Hello, although my name suggests I’m from NZ, I’ve been living in Australia for 9 years now. Hard to shake those roots! I have similar stats to you both, I’m 42, my BMI is a whopping 38 at present. I started 5:2 three weeks ago now and have dropped 2 kgs so far. I’ve taken my measurements and had bloods done too. I’m on cholesterol medication and one for blood sugars, although not type 2 diabetes yet, I’m pretty close. My mother and grandmother both have/had alzhiemer’s, so for me all my risk factors for developing that are huge. I have a lot to gain and nothing to lose from 5:2, and so far I’m thrilled with what’s happening.
I’ve found my fast days to be achievable, at present I split my day into two 250 calorie meals, eating the first as late in the day as I can and leaving the last till dinner time. I’ve been able to exercise whilst fasting, and have even found that I have more energy during my workouts! So much for always thinking pre post work out food was critical! So much for thinking that skipping breakfast would do me a world of harm! From what I’ve read, seen and heard from the Horizon program, on these posts and fro the book I really think this is something that is life changing. Like MsOiseaux I can see my attitudes and relationship with food changing, for the better. I haven’t been too worried about what I eat on non-fasting days, in fact, this was what drew me to this in the first place. That I could have some of what I liked and know I wasn’t ‘bad’ or breaking my diet. I find I don’t crave chocolate, chips, or other high fat foods as much, but if I do I have some, and don’t feel like having as much as I used to.
I have ALWAYS said, losing weight is possible, but come see me in a year or two to see if I’ve kept it off. I never have in the past, but I have a feeling things could be very different this time. I’ll keep you posted. Best of the best to everyone out there.

Hi Eightyone, Im from Sydney Australia and have just started this diet today. Im 54 and am doing it from the health point of view. My total cholesterol was 7.2 (yet to do a fasting one lol) and am refusing to take statins until I give this a go and see the results.

I was very intrigued by Michaels documentary and prepared to give this a go. Hope this has long term benefits and not just short term.

Random

Hi to all Australians doing the 5:2!
I live in the “South Island”, all right Tassie!
Keep going it gets better! I look forward to my 500 cal days (Mon & Thurs) for the after effects! Addicted in a nice way! I did my first fast day on ANZAC day 25th of April, the next day I had parked my car for work on The Domain in Hobart which is a medium hill. Walking back after work I felt the lack of “galloping death” gasp and burning breastbone! I used to get, all the time walking up hills! Also I had a slight but pleasant lift in my mood. I haven’t obsessed with measuring but I am down to 81.4 kg once a upon a time I was 94kg.
Thing is my jeans are falling off me these days. So I can see some sewing and new wardrobe coming along!
My flexibility of my youth has returned.
My Doctor is helping me step off my anti hypertensives (High blood pressure) tablets and my BP is around 120/70 these days. She has asked me to get my blood results in August as my cholesterol has been creeping up, prior to the diet. One other of her patients is doing it too.( Back eating butter no margarine. )
My mood is lighter these days and I feel I will be less prone to the winter blahs, I have had episodes of depression in the past.I am having the best sleep in years! Did night shift for 8 years Not Recommended! And I feel things have stopped speeding along and the hours in the day have more value! Things that were becoming ho hum have regained their interest!
So if you think you are ageing before your time do your self a favour and get into 5:2!
Because I think it’s everyone’s responsibility to keep away from our over burdened health system! I’m wondering if enough people do this it will be a great social and economic benefit!
Kale is yum!
Knighthood for Michael I would say!

Hi all again

Great to hear your stories 🙂 nattyneika – I’m originally from Tassie too – my family is still in there. My Mumis doing 5:2 as well and going great guns.

Last few weeks have been particularly busy with travel for work but I’ve got my fast days in – ppl are starting to comment on my weight loss, from ” gee, you’re looking well” to “wow you’ve lost weight!” – always nice for a boost!

How is everyone else going?

MsO

Hello Australians, glad to see your enjoying 5:2, and your hopefully enjoying it better than the cricket! 😉

Hooray! More Aussies!

Good luck chooky! Make sure you come back and let us know how you are going.

The forums are a great source of advice and support.

Good to see some ozzie’s enjoying this!
I’m 53 and not overweight, but just seem to keep putting on a kilo a year despite being pretty active and eating healthy. Well 2 weeks on 5.2 and I’ve lost 3.5 kilos and am, to be honest, stunned. Not eating 2 days a week is a treat, and such immediate results is well beyond my expectations. I think that it dials into our history in that for millennia, our bodies have not been used to 3 meals a day. It’s not just the hunter gatherer times, but forever, we have had to survive seasonal changes in food availability. It’s really only the last 100 years max that food continuity has been a reality for the masses.

Day 9 for me today. Wasn’t going to weigh myself weekly as I am a disappointment eater. Haha.
Anyway couldn’t resist the scales today and I have lost 2.8kg in 9 days. AND I still ate twisties and chocolate on the weekend with the kids. That is unheard of – to lose weight even if you eat badly. I have found the amount I eat on the 5 days has gone down too. Just not really hungry anyway. Am liking this very much so far.

Hi Jano
If your Doc is telling you to start statins you should start as raised cholesterol does a lot of damage to your arteries by plaque formation. And statins stabilizes the unstable plaque besides lowering cholesterol. You can reduce your statin dose or stop it once your cholesterol level comes down. I am also on statins at the momemt

Hi Hobartgirl,
In short, yes they can. It depends on what suits your lifestyle and your body. i;ve done it once, and it was easier than I expected, but I prefer Mon/Thurs.
Try it out for a few weeks one way, then the other and see what suits you best.
Also, if you haven’t already, check out the Southern Hemispherites thread. It’s very busy and there are plenty of Aussies/Kiwis to get to know.

Hi everyone – just saw the channel 7 report on 5:2 and starting tomorrow. My weight soared beginning about 13 years ago when my GP insisted I needed short term antidepressants after a family tragedy … eight years later I was finally free of them.

BMI is 39.1 but I’m excited to get started and become fitter and healthier again. I’ve lost about 4kg doing LCHF but this feels more sustainable.

Looking forward to reading about everyone’s progress. 🙂

Hi all, also just watched Sunday Night. Have seen some of Mosley’s bbc docos before, but this time I had just been to the doctor a couple of days ago and found that my blood pressure was high which got me a bit spooked. So… am going to have a go at this fast diet starting tomorrow. Hope my hubby gets on board as well because he’s got that metabolic syndrome — looks skinny, but high cholesterol and too much fat around his internal organs. I’m in Adelaide, just turned 50 and have noticed my knees are starting to hurt. So, here goes…
Jazzalee

Ghost8964, I hear ya! I eat when I’m bored, when I’m sad, when I’m hungry, when I’m full, when I’m frustrated, when I’m happy. Food is definitely my drug of choice, but I think knowing I can eat normally on the non-fast days may be the key difference for me on sticking with this. I’m gonna give it my best shot. Best of luck tomorrow.
Jazzalee

Hey I’m from Perth and also saw the 5:2 diet on Sunday Night, is anyone planning on not eating anything on the fast days? If I eat 500 calories of food I think that will make me more hungry and not be able to stop on that day lol so I was thinking of not eating at all on Mondays and Thursdays then once I get use to the diet in a few months add the 500 calories on those days. What do others think of this? Thanks 🙂

Good luck to everyone. I’m doing my first fast day tomorrow and I’m excited by the thought

Hi all and welcome:

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

Some quick answers – the diet days can be consecutive, you can eat any foods you want both on diet and non diet days, just make sure you eat 500/600 cal or les on your diet days, and you do not have to eat any food on your diet days if you do not want to. The above link addresses these and many more questions and is designed to get answers to questions not addressed in the posts.

Good Luck!

Hi all, another QLD newbie and on my 3rd day of 5:2 and 2nd day of fasting which I found a bit more difficult than the first. I wasn’t hungry when I first woke so just had a black coffee and then lunch about 1pm. It is now 6pm and still not that hungry, although feel guilty as I did have a coffee and couldn’t go without milk. Hubby also came bouncing through the door after work with one of the local butcher’s magnificent meat pies, even though I explained today was a low calorie day, he seemed so disappointed when I said lets have it tomorrow night. I have a lot of weight to loose, approximately 35kg, so have a while to go, and have decided to remove those things from my diet that I have gotten used to from yo yo dieting the low carb high fat/protein way. I didn’t actually realise how many calories high fat food contains. We have a couple of older skinny teens (not my genes) who love the snack food but hopefully me being a good role model will change all that. It was interesting to see on that Sunday night (or was it Sunrise can’t remember) that even slim people can have health problems on this inside from poor diet. Well enough of the ramble, I would just like to finish by saying how pleased I am to have this communication with others in exactly the same boat as me and am excited about having a healthier body.

Oh wow so nice to see this forum and seeing so many newbie aussies! Hi everyone. I too am a newbie and came across this news feed. I am 35 years old with 35 kilos to loose and from Far North Queensland….where the sun shines and we sweat our little butts off but yet I hang on to loads of weight at the same time!

Looking for lots of inspiration so thankyou so far as to what I have read in this feed. I start my first fast day tomorrow (Monday). I have never calorie counted before so hope this journey will be successful for me and cannot wait to see all the successful stories of you all on here and sharing mine of course.

Have a lovely Sunday! xx

Hi again everyone,

Just wondering if anyone can assist me.
I started yesterday and have already entered my information & meals in the tracker for one day. The problem is, I am having one of those moments where you just go blank and search for something you cannot find.

Please, where do I click to enter my foods for the morning?

I have been clicking everything from my profile to tracker and I am not seeing where I need to go.

Your help would be so appreciated.

Cheers,

And yet another Aussie to add to the collection. I’m from Melbourne and like one and all (mostly) am in my 40’s and in need of halting that middle age spread and those creeping kilos. Where did they all come from!

I’m quite sedentary but try and exercise at least 3 – 4 times per week but am finding it an effort to shrink the waistline. I’ve only just logged on and entered details so will be in touch as and when I get properly started.

Take care one and all and good luck on the 5/2 diet. It sounds as though there has been a lot of positive outcomes so far.

Hi all, boy I’m glad to see some Aussies here, I’m from Melbourne 41 and 90.7kg. Just 3 years ago I was 69kg fit and healthy, life turns just escalated the eating and I dropped the exercise. This year I was determined to get in control. But have just gone up and up, I saw the doco and thought I would give it ago, so started my fasting day today, was a little tough, but now at the end and feeling like I really started making a step in the right direction.
Look forward to read all the posts here.

Hi. Newcomer to the 5:2. I’m 41 and the biggest I’ve ever been. I started today but will fast tuesdays and thursdays. I lowered my food intake overall for the last week so that overall I am eating less anyway. Big first day 23rd Sept. Made the raisin and cocao cereal bars tonight ready for tomorrow. I have breakfast and lunch sorted out. Ready to go!

Pelly you are already taking the right steps I reckon, preparing for your fast day, well done! I had my first fast day today.
Drank lots of water, herbal teas… Honey/vanilla/camamoile yum!

Brekkie: Scrambled eggs 220cals, quick n easy

Dinner: Goan eggplant curry with brown basmati rice 250cals recipes out of the Fast Beach Diet book
Total 470

Did better then I thought, got a slight headache this evening maybe withdrawals from sugar, not sure.

Anyone else fast today, how did you go?