Ninna,

I feel similarly. This is the diet (lifestyle change) to end all diets 🙂 The first 3 weeks I lost 7 pounds…just got back from a two week holiday where I ate everything I wanted…and fasted yesterday picking up where I left off. That is probably the BEST thing about this plan. You can lose weight and still have a life!

Here’s to us!

Ninna & all

u have succeeded yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

can’t wait 2 get there

2 the 6:1

it really is the best lifestyle

Hi Ninna, the good thing about the 5:2 lifestyle is that you do it to suit yourself and your needs. If you can manage a 4 day fast and it is safe for you then you make that decision and go for it.
When you reach your target weight then you need to consider what Michael M calls the maintanence programme. He fasts one day a week but you need to experiment with this a little. You may only need a fast day every 8 or 9 days for example.
Good luck.

Hi Ninna
my fast days go something like this: finish supper on the Sunday (or Wednesday) and then have nothing til 10.30/11am Monday/Thursday when it’s normally something like a nectarine and strawberries plus a small amount of strong tasting cheese, or some soup. I may have a few cherries between brunch and supper as they are in season at the moment. Then hold out as long as I can for supper – often not long after 6pm, or 7pm if I can manage it. I normally have either fish or prawns or some seafood cooked in a tiny bit of chilli oil for zing, with a reasonable amount of veg – mange touts, french beans, courgettes – whatever is in the veg garden. I stay within the 500 cals for the day. And that’s it til the next morning. Hope this helps. THis is so much easier and cheaper in the summer as fresh fruit and veg are all in season and plentiful. I am sure it’ll be more chalenging in the winter and I’ll be on broccoli and cauli with my fish/prawns and no strawberries, cherries or nectarines – will have to swap those for veg soup. Oh, and I definitely DO restrict myself on non-fasting days – an absolute max of 2000 calories, often less if I’m full. Any more and the weight stays on. It’s a bit of a drag to count the cals, but I’m still eating pretty much what I want but not overindulging. No biscuits, no sweets or chocs as a rule. I have had 2 choc ices and one slice of homemade cake in 7 weeks, all within cal limits. And I’m luckier than most as I have no interest in alcohol or fizzy drinks. Good luck with the tranmsition from protein shakes to real food – I always enjoy my fast day supper – making them spicy really helps – the chilli oil or spices or a dab of curry paste.

I agree Ninna, I now feel confident, having just about reached my target weight, that provided I monitor my weight I can increase the number of fasting days to stay where I am or to take off a couple of pounds if it starts to creep back on. It is definitely for life!

I’m reluctant to say I can follow this for the rest of my life, but after 3 weeks and 7 pounds, I’m feeling very positive. It’s just that I have been on many diets in my 55 years so I’m quite the yo-yo dieter. The thing is after 3 weeks I would have most likely failed by now. What I really like about this diet is that it has really made me more mindful of my eating and more in control. I don’t binge on regular days, I’m eating very sensibly on those days. I’m worried about a two week vacation coming up at the end of the month, but the forums are giving me confidence that I can get right back on 5:2 when I return. I’m not going to worry about the diet while traveling.

Hi dwbslp,
I have been on 2 holidays since starting the fast diet last winter, and both times I have put on a few pounds (one of the hols was six weeks long) but the good news is that I have taken it all off again since and more besides.
I don’t think I could bear to keep it going through holidays, but knowing I can get back on track afterwards suits me! I was also a yoyo dieter but now feel I can claim success for the first time in my life