Hi Brennan … I am nearly four years into the 5:2 Intermittent Fasting program,(down 100#), and this is the advice I give to everyone:

KEEP GOING!

Don’t worry about occasional disappointments when the scale doesn’t seem to move the right direction – we all have those moments, and yes, it can be quite frustrating … But, if you keep doing it, and are completely honest about what you are ingesting, then you will see the weight start coming off …

One other note: I usually stop fasting during the holidays … From Thanksgiving through New Year’s, though I try to fit a fast day here and there in between.

This last year, however, I gained about 20# during that time, which took me a good 6 weeks to remove.

My advice (to me and you) …

Enjoy a holiday break and feast away, but only for a day or two, then get back on the program before going too far off the reservation …

Keep going!, and good luck!

Hi team, I decided to try 5:2, which felt good. Its amazing how it is possible to make spag bol out of quorn which is low cal. THEN I went head over heals and started 20:4 fasting instead for 5 days, I was seduced by the powers of skinny young guys on You Tube telling me to live on steak after 8pm and work out instead of watching TV. That was not a good idea, I mistook being young for being slim, and my head was turned. Being fat at the moment made me think I could do extreme stuff and it might work. I realized that when I was young I could lose weight by just thinking about it, and have photographic evidence that I could stay slim on 20 Silk cut a day, fish and chips and tins of beer. Then 30 happened. Now at 57 it takes much more effort. I didnt lose an ounce in 5 days of it so decided it was too extreme and went back to 5:2 which leaves me feeling more human, and 600 cals two days a week is a more fun challenge than being hungry for 20 hours every day then stuffing my face to make up for it. However it did prove to me that I can resist food cravings for long periods without keeling over and teaching a full day as well, so I felt quite empowered. 5:2 is a great idea and Dr Ms BBC programes have lots of practical and academic backup so here we go. Really enjoy reading your comments. Mark from Enfield