Hi there,

Been doing 5:2 for the last two weeks, every Tuesday and Thursday, and completed 4th full fast day yesterday. I checked myself at the beginning and then again this morning and here are the stats:

Start Weight: 89.7KG
This morning: 86.8KG
= 2.9KG down

Start Body Fat %: 31.5%
This morning: 30.5%
= 1% drop in body fat

Start Body Water %: 47.1%
This morning: 47.4%
= 0.3% increase in body water

Start Muscle Mass %: 34.7%
This morning: 34.9%
= 0.2% increase in muscle mass

Start BMI: 30.0
This morning: 20.0
= 1 unit drop in BMW

They are all still some way off the ideal ranges but they are an extremely encouraging step in the right direction. The most noteworthy thing for me is how natural an adjustment it has been. Some of the fast days have been more challenging than others but all of them have been manageable.

My usual fast days look like this:

* 7.30am: breakfast of two poached eggs and a hand full asparagus or runner beans
* All day: sip non-loaded hot drinks throughout the day (black coffee and peppermint tea)
* 7.30pm or later: enjoy an M&S Fuller Longer meal (thank you for making my life so much easier M&S)

I have made sure that I am busy or preoccupied in some way during the afternoons of fast days when I can feel a bit hungry. However, one of the things that struck a chord in the book – and also my experience on fast days – is that hunger pangs do not build continuously to a crescendo but rather ebb and flow.

What’s even more interesting (and delightful) is that the fast days seem to be recalibrating my appetite and sense for non fast days. I’ve switched from lattes to black coffee quite naturally, am drinking more water as a reflex and am generally more mindful of food. The great thing is that I am still drinking wine, eating favourite restaurant food etc… but the net effect feels more balanced. I feel reconnected to my true appetites, less afraid of both hunger but also less guilty when enjoying treat foods.

This does not feel like a diet, it feels like how it should be. I almost don’t want to say that – or speak about this – in case I somehow jinx it and undo that progress.

Next for me:

* keep on as i am
* perhaps add in some training on fast days (partly to burn fat but partly to keep well occupied)
* prepare mentally for periods of plateau and fluctuation (stay overall on track rather than become derailed)
* reach optimum health levels
* integrated into lifelong lifestyle
… that’s the theory:-)

Anyway: I’ve found the success stories on here very encouraging and so wanted to share my own… I hope reading this helps in some way.

To your success,

TB