New to forum and would welcome advice

This topic contains 3 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by AlysP 3 years, 4 months ago.

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AlysP

9:03 am
6 Dec 20
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Hello, I am a lady in my mid 50’s and have just joined the forum. It’s great reading all your success stories! I have just completed the 2 week fast 800 and lost 8lbs which I am really pleased with. I loved all the recipes and almost enjoyed doing it!! I have weaned myself off chocolate and wine which was my aim- my COVID snacking and drinking was getting a bit out of control!! I am now at a happy weight with a BMI of 22.5 so would like to go into maintenance. I am determined not to go back to stuffing down chocolate and drinking wine every evening. However I feel very nervous about coming off the diet as I am scared I will put the weight back on if I eat more and wondered if anyone had any tips? I have looked in the maintenance section but can’t really see what I am looking for. Also before the diet I was running distances up to 10k at a good pace but I have found on this diet I barely have the energy to do 3k very very slowly! So I know I need more carbs for sure. Any advice regarding the next step would be welcome, thank you.

Mr Data

12:58 pm
6 Dec 20
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Hello AlysP,

Congratulations on your result, you’ve done really well.

I can only share my personal experience of almost 8 years doing the 5:2 version of the diet and can say that it has consistently worked well for me – the idea of doing 2 weeks at 800 to begin with wasn’t around back in 2012/13. After I lost the initial weight in the first 6 months, I tried going to a maintenance regime of 6:1 but it just didn’t work for me, so I’ve stuck with doing 5:2 instead. My average BMI for the last year was 22.4, which is great as my target is 22.5. I don’t run (5 knee operations) but before the clocks went back I was doing a 4.2 mile walk almost every day at about 3.3 mph and still do it at weekends – in fact I’ll be going out to do it again in about 20 minutes.

I simply obey the original rules of 5:2, so 600 calories on the fast days and no calorie counting at all on the NFDs. The FDs are non-consecutive, never at the weekend or when I’m on holiday and if life gets in the way I simply do a 6:1 for one week then go back to 5:2 afterwards. The flexibility of when to do the 2 FDs is key to its long term sustainability. Since starting I’ve never found doing the 5:2 a drag – it’s simply what I do now.

Hopefully something like the above can work for you too, and still give you the energy for your 10k runs.

Well done once again, and the very best of luck with it.

AlysP

3:57 pm
6 Dec 20
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Thank you Mr Data and wow how fantastic maintaining your weight so well. Brilliant!!!! I have to also walk a lot as we have 2 dogs and one is very young and needs a lot of exercise! Your post has given me confidence to eat more again- although so far today I have had 2 recipes out of the fast diet book as I can’t quite let go ( every recipe is a winner in my opinion) but I added more to them. I even had a piece of bread and real butter!! First bread I have had in 2 weeks but it was sourdough so not too bad 😂having read your post I am going to try 5:2 but with 800 cals on ‘fast days’ although they don’t feel much like I am fasting as the food is so yummy. Interesting you split the days- I expect that makes it more sustainable as it’s not so much of a hardship. Also it will help with running doing it that way I think. Thank you again for replying.

Cinque

4:07 am
7 Dec 20
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Hi Alys,
Congratulations on that 8lb you don’t have to carry around any more.
I agree with Mr Data. 5:2 is an excellent way to come off the two weeks of Fast800.

While you are doing it you can work on keeping within the Mediterranean Diet Guidelines which are outlined in the Fast800 book. Mediterranean Guidelines for everyday eating, not just for fast days.

I have been doing 5:2 for maintenance for several years now, but still tweaking my diet as I go.

All power to you

AlysP

11:22 am
7 Dec 20
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Thank you Cinque and a massive well done for maintaining for so long!! I want to be the same!! I ate a bit more yesterday but it’s a bit of a shock to be eating what seems like a lot after 14 days on 800 calories!! My weight this morning had dropped a bit more so I need to try harder to get the calories in- I never thought I would be writing that sentence that’s for sure!! Thank you again for your reply- it’s fantastic knowing how well this can work.