Side effects in the first week

This topic contains 11 replies, has 12 voices, and was last updated by Bodycombat23 9 years, 8 months ago.

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kinash

6:16 am
19 Sep 14
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I have just started 5:2 this week, and have done my 2 fast days (Mon and Thu). I read the book cover to cover, to make sure I really understood both the philosophy of the diet, and the practical application. From my reading, I understood that the side effects would be very minimal on fast days. This has not been my experience!

On my first fast day, I ate a small breakfast at 11am (as I didn’t feel hungry before then). Shortly after that I felt very nauseous, to the point that I felt like I was going to vomit, for a period of about 2 hours. At that point I was completely exhausted and couldn’t keep my eyes open. I went to bed and slept soundly for 2 hours. When I woke up, I started to feel very nauseous again, and a bit dizzy, which lasted for another 2 hours. I felt ok after I had eaten dinner. I had no sickness/tiredness the next day (eating normally), so I don’t think it was a virus or other illness.

After this experience I was a bit worried about the second fast day! That day I decided to do things a bit differently – I ate breakfast at 9am and had a bit more to eat than the previous fast day. I felt so much better! No nausea at all and not very tired. Had a whopping great headache at 4pm, which disappeared with Panadol, and had to go to bed at 8:30pm as I was very tired. All in all a very manageable day. Another note: Both fast days I was also very cold.

I’m hoping that it continues to get easier – but even the difference from the first to the second fast day was huge. So I suppose for other newbies out there – experiment with your timing of your meals on fast day (Michael’s regime in the book seems to work better for me than Mimi’s for example, which surprises me as I am a woman). Just thought I’d share for others who are experiencing strong symptoms. Good luck with it everyone.

franter

6:32 am
19 Sep 14
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I also did my 2 fast days this week Mon/Thu… The first day was a breeze.. the second day it went well but I was really cranky by the afternoon evening and restless. I had trouble to sleep but finally did sleep. I ate at 0800 then a 7.30pm that night on both night. Today is the day after fast day … I felt nauseous after breakfast. I had my usual breakfast home made granola with skim milk and a boiled egg. I could not shake it for 2 hrs after…I did feel the cold last night as well but that was fixed by having a hot bath. I know by reading the book that this is normal.

diamonds7

10:10 am
14 Oct 14
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Hi I am almost at the end of my first fast day. I have gone about 100 calories over I really struggled have I ruined it or the first week feeling very desperate about this but was so hungry and weak I had to stop work and go lie down. And yes I did keep my liquid up. Any thoughts or tips please

Ahmedmilton

5:48 am
17 Oct 14
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I have also end the first week but don’t have any side effects…

tombo80

9:13 am
17 Oct 14
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I have been on it for a few weeks now and the first week was probably the hardest. I think most of the side effects you guys are describing are a mixture of your body trying to readjust to less calorie intake for that day and mental coping issues.

Keep at it as it gets easier and I am really starting to see benefits now;

Pros:
More energy the day after a fast day
Less cranky on fast days
Weight loss

Cons:
Struggle to get to sleep at night on a fast day – weirdly seem to have more energy right at bed time!

Obviously I’ve only just started as well but in the past I have had to go on a similar diet without having any choice in the matter (I moved to a different country and was really skint for the first 4 months!)

Also going over by a hundred calories isn’t something to get too fussed about. It’s a mistake but it can be rectified next time. Coping strategies such as finding constructive things to do really help, get those jobs done you have been meaning to do for ages instead of sitting down with food on your mind 🙂

Laure

2:34 pm
14 Nov 14
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I am encouraged by the fact that it gets easier. 🙂 I started this week and found Thursday harder than Monday – I didn’t seem to have the increased energy levels and actually felt hungrier. Monday I had insomnia, Thursday as I felt tired I was probably okay but took a valerian tablet as I wanted to be sure of a good night’s sleep. No nausea, no headaches.

Avalanche

3:15 pm
14 Nov 14
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I just completed my first month. I discovered I do better if I don’t eat breakfast, and go until about 2pm before I eat, I am not as hungry as if I eat something. Drink lots of water and sugarless tea, and then have a salad with no oil and a little protein. I ate a few too many calories at dinner last night, but I am on my goal track- lost 5 lbs since Oct.15th! And yes, it does get easier!

Sally NZ

4:14 am
13 Feb 15
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I too have almost completed my first week. Day 1 of fasting went well, day 2 (only 2 days later) had me concerned. On neither day i felt hungry or nauseous. Day two i felt very dizzy and faint by lunchtime to the point that i had to lay down. This is very unusual for me. I made several attempts to get up but mostly had to lie back down again. My brain turned to mush, i couldn’t concentrate on any one thing and i was getting my words mixed up. This has never happened to me before, nor since (only 2 days have passed since then). I ended up eating the remainder of my 500 calories for dinner at 6pm and going straight to bed afterwards. In bed i had a severe attack of the shivers. My husband made me a hot water bottle which sorted it out after about 2 hrs. As a result we are going to switch from Mon/Wed to Sun/Wed to give an extra day between fasts. also i’m going to put the bulk of my 500 calories into a late lunch. I usually do 1.5 hrs in our home gym when I get up and have a late breakfast anyway. And I’m always early to bed but not 6:30pm! I think, at this stage, I will still do my exercise regime on Sunday but if I have a repeat dizzy day I will cut the exercise on Wed, at least until my body has adjusted. I’m sure it’s just trying different combinations until I find something that suits me. My husband is also doing the diet and he has experienced no problems at all other than waves of hunger. My weight has reduce by over 1 kg already!

Hilary4

8:53 pm
27 Feb 15
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I have been doing the 5:2 for 4 weeks now – I have a pretty easy time of the fast days, I drink teas and coffees with a dash of milk as I feel I need them, have a chicken noodle cup-a-soup (46 cals) for lunch, a piece of fruit mid-afternoon if really hungry and then a vege dish or home-made soup for dinner.
I do find the second fast day tougher if there has been just one food day in between them. I have more difficulty getting warm at night on a fast day – I have an extra blanket on my side of the bed (still summer here in NZ so we have a light duvet on still) or wear my winter PJs those nights.
Have lost just over 4kg – woohoo! Easy-peasy!

HKW

2:38 pm
4 Mar 15
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I’m on Week 2 – here’s my experience: The first fast day I had a CRACKING headache all day long and – oddly – the whole of the next (non-fast) day too. The second fast day I also suffered a severe headache, and experienced stomach cramps as soon as I ate anything.

This week – I had the headache again on the first Fast Day morning, but it got better in the afternoon after some Panadol (I also fell asleep in a chair for about an hour at 10am!)

Today is my second fast day this week and guess what – NO HEADACHE! It makes such a difference not being in pain all day LOL! I’m hoping my body has started to get used to the pattern of fasting. I’m going out tonight, though, so it’ll be a late night to bed which might be tough as previous fast days I’ve been in bed by 9.30pm…

cdefran

12:32 am
5 Mar 15
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I have just completed my 2 days of fasting Monday and Wednesday, Monday I ate at 7.00am breaky and 1.00pm lunch and 6.30pm dinner, did Wednesday with 7.00am breaky then didn’t eat again till 8.30pm that night with a boxing class and 30min cross trainer workout felt good though but today I have to say a little light headed.

Bodycombat23

6:14 pm
5 Mar 15
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Into my 4th week. Felt really awful after my last fasting day so today I drank loads of water & feel so much better & not really hungry. Just carried a little bottle of water round with me. Magic!