I’m new here too and also in USA. Into my second week of FAST now and already feeling results. Jeans are not quite as snug, anyway. What is motivating me is the blood work results from my physical a couple of weeks ago. Cholesterol high (especially triglycerides) and glucose put me in the pre-diabetic range. Doctor’s immediate suggestion was medication. Uhhh…no. My husband takes enough meds for the both of us. I guess I’ve been fooling myself that because I walk a couple of miles every day (two dogs) and gym work out 3 times a week that I could eat (and drink) as much as I want. Well, I weighed 182 at the doctor visit, so time to get serious about what I’m putting into my body and how much. I would like to get down to my “dancer” weight of 130, but will be happy with 150, even happier with 140.

Not sure I’d call myself a binger, but I’ve always been prone to having more than one helping—and serving size has always been an issue. :-/

Two fast days so far and managed to get thru with minimal discomfort. My biggest challenge is the husband that thinks it isn’t a meal without meat. If I was preparing just for myself, I could easily do with out it.

Anyhoo, nice to meet you and hope we can encourage each other on this journey.

NatMau, I try to compress my eating window on all NFD’s to <10 hr’s. On FD’s I eat only one meal typically between 2-4PM. On the day after a fast I typically eat my first meal at 10:00 AM

I’m a 64 YO man 5’10” 176 lbs. I’ve lost 70 lbs of fat and kept it off for 20 years. I eat a relatively high fat diet but I do not eliminate carbs. Most of my carbs come from lots of non starchy veggies. They are loaded with fiber and nutrients that are filling and they prevent constipation. I do eat high GI carbs like rice and potatoes but only after working out. I have one binge meal a week, usually pizza

TapGypsy, your husband is correct, it’s not a meal with out meat! LOL Or at least some protein. Grass fed organic beef or Bison is very healthy to eat, filling and it tastes great! I eat a lot of it and my blood chem is stellar.

I was tested and gluten / wheat is not inflammatory for me but I do not keep bread in the house as it is a trigger food for me. When I go out I eat plenty of it! With butter or olive oil of course! LOL

I do eat fruit on my NFD’s but only around workout time. I may have berries or cherries with breakfast as the have a very low GI.

I eat high GI carbs to spike insulin on purpose to feed my muscles after a hard workout. It also helps to keep the fat burning hormone Leptin at a good level.

Staying in ketosis all the time suppresses Leptin and slows fat burning.

BTW I started 5:2 for the potential health benefits and in 2 1/2 weeks I’ve gone from 182 to 176 lbs. I fast on days I don’t do an intense workout so my fasts alternate 5:2 and then 4:3

Natmau- I am in NE Ohio.

Did pretty good yesterday, but ended the day with a few drinks. My first booze since I started 5:2. However, I didn’t indulge with cheese and crackers to go with the wine.

Can someone explain the 16:8 and 20:4 methods? Don’t know what that is.

Thanks for the explanation! I don’t consume anything after 8 pm and breakfast around 7 am. May try and adjust that to later in the morning. I’ve always been good about drinking lots of fluids, i.e., water, tea, coffee, and that helps. Recently started adding a shot of organic apple cider vinegar to my morning liter of water and amazed how it seems to help the snack cravings.

Tomorrow is a fast day so need to plan what I’ll be eating now. Later!

NatMau, I have seen others say their cholesterol goes up. My bp went up (from release of epinephrine).

What are your goals? Why are you disappointed?

Welcome, Lori_Pa! You are close to me, for sure! I used to exercise hard core, and I couldn’t lose at all. Now I only do three 15 min. HIIT sessions and week, and weights 1 day, and I’m doing better!

Hope to hear from others!

Hi TapGypsy:

Everything in context.

Research has shown that people that lose a lot of weight quickly (like 40/50 pounds in a year) can develop elevated cholesterol levels for some time after the weight loss stops until the cholesterol can be filtered out of the system, at which point it returns to normal levels. This can happen with any successful diet, not just 5:2. The ‘excess’ cholesterol comes from the fat cells that are emptied by the diet – every cell in the body contains cholesterol. Most people don’t know that the body will die if it does not have cholesterol, and that is why it is one of the few substances the body actually makes. The elevated cholesterol is not a ‘problem’ and does not need to be ‘treated’ as the body takes care of it naturally.

The medical profession never cared about cholesterol levels until the low fat diet came about, with its theory (now debunked) that eating saturated fat led to increased cholesterol levels led to heart disease. Research now shows that cholesterol might be good for you (dah), but, like the low fat diet, it may take a few decades to debunk the idea that cholesterol is bad and cholesterol levels need to be tightly controlled.

In the meantime, elevated cholesterol levels resulting from losing a lot of weight quickly can be a short term fact of life for some people, but the research shows they cause no problem and the body takes care of the issue over time.

Good Luck!

I have a PA connection too. Both of my parents are from Nanticoke PA. I grew up and lived most of my life in central NJ. I live just outside Las Vegas now and truth be told I don’t miss the pollen, mosquitoes, humidity, freezing weather and high taxes one little bit!

Yeah…I’m not a fan of all those things you mentioned either! One day I hope to move somewhere that doesn’t get so freakin’ cold in the winter! I play golf, so I nearly go crazy from November-March. Of course, every place has it’s own set of stuff to deal with. Whether it be bugs, or hurricanes or tornadoes. We have to have something to complain about, right? 😉

Opening my window at 1 today. I’m finding that 2 is too late as then I don’t want dinner with the husband. I usually close my window by 6 or 6:30, so 1 will work ok.

I think I’ve had a good week, but not counting on the scale to agree. All my activity is counter productive to seeing the scale go down, as weird as that sounds. Oh well…..one day it will catch up!

Have a great day!

Morning, everyone!

Since I checked in my weekly weigh in on the June challenge, I thought I would do so here also.

After 5 days of 16:8, and switching to a mostly protein and fat diet, I am down 1 lb. No 5:2 or 4:3, and didn’t count any calories. I did eat pizza and a candy bar earlier in the week. And best of all, NO CRAVINGS! I really wanted them gone, and I guess the fat does it.

Those notions of fat being bad for us is so ingrained, that I could feel myself hesitate every time I saw higher numbers on labels! I heard it all my life! Eat low fat. Eat more carbs. Funny, though, how all the women in my family followed that, and all died fat and diabetic.

I am going to continue thks week, only may switch to broiling, and using olive oil, and adding more fish.

Good thing the local grocery store has a “pick 5” meats for $20! Perfect sizes for me!

Hope all enjoy their day!

just join forum been following the fastdiet for a few weeks and have been happy with results as it has been slow and steady. Have some questions about what I’ve seen posted;16:8 and 20:4 what does that mean? For some reason I don’t know all the lingo of this eating plan. I just eat whatever I want on non fast days but try to keep calories at the correct amount and not eat past 8 or 9 PM and then don’t eat breakfast before 8 or 9 AM. – what’s the 16:8 or the 20:4 ?

Also from the USA

NatMau, Moving is a PITA! Feel better soon. I eat small portions of fruit on non fast days but it is mostly low GI, IE cherries, berries and I can’t resist mango when it is in season.

Welcome Emilylee. Basically 5:2 is 5 days eating at TDEE at 2 days at 1/4 TDEE. On FD’s some of us eat two meals and some eat one. I started at 2 meals but found out I like it much better to eat just once around 3-4:00. Since your FD will be < 400 calories the meals will be rather small if you split them. FD meals should be protein, good fats and non starchy veggies.

20:4 refers to compressing all of your calories into a four hour window every day with no fast days. Some of us on 5:2 also try to compress of eating windows on NFD’s to ~8-10 hours to compliment 5:2 FD’s.

Yes you can have diet sodas on FD’s id you can’t do without. The jury is out on the health risks of artificial sweeteners.

PS I’m from Las Vegas