Like you my interest lies mainly in the health benefits of fasting and in maintaining my weight while being able to enjoy my food five days out of a week
From what I understand to achieve the health benefits you need to fast (have no calorie intake at all) for at least 12 hours.
I find it easier to eat my whole 500 cals in one evening meal which means in effect I haven’t eaten since the previous evening (a fast of almost 24hrs
You can split your calories between breakfast and dinner leaving 12hrs between which should give you the health benefits too
hope this helps

Hiya, I currently do a minimum of 16 hrs fast a day and have two big meals a day. I find this the easiest method to do as I’ve lost 28lbs from 240 lbs down to 212 in about 12 weeks.

Going onto what I’ve read that you need a minimum of 12hrs of no calorie intake to consider it a fast (where glycogen is used up) and your body then consumes itself for energy, promoting autophagy. Where the health benefits come in.

This is what I’ve taken from the research I’ve read.

Hope this helps

Hello

I’ve been fasting to lose weight throughout July, and I’m pleased with progress and feel I now have control over my weight and health.

For optimal weight loss, it may help others to share the following:

*I have settled on 3 fast days, eating 500 calories on a Monday / Wednesday and Friday
* I try to remain around my maintenance calories on the other days, but I’m not overly vigilant about weighing and counting foods. It’s nice to feel I can enjoy meals out, social occasions etc without the guilt!
* I have alcohol only once a week now
* I walk for an hour each evening, as I’m desk bound all day and don’t get much chance to exercise
* Today, 29.07.13, I’ve lost just over 8lbs this month. Previously I was averaging a lame couple of pounds a month. It has taken a few weeks to settle on my 4:3 approach
* I hope to reach my goal weight / healthy BMI by October and I’m using “Weight-Wins”, the financial incentives site, to help me stick to my targets and them to maintain. I feel confident that I have an achievable weight management approach which will enable me to maintain long term benefits.

I hope this helps others

Look at the FAQs: “Do the calories have to be in one meal or spread across the day?”

I didn’t have much weight to lose. My aim was to lose a stone. Also to encourage my husband who needs to lose much more!!
I hate dieting…and gyms bore me. I hate counting points and calories.
I find the Fast Diet easy to do, stressfree.
I started in March and have lost 18 pounds. I feel and look much better.
I fast on Mondays and Thursdays, unless we have an organised occasion when I will change the days. I do non consecutive days because its less stressful and that’s how I read you should do it in the book.
I stick to the same thing on both days….0%fat plain natural yogurt with blueberries for breakfast. Then 12 hours of nothing. For tea I eat chicken stirfry with lots of veg. In between I drink tea ( semi skimmed milk, no sugar ) or fruit tea. In the early days, to help me through I had an apple at lunchtime and a few carrot sticks min afternoon. But I don’t need to do that now. In the early days I also used to drink just black or green tea. But once I lost my target weight I relaxed my rule and started drinking tea with milk again.
I have continued to have 2 days fasting as opposed to knocking it down to one as I enjoy the feeling of the fast.
This is a sustainable, stressfree diet….a life style choice.
My BMI is down to well within the healthy range, I’ve dropped two dress sizes, I feel I’m protecting my health…whats not to love?

mamabear what a great achievement, well done on 18lbs gone, BMI healthy and dropping two dress sizes! I seemed to have the same meals on fast days, so I’m not the only one, nice to see it’s worked for you. 🙂