Hi, Everyone –
I have been lurking around here for a week or so but was shy of introducing myself until I’d had a few days on the 5:2 to see if I could actually do it. I have been on every single diet known to man, and this is the first where I found myself NOT thinking about ‘what I can’t eat’. In fact, on my fast days (I’ve had my first two already) I didn’t think about food at ALL, which was unbelievably liberating! On most diets, I’m forever focused on ‘what I am depriving myself of’ (or ‘what I’m allowed to eat next’) that food (or lack thereof) was forever in my thoughts. When you wake up in the morning on a fast day, you know you can’t eat (*I mean, I know you ‘can’ eat, but I just stuck to liquid because I have a very slow metabolism and don’t really ever feel ‘starving’) so there’s not that constant ‘opening the fridge’ reflex.

After only a few days, I feel ‘lighter’, healthier, and my clothes are fitting looser. Also, I find that on ‘eating days’, my choices are now completely different to my ‘normal’ eating choices (I actually had FISH for the first time in years last night!)

‘Love this forum and how supportive and friendly everyone is, and also, all the great tips for getting through the ‘hard parts’.

I want to lose 15lb – 20lbs (*more realistically, 15; I am turning 50 this year, and I come from France (although live in the States) where there’s a saying that when a woman turns fifty, she should choose between her face or her a** (in other words, if you’re too thin, your age might show in your face) and I have chosen face) and 15lbs would put me at a weight I am really happy with.

Moreover though, the reason I want to do this is because I am hoping I can adopt it for the NEXT fifty years. I have spent half a century worrying about my weight, not feeling confident (unless I am going through a ‘thin phase’, and then it all goes wrong when I gain weight), yo-yo’ing, and just too wrapped up in body issues to ever truly ENJOY life the way that I should.

Am hoping that 5:2 might become a ‘way of life’ that will free me forever of the yo-yo’ing pattern, the endless diets, and the low self-confidence, etc.

Also, I decided to return to being a fish-eating vegetarian this year (I was one for years, but then a Big Mac came calling!) and so – with the 5:2 diet and all the help, tips and support from this fabulous forum – I am hoping to sail through My Jubilee Year and beyond feeling fitter, slimmer, and – above all – HAPPIER!

Lovely to ‘meet’ you all!

Hi, Loose Jeans (great nickname, by the way!) and thank you for your lovely welcome message.

I agree on ‘face vs skinniness’, and all too often I have seen friends in the 40s/50s age group who suddenly lose ‘too much’ weight, get super-skinny, and look ten years older as a result! I love that you too are ‘taking it slowly’; I sense that most of us who have discovered the 5:2 have probably had many years of ‘quick fix’ diets that take a ton of weight off very quickly…only to have that weight creep back on when we’re not even noticing (I know that has been my cycle, anyway).

As it’s the beginning for both of us, we could be ‘newbie buddies’! My real name is Amanda (although it may as well be ‘My Jubilee Year’, as all I have done since Jan 1st is go around telling everyone it’s ‘my jubilee year’ – ha ha).

Good luck with your voyage, too! I’m excited for both of us! xo