This topic contains 92 replies, has 22 voices, and was last updated by DermaDoyle 8 years, 2 months ago.
As a 6 foot male I’m nowhere near 10 stone but I am slim everywhere except my belly. Alternate day fasting is working wonders for me. Ideally I’ll get to 11 and a half stone. I imagine 5:2 would be just as effective but I’m impatient for a change in shape as I’ve been ignoring my expanding gut for far to long.
There is no reason why 5:2 won’t work on those who just need a little shape up.
Hi Lilmiss1987 I’ve just finished my second fast week, im 10 stone 8 and I too would like to lose around 12 lb to get me well into the single figures. My first week I lost one pound but have stayed the same this week! I am hoping, though, that by sticking to the calories suggested by the ‘Calculator’ i’ll continue losing the weightif im patient. It can be a slow process when youre near where youd like to be cant it? Stick with it!! :0)
Lil, I started at a chubby 11st5 in January 2014, with a goal of 10st. I reached my goal by April 2014, then lost another 8lbs or so while I worked out how to stop losing and start maintaining.
Since May 2014 I’ve been at 9st4-ish (5ft7, size 8), my lightest ever adult weight. I could lose more if I wanted, but I think I’m slim enough.
Provided you’re willing to fast properly, and eat at or under TDEE on non-fast days, I see no reason why you shouldn’t be able to lose weight.
If you aren’t losing, then you maybe need to eat less and/or look at reducing refined carbohydrate and added sugar (if that’s a weakness!).
Truda, the calculator is only a guide for the ‘average’ person. If you aren’t losing, it may be too high for you and you may need to eat less.
Good luck!
Hi Lilmiss, I have lost over 20kg and only have about 4 kg to lose (not quite sure how much, but I am pretty small and I think 53 – 54 kg would be right for me, and I am currently about 57kg which is JUST under 9 stone.
At first weight just fell off me, but now it is much slower. However, it is just as nice! I concentrate on making the 5:2 fasting easy and sustainable so I keep on it for as long as it takes (and then do maintenance).
Getting dressed for the day just keeps getting more and more fun!
Remember Dr Michael Mosley only needed to lose a little bit when he came up with the idea.
Started on 21st September at 10 stone 2, now 9 stone 6. Weight loss has been so so slow. Aiming for 9 stone by my wedding at the end of Feb and 8.5 stone longer term. Am 5’4 and not technically overweight but my 36″ waist looks horrendous and definitely is not healthy (waist measurement unchanged so far).
I’m 5′ 4″ too, maybe a bit shorter. The healthiest weight loss does tend to happen slowly and steadily. It is a nice time for you, planning for your wedding and your life ahead. What a great time to also be making sustainable healthy eating an ongoing part of your life. If you keep going, I am sure you will have a smaller waist for your wedding than you do now. I have never married, but I can’t think of any of my friends who have, who didn’t get so nervous and stressed before their wedding that they hardly ate, so you have that to look forward to too ?
And I am absolutely confident, even though I have never met you, that you will make the most gorgeous bride, and have the best wedding, even with a 36″ waist, if you still have one. Embrace the day, just the way you are. I can assure you that in ten years you will look back on the photos and just be amazed at how gorgeous you look.
Best wishes ?
I am sure that you will be a beautiful bride.
You might want to look at the sugar in your diet. I am 5 ft 2 and for the past 4 weeks I have been trying to reduce both the visible and hidden sugar in my diet. The outcome is that I have lost an inch off my actual waist, dropped a jean size and can fit into clothes that now look good(and ever increasing pile for the charity shop).
After 45+ years I have given up sugar in my tea(the first week was grim) and now eat brown rice and pasta, sneak lentils in where I can and aim for eating fresh fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread etc. Walking is a really good waist whittler, so try and walk 10,000 steps a day and you will see a difference in your clothes.
I definitely agree that you have to watch your TDEE – 500 calories is a third of mine, not a quarter so I have to eat much less than my other half on fast days. Am actually trying to fast until lunch time on non fast days to see if it speeds things up in terms of weight loss. Also trying to cut out high GI foods during the week.
Hi everyone, I wanted to reply as I’m similar to many of you. I’m 5ft 4, and started off at 10st 12. I’m down to 10st 5 now, although its been quite slow. I lost 3lb in my first week, and then its been like 1lb a week, which is fine. Fast days do get easier, I struggled at first with headaches, and constantly feeling cold, but now I look forward to the fast days.
Hang in there everyone, this really works!
It’s definitely slowing down now, more like 0.75 pounds a week, or maybe even half – which is why I’m going to start the partial fasting on the other days and cut out the more obvious sugar during the week. Weekends are going to have to remain unrestricted or I’ll end up giving up on the whole thing.
It’s definitely easier with electronic scales as you can’t really see that half or quarter pound loss with the old fashioned ones.
Good morning everyone ⭐️
Congrats that the fasting is going so nicely Lilmiss, the bride comments are for you ( and all the other brides) as well as at girl.
It is good to have this thread going. Dragonfly, hello, your loss is impressive. I think half a pound a week is the average with 5:2.
Best wishes?
Hi
Just stumbled on this website after watching the program on documentary heaven. Have heard of 5:2 for some time but did not really know the details. I just turned 50 and am finding the weight hard to shift. I am 70 kgs , 5 ft 7.
I just want to lose 5 kgs but it’s hell. Will start this diet tomorrow but will probably have to break over Christmas.
I exercise 3 times a week but know it’s the food! I also cannot say no to champagne.
Anyway, glad to stumble on this group.
And good luck to everyone.
Welcome Sunshine!
With any luck you will be like me and find 5:2 nicely gets the body working well to shift those extra kilos and to better health.
Atc girl, you are right. Autocorrect messes with your name!
Good luck Lilmiss you will work out a way. Mine is to plan exactly what I will eat on fast days, and then I just need to follow through. .. And then I just have to be sensible about treats and portion sizes on my non fast days. ?
Ahi Sunshine and other newbies, it’s ok if you find Christmas tough and stumble a bit. You can even plan your stumbling if you want. The beauty of 5:2 is it works. Absolutely no kidding it works. It works sustainably, and it works long term. It is so easy compared to other diets it’s ridiculous. Just start learning and getting used to it, being reasonably careful but not monastic over thebholiday season, whatever it is, and really get it solid at the beginning of January. Read the thread for newbies by simcoeluv. It’s excellent, and stay on the forum!
Cheers
Merry, 16kgs, 36lbs ish down and counting.
Yesterday was a total fail for me, I dont know what happened. Anxiety was high at work which probably contributed. Anyway, I wanted to eat everything in sight! I even had wine, midweek, which I’ve been trying so hard not to do. I’ve decided I’m going to fast today, and also tomorrow which is my usual day. I’m feeling bloated from the food yesterday, hopefully water will help.
Stay strong everyone, lets make today a success 🙂
I find out on Saturday if my wedding dress fits again…. in September the zip was sewn in after the dressmaker was happy with the fit everywhere else (had it made rather than off the peg). My weight didn’t change between appointments so she might have been a little over enthusiastic when sewing it in, but it actually gave me the wake-up call to put a halt to my gradual weight gain. So I decided not to ask her to alter it but to lose the weight instead.
Only issue is that I still haven’t lost inches around the torso, which is where it was tightest. So if the dress does actually fit, my tape measure is lying…..
Cinque, I’ve never done a back to back fast before, I’m imagining it will be quite hard when tomorrow morning comes round. If I can’t do it, then I’ll not put too much pressure on myself. I just felt so guilty after the over indulgence yesterday. Maybe I’m being a bit ambitious with my fasts haha! I will try though 🙂
Hope your having a good day 🙂
Good luck on Saturday atcgirl I hope you find it fits beautifully!
5:2 is so nicely adaptable Dragonfly. You’ve done one Fast so it is nice that you can decide about the next day fast in the morning.
After the last time I had a day when I started grazing, over eating, I decided I woul always trigger a fast for the next day. High priority. It gets me so nicely back on track.
Otherwise I like my fasts to stick to their planned days!
Throwing in a few fasting periods during the week is harder than I thought. Physically I can deal with it, but mentally I can’t – especially as my colleagues at work don’t particularly like me and sometimes I need something nice to eat to help me feel better!
I did a fast Monday and Wednesday until dinner time and Tuesday until lunchtime. Today is not happening, I have a massive milky sugary coffee this morning and it is wonderful. I think I might be able to fast Friday until dinner (proper unrestricted dinner) then back on Monday.
This diet only really started working for me when I did proper full fasting periods and didn’t have snacks. I think it means that the body goes into ketosis and stays there.
Been 9 stone 5 for a few days now so I think that’s sticking. Aiming for 9 stone 4 this time next week.
Hi all
On my second day of the diet. Two Non fast days so far. I have cut down on my portion sizes as I noticed this was my main issue. Sadly yesterday evening I went out and had some mulled wine and biscuits. I had a work out day yesterday as well.
Have not had a fast day yet so terrified of that.
What do you guys eat on a fast day? And how many calories should we aim for on a fast day? Is it 300? Or 50?
Good luck atc girl – sounds like you will make it. And I would care what other people think about you if I were you. Everyone is walking around with more insecurities and problems than you. Believe you me.
Thanks
Hi Sunshine and welcome:
As the saying goes, most people would rather die than not eat! No need to be terrified, though, you won’t die. I can attest to that as I just finished a 10 day water fast and am still here.
As 5:2 is a calorie based diet, not a food type based diet, you can eat whatever you want on diet days. However, most people find eventually that eating one evening meal high in fat and moderate in protein (no carbs) works the best. That is because eating carbs, especially processed carbs like sugar, bread or pasta, will make you hungry and you will find it much harder to get through your diet days successfully.
As a newbie that is terrified of not eating, I suggest you go with the standard 500 cal. for now, and shift down to 1/4 of your TDEE or less later if you want.
Here is most of the information you need to be successful with 5:2: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/
Good Luck!
Thanks Sunshine94 🙂 my old workplace have been asking if I want to go back and today I finally sent my CV back to them. I feel the issues that made me want to leave have been addressed to an extent and I’d be going back stronger and better qualified than before 🙂 the people I currently work with are very judgemental and close minded – I got told to ****off because I happen to watch university challenge!
I eat a 300 calorie dinner on fast days and nothing else apart from a black tea in the morning. Today, for example, I was going to have a proper lunch and breakfast after my non fast day milky sugary coffee but I ended up not fancying it and at 5.30 pm I’m still not fussed that the coffee is all I’ve had today. I’ll have a normal dinner though later.
I find fast days easier if I consume zero calories until my dinner. If I eat a small snack, the hunger pangs kick in and all I can think about is food. I find it’s almost better to not even get my digestive system going. I found week 2 the hardest but the key thing to remember is that you’re not going to get ill just because you feel hungry. Michael is right, hunger does come in waves. I find it harder mentally not to eat because I’m a bit of an emotional eater but the physical hunger can be dealt with, you just have to tell yourself that it’s OK to be hungry.
I held out until half 4 today and then the Brie and toast started calling…. Now have a glass of wine and a nice dinner in the oven.
Tipped the scales at just under 9 stone 4 this morning. So best I can do before tomorrow, I deserve to enjoy my food this evening. Probably back up to 9 stone 5 by Monday when it all starts again. Feeling like this intermittent fasting on non fast days might be the way forward and that’s it for my sugary coffees now. Black tea only (with milk at weekends). I only have one in the morning or I suspect the caffeine will do bad things to my blood sugar!
Hi atc girl,
when you talk about fasting til dinner time, do you mean eating no calories until then? Or are you doing the 500 calories on Fast days, and then having very short fast days?
I identify so much with that ‘clogged up’ feeling. My favourite is waking up the morning after the Fast and feeling so lovely. In fact now I am like that most mornings, except on the odd times I have ever eaten the day before.
Dragonfly did you manage a back to back?
Lilmiss, how are you going?
Hello everyone else!
Thank you Simcoeluv
That’s all extremely useful. Having a bit of a set back as have to take strong antibiotics for dentals and don’t want to do so on too empty a stomach.
Still however managing to reduce my overall intake but no fast days so far. Will probably start fast once finished antibiotics.
Went to Boots and weighed vitals on this machine. Shocked at body fat percentage etc so have to lose a stone. I am motivated by what I read in this forum. So will keep going.
Thanks everyone
Hi all , congrats on the losses! I think I have finally cracked the maintenance thing!! I am 60 kilos today, and was 59.9 last week and 60.5 the previous week. So for me this is what works….Mon fast 650 cals, tue 1600 cals, wed fast 650 cals, thur 1600 cals, fri fast 650 cals, sat eat normally in day and then a big meal in the evening eg takeaway or a large Chinese in the local. Sun 1600 calories. So 3 light days of 650 , 3 days 1600, and one glorious no counting day!! At last I can keep my weight fairly steady. And the other rewards? I now have a 27 inch waist and 35 inch hips. Anyway keep up the good work loosers….It really does get easier. Fasting is a breeze now. I am rarely hungry and if I am I go to bed early and dream about the lovely food I will have the next day!!!
Well the dress fits. No idea how. I reckon a little more on my love handles wouldn’t go amiss so that it sits slightly better. It’s a little loose on top though so I’m going to get a cheap bra for her to sew into it, which I think I would prefer anyway so am glad I’ve shrunk on top.
Going to keep at it because my stomach has to shrink, it’s dangerous and unhealthy fat there that absolutely has to go. I might just end up looking like Humpty Dumpty until it does.
Congrats on the maintenance Kindle 🙂 I can’t imagine that was easy to figure out.
Congratulations on a lovely wedding gown fit atcgirl!
Thanks for clarifying how you manage your fast days. It get so confusing because ‘fast’ means to go without food, and yet in 5:2 a Fast day can include 500 calories. So when you say you fasted til dinner time, I wasn’t sure what it meant.
Hi Kindle, congrats on cracking maintenance! I am looking forward to that challenge!
Hi Sunshine, it is good to be well prepared. The first Fast day can be scary. Make sure you let us know when it is happening, so we can cheer you along. You will be fine ofcourse!
The Christmas period is not starting to mess with ‘the plan’ People are starting to organise things that clash with fast days when I’ve already got plans on adjoining days 🙁
Anyone else starting to struggle?
My colleagues are scoffing mince pies and chocolates all day and I’m having no trouble turning those down. But pub carvery lunches and Chinese set menus in the evenings mean that I can’t actually fast or eat a low calorie option. just grateful that weight loss seems to be slightly ahead of my goal so I might still manage it.
Hi atc girl,
I am pretty isolated from a lot of the Christmas hoohah. I find eating out very hard though. Maybe sometimes you can just say you are not hungry, and grab a drink and sit with it while people are eating? They might find it a bit uncomfortable, but if you are easy and chatty they will get used to it.
Make sure you have something nice to eat when you get home!
Great idea but I love food so much that would be torture 🙁 plus am not easy and chatty with work colleagues.
I’ve decided to not fast so much this week. Monday was a fast day. Today was normal. Wednesday I’ll have the lunchtime carvery and a very light dinner (no breakfast). Thursday I’ll fast all day until Chinese meal in the evening and then Friday I’ll fast all day until normal dinner. I think as long as I don’t gain weight I won’t feel so bad.
Christmas will be a non starter. Family will be keen to feed us 😉 although I will manage to turn down all the extras such as chocolates and mince pies.
Other half is having a nightmare week at work so he’s canned it this week after Monday’s fast.
(currently weighing 9 1/2 stone after a long stall, looking to get down to around 9 stone or possibly a bit more).
Christmas thus far is somewhat challenging. The meals out etc I can cope with, but I’ve been working 8-9 hour shifts every day for the past week and constantly rushing about like a headless chicken. It might not sound much, but I found I kept getting light headed and faint, so I’ve ended up upping my calories on fast days to 7-800 just to cope with it >.>.
Oh well, think of the money I suppose…
That sounds more challenging, having a job where you’re rushing around while fasting. I hope the diet still works for you Ferris.
I found my favourite size 8 jeans from a decade ago in the attic a few weeks ago and I could barely get into them. This morning they actually did up! Just with a hideous muffin top, but it’s still progress.
Weight has remained stable for about 2 weeks now. 9 stone 4 ish. I didn’t fast properly last week and had a couple of big meals, plus lots of snacking at the weekend so I think it’s positive I haven’t gained weight. Fasting this week Monday and Wednesday but not expecting a loss (especially as I’m not planning my usual ‘semi fasting’ on other days). Feeling confident I can not gain weight over the Christmas period.
I think as you lose weight and your TDEE drops it starts to get harder in our weight category, I think 9 stone by the end of Feb is probably quite realistic and I doubt I’d go under that.
Well I was 9 stone 3 3/4 Wednesday last week and 9 stone 5 1/4 this morning. A pound and a half isn’t terrible and I suspect that’s more booze than food. Other half has no intention of fasting this week which has broken my resolve. I’m going to attempt a bit of a 16:8 this week and try and only eat between 12 and 8pm every day until I start 5:2 again in earnest on Monday the 4th.
Good luck to everyone for the new year 🙂
Hi atcgirl, a new challenge for you, best wishes, I am sure you will go well. You are doing this for your good health. Plan, plan, and stay mindful!
PS you have done great over the festive period!
I don’t weigh myself, and my lifestyle means I have managed to avoid Christmas festivities, I think I have had the easiest Christmas. I seem to lose weight in little jumps: I had one a couple of weeks ago, and then I have a few weeks of getting used to it, and then feeling my excess weight again and worrying that I might be putting weight on, or plateauing, but I can be confident that in another week or so I will notice another jump in weight loss.
Cheers to all here ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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