Coda, ABC1, Third time lucky:

Heartfelt thanks for your welcome and your excellent suggestions, hints.

I agree Coda, first the whole idea is outright frightening. Am indeed one of those who have come a long way, starting as a total skeptic regarding this diet, and now converted and determined. Fasting itself becomes quite compelling when we consider that all living beings must be equipped with the best possible tool for survival while they temporarily don’t find food in nature.

Thank you ABC1 for the recommended articles. This thread – and this website in general – is incredibly inspiring and rich in information.

As for the cholesterol level, this is fantastic news – am glad for you Third time lucky. The more I learn about this diet the more I realise how ground-breaking it is. Something that would deserve a central place in medical research.

NL day 17
NFD. Still going strong and enjoying it more and more. Am now down to 72.2kg.

TTL- thanks, I do feel I’m in control! And it’s getting easier all the time. Enjoy your vacation!
Back2thefuture- yes, have a look at what you’ve got stored in there and you’ll be surprised. It’s quite fun to do too. Less clutter around you is less ‘clutter’ in your head too. Anybody interesterd: Marie Kondo has written a few books on the subject. There seems to be a spoken version on youtube. So you don’t even have to sit down to read. Sorry I don’t have the link at hand. The book is called: The life-changing magic of tidying up.

I’m no fan of dr.Phil but he said: If you don’t acknowledge it, you can’t change it. Loved that phrase! It’s so true. And the other phrase: You can’t just quit a bad habit. You need to replace it with a good habit. For me that meant stop smoking (only gained 2,5 kg) and start walking.

It’s a lovely sunny day today, temperatures about 18C. It’s a good day for a walk.

Good luck if you’re FD today. Be safe.

US, Day 17…still hanging out in low 121s, and NO complaints! Having a wonderful nonFD breakfast of mashed avocado and salsa on Wasa cracker. Blood results unchanged…which is fine. My LDL has always been high, but my HDLD is way off the charts, so my ratios are excellent. My size 8 slacks are very loose this morning.

Hubby is off to Virginia for a couple of days for work. Son#2 and I will dine on leftover Kimchi Chicken and green salad tonight. I bought two tubs of arugula and lettuce mix for quick salads from my backyard.

my third FD yesterday. I found it harder than the first two. i made the mistake of grazing on raw veggies and drinking kombucha

i found it hard to be productive at work.

Next time i will stick with just water and tea until noon at least.

and try to accept that until i’m used to fasting work productivity WILL be harder.

I’d like to give myself a good 6 weeks to get used to this.

Everyone says it gets easier!

certainly i’ve been eating less on NFD’s – much smaller portions.

Scale didn’t move this morning. 136lbs.

Have a great day everyone

USA Day 17 NFD:

I did good on yesterday’s fast day..but was very hungry for dinner. It felt much harder than usual. Guess it’s like that sometimes. I think I may need to plan my FD better. Have my portion set out for dinner, etc. I was feeling very deprived and hungry..I just had to remind myself it’s just for one day and I can have a (fill in the blank) tomorrow. I had a headache in the night too. Oh and funny..I had a dream I was making hamburgers and while I was cooking, ate a piece of whole wheat bread and then I thought “Oh no! I am fasting today and already had my 480 calories!” Haha

Today is a NFD and I am going to focus again on entering things in MFP. I think I still need to. I didn’t do it over the weekend, just tried to eyeball it and guess what everything was, but I am about 75% sure I went over a bit. And my weight is up a pound since I weighed myself before the weekend. Which brings me to another conclusion: what BrightonBelle said…one weigh in a week. I will do it Friday too.

Rainy and cold today! (where did our warm sunny spring days go?) I am taking the boys to the library (I like to save library days for rainy days) then while they nap I will do a workout video.

Have a great day everyone!

Strongstrongstrong,
It will be getting a little bit easier, but still every fast will be a challenge.
I actually concentrate better at work when I am fasting. I do water/coffee/tea fast until evening, and than depends. Sometimes I just continue till morning, and sometimes to drink some hot 1 or 2 cups of broth or miso soup (very little calories).

Stay Strong! 🙂
It is miraculous how that “diet” works for everybody with such various weight. Your 136 lb is still a far away goal for me. 🙂

I’m up for this. I started 5-2 on May 2, so I have completed 2 weeks. I have been very happy with it: I feel more energetic and sleep better. I have lost almost 6 pounds which is a motivator but I am just as concerned about preventing diabetes.

How many calories are you eating on FEED days?

UK 17 – just checking in as I’m having a NFD today, just a wee break as I’ll need to fast again tomorrow before guests arrive on Thursday. Good luck getting to the end of the day if you’re fasting.

Day 17. Wisconsin, USA. Today is a NFD. Yesterday was FD. I am happy for people when they say their FD’s are easy, or getting easier. But, this is a place for honesty, right? Reading about these brilliant FD’s also leaves me feeling slightly discouraged.

I feel pretty strongly that there will never be a day in my life when I abstain from food for 24 hours, and will NOT feel the pain. I had my 9th FD yesterday, and I don’t think it felt one bit easier than my first FD.

So, that is the negative. Here is the positive: I have grown in my confidence. Meaning, after 9 fasts, I now have confidence that I am capable of plowing through a day of hunger. I can have low energy, sharp hunger pains and even feel a bit light headed, and I can still be productive at work and at home. So, perhaps by this standard, I could say it IS getting easier?

There are so many great tips on here. I am incorporating many of the tidbits I’ve learned from others into my own routine. I wish I had time to be more specific, and give all of you smart people the credit you deserve.

Coda…assuming I cross the finish line on this challenge (and I believe I will), I am TOTALLY up for another challenge of any kind.

Thank you for allowing me to think out loud. Keep up the GREAT work.

Edzeko…btw, son#1 lives in Madison and works in Verona.

Day 17 UK: Hello to all 47 of us! Non-fast day today. Tomorrow I have some minor surgery under general anaesthetic, so perhaps better make that a fast day! I’ve got to be up at 5am for the drive to Bath, which normally takes an hour and a half as the roads are so slow. Shouldn’t be a problem at that time however…hope to sign in tomorrow when I get back….but, Coda, bear with me if I forget!

Edzeko, even though FDs have gotten easier for me over time, they are not entirely easy! And I slip up / cave in to temptation sometimes. Just keep at it!

Dutch– I’ve read Marie Kondo’s book. Very interesting!
I wasn’t able to fully implement her methods (except for the fantastic storage/ folding ideas.) Her cleaning out method is pretty one-fell-swoop & ruthless. I’m having better luck with baby steps, choosing a closet or dresser or kitchen cabinet at a time, making my way thru entire house. Will take time, but my home is already feeling lighter!

(Plus, gives me great projects to work on to keep busy & out of the kitchen. No temptation to eat while organizing & cleaning!)

K-Lo…I guessed he worked at Epic. That company attracts the brightest and the best.

I promote my city for a living, so I am completely biased. But, I do love Madison. There are countless restaurants and grocery stores here where you can find delicious, locally produced, real food. There are no excuses for not eating real food in this little city.

One time, I was giving a candidate a tour. He actually complained about the lack of fast food restaurants here. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that.

Wisconsin just received a world championship title for its cheese. And, I agree with you, Vom Fass olive oil, and salad dressings are outstanding. 🙂

US SE Day 17 FD.

Coda, I certainly would love to continue on to another challenge or whatever is decided when this one ends. I do still have a lot of weight to lose and I find reading the comments so helpful when I feel my resolve waiver. I got through yesterday under TDEE. I agree with most, I do very much need to weigh my food and keep record of my calories on MFP. Years of overindulgence, and especially here in the US where portion sizes tend to be large, I need the accountability. It doesn’t mean that I am not living and eating … it’s just keeping me in check so I don’t lose sight of what my goals are.

This is my last post of the day, promise. But, while I’m thinking of it:

Coda – You should be rewarded for your efforts. I’m not sure how to go about doing that, but this thought is in my head.

I wonder if there is a way to add an exercise element to a future challenge. I know some people have made very funny comments on their poor opinion of exercise. I love these jokes. But, maybe a challenge would be enough motivation to get us past the hate?

Okay. That’s enough from me. See you all tomorrow.

Pacific NW USA: Day 17 FD
White tea, putter in garden, PT appointment, more tea, 2 mile walk and then poached egg, avacado and green veg broth for dinner – that’s the plan. Made the brothy soup yesterday after walking 12,000 + steps so NFD yesterday went well.

Qsue – appreciated your reminder about how the unexpected can modify our plans sometimes. I guess that just helps us learn to accept life’s ups and downs and do our best while we live it. Thanks.
Dollybird – you mentioned cooking for your family – my OH also is living through the experience of the recipes I’m trying and he loves it. However he’s shedding pounds so quickly and he doesn’t have any excess too lose so he adds bread, crackers, cream, and snacks on store bought cereal to add a few calories to my meal plans – it isn’t fair!!!
Merry me – your historical perspective was very inspiring, thank you!
ETJ – what a lovely picture you painted, I’ll carry it in my mind’s eye today while I fast

Pacific NW USA: Still day 17
I didn’t realize I had one whole other page to read!

Coda, I am definitely up for continuing the challenge. “Talking and listening” to this peer group has made such a positive difference for this newbie. I don’t feel like anyone else would care as much as you 47 about what I’m doing to improve the rest of my life.

Eczeko – I agree that Coda has been a most excellent host! Coda, you have set such a good tone and somehow attracted such wise and caring people to this forum – I feel truly amazed that by a quirk of fate I heard about the 5:2 and your challenge was the first thing I saw on the fastdiet website, I really don’t know how I would be doing it without this group – or is that just today’s FD talking!!!

Ho Coda, cor next challenge whoopee!! I was hoping you’d carry on!! I thank you from the bottom of my heart, this has been life changing!! I just love reading everyone’s progress, so motivating, keep up the good work!!

UK day 17 NFD for me today. I’m finding the debate about whether or not to count calories interesting. In the past I have always found diets which concentrate on calories just made me focus on food in an obsessive, joyless way. One of the things I like about this WOL is that either I don’t eat or I eat and really savour what I am eating. At the start I did calculate the calories in a few of my favourite batch soups, but now I just do it by eye. Having said that, we all have to find the way which works the best for us, it’s interesting how we are all finding our way through the challenges and triggers.
Fishing gran how is your finger? And ETJ (or anyone!) sorry for my ignorance but what is a poddy lamb?!

US day 17
yesterday was my NFD,went well.
today is my FD,the scale is scaring me showing increase in weight but decided to leave the scale and only use it once per week
I made 2 sandwitches put them in fridge each range like 200-250 calories so will eat them once my hunger reach to the extreme and can not function but at least i knew i made healthy choices under 500 in fasting days
wish you all happy dieting

UK day 16 nonfd and under tde 😀

ETJ what a lovely scene to have at your home, what i wouldnt give to have lambs etc in my back garden! Although im not sure my rotty would be too thrilled!!

Have i missed something along the way about this broth…. Is there a recipe that people are using?

Re, another challenge i think that would be great. I am nearing the finish line for losing 1 stone but i still have a few more to shift and would love to continue to have this support. Exercise element could be fun i agree!

For anyone of a like mind, i have started attending a weekly mindfulness group and as part of this i do a daily practice which can include mindful eating. Even if you are having the tiniest meal possible it takes so long to finally munch it down you either feel satisfied or forget how hungry you were to start with! Could be worth a go for others if anyone fancies it 😀