I have been on the 5:2 Fast Diet for 3 weeks 1 day and have completed 7 fast days successfully and fewer non fast days successfully. This past week, I did have 4 successful non fast days and 1 pig out day.

I have lost 11.1 lbs over the course of 3 weeks/1 day. The first week I lost 6.9 lbs (lots of water weight!). Then gained almost 2 the next week and lost 4.1 the third.

I guess I was wrapping my brain around what I needed to do to be successful that second week and applied it the third.

Thanks to all the hints to be successful from this forum. You are great and very encouraging.

Drink lots of water and keep the calories between your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) on the non fast days. Eating whatever I want doesn’t work. I would eat a zillion calories.

As you lose weight, recalculate the BMR and TDEE. The calories needed go down as you get smaller.

I am surprised at how easy the fast days are and how challenging the non fast days have been. I wonder what food it is that causes the severe hunger when I have had enough calories. I already restrict the carbohydrate I eat.