Struggling on 'work day' fast days

This topic contains 6 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by TracyJ 10 years, 9 months ago.

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malloryX

7:12 pm
26 Jan 14
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Hi, I’ve not been doing 5:2 that long – just a few weeks. So I realise that it may get easier…

My problem is that I am finding one of my fast days extremely hard – the weekday one. I try to do Sunday and Wednesday. Funnily, although most people say work days are easier, for me Sunday is the easiest one – I get up late, I can distract myself with TV, the internet and painting my nails etc, and then I go to bed early.

It’s the weekday one I’m really struggling with. The thing is, I have an energetic job – I’m a primary teacher (7 year olds). It means I’m getting up at 6am, standing up or walking/running around constantly, and being generally energetic all day with 30 lively kids, then going home at around 17:30. I am starving ALL DAY. My body is literally crying out to me to give it some fuel, and by the time I get home, I feel miserable, weak and, if I’m honest, a little bit teary. Then I am literally chewing my own hand off trying to resist the urge to eat something until bed time – even after I have my evening meal.

I usually have nothing in the morning, have a small meal at lunch time at school (Cup-a-Soup and very small sandwich with wholemeal ‘thins’) because I need some energy (12pm) and then something at home, usually a Weight Watchers meal(7pm). Then I sit there all night craving everything and anything until bedtime at 10pm.

I know it’s because it is a long day, but I’m just wondering if I can make it any easier for myself… Or, if there’s an alternative such as 12pm to 12pm or something that might be easier on me? The easiest part is in the morning for me – I’m ok not eating up to 12pm. Then the mad cravings kick in. I have heard that some people just water fast because food actually triggers their appetite but I know I will be unable to eat nothing all day and will probably faint so I daren’t try that.

I know there are many others out there who work hard too, it’s not just me, so how the heck are you doing it without dying on work days? In a perfect world, I wouldn’t work Wednesdays then I could do a nice easy fast day, but alas 😛

Any advice would be really appreciated. I don’t want to give up. I even strangely enjoy my Sunday fast day. But gawd, the midweek day is one I’m beginning to dread.

barbarita

8:32 pm
26 Jan 14
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Hi @mallory

There is another type of Intermittent Fasting called 16:8 which might suit you.

You fast for 16 hours and do your eating in 8 consecutive hours e.g. you might skip breakfast, have a normal lunch at 1 and finish your dinner at 9 – then no more food until lunch the next day. You do this every day. The choice of your 8-hour window is yours, some people start with breakfast at 8 am and stop eating at 4 pm.

On this programme you could have a nourishing lunch every school day.

All the best, whether you persevere with 5:2 or decide to give this a try.

maureen55

8:58 pm
26 Jan 14
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My husband says he hates Tuesdays as that’s my first FD of the week. He says I am moody and quick tempered but not on my second FD which is Thursday. Both of these days I work and go to the gym at lunchtime so perhaps I am pushing my body a little to much? Just like your work days malloryX?
Lost 6 kg in 14 weeks so far on FD so really pleased with what’s happening and the rate of loss and find my 2 work days a week the best time as I am preoccupied most of the time. Just need to work on my grumpy ness but he does like the fact that I have lost the weight.

malloryX

9:23 pm
26 Jan 14
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Thanks Barbarita – I was hoping somebody would explain the 16:8! It certainly sounds interesting and perhaps more suitable in the week… do you have to stick to a calorie amount in the ‘eating’ hours? Also, would it be possible to mix 16:8 perhaps on week days and 1 fast / one normal on the weekend? Perhaps that’s too complicated lol!

barbarita

11:17 pm
26 Jan 14
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Hi

No there are no rules about calorie restrictions, but unfortunately there is always common sense, lol!

By all means keep on with your Sunday fast if you want and if it doesn’t get too onerous on top of anything else you might be doing. It’s about what is best for you – the fine line between so rigorous that with the best will in the world you just can’t do it and so lax that it’s doing you no good at all. Each of us has to find that for ourselves.

hmb26101977

7:56 pm
29 Jan 14
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I also work in a school and I find if I eat little at meal times it stops me from reaching for anything. Because were so busy I could not go without cos I know i would feel tired and grumpy too. I have a cereal bar in morning, homemade butternut squash soup for lunch with a 10 cal jelly ( these are great for sweet cravings) and ww meal with some veg for dinner. I find if I eat too many carbs on fast days I feel more hungry. X

TracyJ

10:21 am
31 Jan 14
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I would suggest that you try to stave off eating for as long as you possibly can on your working fastday. I know you have an energetic job but you CAN last until at least lunchtime. The ‘hunger’ pangs are difficult to start out with – I do remember that but they are not actual hunger, they are thirst. Make sure you drink lots and lots of water and unless you have coffee & tea with no extra calories at all I’d knock those on the head too. Any calorie intake you have will ‘wake up’ your digestive system and make the ‘hunger’ pangs worse because it’ll shift up a gear from “I’m thirsty” to “I know you’ve got calories out there, I’ve had a taste, I want MORE!”

For your lunch try to have as much protein and as little carbs as possible. Veg & meat or fish without the bread or thins will keep the calorie count low (so you have more available for dinner), while giving you more energy (I don’t practice what I preach here but I don’t have to I’ve been doing this for ages and can go all day without food whatever I’m doing – you’ll get to this point too).

Good luck