Hi ellie and welcome:

Here are some tips: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/

Good Luck!

I lost 44 pounds (20 kg) over the course of 2016 and have been in maintenance mode since about March. I do 6:1 now.

Success doesn’t chase you, you have to chase success!!

Get rid of sugar in your diet!!!! Limit simple carbs like pasta, rice, bread, potatoes. They are sometimes only “treat” foods. Try and get your carbs from veggies. Limit fruit intake, and always whole fruit, never juice, never desiccated, never in shakes. Fat and protein are OK. Tuna, chicken, tofu, beans and lentils for protein. Cheese and high fat low sugar yogurt, avocados for fats. Nuts like walnuts and almonds are good.

Don’t snack between meals, just like your mum used to preach to you. It keeps your insulin high and that means everything you eat goes to fat storage. Get rid of lollies, biscuits, cakes, ice cream. Limit alcohol consumption to one or two glasses a week. Once again alcohol is processed by the liver and goes straight to fat storage.

It works if you give it a genuine try.

There is a good reason that you should be sceptical about all those too good to be true stories and that’s because they’re usually too good to be true. If you think about it, its not in the best interests of diet companies to have successful dieters. That means they lose customers, not good for business. The beauty of 5:2 is that its free, in fact it saves you money!! The forum is full of genuine people not some PR hype that is being rammed down your throat.

I only lost about 0.7 pounds per week on average so set yourself realistic goals. Personally I think if it comes off slowly your chances of success are a lot higher. I now tend to seek out healthy food options, its not like Im depriving myself, sugary junk doesn’t appeal to me like it used to. That’s not to say I don’t eat the odd piece of cake, I just don’t do it that often.

Good luck and ask questions.