Starting the 5.2 tomorrow and looking forward to it, I feel my eating has got completely out of control, and i, m hoping this will bring some control back to my life, my daughter has lost 3 stone in 18 months so here goes, what have I got to lose but lbs

Welcome neetie,
as you say what have you got to lose but lbs and this one will not cost you a penny. Good luck happy fasting, can I suggest you have a look at JoJo thread and ladies of a certain age. See you there. JIP

I’ve had a week on the plan, and have lost a few pounds already. However, I’ve had a lot of diarrhea ( sorry about the American spell check! )
I’m starting to feel better in myself though, after having yo yo’ed with Weightwatchers.
I feel I’m more in control, rather than having to count points every day.
I’ve a lot of weight to lose, and I’m hopeful that it’ll be a success.
I’ve a question though: I’m told that as a larger man at 20 stone, that I need more calories to keep my metabolism up and going. The regular 2500 for a man of a average size and shape surely can’t be right for larger or smaller men ?

Hi /specialk I am sure you can drink your 600 cals, there are a few who do this on here if you have time to read back. I did 200 yesterday bandana, WW yoghurt one biscuit . The rest was coffee/cappuccino, tea, water, and choc flavoured whey.
Good luck which ever way you find best. JIP

Specialk, it is OK to skip the 600 calories if you think that would work better for you, a few people do. Many of us go about 24 hours without eating, just drinking no-calorie liquids, and have one meal with all our calories in the evening. But if a 600-calorie meal would set off more eating for you, then better perhaps to go without it, at least in the beginning, and see how you feel.

Specialk, pre-counted meals can work, too. Whatever makes it work for you. Most of our eating and weight issues come down to the psychology of it, I think!

Family meals are important to my (underweight) son and I, and we have continued them while I’m fasting. I cook on my fasting days, he cooks on most of the other days. I have two basic strategies for making meals that both of us can eat on my fasting days. One strategy is, I make a fasting-day type meal of something like fish or a vegetable frittata with steamed or roasted veg or a salad on the side, and serve him a larger portion of the fish and make him a side of potatoes or rice, and I have a small piece of fruit for dessert while he has a banana and ice cream. The other strategy is, I’ll make a project of figuring out how many calories per gram are in a family favorite recipe, and serve myself the number of grams that corresponds to the number of calories I can eat at my fasting day dinner (this usually works out to a somewhat, but not dramatically, smaller portion than usual). So last night we had the leek and lemon shrimp from the FastDiet cook book, and a large salad of Romaine, raddichio, mushrooms, cucumber, radish, and red onion with a little olive oil and a lot of white wine vinegar, I had 30 grams of rice and he had a lot more, I had 1/2 a broiled grapefruit for dessert and he had chocolate ice cream. Friday I will have 175 grams of my Vegetarian Spanish rice (cooked earlier this week, waiting for us in the fridge) that comes in at 1.6 calories/gram along with a similar salad and maybe a half a small mango for dessert. He will have a larger portion of the Spanish rice, the salad, and whatever he wants for dessert. So it is possible for fasting day dinners to be modifications of family dinners, especially if you have at least 400 calories to work with. But if eating a smaller amount than usual for dinner would set off the urge to eat (a whole lot) more, you might want to wait until you get comfortable with fasting to try it.

In my first week of the 5:2 diet, having completed my 2 fast days. Lots happening next week, so it’s great that I can be flexible about which days to fast on, though I would like to get into some sort of routine.
My fast days, whilst not been easy, weren’t too difficult, though there were pangs of hunger, particularly around late evening. Strangely, I wasn’t hungry on waking the following mornings. I enjoy experimenting with different foods, so I’m liking some of the various recipes in the FD books. It’s also good that I’ve been able to enjoy a steak with a salad …and a FEW chips and a glass of wine tonight. Not something you could normally do on a diet. That will help on Wednesday, my next fast day…that and the fact that I’ve already lost 3 pounds. Brilliant. Even thinking of rejoining the gym!

coppertel, congratulations on your success with 5:2 🙂 It’s perfectly OK to stay under the 500 calories — a few people even eat 0 calories.

There is a thread of people who are working on maintenance, look under ‘Active Threads’ for ‘Thank you Dr M for my success!’

Every one’s comments are so helpfull
I wonder what people eat on no fasting days
Do they maintain caloric intake to like 1500 to 1700?
I finished my 1 day of fast and will do another soon.
I am watching every thing I eat though.
Does one has to eat 1700 calories on non fast day?
Is it like wt watchers example you don’t lose wt if you don’t eat enough?
Thanks

Beautiful life, and all newbies.
I am still a WW if I had kept to their rules to the letter I would not be at goal. I take steroids and thyroxine taking these I still lost 56lbs in 17 months, it’s was just that I found it difficult to keep to goal going over by 5, 6, or 7 lbs. I am so glad I found DR M’s 5-2. I can do this for life. On my non fast days I watch what type of food but I still have a little of what I fancy just not the amount I used to in my unhealthy days. If we have to count calories on the non fast days that is not what 5-2 is about.
I am have been on a diet since I was16 years. It’s a standing joke with everyone of my bowler friends and a few others (are we on our diet today) I can take it, but I have the last laugh I am at goal and it 3 years next month. I intend to start enjoying my life, I will go on holidays, enjoy Christmas and do 5-2 when it is over. Happy fasting and non fasting . JIP

Hello to all, tomorrow is my third fast day and after two know I can do it, I plan and record my fast days in advance. Am surprised at how well I feel the day after my fast day . On my non-fast days I eat sensible and allow my self one day a week for a blow out. Have been gymming six days a week and don’t seem to have a problem on my fasting days. Decided to record my stats on line after a month so will be interested to see any change. Hope to have lost both weight and inches and all the other benefits that come along with this diet

I am just starting my 3rd week and not only am I down 6.5 lbs, I lost 2″ off my waist and 1.25″ off my bust. I am finding this to be a really good fit to my lifestyleand hope to continue to goal for the first time in 35 years.

hi ruthie and welcome:

Here is a converter: http://www.ninjaunits.com/convert-joules-kilocalories/

Fasting days are a mindset. Many people after a couple of months don’t eat anything on their diet days. Many more find one meal in the evening works best. Efforts to eat 500 exactly are unnecessary, and you may lose faster if you eat fewer kJs.

Here are some tips for those just starting – you don’t have to wait for the book: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/warnings-to-newbies/

Focus for the first month or two on getting your diet days right, and the rest usually falls into place.

Good Luck!

Good morning everyone, I too am a newbie,I have 4 mins to get to the end of my first 36 hr fast and have used inly 53 calories in this time! I had spells of rumblings but felt if i ate 500 calories it might make me feel more hungry. The only I found uncomfortable was alertness during sleeptime! Every little sound disturbed me and my brain just bounced into life! Today I am going to try to be sensible and track my food with fitness pal, if anyone wishes to friend me on there i am Lemanjelly, hope u all have a great day x

I don’t really knpw anything about it, I just did it…it felt pretty good too..not sure how you can do it with meds to take, maybe someone with more experience will answer 🙂