My experience after one year of 5-2

This topic contains 4 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by jojo58 10 years, 7 months ago.

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FreddyGee

7:55 pm
10 Apr 14
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I’m a guy in his 40s and wanted to lose some extra weight so I could run more easily (got into jogging about 2 years ago).
So it’s been a year I’ve been fasting twice a week – on Mondays and Thursdays I skip lunch and dinner. I only have water/tea during the day, no food. Fasting from breakfast to breakfast is the easiest for me since I’m sleeping the last 8 hours of the fast.
After 5 months I had lost a total of 20lbs (from 165lbs down to 145lbs), and after that my weight didn’t change.
I’ve never missed a single fast except once when I was on vacation (for a week).
I got used to it pretty quickly. Typically on fasting days I’m feeling a bit more tired and go to bed earlier, cognition could be affected at the beginning, but I can also go for a 4 mile evening run when fasting with no problem.
I did a physical after 6 months and I was a bit low on Vitamin D. My lipid numbers got much better (cholesterol improved a bit… but they keep changing how they measure that stuff). I have more energy in general, and haven’t got sick since I fasted (I was afraid that fasting through winter would be harder, but no).
Psychologically it’s been great to be able to finally “free” myself from food. Before I started fasting I would never have thought I could skip a meal. Now my relation with food has totally changed – I’m totally in control.

Angie090465

1:35 pm
11 Apr 14
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hi FreddyGee

many thanks for sharing your experience, a big well done to you!!

🙂

Stef.

2:30 pm
11 Apr 14
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Congrats and thanks for sharing your success story! Hitting plateaus is pretty normal and over time the weightloss is slower. I assume you have re-calculated your new TDEE and adjusted your calorie intake?
I have been on it for 5 months now and hit a plateau as well. At the moment I am shaking things up a bit by doing 4:3, vegetable smoothie days and I changed my exercise routine. It seems to be moving again.
Best of luck
Stef.

JeanDee

3:22 pm
11 Apr 14
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We’re doing a happy dance with you, FreddyG. Thanks for giving us newer 5:2ers details. This is always encouraging. I’m learning how to manage fast days and experimenting each week. Trial and error. Will you be doing the 6:1 for maintenance? It’s truly a life plan for me. Have a lovely weekend and do something nice for yourself to celebrate — perhaps another vacation?

jojo58

6:31 pm
11 Apr 14
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Hey FreddieGee,
I am seriously impressed by your dedication, one week off in one year, incredible! I lasted 10 weeks on 5: 2 then got bored and frustrated for the last three weeks. Maybe this was because I was still calorie counting on the other 5 days. I have lost 18 lbs since January and am back on board today with a 500 cal fast, but I have a very long way to go( probably a year). My physical activities are badminton, lawn bowls, yoga and ballroom fitness. I also do an hour on aerobic machines three times per week. I have always been active but as I have got older (58) the pounds have piled on because I haven’t controlled either portion size or food choices. Finally I have come to terms with the fact that bread is no longer an option for me, I simply can’t control it so I don’t buy it. I mainly eat fish and veg, low cal soup and fruit. Luckily I don’t have a sweet tooth. Tell me, did you eat what you wanted on other days? Is that usually a healthy diet?