This topic contains 1,453 replies, has 174 voices, and was last updated by dykask 4 years, 2 months ago.
My weight is still higher, but since my hydration is more normal right now I did a body fat measurement. It seems that since Aug. I’m now 10 lbs of bodyfat but have gained 4 lbs of lean body mass. Those measurements are a with hand to foot BIA scale. Basically it means I’m really losing fat and I’m not losing muscle. Fasting is giving insanely great results.
Ugh … I meant I’m down 10 lbs of body fat! Roughly 34 pounds of body fat vs the 44 lbs I had in Aug. My measurements had me at 45 pounds of fat but DEXA was 44 lbs. Today I measured 34 lbs of fat. I’ve also lost 1.5″ from my waist since Aug. However I’m noticing a lot less fat all over. Even other people are commenting my face is thinner.
This is what I do when my weight on the scale isn’t pleasing! Although for two years I would have been thrilled to get to where I am right now!
HI dykask
I had been fasting a bit before but have been 5:2 fasting for the month of November in a very supportive online group forum which has been great for me. It is a worldwide group and I really enjoy being a part of it. I’ve seen some positive results but have a lot to learn still on this fasting journey, such as what my TDEE looks like on NFDs and how to stop from going over without being obsessive. Having the group has been the secret for me. It has kept me accountable the whole month ( a record for me!) and it is good to hear others’ journeys too. I feel the support is fundamental to my success, similar to this thread. However what was different was the daily logging on and whether it was a FD or NFD ( fast or non-fast day.)
How are you going? Your recent posts show that you are losing body fat with this WOL so congratulations. I want to keep it up for a whole lot longer! Will be interesting to see how December goes.🙂
Well I posted a day too soon, but I was fasting yesterday. This morning I was down to 176 lbs. (80 kg) That is basically a reasonable weight for me and the lowest I’ve seen first thing in the morning for decades. After breakfast and a moderate workout I was down to 173 pounds which is a BMI of 25.9 for me! I’ll take it. (I do sweat a LOT.) When I started 5:2 I was at 189 lbs (86 kg) So I’m down over 10 lbs still in about 2 months.
My weight will go up until my next fast day, but I’m hitting down into the zone now. I think my lowest adult weight was 164 lbs and I was gaunt at that weight. However at that time I could easily run 7 minute miles. So my muscles may have been larger in my legs. I think if I get my BMI under 25 I’ll probably call it good, or I’ll call it good when I can see my abs. Right now I can just sort of see the top of the abs after a hard workout.
Sorry about the gory details. Just excited after my weight being higher two weeks ago.
@larrynyc – Awesome!
@lilymartin – Dec. can be rough. I think I’m going to get a DEXA scan in Feb. so I hope that holds me. My goal is to have maintained my muscle and have my body fat well under 19%. In Aug. I was at 24.1% body fat.
Today I’m enjoying, I mean really enjoying my food. 5:2 is an awesome eating style.
Hi dykask
sounds like you’ve done really well. And how good is it to see those low numbers on the scales!!
10 lbs in 2 months is a very good effort. Roll on a BMI of 25.
I have a weigh in tomorrow to see how November has been. I have lost some but will wait to see what the scales say. I find this WOL generally not too bad except when I am exercising on what would be a FD. Usually get quite crook if I don’t eat at least something.
Loving the clothes fitting better and generally feeling better in self. I know December will be difficult but I do not propose to let all this hard work go to waste – or to my waist either for that matter!! 😊
Good morning everyone, more like good evening for me here in Japan. Started out the day feeling a bit blah. Keto flu I think since I’ve been trying to eat low carb high fat for the past few days. I had already been doing 5:2 since the beginning of the month. I’m now at the lowest adult weight I can remember! Just did an hour of Pilates reformer today and feel the best I have all day. Good luck to everyone today.
I was pleased to not gain over Thanksgiving, but rather lost another pound. I have been sticking with 5:2 since August and am down 17 lbs. I usually eat a little something midday then a larger meal for dinner, I find I get a little agitated or make mistakes if I don’t eat anything. I always say slow and steady completes the race. It works for me anyway. 😉 fasting today, good luck to anyone else who is.
Hello, I’ve been reading some of the posts and finding some great encouragement from my fellow Americans! I started 5:2 in November and lost 5 lbs., then Thanksgiving came. I gained back all 5 lbs. plus a little. So now I am starting over and hope to lose at least 5 lbs. by Christmas. I’m off to a good start, did a fast day on Saturday and will do one today. I look forward to reading future posts!
Hello YvonneB!
Your weight gain might be just water weight. My weight moves around even 8 or 9 pounds throughout the week. It is impossible to gain that much weight or loss that much fat/lean body mass a week with just diet and fasting. This morning I’m 2.2 pounds higher than I was this week last time but that is 11 lbs lower than it was 10 weeks ago. However my average weight is typically going down, if not every week then every month. So don’t be discouraged over an apparent quick gain, it is probably mostly just water weight. In my case, workouts add to the weight swings. Exercise is important for health but isn’t so great for quick weight loss.
Sometimes a better way to track progress is by watching your body fat melt away. That might require doing measurements. The scale is just one measurement.
I wish you success over the holidays!
Another 10 days, time to give this thread a heartbeat.
Today is a fasting day and I almost didn’t do it because I’m recovering from a virus. However now I’m more than 1/2 way through the fast and it is fine now. I almost gave up at lunch time as I started feeling a little hungry and light headed, but after a 10 minute walk I was fine.
I had been buying my son different kinds of tea and he hasn’t been drinking them as fast as I bought them. My daughter decided to clean the kitchen and she put all the teas into a nice stack. I have been drinking black coffee while fasting but decided to give blueberry tea a try. It was good. Now I’ve had a bunch of teas today. So far the only side effect is a few more trips to the bathroom.
2 blueberry teas — good
1 mango tea — okay
1 cherry tea — nice
2 black coffees
Anyway I think I might do that more often while fasting. The hot tea with a hint of fruit favor is nice. (unsweetened of coarse) The teas are cheap in Japan and there are a lot of favors. My daughter just had a Carmel tea with 3g of sugar and liked it. (She is 13 and close to underweight, so no fasting for her right now.)
Hi dykask the teas sound quite nice. I have tried a few different flavoured teas on fast days but didn’t really like the taste so reverted to plain black tea or with just a splash of milk. I haven’t tried the flavours you mention and I think mine were several years old !
Have been doing 5:2 and committing to another thread for November December. The daily posting as I think I’ve said before has kept me accountable, on track and much more aware of what
I am eating. I weigh the lightest I have for at least 3 years , possibly longer , and feel so much better in all ways.🙃
Hi belovedrose12,
There hasn’t been a huge amount of action in this thread over the past couple months, but there is a lot of information on this forum. The 5:2 has been working well for me although I’m currently just focused on fat loss and not so much about weight. I’m fine if I gain weight as long as it isn’t fat. 🙂 Anyway I hope you have success with your goals and it is nice to see another post.
For the record I was born in MT, and worked for years in Seattle but currently I’m living in Tokyo, Japan. We will probably move back to the NW in the future.
Hi belovedrose 12.
I dabble on this thread from time to time but for the past few months have been on the November 30 day challenge which morphed into December as well. It involves posting daily as to whether it is a fast day ( FD) or non fast day( NFD) . The day is usually the day of the month e.g. today is day 26 ( Australia).
Lots of personal stories and support so very good as we all journey together with this way of life ( WOL). There is a lot of very good information on this current ( Americans..) thread.
Whatever , I hope you find what you need. IF is certainly a very beneficial WOL on many counts.👍
Hi NYCFaster.
How are you?
Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed reading.
I have gained a lot of belly weight and am now very depressed because of it.
Desperately seeking a way to lose the belly weight.
I cannot exercise as I have a hernia.
Also, I suffer from chronic asthma.
I am not an American.
Would luv to hear more form you.
Regards.
Hello! And congratulations Dykask!
I’m taking a week off from exercising (I’m away from New York with no gyms open nearby).
I’m three months into the diet and about 15 pounds lighter. I find that a 36-48 hour fast is
natural to me. I’m content eating one meal a day and a 48 hour fast just means skipping a
meal, not eating one day. I do find that it is hard to eat much after a fast so I tend to have
a small meal around 36 hours (some cheese) and then a real dinner later.
I’ve read about the benefits of longer fasts (human growth hormone, protein recycling) and
may try to go beyond 48 hours over the holiday.
Best wishes to all!
L
On Christmas day we had a HUGE buffet late lunch. My dinner was probably over 2000 kc. However yesterday was a fast day for me. (It is the 27th here.) The fasting was a bit harder than normal, probably because I had too much desert on Christmas day, but I was pleased to see my weight down to 78.8 kg (173 pounds!) this morning. When I was in college my weight varied from about 164 pounds to 175 pounds. It is amazing how well the 5:2 diet can work.
My fast actually went 41 hours. I normally break my fast by eating a hand full of wallets and then breakfast about an hour later. Typically on the second morning I don’t have much appetite but a little while after eating a bit my appetite returns.
Hi bluegreenphoto and therese_littleflower. I wish you luck in your weight loss goals.
For me 5:2 is working great. Currently my weight lost is modest but that is partly because I’m also trying to build some muscle. What I’m really trying to do with 5:2 is lose body fat and for that the eating pattern is working well. When I started 5:2 in early Sept. and my weight had plateaued at 189 pounds. This morning my weight is at 177 lbs. 16 pounds in 12 weeks is a bit slower than average, but I really enjoy eating and probably overeat a bit on my non-fast days. My real progress in in seeing the fat disappear!
Hi everyone, so I did 5:2 a few months ago and did really well and dropped some weight but more importantly, I felt great. I’m starting my second go-around by doing 4:3 for a month then transitioning to 5:2. Most of the fast days I look up online include European items I’ve never heard of so I’d like to get an idea of what everyone eats on a fast day. I kind of get sick of hard boiled eggs and spinach salads covered in lemon. Thanks and best of luck to everyone in the new year!
dykask, I think 16 pounds in 12 weeks is a real success! I like to eat on my non-fast days too; no way will I count calories on my non-fasting day like some others do, because that would just turn it into another diet for me. So if I lose very slowly, so be it.
If I could lose 16 pounds in 12 weeks, I would be so happy. But if not, I’ll just carry on. Congratulations!
Hi everyone-Happy New Year!
It seems cliche to be starting a new diet plan for the new year, but hey, I’m also turning 50 in January, so that’s the real reason for kicking this off today!
My hubby and I are doing this together and will be fasting on Mondays and Wednesdays. I have a 25 pound weight loss goal, and he’s going for 30.
CHEERS TO 2017!!!
Kristen & Matt
Holly Springs, NC
I came across the 5:2 Diet when I was scrolling through people who lost a lot of weight. This was one of the diets mentioned and when I looked it up it really looked like something I could work with. I started Weight Watchers about 7 months ago and I’ve lost 32 pounds. It’s working but I want to kick it up a notch. This sounds like the perfect way to do that.
Today is Day 1 for me (my New Year promise to myself) and I’ll be fasting on Monday and Thursday. Tomorrow will be my first FD. I’m actually looking forward to this! =D
Hi DragonSwan,
The 5:2 diet sounds really hard but I actually have found it much easier than any other diet. However I do couple mind with reducing refined sugar and keeping my carb consumption moderate. Anyway for months I just though 5:2 sounded crazy but I now often fast over 36 hours without taking food. Some fasts are easier than others but being about to eat well on the non-fasting days is a huge bonus.
I’m currently using more fruit teas while fasting, even though the flavoring probably isn’t that great for me. It just helps me with drinking more.
On my non-fast days I’ve been working in some milled flax seeds. I’ve seen claims that it supposed taste a little nutty but I really like nuts and I don’t think it has any positive nutty taste. In fact I was having a hard time working it into any food, but I wanted the extra omega 3 fats and the fiber. When I cooked into oatmeal instead of masking the favor it made the oatmeal taste like sawdust. (Or at least what I think sawdust would taste like.) I finally started mixing into my black coffee and that seems to work okay, but I also sip coffee through a straw because of teeth stains. It does give the coffee a texture but the bitter taste of coffee seems to go well enough with the flax seed taste.
Since flax seeds have high calories I’m not using them on fasting days but I have noticed a large improvement in bowel movements. Fasting tends to mess up my movements so that is a welcome relief. It also hasn’t seemed to hurt my fat loss although it does add up to another 100 kc on non-fasting days. This last weekend I hit 173 lbs. I spent most of my college days a little above that!
Hello! I started October 1 (13 weeks ago) and have been fasting roughly 5:2.
Loss since then: about 16 pounds. I have about 35-40 pounds to go.
I have a high activity level (cross fit, kayak) so I think the weight loss is
mostly fat. No easy way to verify that.
Even before starting this diet, I only ate one meal a day (dinner) so a fast day is
potentially a 48 hour fast for me (I skip one dinner).
Breaking the fast has proven to be a little rough on my digestive system so I
eat a little cheese about 4 hours before the end of the fast. In sum the fasts last
about 44 hours.
I had been on a six-month long plateau before October 1
but I wasn’t doing anything special, just eating one meal a day and bulletproof
coffee with some protein. No more bulletproof coffee these days.
L
Wow LarryNYC, you are a very serious faster and I’m glad you are getting some results.
I’m planning on a second DEXA scan this year to I can get a good idea of how much of what I’ve lost. Judging from my strength and looks I don’t think I’m losing a lot of muscle, as you pointed out we don’t have easy ways to tell.
I’m also trying to keep my fasts pure. I find the first 20 or so hours not bad and then maybe it gets a bit harder. I know by the second morning I often could easily go another day. In fact I might do that because I’ll be traveling in mid-Jan and don’t want to fast on that trip. I’m thinking of doing a 2+ day fast a few days before the trip and a fast after the trip.
Hey y’all,
Im getting back on fasting after a dizzy fall to winter. Gained a lot of weight this year after an injury and its time to get serious. Just started some practice fasts last week (eating in 8 hour window two days last week). Hoping to do more this week. Good to see so many regulats on this thread.
Hi DragonSwan, it is great that you are excited! Your weight loss though isn’t probably just fat, so don’t be disappointed if some of it comes back. Over time you will loss that much fat. My weight often varies 6 or 7 pounds throughout the week. Everyone is different. All of Nov and into Dec my weight seems like it was climbing and then bam rapid losses again. So if the scale turns against you, just use the measuring tape. Fasting really kills the fat!
Hi to SlimnHealthy! I wish you success in losing staying slim.
It is nice to see new people posting here.
I feel like I killed the thread.
I just got back from the land of the fat two days ago. It was pretty wild but I flew in just before a Trump inspired protest practically shutdown the airport and flew out just before a snowstorm did shutdown the airport. (SEATAC)
I was pretty amazed by how slim I felt. Now I’m back in Japan and I don’t feel slim anymore.
I definitely am an American and would love to join you.
We live on a horse ranch in the beautiful Missouri Ozarks. Blissfully happily married to a good looking cowboy, we have seven grandkids and are about to have our fifth greatgrand – a little girl, that will make 3 boys and 2 girls.
Have several horses and a big, fat, spoiled gray striped tiger cat who loves scrambled eggs with crumbled bacon as a treat. Uh, maybe that is why he is fat ! He prefers to be called husky.
Work as a legal secretary for a family owned lawfirm and could not have a more wonderful group of bosses/coworkers. Love, love, love my job.
Love to read, love to exercise, love to garden, love my family and my church family. Volunteer two days a week, work three.
I am almost 68 and loving every second of my life, thus my name.
Eternally Grateful
EternallyGrateful it is really nice to hear from someone new. It really sounds like you have a happy life.
Personally I heard of 5:2 long before I tried it. It sounded scary to me but I really like it now because I really get to enjoy eating! On top of that I’m getting close to a BMI of 25. I’m grateful that I found something that is working well and fits into my life!
Yes I’am Also,
You have information about healthy ? at this blog http://www.healtcdoctrin.com
HI Puzzle lover
I too was going to suggest avocado but I have mine with thinly sliced tomato and sometimes have the combination on a slice of wholemeal grain toast with vegemite.
Poached eggs are also good or scrambled eggs made by heating pan, add the merest smear of butter, cracking 2 eggs into pan and beating roughly with a fork, add 1 – 2 teaspoons water, season to taste, stir until done to desired creaminess, serve (with parsley if desired).
I sometimes have 2 tablespoons full fat plain Greek yoghurt with 1 tablespoon blueberries.
I also make homemade muesli with uncut oats, cranberries, sesame seeds, psyllium husks, pepitas, sunflower seeds, chopped almonds, LSA . It is delicious but I only have 1/4 cup with a few tablespoons milk. DH has his with blueberries and plain greek yoghurt.
I find all these work for me without being too heavy. Enough variety to satisfy.
Hope this is useful.🤔
@dinaselvie – I think you mean http://healthdoctrine.com/
Welcome to both Puzzle lover and dinaselvie!
Why are people eating boiled eggs for breakfast?
I often eat some plain oatmeal with a serving of peanut butter and a small piece of dark chocolate dropped in. I sweeten it with several servings of fruit but my standby fruits are raisins, dried prunes and bananas. If I’m still hungry because I just broke a fast I typically also eat a few handfuls of mixed nuts.
(Since I’m currently living in Japan …)
Also in Japan it is very common just to have some leftovers for breakfast. A typical Japanese breakfast would be rice and thin miso soup. Typically the rice will be favored with some light toppings and maybe a soft-boiled egg.
Hi, not from America, but ahho. I’ve just started IF today, I’ve been reading up on it and watching YouTube. Decided to give it ago.
I think I must of tried ever diet and weight loss class there has ever been, not a lot of luck as I sure you would of worked out. I have around two stone to lose (28lb) even half of that would be a god send. I am just hoping that I have got the jist of it right. I can go without food no problem but cannot function without my coffee I usually drink cappuccinos around 2 or 3 skinny ones a day and may be 3 or 4 instant on top. Today I have been up since 4am and have managed to only have 2 instant coffees with anot 82 calories in total of milk. I have no intention of eating till 7pm when I will have chicken and veg. OMG I am rambling on sorry😳 I would love to have someone to help me and hopefully me help them in return. So maybe you would. Buddy up and hopefully we can do this together. Good luck to you
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3:52 am
18 Nov 16