Hello from Philly, and welcome!

I’m 57, started 5:2 and walking most days last August, and so far have lost 33 pounds in 33 weeks (but not quite as evenly as that sounds — some weeks no loss, or even apparent gain; other weeks the scale thinks 2 or 3 pounds suddenly disappeared).

The main thing for me is that this is something I can actually follow through on for the long haul. Sometimes it’s hard work, I still get hungry, sometimes I get bored or frustrated and have to tweak things a bit. But at least it’s do-able. At least I’m hungry only some of the time, not most of the time, like I was with every day portion-control methods.

One thing that I learned more from the doing than from the book is that, while I can eat *whatever* I want on non-fasting days, I can’t eat *as much* of it as I think I want to if I also want to lose weight. So while most of us don’t count calories on non-fasting days, it actually can be a good idea to be mindful of what our energy requirements are and what kind of portion sizes will supply those. When I want to add that second scoop of ice cream to the bowl, I ask myself if I actually enjoy the second scoop as much as I do the first. And you know what? The answer is no, most of the fun is in the first couple of bites.

So, if you haven’t already, it’s a good idea to read the FAQ and check out the TDEE calculator.

There are lots of people here with lots of good experience and good ideas to share.

You should be able to lose 60-80 pounds with 5:2 if you can stick with it for the long haul. One thing that’s great about 5:2 is that you can still enjoy the foods that you like, and the fasting days seem to help you be happy with smaller amounts of them. So good luck to you. When do you start?

Hi and welcome:

Here are some tips for those just starting 5:2: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/warnings-to-newbies/

And, as franfit suggested, here is how your weigh loss might look along the way: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/really-no-weight-loss/

Good Luck!

hello from a fellow Marylander! I have been doing 5:2 (and sometimes 4:3) for 12 weeks now and have lost 27 lbs so far. I would like to lose another 35-40. I have been shocked how easy it has been for me. I can easily foresee doing this for a lifetime, so figuring out how to maintain will not be hard, unlike with most diets.

I gave up diet soda around the time I started and have been glad I did. I used to drink enormous quantities of diet coke. I think quitting it has helped me with my food cravings. I do still have a diet coke now and then, maybe a couple times a week. It’s kind of nice, it gives me a calorie free way to be “bad.”

Hi Wayne. I’m new to the forum but going strong with 5:2 for almost a year. I drank 1 or 2 cans of diet Ice Tea per fastday for most of that time, only just weaned myself off about 2 months ago. Now I don’t miss it at all so maybe when you start feeling truly comfortable with the fastdays you can think about cutting down. But when I first started I really needed something sweet to get me through the day so I don’t regret that decision at all.

I would suggest not worrying about it too much right now. If it gets you through the day, it gets you through the day. This isn’t a hit or miss lifestyle, you can tweak over time to make things comfortable for you and when you get used to it, you can take it a step further. The most important thing in the beginning is probably finding a way to get through the fasts happily. If Dr. Pepper helps, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it.

Although I do feel better without it, my first months of 5:2 wouldn’ve been a lot less enjoyable without it.

Good luck!

Hi Wayne,
I hope your find your way of doing 5:2. Reading the boards you can see how many different approaches we are all taking.
As for your calculations. Use your current body weight. I found the TDEE very interesting and an excellent way to keep a check on my non-fast day intake. The book says “eat normally” but for people like us who are overweight, we need to revisit that and adjust our intake to what our body needs. I use My Fitness Pal (free site) to log all my calories on fast days, and for one whole week every month to keep me honest, and learn the energy content in my usual foods. it is a tedious process, but this is helping me identify some of the changes I need to make in my food choices. I’m still going to have choc chip cookies, but just 1 or 2!
As you lose the weight, your TDEE will decrease, and so you will need to reduce your intake further. I haven’t lost enough yet to make those changes, but from reading the posts from others, it is definitely something to bear in mind if you reach a plateau.
I wish you all the best.

I had that too, the first months. There were days I could barely eat at all. It usually balances out quite nicely after a while. It’s frightening how far off you can be estimating how many calories you eat if you’re not tracking them. I now can’t believe how much I used to be able to eat in a day without really feeling full.

How are your fastdays going so far?

Haha lmao

If fat reserves were any indicator of how easy you get through a fastday, it’d be a breeze for the majority of the people on this forum. At least, in the beginning.

It’s really great that the fastdays are going so well, it just might be that you’ve found your Way Of Eating for life. It’s really not for everyone. Some people just can’t get through a fastday. But the first couple of weeks are the hardest, if you feel like they’re manageable, this should be a sustainable lifestyle for you. I hope things keep going smoothly for you.