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Enjoyed my first fast day yesterday. Woke up feeling refreshed this morning 🙂
Only thing I’m finding tough is that as I suffer with depression, it’s hard to always remain motivated and upbeat but this forum is really great to come back to. Any other tips you guys have for keeping positive/motivated?
Gozo, Malta
Thank you DebbieQ.
Skinny this morning I weighed myself again after last Sunday and I’m up 0.4 kilos and yesterday was a fast day. I’m 68.5 kilos while last Sunday I was 68.1 kilos. Don’t get discaraged as weight fluctuates and there might be some water retention.
The main thing is that you keep up doing 5:2 or 4:3 and take the weight when you weigh within one week. Even then there might not be any loss or some slight gain sometimes. But if you keep on going you’ll have positive results and weight loss for sure.
Good luck everyone. Keep strong and plan ahead when possible.
Day 6: Cotswolds, UK: Non-fast day:
Great news Pissupoosa and VoiletP, fellow 36-hour liquid fasters yesterday: You did it.
So did I…I did have half a glass of milk after 24 hours in order to swallow one of my anti-inflammatory tablets (supposed to be taken with food!)….otherwise, water only.
Disappointed to be 4 pounds UP this morning on last time though ??? eh?
Ireland day 6 nfd
loved waking up 4lbs lighter after my fast day yesterday…
AMC18 I also suffer with depression and anxiety…believe it or not I started crocheting last year and have found it to be wonderful therapy….I think it has something to do with creating something beautiful from a ball of yarn as well as focusing on something that you can touch and feel and see changing in your hand…I have to say it has been fantastic for me and it has spilled over into the rest of my life…I’m starting college tomorrow and really looking forward to that too…chat to me anytime and good luck on the 5-2
Day 6 Cornwall UK.
Fd Today, well should have been butI’ve blown it grrrrrr!!
I went to 1.5 hour pilates this morning and then to a 1 hour taster session of Barre Pilates – lots of ballet (took me back to my youth!!). certainly worked the legs and abs! I think I have hurt my knee, which is very annoying! I dont think I’ll be doing those classes! I was so hungry when I got and had soup and sour dough bread! I will not to eat anything now until I go out to lunch tomorrow at 12.30, that will be a 24hr fast. Then Thursday will be total water fast!!!
So picking up my grandson from school later and then the children’s swimming lessons. Seems to have been pretty full on for the past few days, and I’m really feeling low on energy!
We all have thes times, but tomorrow is another day. I’ll weigh on Friday morning.
Stay positive all you lovely people!! Onwards and DOWN!!!
Day 6 USA (Utah – visiting)
FD for me today. Probably will still eat a light supper with the family.
Had a pretty good weekend without too much eating. GREAT exercise Labor day yesterday with daughter and granddaughters. We rode the chairlift up and down at Sundance Resort near Provo, UT, and from the top we hiked about 1.5 hours. It was a big loop, at elevation of about 8,000′ which gave me a good heart rate.
Leslita – welcome to our group. I am from northern Illinois, midwesterner also. I’m a retired music teacher but still direct a community choir and do some piano lessons. I visit daughter and granddaughters here in Utah fairly often to be a good grandma.
I’ve been on 5:2 since mid-March and have lost about 25 lbs. These challenges have been excellent for me!
TTFN all.
Hi everyone uk (in Portugal) day 6.
Have been keeping up to date with all the posts and just a few observations of what I think. Exercise should be used as a way of toning, a way to exercise heart and lungs and a way to relax the mind easing stress. I think what we have all been led to believe that we are fatter because we don’t exercise is misleading. Should we exercise? yes but do not believe doing more will lead to loosing more weight. Your body compensates and adjusts accordingly. Exercise for the right reasons!
We need to get the right balance between eating and fasting. So to keep our metabolism high however do not get fixated on the scale. The scales are fickle and many a person has gone off the rails because the scales have shown a slight increase. So what does this achieve? doubt, mental tantrum and guilt cus we blew it. Better to realise the scales are only an indication not the be all and end all. Have you taken measurements or a photo (for your eyes only). A slight increase can be for any number of things. So accept they may not show a true reflection and just carry on. Do the new members use the tracker on this site? if not I highly recommend it. I can see the times when I hit difficult times or stayed the same for a number of weeks but the trend is downward. Yes I have had increases but never back to where I started so while downward there have been a few bumps in the road.
Can I ask also of some of the ones who have joined this challenge – are you eating foods on your non fast days that will love you back? Will they support a healthy body? If you are not making good choices as best as possible can I ask why?
At the end of the day this thread on this forum will help support you, pick you up when you doubt yourself, sympathise, laugh with you and cry with you but it comes down to you, only you can make the changes. Remember if it is to be it is up to me.
Day 5 Sussex UK FD
Excellent post Coda. To really make a success of this we need to reframe our thinking about food – if we think of fasting as deprivation and so go all out on ‘treats’ on NFDs, we will never break the habits of unwise eating. I find after a fast day, I am more inclined to eat well and I think that has gradually affected my attitude to food on other NFDs. The biggest change for me is letting go of a sugar addiction and removing grains from my diet – I am rarely very hungry now which then makes for better food choices.
Re exercise, there is so much research now on the limited impact on body-weight, it’s very depressing to see on today’s news that doctors are being urged to prescribe exercise for overweight patients.
Day 6 / NFD / Derby, UK
Feeling a bit disheartened today. Following the Dr Jason Fung LCHF diet on my NFDs really successfully. Haven’t craved sugar or carbs at all. This could be because I’m eating a vast amount of fat. I know the LCHF way is not to count calories (except on FDs obviously) but I figured mine out today, just out of interest. I’m only 100 calories off my TDEE and still have a family meal in hand this evening. I’m torn between starting tomorrow’s fast early or throwing caution to the wind and going over with Thai beef salad. Does anyone have any advice? Has anyone combined LCHF with 5:2 without counting on NFDs and still lost weight?
I felt like I’d hit the jackpot with this diet, but now I’m not so sure. 😕
Day 6 USA FD
Yesterday we had dinner at a Mexican restaurant with friends. We went a little crazy with the tortilla chips – reminded why we never keep chips or other snack foods in our house.
I felt lucky that I only went up 2/10’s of a lb. lol
My OH wasn’t so lucky – was up 1.4 lbs.
Today is a FD – expecting we can see a drop in weight tomorrow morning.
Best wishes to our entire September team. We will win this challenge – never give up!
Hi all, just to reiterate- scales are hopeless if you are weighing in very day hoping for constant weight-loss. Remember, it takes 3000 cals to add 1lb fat so you would have to eat 3000 extra calories to put on 1lb weight. Small changes in weight up or down are irrelevant and can be disheartening; as so many other have commented on here, weigh less frequently and look for that downward trend not day-by-day loss.
Keep smiling.
SSB
Day 6 east coast USA NFD
I am trying to use new recipes and eat good food on my FD and NFD. I am actually having fun in the kitchen. I plan my meals for my two weekly FD by going through the Fast Diet Cookbook and pick 2 -3 recipes that add up to 500 cal. Shop ahead of time, lay out the nonperishable ingredients the night before next to the recipe and I am set for really tasty bites for my FD. here are some of the recipes I have really liked: Blueberry Banana Smoothie (150 cal really special for breakfast) , a double batch of Chipolte Lime Scallops (cut spices in half as they overwhelmed the dish 200 cal and a huge serving) Zuchini noodles(1 medium zucchini) with onions, 1 cup mushrooms, garlic, italian seasoning and 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce and 1/4 cup parm cheese(350 cal very filling and tasty).
for my nfd I am again looking for mostly veg based dishes that use interesting spices (indian, mexican, thai etc) I also went and got a spiralizer for my Kitchen Aid mixer. I am treating 5:2 like a cooking course. So far my hunger on FD is manageable and I really look forward to the meal I have planned
Later this week I plan on trying the Sweet Potato Mushroom Hash(150) Vegetable Shrimp Curry (200) and Baked Oatmeal Muffins (100 cal)
Anyone have a favorite FD recipe to share?
Day 6: Pacific NW USA, Liquid only FD
Brighton and Debbie – I have horrible short term memory but I try to read all posts from where I left off and when a LTF (long time friend) on this thread or a certain post hits a nerve I may scroll down to the reply box and write a few words, scroll back up and keep reading. If there’s a page change I have to “select all” and “copy and paste” my comments but so many of you are the reason I’ve stayed on this journey and I want you to know! And I realize that makes for a long response from me sometimes!
Apropos, Coda – it was so renewing to read your post! Good to read your words and thanks!
DMWalking – you did it, you got me back on my bike this morning. I did 6 circuits of high intensity for 35 minutes total!
Patti and goosey – why does fasting feel easier and better than eating? I think we may be in opposite world (game I used to play with my kids).
Fuvvie – you already inspired me to think about what benefits I’m giving myself instead of what food I am being deprived of, maybe it’s like what 12 step programs teach, the troll may be there for the rest of our lives but we can tie up his arms (power over us) with knowledge (and help from friends!)
Skinny – the ups and downs on the scale and my over proportioned mood swings are why I only weigh once a week, like the adage, I don’t want to know how the sausage is made! Pissupoosa’s and El’s advise were both great.
Bethany – a personal observation, I do count the fat calories into my LCHF NFD TDEE (how’s that for a string of acronyms!). Since I’ve dropped all sugar my taste buds are more sensitive, that goes for the taste of fats too. Example, when I stopped using sweetened almond milk in my ice coffee I substituted whole fat whipping cream. Over time it’s taking less cream to get the same yummy taste, same goes for the amount of butter and coconut oil in my BPC. I also drink smaller cups of both because the full fat satisfies my hunger troll more than it used to therefore not impacting my TDEE as much.
Sig – yum! I also use the recipes on http://www.inspiralized.com. Scroll down past the ads to the recipes button then scroll down again to the categories button.
Day 6 USA FD extra post
Bethany thanks for your post about going LCHF on NFD instead of counting calories. We do the same thing and it seems to be working ok so far. As long as we eat at home it’s easy to stick to it. As for your dinner tonight I would continue with the LCHF and not count the calories. As far as I see, it’s a challenge to combine LCHF with counting calories. And like you, on FD we make low calorie the priority and forget about HF.
We will watch the results and make changes as indicated. That’s the beauty of this program- several good options.
Day 6 Leicester NFD
I had lunch in the staff mess today and realised just how unhealthy the food is unless you want a salad. Will have to consider taking in a packed lunch. Looki9ng forward to weighing in and measuring tomorrow. I feel less bloated and my skin appears clearer. My hubby is doing the Dukan and started at the same time as me joining this group. It has helped me cooking all that meat for him as by the time it is cooked I’m not hungry…… Another good thing about today is that my spralizer has arrived Hurray!!!!!
Thanks B2TF and Maui. Had my beef salad and decided not to worry too much about calories. Will take some of your advice though B2TF and perhaps have a little less of the high fat stuff as I go forward. My husband made a great point when I told him my word this evening: this is the first diet you’ve ever done and actually enjoyed. Why not enjoy it fully instead of obsessing over minutiae. Like Maui, I’m going to let the results roll in (weigh and measure at T minus 36 hours) and then tweak what I’m doing if I need to.
Day 7, Australia. NFD
Just had a healthy homemade muesli for brekky and a read of some great posts.
Pissupoosa, i loved your post, very encouraging, thank you.
Coda, I like what you said about the scales, mine are broken and new ones are on their way, I’m happy about that as it takes all the scale anxiety away and let’s me focus on my food and making good wise choices.
Coolcat, crocheting is fantastic, good on you, that will keep the wee hands busy.
I struggle with counting 500 calories, I get myself muddled and it uses up a lot of my limited brain space. It’s much easier for me to do food free fasts, much less angst.
Have a great day ‘losers’. X
Hi just another post aimed specifically at Bethany but relevant to all. We all want the excess weight off and we want it off now or we want to know when it will be off. When I started I had worked it out that by my birthday in May I would be at my ultimate goal. Did it work out that way – nope! I hit a big bump in the road round Christmas time that knocked me off track for a while. I am closer to my ultimate goal but not there yet. It is all well and good working out if I have a deficit of x calories I will lose x lbs in a week. In an ideal world but this is real life and our bodies are unique. I found I can stay the same for a week or two then have a ‘whoosh’. It is sticking with this way of eating which by the way has been the only way I have found that I can happily live with. My diet mentality is not the same nor do I feel a failure. I may have a few small losses or none I just have to go with it cus what is the alternative? I use to suffer with the perfectionist in me. I hated to see a gain no matter how small as that spoilt the good run. If I set a goal and didn’t achieve that loss I would beat myself up, huff a bit, dust myself off and start again. On our last challenge we tried pairing up and set goals. I didn’t get mine but now I don’t mind because I tried. It was maybe the wrong cycle for me to drop but I tried which was really the whole point. I even did 4:3 for the last week but it didn’t happen – it would have been nice but those pesky scales were not playing ball. However I did fit into a size smaller jeans. I guess what I am saying is to just keep trying and you will get there.
I wear a band on my fast days – an idea from one of our members. It reads stay strong – tomorrow is another day.
Nite all x
Day 7, Australia NFD
Back in the right frame of mind for committing to 5:2 again. I have done this before and found it very effective, as long as I am fully in the right mindset for committing. Spring is a good time for this and I’m motivated to feel good about my body this summer. Going to aim at least 2 months on 5:2 this time, perhaps 3. Keep reminding myself that each time I make a good decision about what to eat and drink the quicker I will actually lose the kilos I want to lose. Sometimes it may seem the goal is too far away but the secret is just to take each day at a time and then you get there. Good to read about other people’s journey. There is strength to be found in sharing it!
Day 6 Minnesota, USA FD
Yesterday’s FD was liquids until 5 pm, then a couple eggs for protein. Then a handful of cashews and almonds (or more), sent me over my 25% of TDEE. I stayed under 850 cals, though. Nuts add up so fast! I need to send those nuts to my daughter’s house!
This morning I decided to just do coffee and water until supper time to see if I felt I could complete b2b FDs. I had a small supper of roasted chicken, broccoli and cauliflower, under 400 cal. I’ll have a NFD tomorrow, 16:8 as usual, and planning to make sautéed zucchini noodles and prawns and/or chicken with Alfredo sauce. Peaches, blueberries and yogurt for desert. Have a good FD or NFD everyone and stay positive!
Day 7 FD NZ
Yesterday’s NFD went better than any on my 3 week journey so far.
Stayed within my TDEE which was a surprising amount of food when I stuck to healthy fresh choices without the sugar filled empty cals I usually crave.
I have admitted to myself that I can’t keep abusing my body with poor nutrition and just exercise it off. For one thing my mid 30’s body was starting to break down with injuries and impaired recovery and for another, my health is suffering beyond the weight gain.
I feel great today after maintaining healthy eating yesterday on the NFD.
Am still contemplating doing 4:3 this week, I don’t want to overdo the FD and burnout my motivation, I manage them fine but that doesn’t mean it’s easy all day. There’s mixed info about 4:3 compared to 5:2 but I really want to see some results to keep me motivated, so far I haven’t lost any weight in my 3 weeks, I didn’t weigh myself at the start…just too scared knowing it would be horrific numbers. The second week my weight was 64.5 and this week I was 66.6kg. I’m pretty confused but blaming poor choices on NFD. I’ll keep on trying and hope better NFD sees some positive change next week when I weigh again.
As for today I’ve just had tofu and cauli rice and am looking forward to plain Greek yoghurt soaked wholegrain oats with chia seeds and apple tonight. I’ve found it much easier not to cook for myself in the evening on a FD, just too tempting to snack as I cook. The family doesn’t mind as I’m vegetarian and they eat meat so I cook a meat based dish for them and they don’t expect me to share it and I’m not at all tempted to touch it.
Have a great day everyone. Will check in again later. These posts really help my evenings go faster when I want to reach for the sugar.
Day 7 / Australian in Asia / NFD
Well I didn’t make the “good choices” I had planned at last night’s buffet, but I did stop eating when I felt full and probably ate about 1/4 of what I would normally eat at a buffet. I also limited myself to only 2 glasses of wine, so I’m feeling ok about it all.
Today I am STARVING (I put it down to bad choices last night) but won’t eat anything til lunch time. It’s not a fast day, but I rarely eat before lunch. And I do need to atone somewhat for the waffle with caramel sauce and crushed nuts of last night…
Good luck everyone, and have a happy healthy day.
E
Sunshine Coast Aus Day 7: FD. Going fluids only for 36 hours. It’s lunchtime and I’ve had bone broth with turmeric and curry powder added to spice it up a bit followed by coffee and water. Teaspoon of cream in the coffee. So expect that will see me through with only water from now till tomorrow morning. Thanks for the encouragement Coda, HollyLJ, B2tF. You raise me up……
There are so many good posts on this thread. I find myself checking in several times a day to see how this world wide community is going. I’ve even checked in on Google Earth to make sense of Anna6 of Gozo Malta travelling to her daughter in Malta only to see its too different islands. Do you travel by ferry Anna6? And I revisited my life in London when we lived in Highfield Ave, memories stirred up by our poster from Brent (sorry, but if I go back to the last page to find your name, I will lose my post lol. ) anyway, thank you all for being there and so supportive and interesting.
Day 7 – Switzerland – NFD
Feeling brilliant after yesterday’s FD, but got really tired and brainless in the afternoon – reminded me of my first FDs last summer, a bit clumsy and generally ‘gone out’. Guess this may be due to fitting in a third FD…
Have planned out all my meals today, and intend to stick to it.
Great to read everyone’s posts on here – hope you’re having a great time in Portugal, Coda!
Day 7 / Australia / NFD
Another emotional trigger today raised hunger levels. Ate extra portion of home activated macadamia nuts, though still practiced awareness with this in that I placed a small amount in a cup to eat and replenished this supply once. Previously I would have grabbed the whole container and been done with the lot in one sitting. Baby steps are still steps.
Day 7. Sussex, U.K.
NFD
Coda – The voice of reason. Have taken a screenshot of your last post. Will look at it every day of challenge. Lol. Hope you are having a great time in Portugal.
After feeling smug that my fast went so well on Monday, I tripped myself up yesterday. I think I am so sensitive to sugar and grains.
Made baked tofu with half a portion of whole grain brown rice and some baby leaves. I made a sauce with peanut butter, soy sauce and sweet chilli. Had that at midday but couldn’t get to 6pm without dessert. Victoria plums are in season and we have a tree. My fasting day was no problem but yesterday I had some with Greek yogurt at 4pm. So fruit sugar. Ravenous by 5.30. Smoked mackerel, one small potato and green salad dressed with cider vinegar. Dear reader it was downhil for the evening.
Will learn from this. Trouble is that when you are strong you think you can control the addiction. I am learning that there is no such thing.
Better choices today. Plan for feeling fuller for longer with pulses and veg and small amount protein in the shape of goats cheese. Maybe some eggs for last meal.
Onwards and downwards overall.
Enjoy your day everyone.
Day #7/USA/NFD
Well….I had an ok FD yesterday, but not my best. I think I probably had close to 1,000 calories. On the plus side, the extra calories were in the form of protein…no sugar! I was just SO hungry yesterday after a strenuous boot camp workout with lots of muscle work. Whew!
Took today off exercise as I didn’t sleep very well and am SO sore from yesterday. I know I have more soreness in my future today as typically I’m more sore about 36 hours after the workout. This too shall pass. 😉
Have great days!
Day 1, North Carolina, USA
I just found this website tonight, and I think it is just wht I have been looking for. I have battled depression for a while and lost everything last year, maybe the worst thing I lost was my health. CoolCat and AMC18, I understand. I do. And you inspire me. Keep it up! This is going to be great,
Thanks everyone!
SaraL.
Morning all day 7 and doing ok. This month I am really focusing on exercise so when I got home last night I did a 20 minute HIIT session and then had my dinner of mushroom stroganoff and wild rice and a side salad which came in at 500 calories +/-
I definitely feel more toned so will see what the scales say at the weekend. I have been bought the “Lean in 15” recipe book by Joe Wicks and have watched him on You Tube and Instagram and although he can be quite irritating 🙂 he has great recipes and a really good attitude to weight loss. I am not interested in joining up to his plan as I enjoy 5.2 and its flexibility, but it is good to see that he advocates people should eat carbs on a work out day but not on a rest day. So this week I am experimenting as I don’t tend to eat carbs during the week (including fruit) but if it works I will incorporate it into my 5.2 way of life. Also I have taken a before photo (never had the nerve to do it before!!) and I plan to take an after photo on 15 December which is the day before I go on holiday 🙂
Gozo, Malta
Welcome SaraL. to this challenge.
Fuvvie I travel by ferry to Malta. Two of my daughters travel everyday Monday to Saturday to Malta and back as they are medical specialists and go to Malta s hospital. I hope it won’t be long that they are transferred to Gozo s hospital. The government is discussing to do an underwater tunnel between Malta and Gozo and it would take just ten minutes by car to cross. It will take six years for the tunnel to be finished if not longer. The ferry takes 25 minutes but it’s the waiting for the ferry both ways that’s time consuming though there are 45 minute ferry crossings during the day and less frequent during night. My niece and school friend live in Melbourne, Australia.
Yesterday ate ice cream and apple pie as desert when out for dinner and I may have gone over my TDEE. I enjoyed it. Today is a fast day for me. I’m babysitting again while my daughter sleeps.
Have a great Wednesday everyone. Good luck on your eating plans today. Onwards and downwards.
Day 7: Gloucestershire, UK: Turns out to be non-fast day.
Fuvvie, I was going to join you on a 36-hour liquid fast, but I’m at home all day, got hungry, felt stressed, started eating, and then eating some more. Oh well….
Coda, I wish I could cultivate your healthy attitude to weight gains or plateaus. On Monday I fasted for 36 hours and gained four pounds….I can’t push it out of my mind. STRESSING.
Day 7 USA (Utah – visiting)
NFD for me today. Just finishing a 36 hour liquid only – had a 40 calorie cup of bone broth last evening while the family was eating supper. Since I don’t get enough bones to make my own, I have bought beef and chicken containers at the grocery that say “bone broth” so I hope it’s better than just water.
Plan today to get to the gym and eat normally. Slept fitfully which is what often happens the evening of a FD.. Going to make my breakfast!
Surrey UK Day 7 ……three days of catching up with laundry and ironing, all done now thank goodness! What has been very interesting with this way of life is that it is precisely what I was looking for. I hate dieting, and this has taught me (and still is) to think differently about food and to make better choices. It is a long-term practice and not a quick fix. I don’t want to always be thinking about food. 5:2 is such a reasonable approach and it is very empowering to be able to make decisions which have been informed by the simplicity of 5:2.
My sense is that we should not see the fast days as a licence to over indulge on the other days, and then try and make up by having another fast day. The human body is a very complicated and intelligent thing…and like a fine musical instrument it needs to be tuned and cared for and treated with respect, and I would really like to remember that more often. Let’s all keep going and supporting each other!
Next on the list is the garden to start sorting, I have done all the cupboards, defrosted the freezer, fridge is next…Sorting my recipe box (Yes I still have one, with all the old family recipes) and then I need to get back to my art, drawing and doing calligraphy….Love it!
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