I’ve created these notes because the same questions come up time after time on the forums – it may be the design of the site but there isn’t an obvious ‘READ THIS FIRST’ link – if anyone wants to copy and paste anything from here, please go ahead
If you are pregnant; breast feeding, a teenager or suffer from (or have ever suffered from) an eating disorder then this way of eating is not for you.
If you have any medical condition for which you are current receiving treatment, consult your medical practitioner before commencing the Fast Diet.
If you are looking for a ‘quick fix’ – this is not the weight loss plan for you.
This isn’t a ‘quick fix’ in terms of weight loss or health although some people do see differences quite quickly. It’s about making a fairly radical, complete change to your way of eating and of thinking about food, resulting in long term better health and weight
Read the ‘faq’ link and the ‘how?’ link at the top of the page in the Fast Diet forums.
In the ‘how?’ link calculate your BMR and TDEE and read the explanation of why you should know this.
It’s advised to have 2 non consecutive fasting days. This is just to make it easier and more sustainable.. but if you feel at any time that 2 consecutive days will work for you – go for it.
The main thing about this way of eating is that you fit it in to your lifestyle. You do it the way it works for you. And on non fast days it’s about eating WHAT you want NOT HOW MUCH you want.
Aim to be ABOVE your BMR and UP TO your TDEE on non fast days. It can help to use an app like http://www.myfitnesspal.com to help you track calories for a couple of weeks so you can get an idea of portion sizes etc. It’s only too easy to underestimate calorie values!!
Whether you do 5:2; 4:3; or ADF (alternate day fasting) is entirely up to you. I sometimes set out to do a 4:3 week and something comes up and I end up with a 5:2 or if I have done 2 fast days I’ll add another as the mood take me. If you plan to fast on two particular days and something happens on one of the days – do it another day. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way –just YOUR way.
Your first fast days will test you but you are not going to drop down from starvation because you have only eaten 500 calories in ONE day. It does get easier as you go on.
On fast days, what you might think is hunger is more often thirst so drink lots water, herbal teas, black coffee or tea. If you don’t like your tea or coffee black just make sure that you account for any milk or sugar in your 500/600 cals.
What you think is hunger too, is often ‘clock conditioning’ – if you always have meals at certain times then when that time comes you’re going to think ‘breakfast!’; ‘lunch!’ or ‘dinner!’. It’s your head telling you that not your body!! It’s habit and habits can be broken.
Some people feel a bit strange on their first fast days and its often a good idea to spread your 500 cals over three small meals to begin with until your body adjusts. Then move on to lunch and dinner (which will give you an 18 hour fast) and, if you want to, move to just one meal of up to 500 cals at dinner time (this will give you a 24 hour fast) Whichever way you do this is up to you there is no ‘right’ way or ‘wrong’ way – it’s YOUR way.
Take your measurements at the start…chest/waist/hips. Sometimes when you don’t see a weight loss you see an inch loss!
Don’t look for spectacular weight loss all the time – it’s about fastING not fastER!
After your first one or two fast days you may a see a big loss – this will be mostly water and you may not see much further loss and you may even see a slight gain until your body ‘settles in’ to this way of eating.
With any weight loss programme there is nearly always a good loss at the beginning (a water loss). Then the body seems to say ‘oy, what’s going on?’ and hang on to the weight for a bit before you start to lose again.
It can take up to a month for things to settle to a regular weight loss – around 1 lb (0.5kg) a week is the average quoted although everyone is different. If you don’t have much to lose then your weight loss is likely to be slower. It’s also a fact that men lose weight faster than women. (Sometimes life just isn’t fair!)
It is also a fact that the body can retain water for a variety of reasons. Eating too many salty foods is one example – but women’s bodies are strange and do their own thing so that gain could just be water if you’re doing everything else right.
Those with a large amount 6 stones/84lbs/40kg or more will lose a good amount in the first few weeks/months. As you get nearer your target weight, your weight loss will slow down.
It’s also a case of simple maths that you will weigh less after a fast day and then show a gain after the next non fast day. This is normal.
Exercise is not mandatory but if you are able and can fit some in this will aid weight loss.
As you lose weight you feel better and are often able to do more and more.
It is reported that fasting can have a beneficial effect on blood pressure; cholesterol; diabetes; arthritis – and people who do 5:2/4:3/ADF have noticed this – but it will depend on the individual.
Once you get your head round it, it becomes second nature and very easily sustainable and sustainable indefinitely.
When you get to target weight – you can cut down to 6:1 or even 13:1 to maintain.
10:06 pm
10 Feb 14