Hi espressobrain,
I do NOT count calories on my non fast days. I am trying my very hardest to not make this like all the other failed diets I have been on and have it be my LIFEstyle now. So far I’ve averaged a 1kg loss a week over 4 weeks. Things have slowed down weight loss wise in the last week and a bit, but then I really have not worried about my non fast days. I have lost cm’s though, and feel so good I don’t mind if I haven’t lost any lately, I’ve only been doing this 6 weeks now, that’s a tiny blip of time in my lifetime. If things have stopped I will monitor my non fast days a little more, but don’t plan on ever calorie counting, or ‘dieting’ every day, ever again. I get bloods done in a couple of months too, so if my cholesterol and sugars look good, I’ll have more of a picture of success than just weight loss. Here’s to NEVER counting calories again (except on a fast day of course, LOL).

Hi espressobrain, I’m only counting calories on my fast days. If I had to count them every day I’m sure I wouldn’t have lasted on this regime, it would be just another diet and I had enough of those! I’m still at it and after 4 months (including 3-week vacation with no fasting) I’m 17 lbs lighter and lost 4 inches (10 cm) around my waist. It’s the simplicity that convinced me to start in the first place, 2 days fasting every week are doable and so far it’s working. I’m not planning to micromanage every bite I put in my mouth every day, I totaly agree with kiwigal. I hope fasting – 5:2 or later 6:1 – will remain part of my life, but my life also includes the occasional pizza or cake and a glass of wine with dinner.
Don’t start having doubts, 5:2 does work in its simplest form – 2 days fasting, 5 days eating normally.
Good luck to all!

I agree. Too boring to count calories. I count calories on fast days and concentrate on eating a lot of protein which makes it much easier. No hunger and I feel great. On feast days in the middle of the week I do not count calories but eat wisely (no wine, desserts, ice cream, cakes or sweets). In the weekends I do not eat wisely at all.

hello everyone, i only count cals on my fast days and have been doing this for almost a year now, my results so far are as follows,

starting weight 15 stone 11 lbs BMI 36.8 colestrol 4.7
todays weight 13 stone 4 lbs BMI 31.0 colestrol 3.7 (ive brought new scales and im 4lbs heavier on these hence the 4lb gain)

1 1/2 inches off my bust
2 inches off my waist
3 inches off my hips
4 inches off each of the tops of my legs.

i didnt lose anything for almost 4 months, for the last 6 weeks or so ive been doing 4.3, for me id rather add another fast day than count cals every day,

for some of us its easy, for others not so, the beauty of this plan is we can change it to suit our own needs, many here are counting cals every day due to medical problems and medication that prevents weight loss.

whatever way it works for you keep going, we are all here to support each other on our journey xxx

I’d LOVE not to count cals on normal days but I’m not good at knowing what calories are in foods yet and have worked out that if I have over my 2000 max limit then I put the weight back on. So until I’m clear about a good normal day calorie intake, counting it is…. needs must. Got to be pragmatic about it and hopefully it’s just a learning curve. I couldn’t bear to undo the good results of 17 lbs lost in 8 weeks. I say do whatever you need to, and hope to have a no cal count life on normal days in due course. I’m hugely envious of those of you who don’t need to bother, and hope to join your ranks eventually.

I counted calories for the first couple of weeks and did a food diary, most people eat the same foods over and over, so the same favourite foods come up again and again.

I did one for my husband as well, as he eats different things and also quantities vary.

Our problem is portion control, it gives you an idiea what size you are suppose to have.

As we are now starting our 4th week . I don’t do this now as I feel more confident in the smaller portions, the only thing I weigh on a fast day is our breakfast cereal and milk. Our evening meal is either chicken or ham salad ( its easy) , I did weigh to start with but it’s the same all the time within 10 or 20 calories, so now I just do it. So it’s now just a more of a way of life.

I don’t count calories on non fast days as I want this to be a way of life, and I think we all know vaguely what is sensible to eat and the size of portion. Having said that a small treat occasionally is what makes life worth living.

This is what appeals to me NOT counting calories, points etc etc! When I started I counted my calories for fast days but now I have my meals planned. As someone who only recently started counting calories, I am now trying not to count!

The other thing I like now, is when my husband says ‘are you sure you want pizza for tea tonight, does that fit in with your plan?!’ and I can say yes! 🙂

I am not counting calories on non-fast days either. My strategy for those days is that I ask myself “Do I really want this?” and if I do, I have a little and savour the taste of it. Fasting has taught me to be mindful while eating and also what hunger really feels like!

For the first 2 or 3 weeks I kept track of everything I was eating on http://www.myfitnesspal.com as I had been underestimating how much I was eating on non diet days.
I found out that all I needed was 1600 calories on normal days, for my age and height, and I had been eating way more than this so that is why weight crept on over the years.
So I started on 500 on diet days and 1600 on eat days. In 7 weeks I have lost about 10lbs. I have cut out wheat based food and reduced sugars. I have loads more energy even though I am eating less.
Now I’ve got the hang of how many calories are in what I eat, I don’t track them any more but it was really useful just to get me started.

I only count on my fast days. That was one of the attractions to this in the first place. Would not have even considered it if I had to control calorie intake on a daily basis.

No, not counting calories on any day. I’ve worked out my fast days (fat free organic probiotic yoghurt for breakfast, chicken breast with salad and/or veg for dinner) and, having checked a few weeks ago that a ‘normal’ day is within my limits, I don’t bother counting on the other days. If I think I’ve maybe eaten more one day I reduce it the next.

Just say “no” to counting! Like many on this Forum, I don’t necessarily count but am certainly aware if I’m heading in the direction of over-eating. The few times that I counted calories on eat days, I was under 2000 and that has established a sense of freedom and relaxation on those days. I even ate an entire Haagen Dasz pint one day and was still under 2000 for the day because I happened to eat veggies and egg white omelette earlier in the day and although not a particularly healthy day’s feast, I was sated and desire no more.

Hi

I agree with everyone, I have been doing this 5.2 for 3 months and I started it for the reason that you DON’T count calories on your 5 days off. I have lost 2 kg (nearly 5lbs)which if I had not measured myself would have been a bit depressing. However I feel great most of the time and I have lost 4in around my fattest part (tummy button) and over all in 3 months 19.5 cms over all my body which is over 7 ins and very encouraging. However has anyone else had bad days when you feel very tired. I think it is when I don’t eat enough over the “eat days”, I live in France so my diet is mostly quite light so I now eat more carbs on my off days to help. I have my porridge and fruit at around 7.30 am and then eat my evening meal at 7.30 pm.

If you don’t count calories on feed days what is the relevance of calculating TDEE & BMR? TDEE & BMR show how many calories your body needs so above that is weight gain territory, if you eat above that on feed days, when you have a fast day all you’re doing is burning the excess calories eaten on the feed day surely?

Why calculate TDEE & BMR if they are not relevant to the diet?

Take care.

August, you are absolutely right. What’s the point of fast days if you eat more than your body requires on eat days, you just end up chasing your tail. And dont forget, you dont want to maintain your OVERWEIGHT, you want to maintain your IDEAL WEIGHT. By putting your ideal weight into the calorie calculator, you will then know how many calories you need per day to achieve the weight you want to be, and remain at that weight. In fact, if you ate the ideal number of calories every day, you would loose the extra weight without the fast, but it would be slower, of course.
No need to count calories when your ideal daily imput is firmly fixed in your mind. No need to exclude treats, but the real treat is being the ideal weight.

I found fasting quite easy so I’ve quickly gone fro 5 2 to 4 3. On feed days I eat 8 16. This is a lifestyle choice for me. I refuse to count calories for the rest of my life.
Fasting has ensured I am sated much quicker when I do eat so I think it would be really hard for me to over eat on those days now anyway.
People have jumped on this diet as a fast track to weight loss. It could be so much more if people just slowed down the race to be thin.
Enjoy your fasting, enjoy your eating. Enjoy life. Don’t be a prisoner to food any more.
Good luck to all in your endeavours.

If you are loosing weight fine…….you are doing everything right……….if you are not…. follow your TDEE and cut back.

Everybody is different……simples!

Well put Symba7! I personally have made a conscious decision NOT to count calories apart from on my fast days, otherwise this becomes a “diet” like all the rest (and I have done them all!). I am losing incredibly slowly but I would rather that than lose it faster but feel like I’m on a permanent diet.

Not counting calories on feed days, but being aware of what i am eating – healthy good food and no rubbish..Might just break this for some of that pineapple-coconut ice cream though , it sounds delicious!!

I don’t actually count calories on non fast days, but do try to not over indulge on fatty foods and carbohydrates. I fill my dinner plate with more veg and try to eat more chicken and fish rather than red meat, though do like roast beef on a Sunday, but less is more as they say! So far I’m finding the fast diet easy and don’t feel deprived as I look forward to the odd treat on non fasting days. I will probably invest in the fast diet recipe book from Amazon to help maintain weightloss and get ideas for low cal healthy meals.

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head Old Faster.

No food is forbidden. On other diets I immediately seem to crave the foods I’m no longer allowed and then binge on them because I’m not really allowed them and breaking the diet. I don’t feel the need to binge on anything because I only have to follow the strict calorie allowance for two days a week. I just tell myself I can have whatever it is I want/crave tomorrow. Because I can eat whatever I want the other five days I don’t feel I’m missing out. It’s a psychological thing but it’s certainly working for me.

Ok I’ve only done this for a few weeks but lost a couple of lbs then put it back on! Do I really not have to count cals on non-fast days, I’m definitely hungrier and reckon I’m probably eating too much carbs in the form of bread, cereals etc. I’m already letting this consume my life. Only want to lose a few pounds but mainly want to reduce my body fat ratio.

I definitely count on my Fast Days (…which I have come to label Health Days and use for my workouts and such too…) For about the first month I counted on Non-Fast Days to get a better grip on what I was consuming. I don’t count Non-Fast days now. Something I noticed into the second month of this was that I want much less quanity of food on these days. I also tend to eat exactly what I want on them. Only 20 pounds to go to reach my IBW. I have been doing the Alternating Fast Days instead of 5:2. And after reaching my IBW plan to change to 6:1.