First Day: Struggling

This topic contains 7 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Homemadehitshow 10 years, 3 months ago.

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Homemadehitshow

4:56 pm
4 Aug 14
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Hi all, 47 year old male, about 25lbs over a realistic weight. I am active, play sports etc but eat too much, and often by habit.

Generally I have done well with diet but in the last 6 months I have picked up a real candy/cookie habit that I have been unable to break.

I like to mix up diets but generally I have simply counted calories.

I am trying 5:2 with on occasional 4:3.

Today is the first day, 10am for me (after a 6am start) and I’m feeling hunger. In truth I realize that I am not actually hungry but just used to the habit of eating.

TracyJ

1:03 pm
5 Aug 14
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Yep – all totally correct. If water and a 10-15 minute wait makes it go away it’s not really hunger, it’s just thirst and your body’s expectations of food at particular times. I cannot remember the last time I was genuinely, honest to god hungry after being on 5:2 for 2 years. All of my ‘hunger’ battles are mental these days – tummy rumbles (when they happen) are just noise to me.

Whatever you do don’t ‘stock up’ with extra food the night before you fast (that makes it exponentially harder) and keep a water bottle on hand for those (fake) ‘hunger pangs’ for your first few weeks of fasting. You can even tough it out without that much water after a while but there’s no sense in making things difficult for yourself at the start.

Best of luck with it.

2fast2furious

1:46 pm
5 Aug 14
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Good luck. This 5:2 really does teach you to recognise hunger and not to fear it. Hunger should be a normal thing that we feel a few times a day, but I think most people do so much snacking that they never actually feel genuine hunger (until they try something like this)! Don’t worry, hunger won’t kill you – in fact it doesn’t even get worse and worse really – it comes in waves, so if you ignore it, it goes away! Good luck. x

luckylucy

6:04 pm
5 Aug 14
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I find the ‘ravenous’ hunger pangs difficult too but nothing a talking-to can’t sort out. Completely agree that hunger shouldn’t be something we are afraid of which is something we all need to re-learn now that we live in a society where food is so readily available. Good luck 🙂 !

Homemadehitshow

6:08 pm
6 Aug 14
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For me I don’t even think it’s hunger, it’s habit eating and a love of good tasty things.

Hard to battle.

Got through Monday, Wednesday (today) is my second day. Struggling again 🙂

luckylucy

6:42 pm
6 Aug 14
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I understand @homemadehitshow I’m a ‘foodie’ at heart, love my food! But that is a big part of what attracts me to the 5:2 lifestyle – there is always tomorrow when we can indulge in what we want (within reason) – though I often find that once tomorrow comes around, the craving has passed already! Stay with it, you’re doing great!

Shanilay

7:26 pm
6 Aug 14
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Homemadehitshow
I fasted for 30 days during Ramadan from 2.30 am through to 9.45pm. Trust me it’s mind over matter. Michael Mosley said whilst doing his 4 day fast ‘the hunger comes in waves then subsides’
What I did find during the 30 days is that majority of the food I normally ate was out of sheer boredom.
I lost 1 stone during my 30 days but it is not sustainable once coming off fasting which is why I’m doing the 5:2 & 4:3 the lb’s are coming off and I aim to have got to my goal dress size by November.
During fasting continuously I found my skin was amazing I felt so much lighter. I opened and closed my fast with lemon and ginger a potent immune boosting detoxing concoction.
I initially found it difficult with the 5:2 for my 500 calorie restriction foods but I’m getting better at it in week one I have lost 5 lbs. Lots of salad herbs salmon avocados fresh fruit especially berries. I hope it all goes well for you and your health continues to improve.

Homemadehitshow

4:56 pm
7 Aug 14
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To be clear, it’s not hunger, it’s the habit and wish to eat.