Hiya, I agree with NatashaD’s sage advice. Leave it as long as you can before you eat and you’ll realise much quicker that ‘hunger’ comes in waves (they pass) and you CAN keep going if you will it.

As Natasha suggested, a nice ready meal would be a great motivator if it’s something you’ll look forward to. I like to give myself a carrot to look forward to on my fastdays. Mine is bran flakes (which may seem bizarre but I never get to have breakfast anymore, as I fast for at least 16 hours every day) – I really really look forward to them with a nice cup of tea all day.

Once you’re settled into your routine, start introducing some exercise into your fastdays (towards the end of the actual fasting period and before you eat anything), it will help you to burn fat quicker. You don’t have to go crazy and join the gym or anything, walking or whatever exercise you would normally do is fine.

You’ve had some good advise, I also find it best to save the majority of cals until the evening.
I started the 5:2 this time last year and dropped 15kg in 5 months before falling off the wagon. I would like to lose a similar amount of weight to yourself and I am pleased to say that although I lapsed I gained less than half of my loss so I must have retained some good eating habits!
One thing I have found best is to set myself small targets rather than thinking about losing 26kg, it is a daunting prospect! In the beginning my target might have been to lose 4kg but when the weight loss slowed after 3-4 months I set lower targets. I used to reward myself with a non food item every time I reached a target, it was always something I really wanted but wouldn’t allow myself to have until I had lost the weight, it doesn’t have to be something expensive or even have a monetary value ( I once rewarded myself with a whole day to myself just reading in the sunshine we had last summer…….it was bliss and I got a great tan!)
Good luck with your weight loss!

Well done on your loss so far – don’t give up!

I know it’s easy to get disheartened if you don’t lose as much as you hoped for or put some on but, as ghostgirl says, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. You should be able to eat chocolate on your non-fast days too. you should be able to eat what you want on those days – just not as much as you want. Check you are not going over (or under) your BMR/TDEE allowance. Have a look in the “how” section and read about BMR and TDEE and use the calculator.

Good Luck, Linda

I lost 8lb in the first month but it has slowed to around 1lb a week (or less now). I’ve finally lost the 5lb I put on over Christmas so am now hoping to get more off. I’ve now taken measurements as I hadn’t bothered before. The only one I knew was my waist and I have lost 2inches there so I am well pleased.

I am also trying to be more controlled on Tuesdays and Thursdays because I think I might need to cut down on those days so that I can indulge more at the weekend. It’s only because I go to the pub on Fridays and Saturdays and have to factor in those calories. I don’t want to be restricting my food on those days or I’ll end up on my back (beer with no food inside me doesn’t go) so have to do it some other way!

Good luck for Thursday

Hi D3lishxrose, you are doing really well – it’s a very good amount for the time you have been doing it.

I have managed to lose the weight I put on over Christmas and another 3lb (1.4k). In total since I started I have lost 7.7k but that is since October. People are starting to notice a bit more now and I can see a change in my body shape. I have a ab machine, thigh master and stepper at home that I have been using for ages before I started this and are my main form of excercise (dodgy knees permitting). I do try to do things like walk up the stairs when I am at work too.

As Angie says, you are going great! Linda