How are you defining a fast day: how many calories are you eating, and what types of wholefoods? Similarly what are you having for breakfast the day after?

In the ‘The Fast 800’ books, Dr Michael Mosley and Dr Clare Bailey advocate a certain amount of protein, and to fill up on ‘no count’ bright and dark coloured non-starchy vegetables.

DTC: It would be worth re-reading the book you have or, better still, Dr Michael Mosley’s latest book ‘The Fast 800’ and the accompanying recipe book.

The standard US/ UK diet or ‘normal meals’ are what makes us overweight/ obese and unhealthy in the first place. Instead Dr MM and Dr Clare Bailey advocate a nutrient dense, lower carb, Mediterranean-style diet.

They set a minimum daily protein intake, plenty of bright and dark coloured non-starchy vegetables/ low sugar fruits with every meal and snack, healthy fats, a really wide variety of other wholefoods. Much more than just calorie counting.

Your meal choices sound too low in protein, and too high in the type of starchy carbohydrates (processed grains/ cooked root vegetables) that are likely to cause spikes and troughs in blood glucose. This affects physical energy levels and mental sharpness.

If you include some starchy carbohydrates go for whole and minimally processed: brown basmati rice, pot barley, steel-cut oats, oat groats, wild rice, wheat berries, lentils, beans. But no more often than once per day, filling your plate with low carb alternatives: nuts, seeds, non-starchy vegetables, low sugar fruits.

HTH!