Hi per97uk, the 600 calories is not an absolute rule. It is based on the fact that the average calorie intake for a man is about 2400 calories and you should aim for 25% on your fast day.
If you click on “how ?” on top of the page you’ll find a bmr and tdee calculator. It’ll show you what your intake on a normal day should be based on your age, gender, size and level of activity. On your fasting day you should eat 1/4 of your tdee and it may well be more than 600 for you. Regardless of the numbers, given that you’re a big fella maybe you should try around 800 calories on your fasting days and see how you manage. As you start losing weight you can gradually decrease the calories.

Good luck!

I never felt faint although I thought that I would. Headaches have come and gone, just take painkillers and drink lots of water. It is said that when we think we are hungry, it is usually thirst.

You won’t collapse in a heap.If you have the book, read it cover to cover for inspiration.If not, there are loads of folk who post regularly and will support you.

They do say that you need to try anything for 6 weeks for it to become a habit. Have you thought of measuring bust/chest, waist,hips, upper arms, thighs and calves? I am a huge advocate of this as when the weight seems slow, you can ‘see’ that you are actually shrinking.

Rather than have the rather daunting figure of 8 stone as goal, why not have much smaller goals? Why not pick 2 lb? Remember 2×7= 14lb/stone!

Remember, it is just for 1 day. You can have what ever you want the next day, but not how much. You will need to stick to your TDEE on non fast days and the weight will shimmy off.I am also a fan of goals that are not food, so I now have a selection of new handbags as goals were met.

This is a marathon and not a sprint.It is also a new way of life and the benefits to your health and self esteem will be huge.

Keep us posted.

I meant to add (but with a heatwave day of 39C it was too hot to think for long) that the first 2 weeks were a challenge for me, but if you have a positive approach ie thinking “I can do this” it will really help you. Having a strategy helps. For example the first fast days I made sure I had a couple of 1.25litre bottles of sparkling mineral water so that I could keep drinking that to distract myself from hunger. I also learned that for me (we are all different) that I need to skip breakfast, eat 150 for lunch and 350 for dinner, and make them mostly protein or I don’t fall asleep. Not because I was hungry, but my brain would stay awake.

Also, as one of my friends who is also doing 5:2 said to me, it took her 3 or 4 attempts to get down to her 500cals, but it got easier. So don’t think because it’s hard for you in the first couple of weeks that it’s impossible to adapt.

You’ll find that you’ll get a better sense of fullness and be less likely to overeat on the non-fast days as you get used to it.

Hello per97uk
i think the advice to set yourself a slightly higher limit on fast days is good. I allow myself 600 calories and I’m female.
I find drinks are helpful, even just hot water. Try to find a variety of low-calorie evening meals that you can look forward to and that are relatively high in protein. Also please remember hunger is hard for everyone. You can do it too.

Hi Big Pete

I’ve seen your posts and have been meaning to reply, sorry to be so tardy.

You are very right about the different rates of loss, BUT 118kg (although pretty big) is not a lost cause! I assume (from your name) that you are male, I’m a 63 year old female and was 91kg in January 2013 (and when I did the calculation was horrified to realise that this was 14 stone), lost a lot at the start, and have settled down to a slow and steady loss. After 55 weeks now 70kg. No miracle! so if I can lose 21 kg in a year your aim of 100kg by Christmas sounds very doable.

I think the important thing is to adapt your fasting habits as you go along, I prefer not to eat at all on fasting days so as to get no food stimulation (I’m still vunurable to cheese and bread) and forced myself to go to the gym when I developed a shoulder problem and couldn’t swim. In July last year could manage 10 minutes on the crosstrainer, now do an hour 5 days a week. So just build up slowly, even if you can only do a few minutes now.

Please keep at it, it will work and you will feel great

keep posting
Vicki

Well done Peter! Focus on what you have achieved so far and give yourself a pig pat on the back.I am all for goal setting, but make them small and very achievable and then celebrate each one with something that isn’t food!

If you want to increase the loss and tone up, then you will need to increase your exercise. Exercise is only moving more, walking is rather fabulous at improving all over fitness and toning. How about swimming?The advantage is that weight is supported in the water and another great all over toning.

If you increase your muscle mass, then more calories are burned by your body, even when you are sitting down.

Keep us posted Peter about your doctors reaction.

Peter

Down to 114 is fantastic!
But stay conservative – then adjust goals if you exceed them. I lost 9kg in the first 12 weeks, but have ended up at 21kg over 55 weeks. There will be problems along the way (I “did” my shoulder then had the Hobart flu for 6 weeks in June/July – but the good thing was, that although I stopped fasting, in that time I only gained half a kg – after a few months doing this I found I was eating much less on “ordinary” days).
It’s great that you are getting good support from your family, I couldn’t have done it if Tony didn’t agree and help (although he still feels uncomfortable when I cook his dinner and sit with my water while he eats and has wine). I agree with Annette about the exercise, start with what you can do and slowly increase it (keep a record, mine is on excel and when I look back 6 months continues to amaze me).

jojo

stick with it, you sound as if it is going so well

Vicki