Hello everyone! I am new to this diet. For me, it’s more about healthy living. I would like to shed half a stone and then maintain my weight. I’m 26 and happily married, my husband and I love to party so weekends include lots of drinking and then lots of eating to get us through the horrendous hangover the next day, so I’m hoping this will help me to regain some control! I believe everything is good for you in moderation, which is why I think the 5:2 will work well for me 🙂 I wish everyone the best of luck in finding the ‘new you’.
Emma x

Hi , i started the diet 2 weeks prior to xmas. All previous worked lost in the festive season. So going to start Monday aswell.I have 25lbs to lose. So good luck to all. We can do it 🙂

Hi everyone, I’m not new to this either but kind of lost my way the last 6 months of 2014 so going to start afresh on Monday. I only have about half a stone or so to lose but at 5’4″, very small framed plus being almost 52 (gulp)it takes forever for me to lose even a lb, my TDEE is very low so not much room for manoeuvre. I’ve got 2 goals in 2015 – hubby and I are going to Glasgow for his 50th in about 7 weeks and I’d like to drop at least the 3 lbs I’ve put on over the festive season then in June we’re going to Tunisia for our 10th Anniversary so ideally another 3 or 4 lbs by then would be nice.

Wilf – I got the original 5:2 Michael Mosley book on Kindle and it explains the science/benefits behind fasting and how to do it. Take comfort in the fact that it is much easier to lose weight on 5:2 for a man. My hubby lost about 19 lbs in 3 months, put half a stone back on whilst on holiday then lost it in a couple of weeks! If you stick to it this does work and you don’t feel too deprived.

Good luck everyone x

Hi there. I too am starting afresh on Monday. I began on a whim in October, weighing 82kg, and was stunned by how easy it is and was down to 69.8kg by 10th December. Since then I have had house guests, as well as kids home from uni for the festive season so have been on a break. Surprisingly I have not gained anything – I have no idea how – and I am a bit stunned to be able to start 2015 at 69.8kg. Now I need to crack on and lose those last 10-12 kg so am looking forward to starting again this week…

I am hoping to be 59kg by the end of March and then drop a kilo or two and go into maintenance, the plan being to stay in the 50’s from then on, using the fast days to keep me there!

This forum has been invaluable as a source of reference and reading threads has kept me occupied and out of the kitchen when I got hungry! Good luck everyone for 2015!

Hi all you newbies and welcome:

Here are some tips – they should answer most of your questions. And if you look at the posts, there is quite a bit more info in them. https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/

Good Luck!

Hi Vanessa
This https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/fast-diet-52-should-be-called-61/ is a forum post that discusses bread and its affects on the body. I love bread (I found a French baker who supplies Coles with authentic Pane de Casa. MMMMmmmm) but I’m rethinking how much bread is worth eating.

Hello, im new to this and also plan tostart on Monday. Just wanted to say hi and good luck to everyone.

Hi guys. Im starting tomorrow. Been on it well over a year, even finished beach diet around June time. Strictly back on it tomorrow. after December feelling awful:/ ah well my quorn sausages are already in freezer, following diet tonic;) also going to weight myself once a week again. good luck everyone!!!!

Hi Karen. I’m struggling with getting back on it especially between September-December months. I found keeping in touch with everyone on this forum very helpfull. Im hoping to lose a stone by June and be ready for summer. Im going to try 4:3 approach to speed things up a bit. Going for two 36h fasts, and 1 of 24h. Hope I can manage;) but not every week, as it’s hard haha;) Im also doing DryJanuary so that will help. Keep in touch and we’ll make it!!!

I was on a thread last year where quite a few of us encouraged each other then it kind of died a death. I definitely think it helps to have like minded people who can cheer each other on and go through the ups and downs which come with doing 5:2. I really should do dry January too because that’s half my trouble – wine makes me weak and I reach for naughty treats then regret it in the morning! Plus it’s not good for us and there are only empty calories so maybe I’ll join you in that. You’re being very brave trying 4:3., I’ve only managed it once and did a back to back which was soo hard. Good luck. Another problem I have is overeating on non-fast days so my aim this time is to keep under my TDEE and I know I’ll do better. Xrizvi, you can do this and all you need to do is get through that first couple of fasts and it gets a bit easier after that. Don’t worry if you go over slightly at first because it’s a case of re-training your hunger.

What days are everyone fasting? I usually do Mon/Thurs so I’m sticking to that. It’s nice to have weekends off and be able to eat a wee bit more. I find sticking to soups (either home made veg or slim soups) work well for me at lunchtime plus tea with a little skimmed milk, low cal hot choc or camomile tea plus water to drink. Usually I have a 2 egg omelette, salad or a weight watchers meal in the evening. I’m one of those people who doesn’t eat breakfast because if I do it makes me want to eat for the rest of the day so sometimes I skip lunch too if I’m busy and save all my cals for evening. 🙂

I’m still gathering information – so may useful tips and articles – and have done a trial fast day just to see how I feel and it went fine yesterday but I was ready to eat today! I always think Monday is a good day to start, so depending how I feel I will either fast Monday or Tuesday.

Unfortunately I can’t eat quorn, I’m one of the people who has some sort of intolerance to it and both times I’ve eaten it I’ve been really ill.

Good luck loose jeans x

My advice loose jeans is to work out your BMR and TDEE (see how to at the top of this page)/and make sure you eat between these 2 numbers on non fast days using my fitness pal to track cals. Obviously go for 500 cals on fast days and the deficit at the end of your week should mean4 you lose weight or inches. Measure/weigh before you start tomorrow because some people lose inches first before they lose weight. Also don’t get too focused on the scales.

Sooo after my blowout last night, I decided to fast today. I had two coffees and no brekkie or lunch, but just had shredded white cabbage, lettuce, grated carrots, sliced egg and a few very small cubes of cold roast beef. All in all a positive day.
Ps has anyone had bircher muesli? I made it once but it ended up like wallpaper paste….

Speaking of loose jeans, I have several tight jeans in my wardrobe that I am hoping to fit into again sometime soon after starting the 5:2 yesterday (Sunday here in Australia). Look forward to sharing some good news with you all.

Dawnie, I find protein foods (eggs, fish, chicken) soups and veggies are best on fast days. Drink plenty of water too. You might surprise yourself in that fasting and exercise are fine together. I mainly dog walk for exercise and have done it with no problems on fast days with plenty of energy. I do feel colder though on fast days so need a couple more layers. Plus I sleep really well too.
Sandra – evenings are my worst time too and I find avoiding the kitchen hard so let’s avoid our kitchens together 🙂
Selfhealth, feel your pain with the tight jeans as I bought 3 pairs last year when I lost my half stone and now they are way too tight! No way am I buying bigger sizes.

Where’s everyone from? I live in Darlington, North East of England.

Lucky you:) Its flaming freezing (literally) over here in Darlington! Thankfully no snow (yet) though. Not looking forward to feeling colder tomorrow when fasting, hot water bottle methinks lol:/

Hi Karen. I was born and bred in Darlo but now live close to the town.
Good luck with your Fasting.

Hey a northerner after my own heart!

I am starting tomorrow too. Ended 2014 a stone heavier than when it started and feel fat and frumpy! Aiming to lose between a stone and a stone and a half. Have tried this before but have never got past a couple of days but am determined to make it work this time. Find it hard psychologically on my fast days, the thought of not having much food can be quite depressing but need to get past this. Any tips on getting through the first couple of weeks? And how quickly should I start to see results?

I’ve got a few pairs of tight jeans that I’d like to make loose!
Thanks for advice Karen! Do you guys recommend breakfast or going through till afternoon?

Hi Karen,
I’m up north too in windy Consett
Would love to know more tips for preparing for the first day
Thanks
X