“Does anyone else get a kind of buzz at the end of fast day? Weird but I sort of look forward to it.”
Yes, there is something different at the end of a fast.
What’s your description?
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This topic contains 105 replies, has 40 voices, and was last updated by Tallchick 9 years, 10 months ago.
I actually feel quite ashamed of myself this week 🙁 not only did I only have 1 fast day last week I tried to start a fresh this week (week 3) so Tuesday was first fast day of the week and I had 200 cals till 8pm and then gave in on bonfire night and had take away curry and a bottle of wine instead and then tried to fast again Weds and again got till 8pm and gave in again and had a big fatty dinner and wine and then yesterday I totally forgot I was supposed to be fasting and ate stuff I don’t normally eat because I had to buy from the work canteen and again I had wine when the kids were in bed. Today is Friday so I’m not fasting today because its weekend! You lot are all doing soooooooo well, well done! I need to get back on the Wagon and have more self control! Help!
HI Ali, thanks for your comments!; it is nice to know that you can get support and advise from the forum. Last night was tough as I was straight out from work (via home for my dinner!) to take a Spanish class, and when I finally got home I was ready to eat a horse !. So to comprise, I had a bit of left over low cals salad, which got me to bed time. This morning to my surprise I saw that magic number ’14’ on my weighing scales !!, only 1 lb from 15, but it is still an achievement !!. Haven’t seen that number for at least 10 years, so I need to be extra good this weekend to maintain the weight loss ready for my official weight track on Tuesday !. Need to be realistic though as I do like to relax at week end (wine o’clock).. kind of a treat for being good over the week.
vicky, just write the week off, and get back on track next week !!! Good luck 🙂
Thanks Manuel! I too think its great how you know you can just come on here and get the motivation & support you need. Maybe that’s why I haven’t stayed on the Wagon because I’ve not really been on here much this week. My first fast days I was on here in the evenings which helped massively! On a plus point I do feel a little bit slimmer in my jeans.
Hi Vicki, I think it was Maureen55 who said that rather than looking at the scales, see the transformation in your body ! A good example is how clothing feels better now, and may be if you wear a belt for your trousers, you should soon see that you have to adjust tighter !. Focus on that nice Christmas dress ! 😉
Thanks Ali !
I don’t know whether this would help you (it certainly does me!), I have Mondays as a non-fast day, but rather a ‘recovery-from-the-weekend-wine’ day !
What I do is keep it low cals (but not fast as such). It has worked for me so far; normally I drop 2-3 lbs off, before my official weighing day (and fast day) of Tuesday.
Thanks everyone! I think I’ll try the low cal on a Monday as I do love my wine too much at weekends. I’m also going to get in the gym tonight and tomorrow morning to burn off some cals so that should help revert some damage.
I agree with Maureen55 Manuel about the clothes. It’s disappointing when you feel like your clothes are a bit loser but then get on the scales and there’s no movement.
Ali I have 2 dress sizes to drop before May so if I drop one before Xmas, I’ll be very happy. I have 3 stone to lose and lost 3lbs in my first 2 weeks but haven’t weighed since. It’s lunchtime now and I’m about to head off to the canteen but will only grab a sandwich on brown or a wrap!
@vickimummy
” It’s disappointing when you feel like your clothes are a bit loser but then get on the scales and there’s no movement.”
Maybe you could use that feeling to continually motivate you?
I use activity trackers to measure progress and feelings are a more powerful motivator than stats, sometimes.
Use whatever works?
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rockyromero that’s a good idea! I should print off some statements about my feelings and every time I feel like giving up, I could have a read of them. Especially the feeling the morning after when I am annoyed with myself for failing my Fast
Trackers are good too though! I’m hoping to invest in a tape measure this weekend so I can measure my progress in certain areas like waist & thighs etc so a tracker would be great for that. I think I can do it on myfitnesspal that I use to measure calories.
@vickimummy
“I should print off some statements about my feelings and every time I feel like giving up, I could have a read of them. ”
Having gone through an emotional roller coaster in the last two weeks, I mourned a loss and potential loss. The emotional experience is the same. Mostly, I mourn the loss that comes from change.
And change is inevitable. Still, I embrace change in some areas and not in others. i welcome the change in technology, and I want to keep my relationships as they are. I’m one of those relationships, and I’m changing constantly, as we all are.
One of those changes is physical. It’s inevitable. Its foundational. Keep our physical health and we get to keep our emotional health, mental health, and even our financial well being.
As we age, our health becomes more, and more foundational.
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I have tried everything in the past 10 years and seen my weight grudgingly shed a little, plateau and then spring back. I was to blame as I get discouraged when things don’t go positively in the weight department. Atkins, Dukan – they were promising but the results didn’t match the hype.
Then I read that Alex Salmond had shed a great deal on the advice of Mervyn King using the Fast Diet. Living as I do in Estonia and watching very little British TV I was blissfully unaware of the phenomenon. But in for a penny in for a pound.
I use the traditional Monday/Thursday and I find it a breeze to stick to – it’s 11.50 on Tuesday as I write and I probably won’t break the fast until lunchtime as I don’t feel too hungry at all.
As recommended I didn’t go near the scales after week 1 but after week 2 I had lost 3kg. After week 3 it was 3kg more and this morning I can report a total weight loss of 7.5kg in 4 weeks – that’s over a stone in old money! My belly has only contracted by 4cm but my waistline has come in enough that I will have to punch a new hole in my belt today – that’s about 6cm so far.
I have a long way to go as I really need to bite into the best part of 30kg but the first 4 weeks have been the best – and easiest! – results of anything I have ever tried. And I can still go out for a beer!
I’m sold and it’s so simple as well. This seems to be the start of a life change but that’s fine by me.
Hi all…just touching base !
This is advise for those of you who might have put on some weight whilst on the plan… just shake it off and go back to the first principles of 5:2 !
I just managed to shake a cold off (took the best parts of two weeks !) and as many of you know, it’s hard to diet with a cold; you just want to feed it !!.
I did put on another 1 lb, but have since dropped it and more !!
I can now see that magic number ’14’ (stones that is !) on my weighing scales !!
… and my size 36″ jeans are loose !!
So keep it up, no matter if you’ve had a bad week (or two in my case !) … it works, it really, really does work !
Hi to all who have responded to me, yesterday I completed my 3rd week of this program, had appt with the Naturopath to be informed that I had not lost a gram, infact I had put on 0.1kg, Not alot I know but very disheartening none the less. I have kept my calorie intake at under 2000 for those 3 weeks and ridgidly stuck to the 500 cal on the 2 fast days each week. So, I am beginning to wonder if it really does work!! I will perservere for the moment as even the Naturopath is scratching his head as to why I did not lose. Anyway, having shared my disapointment with you all, I am sure you will respond with lots of postitive feedback. In anticipation of that, many thanks.
Hi Clare Crunden
I would be a little more patient. Are you looking at the carbs in your diet? The only carbs I have on FD is the porridge for breakfast. Absolutely nothing after that. Plus I find I don’t eat much carbs on the other days but that doesn’t stop me from having my Onion Kulcha bread, Rice, Bunja, Samosa with my Indian meal when we go out once a week.
I have just completed my 5th week (10 FD’s) and so far have lost 4.5kg. I go to the gym and work a couple of times a week (these are both my FD’s)and do things on my 10 acre block. Other than that I lead a sedentary life.
I am sure with a little more thought into what you are actually doing on your FD’s and the rest of the time, you will work something out.
It will happen but for some it’s obviously a little slower.
Hi Claire,
What is your TDEE for your current weight(found on this page)? Do you eat/drink up to that on your non fast days?If you are keeping to 500 cals on you non fast days, it sounds as if you are consuming too many calories at other times.
Have a look at the FAQ’s(also on this page) about what to do if not losing weight.
Hi Clare
I have been looking back at my first three weeks doing this lifestyle (almost a year ago now and still going strong). I was exactly the same weight three weeks in although I had been 3.5lbs lower during that time.
My friend who started at the same time as me (and is also still going strong) lost about 6lbs during our first 3 weeks so, as you can probably imagine, I was thinking it just wasn’t working for me.
I have now lost over a stone (not that much, I know, but my BMI was 25.1 when I started so I was just into the overweight zone.
My take on it is (unscientifically!) that your body tries to maintain a steady weight. My pattern is I have stages when I lose steadily and then I plateau for a while. My friend has continued to lose more consistently although we have both kept pace with each other overall.
I really would say, trust the process and stick with it – your body may well respond when it realises you mean business!
All the very best
Annie
Hi Clare!
Is a tiny tiny weight gain an improvement on what might have happened before? And might it mean that it won’t take much of an adjustment to get the scales moving in the right direction? Increasing general activity a bit and eating a bit less than currently on a couple of the non fast days? I will third the suggestion for less carbs too – the fewer I have, the fewer I want, and the better I feel 🙂
Glad to read you will stick with it – I really hope with a few adjustments it will start working for you!!! Good luck 🙂
Hi everyone, I’m back! Haven’t been on here since 5th Nov when I did give in at the bonfire and since then I’ve not done any fast days due to been busy in work and bad planning of shopping/meals! I followed Manuel’s idea though and haven’t over ate on the none fast days and luckily I haven’t gained anything. I’ve also kept off the 3lbs that I lost in my first two weeks. I am now raring to go again. Back on that 5:2 wagon! I plan on using my new blender and making soups to take for lunch on fast days. Any soup recipes anyone?
Hi everyone, just started on Monday after seeing my cousin and her husband each lose over 2 stone since June, they both look absolutely fantastic. Here is hoping that I have half the results they have achieved. I batch cooked low cal meals for my fast days yesterday, as living on my own its very easy to come home from work and just eat junk, so one day a week will be devoted to prepping healthy low cal foods, I am also sticking to less than 1500 calories on non fast days as recommended by my cousin, she also said that they stuck to a lot of Hairy Biker recipes which are under 500 cals plus a lot of 5:2 recipes. Good luck everyone
Punctus – I too get an incredible surge of energy as the fast day starts to end. It seems kind of weird but I am so hyped and energetic. I sing in the chorus of a show for Christmas, and Monday nights are our rehearsals. I fast on Mondays as well. I am constantly amazed at my energy levels throughout the evenings as the teenagers wilt behind me and others sit and sag as we do endless repeats and corrections. I can stand throughout the entire rehearsal and have enough energy to come home at 9PM and clean the house. I sleep soundly and get up at 5AM to get to work. This is so far from my energy levels a year ago it’s like I’m a different person. I don’t have any problems concentrating at the end of the day though. I am very alert.
So far I’ve lost 24 pounds and I’m on the hunt for the next 25. I have had to start walking every day to use up some of the energy, and I charge around the work campus like I’m being chased by wolves.
I have just started week 4, my starting weight was 84kg, at 165cms, about 15-20kg overweight. As of this week I have lost around 4kgs ( I don’t weigh myself every week due to owning dodgy scales..lol) I have lost 3 inches off my waist and almost down a whole clothing size. I don’t exercise as much as I should, but am still seeing results that, to be honest I never expected. I am thinking of trying alternate day fasting to speed things up a little just in the short term?
Yes it really does work! I started fasting in the summer around the end of july stopped for a few weeks but really got it down to pat come september I am now a massive 1 stone 13lbs lighter. I say massive but still would like to lose another 2 stone. so fair way to go still. I have tried all sorts of diets in the past & been successful but the eating plans are too regimented & you end up feeling bad for having chips or a drink. I really thought I would struggle with fasting but I havent at all – I have really surprised myself by how long I can go without eating! I fasted yesterday & going to squeeze another day in before christmas (monday) I would love to get on the scales mon & it says 11 stone 13 (I weighed at 12st & half pound this morning) that will be at least 8 years since they read an 11 number.
@ vikingmist, yes seeing the difference from one week to the next gives me such a boost to continue with this way of life!
I just hope that over time it becomes second nature and that I can stop counting calories on non fast days. At the moment it feels like that this new way of life is running my life and I’m spending too much time thinking about food, calories and fast days.
I need to get to a point where I naturally stay below my TDE without feeling that I am losing out. I am generally speaking eating pretty healthy but I do have days where I eat some gummy bears and an ice cream and some cookies and other junk food. Frankly I do not want to stop doing this but what I would like to do though is naturally cut down on the amount of goodies.
@ Kadie71: good on you! Congrats on your weight loss!
Merry Christmas to you all!
Stef.
Trolling on someone else’s post now @adek. That is a link to some ‘quick fix’ …if you are not on 5:2, then take your adverts elsewhere.
Hello everyone. I hail from Ohio USA. I picked up a Fitness Magazine that had an article on 5:2 Fast Diet and instantly knew this was the way to go. I was already doing a modified eating pattern on my teaching days…
At the end of my second week, I feel leaner, scale hasn’t moved though…definitely more energy, have noticed I get “fuller” faster but my sweet cravings! Just plain terrible. I truly hope these seize soon…
I am a bit confused about something…the book states optimally to fast for 24 hours but Dr Mosley eats breakfast and then 12 hours later eats dinner…
the fast is the day (24hrs) of eating a quarter of your tdee.. so you can if you want eat breakfast.. I don’t.
The fast 24hrs doesn’t mean not eating at all just restricting your cal intake to a quarter of your tdee for that 24 hours.
Some people do a total fast.. ie no solids at all in 24 hrs
Whatever you do it is really really important to keep hydrated
I think most people have breakfast? I only have 40grms porridge oats and that does me until dinner. Plus I go to the gym on my fast days. Lost a good amount when I first started in early October last year but now only losing around 200-300 grms per week. Still VERY happy with this and now almost half way to my goal.
If a plan works for you keep it up if not change it slightly because it will work, also if you don’t lose weight for a couple of weeks and do exercise it’s probably the fact that you have gained muscle. Cloths and the waistline are the ones that I go by and have lost almost 4 inches around my waist. Which makes me feel really good about myself.
Patience goes a long way with losing weight but it’s well worth it in the end.
I love reading all the encouraging and supportive comments from everyone. I also am from USA (upstate NY) and have started the new 5:2 lifestyle. Have done 2 fast days but don’t have a scale available as we are visiting in No. FL. I feel wonderful, motivated and, yes, thinner. At least my clothes are fitting better. My husband gave me a Fitbit for Christmas so am trying to get in my recommended 10,000 steps daily. Slow to start but reading about this diet and trying to become more active (have arthritic back) and hooking up with you guys, I’m feeling really positive!! Has 30 lbs to lose and know I can! Thanks to all and good luck to all of us!!
Welcome Penfio–yes you can do it–there’s some great stories here about people who have lost 30+lbs–so you will get all the wisdom and support you need on this forum–before you know it you will be like Carla in slinky black leather pants.
It will be interesting to hear if your back is less painful, even just for the fact that you will be carrying around so much less weight.–great incentive.
all the very best
Thanks double happy (love the handle)! I’m looking forward to checking out all the forums. We leave sunny FL Monday to return home. Looking forward to getting back. Can’t decide if it’ll be easier or harder to carry on the diet while traveling. Will let you know! But committed to giving it my best shot!
Relative to my back, I’m sure it can only be great for me. Less weight to carry around can only be good. Have tried a bazillion diets and am hoping for good results with this one. Go 2014 everyone!
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7 Nov 13