A warning and perhaps some encouragement too

This topic contains 12 replies, has 8 voices, and was last updated by Angie090465 10 years, 9 months ago.

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PeteRichardson

3:44 pm
30 Jan 14
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Hi Folks, first time here so be kind… 🙂

I was one of the first wave of people to follow the 5:2 diet after watching Michael’s Horizon prog “Eat, Fast and Live Longer” in 2012. In fact, I started it the very next day.

At first I was a big fan and wrote gushingly on the subject as a guest on someone else’s food blog – now sadly defunct. Other than a strange body odour in the first couple of weeks, it was seemingly perfect for me.

I dropped from 13 st 5 (BMI of about 27) down to about 12 st 2 in 2 months or so. I was very pleased with that. Plus I felt great on fast days, so it was all going well.

However, over the next few weeks my weight loss plateaued, which I believe is quite common from what I’ve seen here.

Frustrated at this, I upped the stakes and went to the full-on Alternate Day Fasting. This soon did the trick, as my weight started to fall again.

By April 2013 I’d got my weight down to around 11 st 2, which was good, but I was aiming for more like 10.5 stone or less. That would give me a BMI of around 18-19, which is low, but it would help with my oesophageal reflux issues that I’ve had all my life.

Annoyingly, my weight plateaued again. Around the same time I had a couple of episodes of very severe abdominal pain followed by regular bouts of what felt like a gastric ulcer.

The pain focused my mind somewhat and I realised that on my Feast days I was truly feasting. In fact, I’d moved to non-stop binge eating. I’m not quite sure when I started this, but it was probably whilst I was still doing 5:2, given the stalling weight loss, and it came on gradually.

Anyway, at this point I was worried that the ADF was damaging my health, so I stopped it altogether – big mistake. That was around June last year.

Since then the stomach pains haven’t stopped (investigation by endoscopy reveals no problems) and I’ve started to suffer from IBS issues. Also, the binge eating continued (no doubt the cause of my digestive problems) and my weight, inevitably ballooned – right up to 13 st 8!!! Yes, 3 more pounds than I’d started off with. 🙁 Plus, my blood tests show a mildly elevated ALT liver test. Not good.

Anyway, having been given the all clear by the Docs that there isn’t anything actually specifically with my digestive system, I’ve taken up 5:2 a couple of weeks ago and the weight is dropping off again.

The big difference is (and here’s my warning) that I’m making a concerted effort to not binge eat on fast days. Yes I still enjoy eating normally, but I’m trying to eat sensibly too. That means not eating a large packet of popcorn + 2-3 bags of crisps + 5 or 6 twirl bars, 3-4 apple pies and maybe a large bag of Haribo too. All in one day, of course. Yes, it was that bad… Why I couldn’t see it myself for so long, I don’t know.

I know Michael has stressed this point himself – and it should be obvious, but I suppose I wasn’t listening or didn’t see it coming.

Good luck everybody, and please don’t make the same mistake I did. When they say you can eat all you like on feast days, don’t take it too literally!

Angie090465

4:09 pm
30 Jan 14
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Thank you for sharing your experience Pete,

we cant stress enough, eat what you like but NOT as much as you like!
that is quite a story, I am glad you have taken up 5.2 again, hopefully this time you will be fine…

good luck 🙂

Linds

4:09 pm
30 Jan 14
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Hi Pete, I know what you mean about trying not to binge on non-fast days (I think that’s what you meant to put). I am trying to be careful on my non-fast days but it is so easy so say oh, I’ll just have a bit more of that or one of those or two of those etc. and, before you know it, you can be well over your TDEE.

Good luck with your second go – at least you know it can be done! Linda

sylvestra

4:11 pm
30 Jan 14
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@peterichardson a timely warning indeed and one worth repeating ad infinitum.

If you read through the threads you’ll see that it’s one that is given frequently. I have just posted a ‘rant’ about calling the days we don’t fast ‘feast’ days as it gives a wrong impression.

There are also loads of posts pointing out that ‘eating freely’ really means eat WHAT you want but NOT HOW MUCH you want. I think that, actually, this is not made clear enough in the book or on the film. Especially Michael Mosley being seen eating burgers etc on his non fast days!! A false message I feel.

There is not enough emphasis – in the book or on the film about not exceeding your TDEE on non fast days. The media don’t help either by printing headlines like ‘Starve 2 days and stuff yourself on 5’ as I saw in one publication.

Well done on recognising what you were doing and how you can change things. And even better – you are brave enough to admit where you went wrong. We’re all human and none of us is perfect – don’t be so hard on yourself this time.

xx

TracyJ

4:20 pm
30 Jan 14
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Hi Pete – I was probably a fellow of yours, as I assume you’re referring to Schrokit’s corner? That was the only on-line resource of any kind for the first few months wasn’t it & I didn’t even discover that until a couple of months in, when I finally weighed myself & got the shock of my life 😀

So sorry to hear about all of your problems & yes, of course you probably shouldn’t have assumed you could eat as much of whatever you liked as you wanted & still lose weight but hindsight’s a wonderful thing & we just didn’t have all the tools & resources available as are here now.

Glad to see you are trusting in 5:2 again and I’m sure you’ll have no problems now you’ve got your sensible head on 😉

Good luck with it.

funky

1:32 am
31 Jan 14
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Hi Pete,
Thanks for your post.I have had similar experiences recently re bingeing while on 5:2. i’ve been following 5:2 since July 2013 with largely good results. Prior to this I’d put on lots of weight due mainly to eating the wrong things late at night but never bingeing. Indeed, I don’t consider that I was an emotional eater really. I’m very self aware and honest about my weaknesses and strengths. I also take personal responsibility for the things I do. I really rate the Fast Diet – for weight loss and health benefits – but have noticed that recently I have been eating emotionally and using food to “treat” myself. I can eat lots of the food I like (high fat, savoury) in an evening and keep eating when I know I’m full. It’s like I’m doing the “feast” and “famine” stuff which is new for me and definitely not healthy. I know a lot of people on here are hugely positive about this WOL (as am I) but I think it’s important to acknowledge that alongside the many positive experiences some people have not been so fortunate and this does not make their experience any less valid. I’m definitely keeping on with this (4:3 this week)and would still recommend this (7 people still going strong.)Has anyone else noticed a big change in eating habits/motivation? All the best to us all 🙂

PeteRichardson

10:11 am
31 Jan 14
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Hi Everyone. Thanks for the words of encouragement. 🙂

I definitely agree that terminology and slightly iffy press headlines does give the impression that IF is about eating with wild abandon for the mere price of a couple of days of starvation.

Like any diet or lifestyle 5:2 can only work with a little bit of moderation and self control. Those of us (like me!) who love fatty and sugary food know that’s true, but a hungry tummy always seems to override the best intentions!

@tracyj – sorry I wasn’t on that one, I used to visit the We Eat Things blog which became a bit sidetracked by 5:2. Sadly it’s been taken down.

@funky – I think you put it well with calling it emotional eating. That’s exactly what I do, and would do even if I wasn’t following 5:2. Trouble is, following a Fast day, I feel so incredibly hungry it’s very easy to lose control and devour the entire contents of the food cupboard! That’s the bit I’m struggling with now.
I know exactly what you mean about continuing to eat even when you feel full. I’ve been stuffing chocolate and crisps down even at the point when I’d swear I’m about to literally burst open! 😀

funky

5:29 pm
31 Jan 14
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@pete

Eating like this, being really greedy is new for me – really just been during the past 2 months. I never ate like this before 5:2 or indeed while following 5:2 from last Summer to taking a break for the festive period. That is what I find a bit worrying but am not panicking yet – it could just be a glum, miserable, cold, dreich January blues.

I don’t like the sensationalist, ill informed stuff in the media either but even with astounding results on here around weight loss and health benefits/improvements to blood results some people will refuse to see the good and want to take a potshot at what is becoming a bit of a global phenomenom. Plus the diet industry is worth billions and apart from the books which are not absolutely essential this is not a product-led business.That in itself will be threatening to some areas.

I think it was Mimi who said that we are really still in the early days of 5:2 and more research is planned and needed on the impact this WOL is having. I’m still remaining open to the possibility that some less positive side effects may be identified as diet& nutrition can be quite complex. Anyone see Horizon the other night on BBC in UK (Science & Health programme that Michael has presented. “fat v sugar”. Very interesting but ultimately raised more questions than it answered. So much conflicting advice on nutrition. Coffee good or bad for you? Discuss 🙂

Some members of this forum have already raised some of the negative symptoms they have experienced and wondered if those were somehow linked to 5:2 but not officially/scientifically proven yet.

Ultimately I’m going with what I know for sure, from my own experience and what I’ve read here over the past 6 months. Current blip re emotional eating not withstanding this WOL really works for me. Net loss of 20lbs, more energy, activity, clearer mind and general increase in Wellbeing. I can’t argue with that 🙂 Sorry for the length of this post. It matters to me. All the best to us all 🙂

funky

7:53 pm
31 Jan 14
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@pete

Sorry I meant to say that I hope things improve for you. Had so much in my head earlier.Keep coming here where all our fast friends learn from each other and offer support, advice and encouragement. Share successes too 🙂

Maybe it will become clear why we are eating in this way and we can put things in place to better manage our eating? Hope so. All the best – this is do-able 🙂

ghostgirl

9:23 pm
31 Jan 14
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Pete good post.
A lot of people get the idea that no control is required on the non fast days.
Brave of you to speak up and to use your experience as a warning for others.
I love this way of eating – it is getting results – but sometimes I do need to give myself a heads up about what I eat on my normal non fast days.
Good luck with round two.

Neverendingstory

11:07 pm
1 Feb 14
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@pete thank you for that post. You are so right. It is ever so easy on a non-fast day to devour a real big meal and some sweets although being full because it “tastes soooo good”.

Actually i feel sorry that you say yoursefl you feel incredibely hungry on days after fast days. I myself luckily feel rather stuffed up fast on days after fast days.

I wish you good luck and that your problems with the stomach soon get better.

PeteRichardson

9:26 am
4 Feb 14
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Thanks for all your kind words and support everyone. 🙂
I’m still finding it hard, for sure, but I’m not blowing out anywhere near as much as I was. Slow progress, but progress for sure.

On a fast day today and feel on fire! 😀

Angie090465

9:32 am
4 Feb 14
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hi there PeteRichardson

hang in there, i am fasting too today and so far so good… its just one day lol, think of tomorrow and it’ll keep you going 🙂

for me, i am completely ignoring those annoying tummy rumbles haha!!