Hi everyone,
I cannot wait to give this a try.
I intend to measure myself and see if measurements change.
(I tend to fail when I weigh myself every week for some reason)
Good luck everyone 🙂
This topic contains 28,177 replies, has 834 voices, and was last updated by thinatlast 2 days, 9 hours ago.
Hi Sarah, liked your post and reasons for trying this thing. I started last August when a bit of weight had crept on. I’m active,healthy and fit but 5 or 6 kilos have gradually snuck up on me. I lost them in a couple of months and now just fast when I feel like it. I like being disconnected from the 3 meals a day routine. I like the feeling of your body and mind being quite happy without food and not revolving around it. Even though I love good food. It’s the simplest tool you can have in looking after yourself. All the best!
@mikayla, it should be on the top right of the page, next to the “cancel request”. Do you already have a Facebook account? You will have to open one, if not. It’s easy – you just have to provide your email address and set up a password. You don’t have to bother creating a page with photos, etc, if you’re not interested.
Hi All
Happy Australia Day! Hope you’re all enjoying yourselves.
Thanks for the kind messages and sage words of wisdom. Some of you have had spectacular successes, hoping that I can emulate them.
Yes Alimax, yesterday was a stinker. Thankfully the sea breeze is in today cooling the place down. I’ll be quite happy when summer is over and Autumn shows us it’s lovely cool face.
Didn’t quite get through the whole day with a complete water fast, ended up having a small handful of frozen raspberries at about 830 last night. Close though! I did re-read ‘the book’ for about the 5th time last night. Certainly tops up the motivation tank.
Have had one of those days today. Have probably over-indulged but may not have dinner tonight yet. Will see how I go. Looking at doing another fast tomorrow (not sure if it will be a complete fast or not yet).
Scales – I’m compromising. I’ve decided not to buy them yet. I will go to my parents house 1 day a week and weigh myself there. My reason being that previously I have jumped on the scales like a zealot each morning, after each meal, after each trip to the bathroom and don’t fancy doing that again. Did someone mention crazy eyes? 😉
I may however re-think further down the track.
Made a decision to try swing dance lessons in the next few weeks. Saw a swing band at the Perth Fringe Festival on Friday which were fantastic. Anybody done this before? I have to do it now, I’ve announced it to the world – well half the world, the southern half 🙂
Whatever you’re doing, wherever you are, have a great day!
Swing dancing, boot scooting, doing disco moves alone in the living room….just shake your booty and enjoy life!
With or without a partner don’t let anyone stop you from enjoying yourself AND burning some calories at the same time.
Apparently being social and laughing increases your mental, as well as physical health and sense of well being, so put on those dancing shoes and dance away the blues!
If you don’t want to use scales, try a measuring tape, belt or snug pair of jeans as a tool to see your body’s changes.
Or just don’t bother measuring or weighing. It just occurred to me that if I didn’t own scales or a measuring tape there are so many other reasons to fast two days a week – I can just chose to do it for my own sake. Wow. I might just have got my mojo back! I can fast for the hell of it. Whenever I want to. Forever.
Speaking of dancing in the living room… My daughter loves to dance and we have discovered you can follow a number of ‘just dance’ sequences on you tube. She is not old enough to have a gaming console to play properly yet, but it is great fun and a good workout.
One day I will have the resolve to get on the scales every morning!
Hi guys
Greetings from Sydney. I’m a week into 5:2 diet, and so far, so good.
I’m a 110kg guy in my 40’s and loaded on 10kg since giving away cigarettes 12 months ago. I’ve enjoyed reading the inspirational posts here from fellow Aussies and look forward to following everyone’s progress, stories, and tips.
Hello All
I’m in regional NSW, and have been – loosely! – on the 5:2 diet for a few months, after seeing the documentary and chatting with a friend who was doing it. I know quite a few people who are doing the diet at the moment, but I still find it hard to stay motivated!
I also have PCOS – which has made weight loss difficult in the past. I’ve only lost around 3 kilos since starting, but do feel more energetic and clothes are fitting better. I have 2 little kids (4 & 1) – so finding the energy to stay positive can be a bit of a challenge. I’ve already fallen off the wagon and missed a few fast days twice!
BUT – I will not let it beat me AND I find this way of eating a bazillion times easier to stick to than conventional dieting.
Nice to read the stories of all the other Aussies & Kiwi’s …
Have asked to join the FB page too 🙂
Good news here!
I’m into my fourth week of the diet, and on a fast day today. Last night I weighed in, and found I’ve lost 2.5kg so far – and that’s with my wife reading the scales. That brings me down to 115.5, so a LONG road ahead!
A few things I’ve noticed so far:
Having a full water bottle alongside me helps a lot on fast days. Just filling up on water helps a lot to manage that sensation of emptiness! Seriously, I’m amazed how much this helps, and it’s a good idea anyway on these 40 degree summer days.
Don’t stress out about having 500 or 600 calories absolute max on fast days. I just keep in my mind a few meals I can eat on fast days, and go for it. I’m not keeping a book on all those calories. I might be getting 570 or 630; I don’t care. The important thing, to my mind, is to get into the mindset of eating less and aiming for that 500/600 rather than the non-fasting-day figure, and not to beat myself up for going 5 calories over.
Thirdly, after these few weeks I’ve already found myself looking at food in a different way. My wife and I shared a bag of chips yesterday – more for the salt than anything else – and I found myself thinking about what they’d be doing to my weight. Last week at a restaurant, I paid more attention than ever before to the likely effect of the food on my waistline. This diet has made me much more aware of what I eat.
Lastly, it is SO GOOD to see where those kilos have come off. Nothing like some positive reinforcement.
Happy dieting, everyone!
Big Pete
I agree Pete
Thirdly, after these few weeks I’ve already found myself looking at food in a different way. My wife and I shared a bag of chips yesterday – more for the salt than anything else – and I found myself thinking about what they’d be doing to my weight. Last week at a restaurant, I paid more attention than ever before to the likely effect of the food on my waistline
Very true.
I stopped getting notifications!!! I thought after page 14 you had all stopped writing so came on and low and behold a Facebook group ( off to join now) and 2 pages to read.
I know someone else stopped getting them as well…can’t be having that, what it we then go back to scoffing 4 packets of Tim tams all cos we didn’t get emails in our inbox.
Not good.
Anyway, welcome any new ones,
Off to find recipes.
( I will also post my menu for a fast day)
That’s so great big Pete, you are finding out that you’re the boss and just how good that feels to be in control!
I’ve had a fantastic long weekend with my son here, and then happily fasted yesterday with a wonderful loss of .8 kg! I’m so so happy to be over the plateau and slipping down the other side towards my goal weight…I have only 10kg to go before I’m well in the healthy range, so yay! I plan for it to take at least 12 months, as I only fast two days a week.
Keep cool and safe from fires, all of you down south, and watch out for the cyclonic activity in FNQ. Keep out of the surf, it’s wild, washing machine conditions at the moment!
Cheers! Keep on dancing!
Hello to all..hoping that people are still logging onto here, as I am not on FB..call me a Luddite, lol. Happy Australia Day to all, hope everyone had a great break. Am working from home today, not feeling so flash but at least I’m out of the terrible heat..you’d think we’d had enough of that!
I had said that I was going to be brave and post my progress..so I’m on my second week, first day back on fasting, but feeling pretty positive after a great start to the 5:2 WOE:
Starting weight: 68.5kg
1st weigh-in: 66.3kg
Loss: 2.2kgs!!!!
I am sure that it is a lot of water etc..but I am so shocked at the scales…I normally see the numbers creep up, lol!! 🙂
Feeling very motivated and though I know things will slow down, looking forward to the weigh in this Friday morning.
Best of luck everyone! 🙂
I am a FB type but won’t stop posting here. Had a good fasting day yesterday, husband too, spoiled it all by then eating too much chocolate after dinner. Get so mad with myself. Thank goodness I can ” pick myself up, dust myself down and start all over again”
I have chronic pain in my hip but can’ t get to see the surgeon for 2 months. Means I can hardly walk so have long days sitting around, all the more reason to lose weight.
Love the honesty and encouragement here.
So glad you haven’t all moved to FB!
I had a good day yesterday too and am finding I cannot eat the same quantities for dinner as I used to, after a day of just fluids.
Even this morning, my 2 poached eggs and one piece of toast did not sit well.
I must be a slow learner 🙁
I’m hoping by Friday (when I see my GP) that I will have shed a few more grams and make him happy!
Have a good week!
Hey all Qlder here. Started 5:2 about two weeks before Xmas and am doing well. 9.5kg down…but long way to go. Have PCOS and always struggled with weight, first eating plan where I have actually seen results. Turning 50 in one week, may not be 50 and thin, but will definitely be 50, fabulous and fighting the flab!!
Fasting days for me are not too bad, but struggled last week. Back in the swing this week and going ok. Talk soon x
Hi dumpling, I need a hip replacement due to severe Osteo arthritis, had my shoulder replaced 9 weeks ago for the same reason but sadly my shoulder guy doesn’t do hips. This is all on my right side, the left side is painful as well but not yet as bad.
I so need to lose weight, seem to be self medicating with food. Drugs only help so much.
Hi all! After a couple of weeks of yoyo-ing back and forward with weight and seeming to not make progress, this weekend’s weigh-in showed a 1kg drop. Hurrah! Even though I’m in this for much more than just weight loss, it’s always nice to see the numbers heading southwards. The husbeast is doing great too – he’s dropped over 5kg in total and has a couple of pairs of pants that fall down now unless he cinches them in with a belt, so he’s loving himself sick. I’m very proud of him for sticking to the diet so well, as I think he finds it a bit more difficult than I do.
Today is a fast day, and after going the no-food-till-dinner route for the last three fasts, I think I’ve concluded that this is the best option for me. I agree with Big Pete about guzzling water, but I’ve also found a couple of cups of black tea a day help to control the hunger pangs better than just water by itself. I know that a lot of people find they don’t cope with tea on an empty stomach though.
Great results human_female and bellza!
Mikayla, I will be keeping you in my thoughts as you get through the next two months, waiting for the op. Have you found the different forums with feedback relating to the 5/2 being effective for various inflammatory conditions? I really hope that all of your osteo arthritis can be eased with using this way of eating alone….we can only hope and pray you get some easing of your pain and discomfort.
All the very best and keep on smiling!
I have requested to join the FB site but will keep on posting on here too. Particularly as on fasting days I try to stay off FB because too many people post delicious recipes that I cannot eat! This is my third fasting day & I admit I’m struggling a bit today, I’m having a quiet day at home with my little one (if there is such a thing with an 8.5 month old!) after a weekend away celebrating Aust. Day with my family. I think I am struggling because I haven’t given myself enough to do and I’m too close to my fridge. I have stuck with it though. I’ve had one wrap with kidney beans, a sliver of cheese & a full cream home made coffee. I like drinking from my coffee machine on a fast day because its one luxury tasty item I can afford. My partner is on a diet, trying to stick with 600 calories most days as he is trying to lose tummy weight and he has not had a problem, he can do it easily, which is great. Now we just don’t buy sweet things and leave them in the house. We use fasting days as a vegetarian day and I skip breakfast, I find I’m not hungry in the morning. Tomorrow I will be going to the gym so the little one can have some fun at the creche & even though tomorrow will not be a fasting day & can avoid gorging myself and do something healthy!
Hi I have never been a brekky person so on a fast day don’t usually eat till about 1 then it’s tuna and two ryvitas or a boiled egg and two ryvitas, dinner is usually salad or a low fat frozen meal. I also love a recipe I found for Almost Traditional Waldorf salad, it’s a recipe for two and is only 125cal per serve so split it over lunch and dinner sometimes with some protein. Not a tea or coffee drinker so I try and stick to water. For a treat (if I need it) a small coke zero or a Tamar Valley yoghurt, hard sometimes but I think this is easier than a lot of diets you see, and you see results!
Hello again. I’ve joined the new Facebook page but I’ll keep putting in my two cents’ worth here, because I’d miss catching up with the the rest of you Luddites. 😉 I found my fasting day more difficult than usual yesterday. Maybe I was hungrier than usual because it was a cooler day here in Brisbane, due to overcast and windy conditions from that cyclone that is building up north. Like @big Pete, I drink continuous glasses of water all day, plus one or two cups of green tea (Japanese Sencha). I can’t handle the tannin back-taste of black tea and I don’t want to drink any skim milk during my twelve-hour fast. Unlike most of you, I can’t face the idea of missing breakfast, so I do the same fast pattern as Michael Mosley (my 500 calories spread between breakfast and dinner, with 12 hours of fasting in between). Since last week, I’ve replaced my usual breakfast of a poached egg on a slice of Helga’s multigrain/wholemeal toast with a bowl of porridge (40 g or 1/2 cup of traditional rolled oats boiled up on the stove with 1 1/2 cups of water in a non-stick saucepan, plus 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 cup of skim milk added when cooked – only takes a couple of minutes). I also have a cup of instant coffee with a dash of skim milk and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. The porridge is quite filling (keeps me going until about 2.00 p.m.) and there is calorie-room to add a few frozen blueberries or blackberries, which I haven’t tried yet. I might try them on Thursday, because I prefer my porridge much sweeter than this. I’m quite boring with my dinner preference: usually I half fill a cereal bowl with lettuce, baby spinach or salad-leaf mix, then add 5 chopped cherry tomatoes, about 6 slices of cucumber, a few slices of carrot and radish and a palm-sized piece of chicken breast or salmon (chopped up), that has been cooked in a non-stick pan with a small spray of canola or olive oil. I follow that with 5 cherries, or a small sliver of papaw, and/or some apple slices (about 1/4 of a Pink Lady apple). I did work out the calories of all that a while ago, just to see if it was in the 500 calorie range (the Australian Calorie King site is good) and it was a bit under – but I wasn’t going to change it anyway since it was mostly working for me.
Hello again…lol @big Pete and @aussienow…can we start a group called “The Luddites”? 🙂
A lot of great recipe ideas here – I don’t know if anyone has tried the turkey burgers, salad and corn recipe from the Fast Diet Recipe book, but do yourselves a favour! It’s delicious, and, like many of you, I found that, even after a day of fasting, I just can’t finish the serve! Best of luck to everyone 🙂
Lol, I’m not a Luddite by any means, just not interested in recipes, preferring to stick to plain old food!
Yes Gomarg, it has been a lot cooler and I’m pleased about that!
The CalorieKing site has replaced my FD book that dear daughter pinched at Christmas and I find it soooo much better, as they list Aussie foods…even dragon fruit, which I had yesterday…91 cals.
Just had a thought… why are we talking calories rather than kilojoules..lol
Our weights and height etc are metric, but we still use calories!
FYI one calorie = 4 kj
Bupa.com.au has a handy site for converting
Kilojoules look so much bigger than calories, @aussienow!
Good morning everyone, 11 weeks into this WOL and what changes I have seen. Not only have I lost 11 kg in weight but yesterday at the blood bank my BP was down to 109/73 and my haemoglobin has increased from 132 to 142. Today is back to the grind of part time paid work, most have not seen me since early December, so it will be interesting if anyone says anything. Now I just wish this heat would leave as nine days in the high Thirties or low forties will see us really sapped. My garden is already beyond saving as the water goes to the stock. Cheers, Charlie
We would all be mad to leave the forum although I am struggling to keep up with all the comments on both!!
Fast day yesterday was so easy being at work. I was really busy all day and didn’t have time to think about food till I got home in the afternoon. Looking forward to fasting on work days in the coming weeks.
Dropped my daughter at big school for the first time today! Must say I shed a tear as I left her with the teacher :'(
69.9kg this morning after my fast yesterday, 7.5wks and 5kg to reach my next goal!
Have a good week all, stay motivated and thanks for all the inspiration!
Dayna
Excellent results, @charlie G. You and I started the 5:2 plan at around the same time, but if we were having a weight-loss race, you would be winning. Your blood pressure results are also better than mine. I’m guessing that you must work or teach at a school. Hope everyone noticed the new you. @dayna05, I agree that the fast days are easier if you can be distracted by keeping busy.
Hi All,
Hope your week is going well and those of you that are Mums, hope the back to school hasn’t been too arduous, or is it more a case of relief?
Weighed myself this afternoon and am happy to report that I have lost 4kgs since the Christmas period (last time I jumped on the scales at my parents). I guess if I had my own scales and weighed in the morning it would be a slightly lower figure on the scales, but I’m happy 🙂
Had a 24 hour complete fast from Momday breakfast to Tuesday breakfast. It was easier than I expected. Yesterday, I was a little hungry in the morning but didn’t really eat much after lunch. Dinner was a shared dish (just one) at a tapas bar and a couple if drinks. Breakfast this morning was almost non-existent.
I had a quinoa and feta salad for lunch and am having a steak and lentil salad for dinner tonight. Tomorrow is another fast day and then back to Mon/Thurs fasts. I guess the thing I really like about this WOE is the flexibility to change things to suit whatever is going on in your life.
Anyway, just wanted to share my good news. I knew the pants were feeling looser, and I was feeling lighter, but it is always nice to get that confirmation via the scales. 🙂
Congratulations, @div, that’s an incredible weight loss since Christmas!
Hi,
reporting in with an interesting weight loss this week – 1kg since last week. It’s interesting because I went away with friends for the long weekend and ate a lot of lovely food! Including chocolates and ice cream each day. Followed these three days of feasting with back to back fasts but I felt sure I would have either put on weight or plateaued – it was a pleasant surprise to see the scales reporting a drop.
That’s what I like so much about this diet, that you can have the best of both.
My BMI is now 23, down from a peak of 26. I’m aiming to get to 20, by losing another 7-8kg – which now seems completely possible.
@arla, part of the interview I listened to the other day on intermittent fasting, talked about the benefits of fasting when you are not well. It gives your body time to repair. Obviously you know your body, so do what’s right for you. They compared it to animals who always go off their food when they are not well, natural instinct sort of thing.
Well done Peggy and Div!
Hi arla sorry you are not the best–I have just come out of a 8 week fug–not fun. I’m sure yours wont last that long. my doc put me on high high dose of vit c and zinc in the end.. Re food wise research has shown that good old fashioned chicken soup with heaps of vegies is a great tonic and means you get to eat all the healthy nutrients, keeps up the protein and doesn’t add to the calorie count. I wanted to air freight some to Annette when she was so poorly. If you are in Hamilton I could bring some round!!!!
take it easy
When my gall bladder was playing up (but I didn’t know it) I’d regularly go off my food for a day – and if that’s how I feel I’ve always gone with it. Today I don’t feel that way, though I doubt I’ll have a normal day’s food. I’m just not up to struggling to focus at work (not sick enough to go to the Dr) and deal with any fast challenges.
The great thing about IF is that it’s adaptable 🙂
Chicken soup sounds good @double happy – and I’ll make some tonight.
Well, the deed is done. Went to the doctor this morning and he was wrapped. I printed off the spreadsheet to show my progress and he couldn’t believe that I have lost 20 cm off my chest below the boobs. More than happy to do the IGF-1 as my dad died of cancer. Go back next week for the results. I will post no matter what the outcome is. Hubby working away, so I am trying my first back to back fast after all the inspiring comments and the fact that I am stuck on last Saturdays weight at present. Surprised how easy it is so far. Keep up the good work everyone. Hope it cools down soon. Charlie
I am just at the end of a back to back fast. Have fasted both Wednesday and today, saving my 500cals for dinner on both days. I was very surprised that I wasn’t hungrier today than yesterday so I was able to cope as if it was just a normal fast day.
I don’t plan to make this a common thing but its good to know I can do it without too many troubles. This week was an exception with the Australia day long weekend at the beginning of the week and a weekend away at the end of this week.
Thanks to Gomarg for her link to that excellent 5.2 food blog. There looks to be some yummy recipes on there that I will try.
@charlie G – 20cm is an amazing effort! That is very inspiring, on a tough day of fasting today. All the best for your continued progress 🙂
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We pay tribute to our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Michael Mosley. Michael was an integral part of our lives, […]
Michael is touring Australia this September! Here's a link to dates and tickets. Hope to see you there.
Michael Mosley gives an update for 2019, current research in the field and announces a tour starting in February.
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26 Jan 14