After 4 weeks on 5:2 I want to sing its praises for the benefit of anyone just starting out on their fasting journey! So, a bit of background about me 🙂 2 years ago I lost 2 stone with slimming world. After spending the majority of my adult life yo-yoing with my weight (I had gained then lost 2-3 stone about 3-4 times in 12 years) I decided enough was enough. No more fat clothes, no more being disgusted with myself and having to loose loads of weight again. I would have a target weight, live my life and if the scales went 7lbs over my target weight I would get back on the diet wagon. This has worked pretty well for me for 2 years (I tend to need to diet 2-3 times a year) but when I’ve needed to diet again the weight loss has been incredibly slow as I’ve had a small amount to loose and my shape never really changed.

Fast forward to 5th jan this year. I had been pretty bad over Christmas and was 7lbs up so needed to get back on the wagon. Only I couldn’t get motivated to do slimming world again. I’d just got fed up with it and how slow the weight loss was. A close friend had raved about the fast diet and despite the fact I thought I would really struggle on fast days as I LOVE my food, I decided to give it a go. I won’t lie, the first 4-5 fast days were really tough but I made it through and now on my 9th fast day I’m finding it loads easier. I just drink loads of water and black coffee, keep busy and save my calories for my evening meal so I can go to bed feeling full. On my non fast days I try and eat sensibly but I do drink wine at the weekend, eat chocolate most days and have the odd takeaway pizza and curry. The difference is I have smaller amounts and don’t see it as ‘breaking my diet’. I have also been exercising but not religiously, mainly HIIT type training for 10-20 mins 2-3 times a week.

So after 4 weeks I have lost just over 4lbs! Usually I’d only lost between 1/4 and 1/2 a week so this is a great loss for me. But the biggest change has been in my shape overall. I have lost 2 inches from around my waist, 2.5 inches from my hips, 2 inches from around my bust and 2 inches from around each thigh. I have taken some progress photos and compared them to the ones from when I started and there is a big difference. It just shows how much internal fat I am losing, it’s like I’ve been at the gym every day!!!

I can see this being a long term solution for me going forward and am loving the new found confidence it is giving me. I’ve even bought a new dress in the size down, it doesn’t fit yet but I will keep going till it does. For the first time in a long time I’m even thinking that a lower target weight is realistic now! Now I know the losses will slow down soon and I might even plateaux at some point but I’m determined to keep going regardless, I can do this!! Oh, and my husband who has been doing it half heartedly with me (who has about 3-4 stone to lose) has lost 10lbs too! Brilliant stuff.

Thanks for letting me share, here’s hoping for a good February too!