Hello WestMidsLady,

I also couldn’t imagine being a ‘normal’ weight again. I threw out most all those ‘normal’ weight items of clothing because I couldn’t see myself ever being able to wear them again.

By practicing 5:2, I have been able to do so! …And I am not able to exercise much or at all due to my own health issue and I still reached goal weight by adopting 5:2 as a way of life.

5:2 is good for health as well as weight loss and I’ve read many miracles on this forum.

Are you thinking of giving 5:2 a ‘go’ by trialing a fast day?

Hi WestMidsLady,

When I was in my 30s, I herniated a disc into the sciatic nerve root, and was off work and pretty much housebound for most of nine months. So I can sympathize with you!

You have now got a lot of weight to lose, but don’t be scared, it’s doable! There are plenty of people on the forum who are in the process of losing/ have lost a similar amount. As you say, you’ll just need to take it one day at a time and start chipping away at it.

If you haven’t read the 5:2 book you should. And also Jason Fung’s The Obesity Code explains the problem…And the solution!

Although no foods are off limits, you’ll have greater success losing weight by combining intermittent fasting with dietary changes. 5:2 is not about daily calorie restriction, but if you are overweight because you’ve been overeating then you do have to accept that you need to cut back on the non-fast days too (eat whatever you want, but not however much you want). Having said that, given the role of insulin in fat storage, a lot of people have greater success if they reduce/ eliminate refined carbohydrates and added sugars from their diet.

Don’t think about how much you have to lose, just focus on doing 5:2 correctly and make healthy changes to your diet. You CAN adopt a healthier way of eating for life, and it WILL result in weight loss.

Don’t be daunted, but be realistic. You didn’t gain weight overnight, you won’t lose it overnight. You will start to feel benefits from even a modest amount of loss though, and the more you lose the more you’ll start to believe that you can lose the lot (you can 😁)

There are several active and popular threads on the forum. Have a read and jump into one or more that takes your fancy. Good luck!

We know you can do it — soon you’ll know it as well.

Excellent advice so far! I’ll add that seeing 5:2 as a way of life rather than a diet will help. This is not about deprivation or suffering! Reading through the forum will show you that people are succeeding with quite a variety of food plans on their non-fasting days. You’ll find what works for you, too.

Good for you for making the choice to turn your health around. Let 2017 be your year to enjoy life again. 🙂