Hi all

I am new, having been a bit of a forum lurker for a while.

My brief fasting history, followed 5:2 for all of 2013;2014;2015 and weighed around 10 stone 3. Divorce in 2016 and the aftermath in this year got me off the wagon and I went up to 11 stone 10 at my heaviest. Now down to 11 stone 1 but back on 5:2 and dabbling in 4:3 as my IF methods to get myself hopefully down to 10’7 by 7th January (for a holiday). I’m in a happy and healthy place life wise and have no excuses to not be on track!

I’ll be aiming for 5:2 at a minimum each week with 500 calorie fast days, boosted to 800 if I run (usually 5k ish at a reasonable pace), and sticking to 1200 on NF days.

1 Dec for me will be a NF day. I’m in Hampshire, UK.

Lovely to meet you all, virtually!

Sophie

@bert1802 – thanks for hosting December. I’m also hopeless with IT – could someone please assist with adding me to spreadsheet – I didn’t want to mess it up – thank you in advance!

Count me in please. I am a newbie.

I’m in!

I treated myself to 3 new dresses on Black Friday so I won’t be splashing out again until the January sales! I celebrated changing dress sizes, have gone from a size 44 to a size 42! Hurrah! This is such a nice feeling as for the first time in four years I was able to try on dresses that are not tents!

Am starting a new job tomorrow and will be getting up at 5.20 workdays so have decided to use this as an opportunity to break the wine with my evening meal bad habit that I have developed! So my personal challenge this month is that- wait until Friday for that!

I have followed MFPal’s 1200 recommendation as well, I never followed my TDEE. MFP ups the calorie allowance on days when I go swimming so I tend to do this Tuesday Fri and Sat as the latter are the days I eat the most. On fast days I’m usually over (the wine!), but I look at the total calories for the week and I try to stay under the average if you see what I mean. Some days I’m over, some under but the weekly mean should work out to just under! It’s working as I’ve lost 8.1kg since mid September.

Would like to lose 2kg even if it IS December as I still have a long way to go!

@bert1802 count me in for December. Thanks so much for hosting.

Ho ho ho!

Day 1 NZ NFD Its a beautiful day today. Sun’s shining. So easy to be more motivated on a lovely day. Trying to do 16:8 as I’ve never been a big breakfast water.Have a lovely day everyone ☺☺

Thank you @bert1802! Count me in for December and thank you @tsubasa for doing the spreadsheet! I’ve added myself to it!

My fast day was much easier than I thought today. Had nothing but green tea for breakfast,lunch. Stopped for a 6 inch healthy subway sub for dinner. Skipped the cookies, sodas/teas, and chips. Got it with bottled water. Off to Pilates class shortly. Will weigh in tomorrow morning for my official December starting point.

How do we find the spreadsheet now? I was so excited to see my name on it but now cannot find it…

Hello, I am new to this way of life! My doctor just suggested it to me. I am excited to get started! I just found this website cause i want to know more about this way of life! I thought the challenge would be a great way to start!!!

Day 1 – Japan – FD 83.6kg

This is FD #10 of year 2. I’m happy with how this diet works, even though I’m making my progress slow. I’ve never been able to maintain or loss weight while building some muscle before. Changing body composition is just hard.

I still have some fat around the middle, but it isn’t anything like I used to have!

Day 1 – Ireland – NFD 77.4kg. Going to do 4:3 for the next 3 weeks to build up a few credits for the 25th! Fasted on Tues and Thurs so far this week. Probably stayed around 800 cals. Didn’t count as was not officially on the Challenge! Found fasting to be much easier than on my previous 2 attempts and didn’t have my “rebound” splurging on the NFD as before. Must be the fact that I have gone low carb in the interim. Good luck to all!

Day 1 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – FD

This is my 5th monthly challenge and 25lbs down so this WOL is a winner for me. I aim to get into the low 130’s, deep into 9 stone land, but with Christmas looming, and then a new year trip to Peru in January, I aim to get there mid Spring 2018.

I am 50, female, 5’2, and at my heaviest I was nearly 12 stone 😨 Heart issues run in my family, my poor Mam was only 54 when she passed, so I had to take issue with myself and get that weight off. I had some cardio tests in Nov which proved that I have a healthy heart so a blessed relief and onwards I go with this WOL and chatting to all you great people from all around the globe.

I am starting Dec with another FD….my 5th in a row 😳 I have to work tomorrow, busy Christmas season has started, so fasting will keep me off the wine until tomorrow 🍷

Have a great Friday!

Day 1 UK NFD

Back for another month because I find this so helpful. I combine my daily post with using the daily tracker as a food diary and progress record so I don’t use the spreadsheet as well. Thanks for taking it on Bert 🙂

This is my first full month in maintenance, and being December is unlikely to be easy. I am starting right where I want my maximum weight to be – 145 lbs. Going a little lower would be fine, I think between ten stone and ten stone five will be a good range. I am too tall to want to go under ten stone. For those that don’t know I was a hundred pounds heavier this time last year and feel so much better that it is as if I am thirty years younger than my actual fifty two. I have completely changed how I eat and have no intention of going back to the mistakes of the past. My tastes have completely changed no doubt due to a changed set of gut bacteria. They now compel me towards fruit rather than bread and pasta. I never used to eat fruit, and for a vegetarian remarkably few vegetables. Now I am a veg guzzler. Fasting has worked so well for me resetting my system and blood chemistry. I used alternate day fasting until I got to a happy weight and now use 5:2 to maintain. As I eat mainly fruit and veg a fastday intake of 800 calories worked well for me throughout, usually in one meal although lately I have eaten fruit earlier too as dinner got pushed back to close to 10pm on fast days by circumstances. I tried not eating at all but the next day I overcompensated by miles so it was no more effective and I found it unbalanced my digestive system unnecessarily although the empty feeling was incredibly energizing.

Day 1, South Wales, NFD

Hello and thank you @bert1802 for hosting this month’s thread.

Last month was a bit of a washout for me (only 1lb lost, but better than 0lb…), but I’m focusing on having a positive month before the Christmas splurge and trying to get rid of 2lb/1kg before that point. I started Fasting & low carb/mediterranean in April this year and am now 28lb / 13kg lighter than I was then, and down 2 dress sizes.

I really feel like a new person, and as a bonus, I’ve got a whole wardrobe of clothes that now fit me again for the first time in years. I’m actually looking forward to the party season!

Wishing you all a good and successful December, whether losing weight or maintaining at your goals!

Day 1, UK, FD

Thanks for hosting December @bert1802 – please count me in.

Last month I experimented with no weighing at all. I thought I was doing fine as I felt comfortable in my clothes. Whilst I only managed one FD, I was eating 16:8 and making generally good choices. Apart from the vast quantities of wine!!!

Strategy for December:
5:2 – B2B Monday/Tuesday.
16:8 Wednesday to Sunday.
Weigh weekly after 2nd FD
No wine at all.
Regular exercise.

Many congratulations to all with great results last month and all that stayed the course.

“Mistakes are proof that you’re trying.”

Day 1 NFD Stratford-on-Avon, UK

LOL! @bert1802 you really make me laugh!!!! Love your opening welcome post, think I will read that everyday in Dec to help keep me in check. Thank you for hosting Dec and please count me in the Dec challenge.

I have added myself to the spreadsheet, hoping to complete 11 FDs in Dec to help offset any Xmas indulgence. I have set myself a very modest target of 2lb loss for Dec, but tbh would be happy to come out the other side with a maintain.

Happy 1st Dec everyone – KEEP THE FOCUS!

Hi there, fatrabbit, an inspiring story. I am your ‘before’! With 100 pounds to lose. May I ask how many calories you had in your non fast days . Doing 5:2 with 500/1200 to try to lose 3/2lbs a week . I’m female and 5’7” and 49 and hormonal!

Thanks for this Challenge! And thanks for being supportive of me switching to 18:6 😉

My final results for November:
-4.3 kg ~ 9.47 pounds 🙂 I am over the moon!!

X

Hi everyone Day 1 Co Down NI NFD

Thank you @bert1802 for hosting December’s challenge.

Welcome newbies and hello to old friends. I hadn’t gone away completely I was fighting dragons! but so relieved that I left these challenges in such capable hands. Typical of this group actually, when one is under pressure, they take up the reins and take care of things. Thank you all x.

Inspection over so hopefully going forward things will be less stressed in work.

I found I eat when stressed, I eat when bored, I eat when happy and this has resulted in me back sliding somewhat and with my foot still not being 100% I can’t exercise the same as I did to release the stress, boredom etc. This has resulted in a gain of about 10lbs of weight gain. Despite the gain and as much as I put my head in the sand and didn’t weigh, the ever tightening waist band told it’s own story. I just could not seem to get back on track. My attempts to fast while some seemed successful, once home it all went down hill. I now owe Santa a few tubes of sweets for his stocking fillers oops! I also found I had a humour bypass and found it very hard to laugh at things instead I resorted to beating myself up. I didn’t have the energy to read the posts, I couldn’t face posting as I didn’t feel I could offer anything.

But I didn’t give up – I felt after over 2 years on the forum and these challenges since May 2016 I needed a holiday. I had thought I would catch up with happenings in November but I don’t think that is going to happen. I will however sit and read over the weekend a few members posts as they are very good at commenting on others posts and this will give me an idea of what has been going on.

So apologies if I have missed any significant happenings in your lives. I am taking baby steps to get back on track and dusted off my 5:2 book. I may not post everyday yet but know I am still here and still trying which is what really counts.

Love to all Liz x

Day 1 – Massachusetts – FD

Hey everyone! This is only my second month on 5:2, and thanks to you all who have been so welcoming. This month my goal is to lose 5 pounds (despite the big holiday at the end!). I’m a short 5 2 person with a small frame (thumb and middle finger overlap around my wrist) which means even though I’m currently a healthy BMI I want to lose some extra pounds to get rid of some of the rolls my small frame carries and get to the lower end of a healthy BMI range. Last month was really successful and I’m excited for what this month will bring!

November challenge start: 131.8 lbs
End of November challenge/start of December challenge: 124.6
December goal weight: 119 lbs

All numbers from now on are new on the scale… I can’t remember ever reading them before and that’s exciting! I seem to have really good success with B2B fasts, so I’m going to incorporate some of them.

I have added my name to the spreadsheet! Thanks @bert for hosting!

Thanks for being so welcoming! This is my first day on the website and first challenge but I’ve had success with the WOL in the past.

Day 1….Minnesota…..FD

Current weight 175 lbs
Dec Goal 170
Height 5’6
Medium Frame
Size US 12

Day 1, Cornwall UK, NFD

This is my second month on the 5:2 Challenge and I’m here because the first month was really good! I started my weight loss in January 2017 with a traditional daily-low-cal diet, but had only lost 3kgs by the middle of the year. Not very successful and I was looking for a completely different approach. I somehow found MMs Eat, Fast and Live Longer documentary (I saw it originally in 2013 but its taken a while to accept that fasting is not crazy!). I started 5:2 + Mediterranean Diet in July this year and lost a further 11kgs. 5:2 is better than anything else I have tried, and I’ve tried a lot of things.

I have lots more kgs to lose so this is a long journey for me. I am fasting at 500 calories 2 days a week and then eating a Mediterranean Diet on the other 5 days.

I’m not calorie counting on NFDs as I wouldn’t stick to it long term, so the Mediterranean Diet better not deliver any weight gains on NFDs (its not supposed to!
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303#t=article ). I think I’d feel direction-less on NFDs without some guidance on a positive approach to eating. The Med Diet gives me ‘permission’ to eat lots of tasty things like nuts, olive oil and fruit, and not feel guilty. And I have massively reduced the refined carbs.

My December goal is to lose another 2kgs and not be derailed by Christmas celebrations. And I want to understand more about how to maintain a higher metabolism with weight loss, especially long term.

Day 1 UK FD

After a successful November Challenge – my first having joined on the 13th I will start December at 181.6lbs. My goal by Jan 1st is 175…. until I saw the scales and the success this morning I was considering a December goal as ‘staying the same’…. now I feel inspired.

I am finding the FD are becoming easier although today is my first B2B and that’s proving a little more challenging. I set out for a 5k jog this morning and had to put in a couple of walks – the old bod seemed to be crying out for fuel and was struggling to find any!

Good luck everyone with all that December may bring!

Day 1 – Ireland – CD – hopefully

Second month of challenge and so grateful to have a challenge to help with the day to day… looking forward to balancing the party days with good days and benefiting from the lessons learned already!
All the best to all of you for the month ahead!