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Hello UK day 6 – My first fast day in March lasted until 3.30pm and then I decided to stop but I will be mindful for the rest of the day and plan to fast again from 7pm this evening until Wednesday lunch time.
Still not caught up – the perfectionist in me won’t let me not read all the posts but just as I think I am getting somewhere another page appears lol.
Day 6 Ireland FD
Thanks @at for adding me to the fasters!
I Enjoyed my indulgence at the weekend. And happy to be back on a FD today. Its amazing how much more I enjoy my food in this WOL. And the FD are definitely getting a little easier. The key for me:
LOTS of water, at least 3 litres. My favourite is sparkling water, boy its a treat!
LOTS AND LOTS of tea. I was getting rather cold on FD but drinking tea really helps with this.
The only downside to all this are the regular visits to the toilet!
Havent checked my weight and I have no intention of. I just love the way I feel, no need to. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly have plenty of moments where I think this isnt working,and sometimes I feel sorry for myself….but they’re only moments, and they pass. Having a team of people on this forum certainly helps to keep me on the right path. Thanks team! Keep going. And keep smiling.
UK, day 6, FD
Doing really well so far as I had the busiest day ever – only managed 4 biscuits and 1 apple for lunch (160cals). Having the rest of my calories now.
Very disappointed after my week as i did really well on my last two FDs but still ended up putting on a pound… my last FD was 5 days ago so maybe things will adjust this week? I dont want to start counting calories on NFDs so i might have to go 4:3 *sigh*
Day 7/NFD/Melbourne Aus
I love spicy foods on fast days or any days too @jojo28 . One of my favourite go to meals in winter is a spicy Vietnamese style Pho with homemade chicken broth, poached chicken and lots of veg and no noodles. Soups are a great stand by anytime. Another favourite is Shakshuka. There is a great recipe on https://thepaddingtonfoodie.com/the-5-2-challenge/ . I used this site for inspiration and when I needed to whip up a quick meal after work. All the hard work is done for you. Check out the guide for stir fry.
Thank you @at for your stewardship. I don’t know how you have time to round us all up and to keep inspiring us.
Have a good and healthy day everyone. Focus on the health benefits, weight loss and feeling sexy ( @bert ) are the bonus.
Day 7 NZ
I’m not sure how to enter my day….
As anyone who has read and posted in support of my distressed ramblings this Montag already knows, afrr 5 months of 5:2 and a month of 4.3 and still only 2kg lost in total, I’ve been feeling like I’m wasting my time.
I know there are other benefits and I’m grateful for those, but I really need the weight loss to happen and I don’t want to feel so demotivated that I throw in the towel completely. So, my plan this week is to adapt the fast to 20:4. As in, I’m going to fast daily until 3pm then enjoy an eating window of 4 hours until 7pm.
I’m hoping at minimum this at least keeps me from gaining, but most importantly it will be the mental refresher that I need to get me through my slump, and maybe if I’m lucky it will be the trick to put my body back on the downwards slide.
So @at I’m not sure how to categorise my week for your spreadsheet, but for my mind I’m approaching it as a daily mini fast this week.
Fingers crossed my stress level over all this goes down and my weight goes with it lol😉
Second post,
@at and @songbirdme — thank you both, I can’t stand the smell of ACV but I will try it, my DH drinks it all the time!
@georgia83 – Don’t despair! Don’t forget women go up and down in weight anyway and one 1lb is not a big gain! (I am guessing you are female with the user name Georgia and I am guessing you aren’t over 60 with the suffix 83! But please forgive me if not…)
If you read some of the posts from Feb (if you ever have time!) you will see lots of people writing about bodily processes etc making weigh-ins rather variable, so I don’t think you should worry too much just yet.
I must admit when I started doing the tracker (something I swore I would never do!) I actually found it really inspiring! I hadn’t realised how well I was actually doing until I put it into a graph!
My own personal fear about moving to 4:3 would be that 4:3 would be much harder for me to maintain and then I would be likely to give up altogether. The great thing about 5:2 is that it is easy to stick to and therefore it becomes a WOL.
We are all different, but that’s my take on it :0)
Second post for the day – Made it. I was going to do B2B tomorrow, but have just realised we are off to the pub for tea tomorrow night – think I’d best fast until then, tho!
Then a conscious effort on Wednesday to hold on to any progress and final FD for the week on Thursday. Hoping for some scale movement on Friday, but feeling good that I fit a UK 12/ US 8 at H&M earlier today. Didn’t suit me, but almost bought it just because of the size 😉
Day 6 2nd post
Good strong fast day helped by a very busy and long day at work. It has felt almost easy unlike many days! Hungry now but reading your posts has helped me keep focus and I know I will succeed by this stage. Hot bath, early night.
Hope all Pocketeers complete and feel happy about what they have achieved today.
@at – thanks you for doing such a sensational job. It must be really time consuming.
Day 7 Sunshine Coast Qld NFD 107kgs.
Good morning everyone. I’m working on the chance that if you are sleeping while I write this, it will be morning maybe when you read it. Anyway, hello.
Good news, Bert. You have done really well. So has Marilyn. There are tons of people giving it their best shot and reaping the rewards. Nice to see Rocy65 back. We teemed up in an earlier challenge with HollyLJ so I always look out for them. We were in a team that nominated to lose 6lb for the month and pretty much did it. There were a number of teams who committed to losing either 2lb, through to 6 lb. It worked really well from memory. That was back in July/August when Coda had us all confused naming the days counting up to the end of the month and counting down to the end of the challenge. Sometimes I think signing in every day is doing my head in and then I read the posts and think that it is a good thing and very encouraging.
NorrieB, I often wonder how you are getting on with the home office. Haven’t heard about that in a while.
Coda, what is the long story you said was for another time?
Stay strong everyone. Today the struggle, tomorrow the rewards.
Day 6: Glasgow, Scotland. NFD.
Starting weight: 10st 3.5lbs.
Today’s weight: 10st 1.5lbs. (hurray!)
Late check in – pleased with the way things are going, and feeling relieved that I’m managing the fast days (I was doubtful that I could do 500 calories a day). Another fast day tomorrow, and again on Thursday. I’m much more organised now, and go into each FD knowing exactly what I’m going to eat that day, and when.
Day 6 – Italy – FD
So nice to be part of a Pocket Fast again, it really helps knowing I’m not alone when chocolate starts whispering to me!
I had forgotten how much I enjoyed this regime, today I ate nothing until 17:30 when I had a small piece of cake and then salad for dinner!
So nice to see @rocy65 again, I also keep a special eye out for her and @fuvvie my 6lb buddies!!
Day 7 Tasmania Aus FD
So ready to fast today. I don’t know that I went over tdee, but I found myself eating way too many carbs compared with how much I normally eat. So feeling a bit bloated this morning and looking forward to a bit of a cleanse. Found a couple of new fd recipes last night so keen to try something new and tasty. Mostly I stick to the same things on fd’s just out of simplicity, but really keen to try some new tasty recipes. I figure that’s a great way to treat myself, with new healthy, tasty, fd meals to try. A better way to treat myself with food than the usual treats!
Great to hear about everyone’s fd for Monday as I’m starting today and am normally almost finished when my other pocketeers join in, but this way git all their inspiration for my following day fast! Hope it went well for all the pocketeers and to any fasing today. @rocy65 you seem to be. Great job.
2nd post
@ciren2 unfortunately I’m with you today…………Started my FD well, then hurled myself off the wagon!!!! I should probably feel more disappointed………….but I’m getting myself up and on the wagon before I get too comfortable here in the dirt!!!!!!!
Self-sabotage is something I don’t want to become reacquainted with!!!!! I think the kiddies party food I had yesterday has thrown me for a loop………. I haven’t had that much sugar since the “Xmas blow out of 2016”……………..a week I NEVER want to repeat, ever!!!
I’ll stick to my planned days so NFD tomorrow, then onward with ADF.
Good luck everybody, @ciren2, I’m giving you a leg-up onto the wagon!!!
I hope the other pocketeers had a successful stress & temptation free FD. Good luck for tomorrow any b2b-ers!!!
@fivetwofan5252 thank you for your lovely words, they made me feel better! You are correct, I’m a female on my thirties. I will read through Feb posts, I still find it weird that weight fluctuates the way it does during the day. How can i gain a pound after 24h of water and 3 biscuits? XD
Going onto 4:3 is wishful thinking on my part – no way i could ever keep up, too many delicious things to eat, not enough time 🙂
I will also try to focus on the other health benefits of fasting that i am getting, weight loss is just one of many 🙂
Post 2
Another FD in the books. Third one overall since starting the 5:2 and each one has got easier. I have been finishing my Fds at well below my 600 cal, so tonight I added a little extra to my dinner to get closer to the 600, but still under.
Breakfast was 2lg hard boiled eggs (180 cal), Lg D&D iced coffee black (20cal). Dinner was Cumin-Turkey Burger from pg 170. Made with only tsp of egg (because I messed up) garlic powder instead of a clove, 1 cup frozen corn instead of corn on the cob and Lite Italian dressing instead of lemon (387 cal). Total for the day 587 cals.
Tomorrow morning I will weigh myself to see what/if I have lost for the week.
Churubusco, Indiana NFD today, Sunday and Saturday. Tomorrow and Thursday will be my fast days this week. I actually look forward to fast days. The discipline feels good. I know when I wake up what I will be eating for the day. Tomorrow I’ll have tea/grapefruit/2 string cheese sticks and yogurt.
Hope you all have a lovely Tuesday.
Here are a few links that some may find interesting
https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/tdee-for-the-curious-or-why-dont-i-lose-weight-faster/
Day 6…..Florida….. FD
Coda, Ciren and Lany…….. after reading your posts, I did some soul searching of my own diet, in attempts to think of something that might help you all. As I sat here and told my OH, I was sure I could not give you anything that could help. He told me that, they should try your lunch schedule….. I giggled but here it goes….. I 16:8 everyday but I always break my fast with veg. Nothing else. In Nov. everyday for lunch, I ate 2 cups of lettuce with 2tbsp of low calorie dressing, then for Dec and Jan, it went to 1/2 cup of mixed veggies, Feb and this month, its a 1/2 cup of broccoli. Everyday, no exceptions. Then that way I only have to worry about calories at dinner.
I don’t know if it will help but it’s all I got today…. after all it is Monday!
AT….. no worries, I know my limits on tanning. 2x a week for only 10 min.
Fuvvie…. Thank you for your love. I really like your idea of creating groups with exact goals say 6lb, 4lbs and so on….. I’d like to lose 4lbs by our special day! I already have my cake picked out. I’m the only one in my family that changes cake preference every year. The OH loves ginger bread, my oldest Brat likes pumpkin and the youngest brat like Ice cream cake. Me… I can never be normal……lol
Today’s FD went as always, I’m boring I know but it’s working!
Well….. I’m off!
Peace be with you!
Another couple of links to read
https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/52-calorie-restriction-v-fasting-for-newbies/
https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/food-thought-fast-day-starvation-mode/
Still not caught up but noticed we have Rocy back with us Hi glad to hear from you again.
Hi just wanted to say thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for Dad, they are much appreciated.
Don’t worry, I’m not worried today’s fast ended early. With being away for the few days I was out of my normal routine and it was a case of stopping on my terms or perhaps blowing it completely. It will take perhaps a few attempts to get back into the swing of it all but I will get there.
While on one of the previous challenges we did buddy up into groups and challenged ourselves to lose an amount of weight. While it worked for some, others felt the pressure too much. Me personally, I realised i feel better if I just mosey along. And yes I decided to count up and then count down lol total confusion but I just wanted to mix it up a little, variety as they say ha ha!
Day 7 – Tokyo, Japan – NFD 78kg
I made it 37 hours. Weight is up a bit but I’ve been working out a lot the last couple weeks so I’m okay with that. This morning I had a very good fasting blood sugar reading of 87 mg/dl. WOOT! Fasting really works!
Pocket fasters hang in there, especially the people in the states that still have to make it past dinner! You can do it. You aren’t going for gold but there is an award in self esteem! Hang in there!
@reid
@hollylj
@sarah57
@skinnylove
@micheleas
@brightonbelle
@debster251
@curlytot (b2b Day 5 & 6)
@notmyrealname (maybe)
@scs
@deirdre54321
@goldensun (b2b Day 6 & 7)
@wtharvey
@annemarilyn
@flourbaby
@fatrabbit
@onahealthyhigh
@lynzm
@erikaa67
@nella
@anna Sophia
@suse13
@bert1802
@jojo58
@orpheusx
@mrsgettingthere
@lany36
@at
@dykask
@triplet
@pamie
@fuvvie
@wacm
@mila69
@elektron
@jamba61
@lyna2017
@obesa
@hannahwatto
@rocy65
@erika45
@lew
@pashaw
@fayefaye
Second post today
@at, thanks for your comment re water and remaining hydrated whilst fasting. The reason I’m putting my headache down to sugar withdrawal is because I have always consumed good amounts of water on a daily basis (between 4 and 7 litres) and I drink even more on FDs. I can’t excuse it any other way, it was down to sheer gluttony and overloading on carbs and sugar. Onwards and downwards!
I just find FDs so easy compared with NFDs, hoping with practice amd experience that I can balance this.
Night all.
Because @ciren2 we are trying to change YEARS of bad eating habits. It does not come easily. If it did none of us would need this forum. Don’t beat yourself up just set yourself up for a successful FD tomorrow. What time did you break your fast and with what food? Was there a particular trigger? Change it all for tomorrow and you’ll do it. You have always been an inspiration to me. xx
Day 7 – just now – NFD – Canada
Reading about fasting windows I want to pipe up that I am trying now to stick to an 18:6 window on FD (I’ve been doing this since start of Jan) and now a 16:8 window on NFD to get through the plateaus that are happening here and there. So far seems to be good, I am back on downward trajectory.
The only reason I’m willing to try 16:8 is because I can see sticking with it long term – at various previous times in my life I’ve been on the no-solids-before-noon plan and it’s been good for my digestive health. So, I can see one FD and ‘mostly’ 16:8 days in the future. So I can do it now.
FD went ok today, was sorely tempted to eat a bunch of cheese when I got home tired and over-hungry from volunteering at school, but ate two pickles and two grape tomatoes instead. It’s past midnight here so will head to bed.
@coda – simcoeluv posts are almost always about calorie restriction, that person sees everything through calorie restriction glasses and to me it seems a bit limited. Calories are important but they aren’t the only factor. When I fast I don’t eat at all and the reason is I want the most benefits of I can get from fasting. Those are mostly better hormone levels as I don’t often fast long enough to get much of the more profound benefits. Anyway it is okay to push calorie restriction if that is what works for you but it often fails most people at some point. I actually think there is a danger in pushing it as seen by this blog post: http://phlauntdiabetesupdates.blogspot.jp/2016/09/i-report-about-my-bad-experience-with.html Now I’ve reading her book “Blood Sugar 101” and she is a bit out there on a few things so I don’t put much weight on what she says, but she is sort of a anti-simcoeluv in that she just says calories don’t matter, not even weight matters it is just about a diet that helps you maintain a lower blood sugar for 30 or 40 years.
Okay, I do think calories are important but they aren’t the only thing. Fasting is very powerful on its own, it is more of a wonder drug than most wonder drugs. Just a couple points:
* On a weekly basis I now consume more calories than I did with calorie restriction, like 2000+ more. Yet I’m down 8kg today from where I started 5:2 six months ago. Most people eating up to their TDEE probably exceed what they could eat on a typical calorie restrictive diet. That is TDEE*5 > ((TDEE*7) – 3500) Is that really just calorie restriction?
* For me, it is about building my body. Over the last 4 weeks I’ve been doing a type of pushup that was too difficult for me in the past, where most of the effort is forced on to just the triceps and shoulders. (Arms straight back, elbows against the side of the body. I also use standoffs so I dip a bit negative.) Four weeks ago I could 55, then 70, then 84 and now I’m up to 100. I have never seen gains like that in my life! That is really the power of fasting. Probably my HGH is running higher and my body is responding. I’m even doing some types of pushups I couldn’t do before I started fasting, that is in my late 50’s I’m seeing better improvements that I did when I was a teenager!
My point is don’t undersell fasting, it is a lot more than just calorie restriction.
Day 3, NFD
Day 4, NFD
Day 5, NFD
Day 6, Oceanside CA, FD
Enjoyed a relaxing 3 day weekend with NFD’s. Eat Low Carb every day. Lots of fruit, vegetables and good quality proteins. Portions smaller than they used to be with Fast 5:2. Am trying out full fat yogurt and a slice of thick cheese in addition to nuts for occasional snacks.
On FD I eat 350 calorie breakfast of protein waffle w/berries, 1/2 banana, and half kiwi. Dinner about 6pm is a big salad with 2 to 3 oz protein,avocado, sprinkled feta cheese and balsamic vinegar and oil. Another 350 calories or less. So my day is 700 calories. Fasting window 15-16 hours.
I aim for 4 to 5 miles per day with my fitbit, which gives me room for the few extra calories.
Early to bed is good way to end the FD. Next one Thursday Day 9. Getting close to weight goal.
Day 7 UK NFD
Yesterday’s fast day went smoothly. I didn’t eat anything until half past six and then had mashed beans and salad. I seem to be adjusting to the later end to the day. But when the clocks change I think I will have to switch to eating before I do the animals. I was worried that as it was a quiet day it might be harder but actually because it was quieter I did better job of remembering to drink, and I had a pre-emptive cup of marmite at 2pm to stave off that afternoon hunger attack, and it simply never happened. A trick to remember.
@skinnylove – You are giving out my secret weapon, tea. I drink many different kinds of tea while fasting. It is amazing how many different kinds of tea there are! It is a little something I look forward too.
Day 6 / UK / FD (implied, as the pocketeers cleverly picked up, but I actually didn’t get round to post it)
Day 7 / UK / NFD
I’m learning! Had my final meal relatively early between work and yoga and walking home afterwards around 8, the evening seemed very long not to eat anything anymore (unpacking kept me on my toes!). Yoga certainly is the kind of lightish exercise that can be done on an empty stomach, so I’ll try to push meal 1 further into the afternoon (even more tea) and save meal 2 for after, next Monday. On Friday however I want to try out Vibe Power with a Zumba class on top. It’s probably psychological but I am a bit more concerned to do these on an empty stomach.
@at Thank you! Indeed, that’s why I left it after an hour and went to sleep surrounded by fewer boxes but more books on the floor. Thanks by the way for keeping us so organised and on track. Can’t wait for the results at the end of the month!
@bert Thanks for sharing your story! I have also found myself less and less in a mood for shopping these days, even when I was out I didn’t really see anything I wanted. I have always blamed it a bit on the financial aspect, but if I’m honest the last few weeks it was my appearance as well. I wanted to change something and not buy anything that will then be too big, but nothing was really changing, so… I’ll reward myself in a little while!
@Deidre I have lived in the UK coming up to 7 years now and never have been a big tea-drinker (despite being an anglophile in most other aspects of life)–5:2 did it! Tea is my secret weapon on FDs that are a bit more hard work (had my first one of those yesterday).
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5:44 pm
6 Mar 17