals and I had around 1300. One question though: what is wrong with having a small chocolate (eg a Mars chocolate) on the days I am not fasting, since I really like it and I don’t exceed my TDEE (not even close)?

How is everyone doing? I guess the challenge will be going back to fasting on Monday. We’ll see how that goes. By the way, has anybody done two consecutive days of total fast (ie water fast). I intend to fast both on Monday and Tuesday and as you know I prefer to water fast, however I think I am afraid to do two consecutive days of water fast…

xxx

hondakawi

2:15 am
2 Feb 14
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Hi nina6! I think the deal with the mars bars is this: personally I’ve been researching the Cronies way of life (that Michael talks a little about in the book) they focus on Calorie Restriction with Optimum Nutrition. Now, the MAJORITY of food I put into to my body is nutrient dense food. I use pasta, cake, chocolate, wine, flavored lattes, etc as a condiment. As a result; I feel amazing. Ok, so every day isn’t perfect but that’s ok. Im not perfect, and i dont want to be 🙂 I go to the local farmers market every week and buy fresh organic produce, eggs, honey, and many different kinds of sprouted beans and seeds(my mkt has like 15+ varieties of sprouts-That’s California 4 u 😛 ) I find everything tastes waaay better, and the food is more filling(nutrients satisfy.) the apples and bananas sweeter, lettuce and tomatoes more flavorful, eggs richer. Fresh Raw foods make you feel amazing, fasting makes me feel like this too(Some compare it to being high–Totally;-) ) Ive been so happy the past few weeks now that ive settled into a nutrient dense fasting lifestyle(always have exercised so I don’t mention that–its a given.) I thought it didnt really matter if I skipped some of the produce and didn’t buy organic-but why would I put denatured foodstuffs into my body? Its all ‘fluff’. And fluff is not my style. I’m a ‘meat and potatoes’ type of gal(figuratively)I respectfully, tell it like it is, and expect the same in return(alot of pretentious LA ppl dont like this. Lol) I don’t need life sugarcoated, so why should my food be?
Ill step down from my soap box now.lol.
But u know what I mean. Take care of ur body n it will take care of u! xxx
PS ill totally do 2 fast days with u! Email me hondakawi@yahoo.com

Nina6

8:04 am
2 Feb 14
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Goodmorning! I wish I could have that frame of mind! Plus, I e-mailed you! xxx

Where is everyone else? Lets have some updates!

josie40

9:46 am
3 Feb 14
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Hi nina 3rd week in …didnt have time to weigh myself last week and im religious that it has to be a thursday morning so will wait and do it this thursday. Fast day today and still feeling quite motivated hope you are too!!

Josie x

LittleDragon

9:56 am
3 Feb 14
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Morning @josie40 and @nina6

Fourth week of fasting, and first fast this week.

I have dropped two pounds for each week I have fasted, last week was the same, but annoyingly after the weekend (and even though I did two 40 minute runs!!) I weighed myself this morning and I’m a pound heavier than I was on Thursday morning. Hopefully this is just water retention or something to do with the time of the month, but I’m hoping to be another two pounds down from my weight last week.

Has anyone done a consecutive day fast? I’m considering it this week, doing Monday and Tuesday. Please let me know!

josie40

3:04 pm
3 Feb 14
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I did consecutive days last week mon & tues which really motivated me to eat super healthy the reat of the week as i didnt want ti mess up my hard work!! Thinking of doing that maybe every other week.

LittleDragon

3:09 pm
3 Feb 14
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Thanks @josie40 – did you find you lost more weight fasting on consecutive days?

Looking at my plans for this week, I am eating out Friday night and Sunday lunch. I also have a lunch meeting on Wednesday and Friday and so I’m considering doing consecutive days today and Tuesday and then again on Thursday.

Has anyone else done a 4:3 fast? Are the results better than a 5:2 fast?

josie40

4:16 pm
3 Feb 14
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I forgot to weigh myself last week i was so busy so couldnt say and not weighing again untill thus thursday …

Josie

Nina6

10:39 pm
3 Feb 14
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Hello!!! Sorry guys, such a busy day and a busy week overall, but this is a good thing cause today’s fast went really well (total fast, it’s easier for me not to eat anything). LittleDragon, one pound is nothing to worry about, just ignore it, it could be anything! I am doing two consecutive fast days, so you are not alone! I also wish I could tell you about 4:3, which is what I did this week, but 1) I haven’t weighed myself yet (tomorrow!!!) and 2) it’s too soon for me to make any conclusions! But still, first week is gone!!! I am so happy!!! (and hungry, but I try to forget about this). Josie, yes, what you’re saying about not wanting to overeat so as not to spoil all the hard work, makes absolute sense to me!

Talk to you tomorrow! I am definitely on board with this diet!

xxx

LittleDragon

10:10 am
4 Feb 14
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Hi @nina6 and @josie40

I’m doing a consecutive day fast this week – this is my second day and fasted yesterday. I was a pound up after the weekend but weighed myself again this morning and I lost two pounds yesterday it seems, so I’m a pound back down. Officially lost half a stone since Jan 13 and I’m thrilled!

I’m considering fasting on Thursday as well, and doing a 4:3 fast, if I do, I’ll let you know how it goes.

@nina6 – I don’t know how you go all day without eating – I certainly couldn’t do it!

Good luck anyone who is fasting today!

Nina6

9:39 pm
4 Feb 14
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Hi everyone! First of all the very good news is I weighed myself in the morning, I lost 3 kilos on this first week!!! I know most of it is water but still, it was so nice to see it!

I am on my second day of total fast and I can’t wait for tomorrow to eat some food, I am starving!!! That’s why I am on my way to bed! I’ll fast on Thursday as well and then I ll leave Friday and the weekend for normal eating and then fast again on Monday and weigh on Tuesday. I think the number on the scales next Tuesday will be much more revealing as to what has been really lost (since I weighed today but it was after a total fast, same will happen next week but still, I will know if smth is really moving downwards!).

LittleDragon, it’s so much easier than counting calories, amazingly I feel less restricted with total fast:)

How did everyone else do today?

sylvestra

9:53 pm
4 Feb 14
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Hi @nina6 well done on your great loss. I don’t want to sound a wet blanket but on the other hand I don’t want to see you disappointed …you may not see much further loss and you may even see a slight gain until your body ‘settles in’ to this way of eating.

It can take up to a month for things to settle to a regular weight loss – around 1 lb (0.5kg) a week is the average quoted although everyone is different.

I’m saying this, not just specifically to you, but because there are so many posts around at the moment about plateaus’ and ‘gains’ and ‘being stuck’.

With any weight loss programme there is nearly always a good loss at the beginning and as you so rightly say, it’s a water loss. Then the body seems to say ‘oy, what’s going on?’ and hang on to the weight for a bit before you start to lose again.

It’s also a case of simple maths that you will weigh less after a fast day and then show a gain after the next non fast day.

Good luck and here’s to further loss.

xx