Stumped Over Negative Side Effects

This topic contains 6 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by LittleBiddyDibDab 10 years, 7 months ago.

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LittleBiddyDibDab

8:43 pm
28 Aug 13
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I’ve been on the 5/2 diet since April 14, 2013 and I’m convinced it’s the way to go to improve health. My original goal was to lose 15 lbs to reach a weight of 130 lbs. I reached my goal after about 10 weeks and I’ve stayed around that mark since. My husband started the same time as I did and he’s lost 15 lbs too. The difference we’ve noticed is, he sails through fast days and I suffer. My chest feels compressed; my heart jumps around; I’m dizzy and feel faint; I get bad headaches; I’m very irritable; and I suffer diarrhea the whole day after a fast day. So what gives? Why do I feel so bad? Any ideas?

Kiwiana

10:26 pm
28 Aug 13
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I know for me I cant go all day without eating other wise I would suffer from side effects. I have to eat something during the day. So I pick a small meal under 110 cals for my lunch. Then sometimes I might have a can of diet coke later in the afternoon to take the edge off if Im feeling horrendous.

I drink alot of water 4-5 litres on fasting days including a couple of cups of green or black tea.

Really not sure why you suffer from diarrhea especially after not eating much the day before. Can you give us a run down on what you would consume and when on fast days?

LittleBiddyDibDab

11:02 pm
29 Aug 13
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The times I eat vary almost every fast day but I always have two twelve hour (or longer) periods without food. Sometimes I’ll eat a scrambled egg, a small piece of toast and a handful of fruit for breakfast. Then I’ll eat a big salad for supper at least twelve hours later. I usually consume about 400 calories and I drink a lot of water through the day. About five hours after I eat I start to get weak and irritable and my headache starts to develop. I don’t want to eat anything between the two meals because my goal now is not so much to lose weight but to gain the health benefits. Is it possible that some bodies are shocked into repair mode in less time than others?

Jannine

12:48 am
30 Aug 13
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I thought the whole idea of the 12 hour stretch on fast days was to make it as beneficial as possible, however only when your comfortable with doing so.
400 cals. sounds like you have room for a snack when your body signals to you that it is not happy.

I would personally go to see a GP. about the symptoms you describe, could be as simple as sensitivity to a certain food, now excacerbated because you don’t get so much bulk in your stomach for the day…who knows.
But I think it’s better to be safe than sorry.

You do drink enough water on your fast days?

DrLL

9:31 am
30 Aug 13
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I guess that change to eating pattern and choice of food may give diarrhea. E.g. eating a fruit and raw vegetables if you are not used to it. Relying on products with artificial sweeteners on fast days may upset the stomach as well. Drinking too much water/tea might also be giving you problems.

I once was so dizzy from standing up to quickly (fast-day) I almost fainted. I found that a glass of water with a pinch of salt is helpful for me

Having said that I guess that some are born with a stomach that just dont like to much variation from day to day. Would fasting every (or most days) work for you? Skip breakfast and lunch on normal days and eat your normal food afternoons/ evening to get your full TDEE. This way you get the health benefit of fasting without “confusing” your stomach.

LittleBiddyDibDab

3:01 pm
30 Aug 13
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Thanks for the tips. I pretty much stick to my normal diet on fast days but much less of it and longer periods in between. I will try the pinch of salt in water. Maybe it’s electrolytes that are dropping that make me dizzy. As for changing up my fasting schedule, I can try that too since I’m retired and “master” of my own time. I’ve found I can sometimes easily go from 8:00 p.m.supper the night before to about 3:00 p.m. the next day – if I do that a couple of times a week I wonder if the IGF-1 principle will kick in.

LittleBiddyDibDab

3:01 pm
30 Aug 13
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Oh yes, re seeing my GP, I have an appointment for next week.