Can’t believe it but I hit my goal and after my first fast day on 6/21 I am now down a total of 11.5 pounds! My goal was 10 in the first month, so we are there. Booking facial the moment they the spas are open. What I am learning is that weight loss comes in spurts instead of in a line. I won’t lose for a week and then drop 3 in one day. I am now weighing once/week thx to the advice here. Totally feeling all of you on the social stuff. It is SO hard to fast and be social. And I ended up yelling at my boss on a fast day last week that oddly enough made him respect more, so maybe it is not so bad to be cranky and real some times. Feeling hopeful, friends. Wishing you all easy fasts and health from the Southland.

Wow Chapelhillgirl! I knew you would do ok 🙂 I can’t believe I’ve dropped a stone either although it took me 8 weeks! Hubby will have lost that by the end of the month and he’s only on his 3rd week!

Wait for this one…..I found a chocolate desert you will hardly notice in calories 😉 I stumbled on this wee bottle of chocolate sauce in Tesco named Sweet Freedom (14 cals a tsp). I had been looking for something low cal without refined sugars and I found this stuff which contains fruit sugars and is recommended for vegetarians. I added 3tsp (42cal) to 50g of Greek yogurt and had a desert that was less than a 100 cals 🙂 You can add it to Fromage Frais, Ice cream, frozen yogurt, cakes, bread or whatever and it can also be added to hot milk for hot choc drink. I also put it in 200 mls of Almond Milk with a 25g scoop of Organic whey protein I order from the http://organicproteincompany.com/organic-whey-protein (104 cals in total). It tastes chocolatey enough for me and doesn’t have that metallic taste you get from chocolate protein shakes 🙂 It’s good for a wee sweet fix once a day if you need it without going overboard.

I love baking too but I think it was my downfall so I’m leaving everything in the cupboard until xmas! I don’t have to worry about social outings as my social life it pretty much limited at the moment but I know if and when the occasion does arise I wont feel bad if I have a blow out 🙂 I’m quite contented at the moment getting into all my size 12 jeans with comfort and feeling great. I had my manicure and plan to have my hair done with a facial next week 🙂 Heading in the right direction this week and hopefully 9st 2Ibs on Monday 🙂 Onward and downward folks and good luck with your week.

Hello Everyone! I hope everyone is having a good week.
Thanks Chapelhillgirl. Congrats on your success, enjoy our facial you deserve it!
Awesome Job Jeannie, must feel good! I think I am definitely going to add more protein on my fast days to keep me from wanting to nibble. Enjoy your day at the spa!
Ali, enjoy the lake it should be very fun.
I found this puffed or popped bread thing at the grocery store called Broghies only 20 calories and does satisfy my crunch. Looks like a puffed pita and very good with tuna or hummus. I am going to try to eat that on the fast day. This week I maintained will fast Monday and Thursday this week.
Have a great week!

Having a very challenging fast day today. Had a really bad migraine last night and started another one a couple of hours ago. Trying to work, manage the pain, and not eat anymore – just finished my 270 calorie lunch. I just have to keep focusing on the fasting reducing the inflammation in my body and not let the migraines own my body. I gained all this weight with the medicines and limitations of the migraines and I am done letting them run my life. I am determined to get the weight off and let my body heal itself without more meds. Knowing you all are out there with me, fasting and counting calories helps so much. Tomorrow, I can eat what I want. And Saturday, I get my facial. Just have to survive today.

Quick question to the group: I am staying under my TDEE almost every day, and I am eating sweets almost every non-fast day. It does not seem to be affecting weight loss or anything else. Is it OK to have sugar on our TDEE days? Knowing I get to have ice cream or go to the movies and get some candy is really helping me motivate through my fast days but I remember reading that you are supposed to stop wanting sugar after fasting for a while. I am not binging – just one treat/day.

Ali have a great holiday 🙂 Elkster it’s amazing the things that seem to pop up in the shops….I found my chocolate sauce hidden behind things hanging from the shelves mind you the price was eye popping! Galway Girl welcome back on the wagon 🙂 Chapelhillgirl I hope that you’re feeling better. I struggle not to eat rubbish on non fast days. I still haven’t really cracked that nut!

Well drum roll please 🙂 I lost 2Ibs last week and am now sitting at 9st 1.8Ibs. Would like to get shot of that 1.8 this week but I need to remind myself this isn’t a race. I’m so focused on losing weight I’m not really enjoying the experience if anyone gets what I mean. I stuck to my fast day with a kiddy on chocolate protein smoothie and a bowl of wholegrain rice with chicken and green peas. I had a big drink of water with some cider vinegar before eating as it’s supposed to help slow down burning of carbs. I could so go a great big bar of chocolate right now! I get like that when I haven’t slept well and I was up through the night with mum. I’ve been craving all day since then. It’s not really a good idea to go have tea and biscuits at 4am so I dragged my sorry self back to bed!

Ah well onwards and downwards people and I wish you all luck this week 🙂 x

Sorry – by the way Jeannie – very well done! Hope you get your last 1.8 this week. What an achievement!
I will be checking on Monday! x

Well the last day of our holidays in the beautiful Muscoka lake region of Canada. Awake at 5.30am with a sore tummy as ate too many ribs last night! So looking forward to fasting this week after a week of drinking and eating like merry sailors! Our friends are major carb eaters with bread at every meal, and we are not used to that way of eating. My husband and I both feel bloated so back to the gym tomorrow and very light eating this week. First time I have been on holiday with another family and it’s challenging if they eat differently than you as we took it in turn to cook. Well done everyone on their weight loss! I think I will leave the scales until the end of the week and 2 fast days! Jeanne960 – Is Largs the little fishing village on the east coast of Scotland?

I just looked it up on the map and Largs looks lovely from the pictures. My Dad has a holiday home in lower Largo and that is also a beautiful place. Off out for some healthy Japanese food tonight to finish off the vacation! Happy fasting everyone, although looks like everyone is on holiday by the lack of posts! 🙂

Not sure I am doing this right, that’s age for you. Would like some positive feedback from disinterested people so am I doing this right or not. Will HIT work to augment this 5.2 and how often does one need to do it. How do you incorporate it into a weekly BMI assessment and how often do you have to do it to move you up from light activity and offer you a higher fast day intake?

Oh and Yoyo High Protein doesn’t necessarily mean high carbs. I use a 25g scoop of organic whey protein powder with almond milk in the morning. This is best taken pre exercise see http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/post_workout_carbs.htm

Yoyo I do HIT incorporated into my routine at the gym. I do 2 mins on the bike warm up, then 30 seconds standing up on a really high level, 2 mins normal then 30s again. I do this for 30 minutes and it really makes your legs burn! I am pretty fit though but try to include HIT sessions mixed up with weights etc. I also do Gillian Michaels 28 minute work outs, which is really good for your stomach and arms.

Well the good news is despite a week off from fasting and lots of eating and drinking at the cottage, I didn’t gain any weight. I am really surprised as we are loads of crisps and things I normally avoid! I guess the “bloating” was in my head! I really missed my fast days though and was looking forward to getting back on track this week.

Fasting today and worked out for an hour at the gym, 155 calories so far for lunch, so the rest is for dinner. Husband is doing a BBQ so figured I could have some grilled chicken and veggies.

Jeanne happy for you and your husband! 9 stone seems tiny to me! How tall are you?

To Jeanne and Ali thank you for your replies, the advice is very helpful. Jeanne, congratulations on your dieting achievement, I feel ashamed to say that my target is 108 which is a reduction of 40lb. Needless to say I am going to need all the help I can get. Not in a hurry though. I went on a walking weekend from Friday to Sunday and did not walk enough to make up for my sins of full roast dinners of duck, chicken and lamb as well as risotto and curries. Today I begin in earnest with a 4/3 full fast. I will have a 70 Kcal soup at midnight but have had only a 12 Kcal drink since midnight Sunday. Tomorrow is a housework day which I will combine with a gym and pool session. I will either cycle or walk briskly to and fro.

I have two reasons for needing to lose weight one is the obvious that of a long standing a desire to stop putting on the pounds and get out of the obese category. The other of a more recent date is a tear in the meniscus of one knee. When an injury to a joint occurs then the probability of osteoarthritis in that joint is increased. The best way of deferring this is to increase muscle mass, flexibility and keeping your weight low. Also Ali high impact exercise is out in favour of strength and flexibiliy. So I am going to have to restrict HIT to the swimming pool, I’ll let you know how that works out.

Well done Jeanne! I fasted yesterday and went a bit over my 500 calories but as we have a house full of teenagers to feed at the moment on holiday, I don’t think I did too badly.

Yoyo I struggled a bit in the beginning with headaches etc, but now I find my fast days way easier. I find skipping breakfast ok and having an egg white omelette at lunch or some crudités and a bouillon. I use Myfitnesspal app to calculate the calories. I also eat Shirataki noodles which have no calories and sort of trick your body into thinking it’s eating food! There are loads of good recipes on the Fastdiet app.

I tried 4:3 but I just couldn’t do it with our lifestyle. (I travel a lot with my husband and have 3 hungry teenage step children to feed) 5:2 is manageable.

Everyone on the site is doing it for different reasons. I have Crohn’s disease, and this diet has really helped me. I was pumped full of steroids by the doctors and after a year decided I didn’t want to take them any more. (I gained 10 kilo in a month on them despite eating healthy and exercising) I take Aloe Vera juice and avoid wheat which really makes me ill. I hardly have any pains any more and the rest my body gets on fast days feels amazing the next day. My stomach is so much flatter. This diet really works, but as Jeanne says it’s a slow process.

Dear Jeanne, first and foremost any and all advice is welcome, I joined the forum for that reason. Also I have to say that your mum must be a wonderful and loving person to inspire so much love in return, I wish you both well.

Ali I had a friend who had Crohn’s and I know just how tough it can be, I am amazed at the way you are coping. My limited access to the pool meant I couldn’t try the HIT today but maybe tomorrow I will have better luck, I had a 45 minute gym session combined with a 3 mile March to and from with a detour to the shops to buy Miso soup, choc shots and stevia. I did manage to repeat yesterday’s fast successfully today and hope to do the same tomorrow. Am really looking forward to Thursday’s breakfast!

The reason I thought to start this way is that on the original Horizon programme, Michael who struggles with a high glycaemic index began with this, before going on to the 5.2, bringing his IgF to the lowest point possible. Beyond this I thought that it would be quick kick start to the the weight loss, (In most diets the fastest and most dramatic weight loss is within the first couple of weeks). I fully expect that it will all slow down and would be more than happy with Jeannes superb achievement of 1lb per week. Thank you for your support Elkster, good luck with your mini breaks, hope the kids sympathise with your aims and don’t create too many temptations for you.

To Jeanne, Elkster, Ali and Georgina, Thank you so much for getting me off to such a good start. At New year I weighed 161, I had everything set to begin a 5.2 and exercise regime worked out with gym membership: when I got a severe case of shingles that lasted until the end of February. Although I tried to at least give up sugar, and refined sugar foods and cut down on my starches, I didn’t start the diet until end of March working on what I remembered of the programme by Dr Mosley. I managed to get all the rules wrong and by the time I had recalibrated it was June and then I damaged my knee. For the first half of July I did a great deal of counting, (I am mildly dysnumeric) calories carbs fat protein, calcium and various other necessities like iron etc. I kept a thorough going diary but did not get off my keister to exercise. The nit-pickingly annoying numbers made me take a couple of weeks break until my physio sessions came in to play. I went from 161 to 158 to 143 then up to 148 where you rescued me. Hence the yoyo.

This week with your help getting everything right I have managed to go down to 142. With your encouragement and example I have boosted the can-do side of my character and am still sticking to my guns although today is a freebie day. On fast days now I will aim between 340 to 500 usually if I aim for the high I overshoot,so aiming low I generally come up just short of the higher mark. On non-fast days, today is one, I aim for the BMR and will hopefully hit my TDEE or thereabouts. At the moment I am over my BMR but Still with 90Kcals in hand, not very successful on the high proteins although I have or will hit the 50 gm recommended by the physio. To offset this I did do a 90 minute gym session. Still haven’t managed to get to the pool so no HIT yet.

How are you doing with the last stubborn pounds Jeanne? If your determination and achievements to date are anything to go by you’ve done it, if so, congratulations. I figured with 19lb gone in 7 months your suggestion of 1lb a week is really going to work for me, provided I follow the examples set the advice given.

I really want to say thank you for the advice and support you have provided, I hope I can contribute to others in the same way on the road forward. All the best.

Hi Everyone and welcome to the new members :), it’s been at least 2 weeks since I was on here so I’m sorry I’m not caught up with all the posts yet. Jeannie thanks for your support, I was having a hard time of it the last time I posted, then I went away with the kids for the holidays and even though I continued fasting on my 2 days, my non fasting days were not very saintly at all, so I gained 0.4lbs but so from 137.4 lbs to 137.8, which wasn’t too bad. Then this bank holiday weekend I did 2 overnights away without the kids and ran a half marathon with my hubby. I completely gave myself licence to eat and drink and unfortunately, I’m now weighing 139lbs, my poor mother tried to convince me I gained muscle doing the half marathon, ha ha I wish, so I am slightly off track but I will persevere! So today is my second fast day this week and it’s gone okay! I still suffer with headaches on fast days, I know I’m hydrated, guess I still have to get the balance right. Well done on your weight loss so far everyone. Yoyo, I saw your posts, I think it’s great that despite obstacles you are staying determined, you will get there! I too have been a yo yo dieter, I sometimes think I self-sabotage. But after seeing pictures from my race I am determined to ditch this weight for good.

Hi everybody, how are you all getting on? Ali, how did your week go with the birthdays and everything. I’m in a rut, I’ve gained another pound even though I have been fasting, I expected it last week but this last week I was more than angelic, I weighed everything, even my kale. It’s very disheartening. Today is another fast day and so far I haven’t eaten anything at all. I’m hoping to eat as late in the evening as I can so that I can sleep tonight, I still struggle with headaches and insomnia on the fast days.
Ok, that’s my rant over and I will move on and try to be positive. Off now to prepare dinner for my hubby and kids but it’ll be fine, I’ll let my husband dish it up and I’ll bring the dog for a walk to take my mind of the pangs.

Good luck everybody 🙂

Hi folks

It’s been quiet on here lately.Up tipp just keep on doing what you’re doing the weight will start to shift again. No point in worrying about a pound 🙂 I eat as late as I can on the fast days too as it means I can put my calories to better use. Georgina glad to hear you’re still with us and that you’re going for that other half stone and well done on your most recent loss. I’ve decided to continue as well but I have a feeling this half stone is going to go a lot slower. That Nardinis has a lot to answer for as I was in there yesterday and bought a big mint choc chip ice cream 🙂 I never know how many calories they are so I just tell myself I’ve ate 300 lol! I’m probably under calculating! I’ve done another fast day today to compensate. Glad you got the chocolate sauce as it’s another wee thing to add to your occasional sins shall we say!

I don’t have great concentration on fast days either so I don’t tackle anything that requires any degree of thinking. Mind you it will soon be time to bring out all the winter hobbies as the nights draw in again. Summer seems to have bypassed us altogether this year. We had a nice day in Largs yesterday but nice days are few and far between. Right now it’s time to tidy the garden, clean the greenhouse and put things away…I blinked and the flowers came and went! Maybe I will save those chores for a fast day as that will keep me busy. Have to laugh I’m freezing rhubarb, still picking lettuce and the berries have still to appear..who’s going to eat it all?! Growing these things seemed like a good idea at the time 🙂

Oh well onwards and downwards folks and wish you well on your weigh ins. x

I’m back, fasting friends! Had a week at the North Carolina outer banks with the family and husband begged me not to fast, so I took the week off and decided not to weigh myself until I have completed a week back on track. Didn’t write down my food in my Fitness Pal or anything. My stomach was upset all week, which tells me that the fasting is really helpful for my health in general. I felt just yucky and stuffed and uncomfortable and had to go buy some pepto bismol (yuck). I am so grateful to be back on my fast day today. Vacation is lovely, but I feel a million times better. Ran into a friend at the store who I hadn’t seen in months and she couldn’t get over how much thinner I’ve gotten. It was like God sent me her for motivation! Glad to see all the new friends here.

Hi all just checking in. Ali I love crisps, nuts and everything else in between! I have wee sealed bowls of nuts on the kitchen table which I think I’m going to have to hide from hubby 🙂 Mind you he’s doing great and has lost a total of 20Ibs in 7 weeks whilst I’m stucker than an stuck thing! I get to 8st 13Ib for about 2 days then back to 9st! I had been doing extra fast days but unfortunately I was actually eating more than my TDEE so it was counter productive. The every other day diet is no good to me so it’s back to 5:2 for me. Hubby is more disciplined than me and is really going for it on the fast days. He’s fair showing me up on the exercise front too!

Elkster, Chapelhillgirl good to see you back 🙂 Chapelhillgirl it’s so easy to fall back into old ways isn’t it? Good thing that the body lets us know about it when we overindulge! Still you must be on the right track when you have people complimenting you on your weight 🙂 I’ve had neighbours say much the same thing to me and it’s nice to feel that someone is validating your efforts. I have sisters whom I hardly ever see (one I see once a fortnight and she lives around the corner!) and I can’t wait to see their faces when we show up for a family wedding in December 🙂 I’m imagining myself in a lovely outfit with the hair and nails done and feeling like a million dollars. Of course by this time hubby will be half the man he was all tailored up in a smart new suit…..everything he was at 23 without the hair! Och well bald men are sexier!

Anyway I have a respite day today so we’re off out and about so everyone have a great week and I hope the scales are kind 🙂

Hi all,
Hope you don’t mind the intrusion but I could really do with some fasting buddies to help me on my 5:2 journey! Somewhere down the line I seem to have found the ‘sod it’ syndrome after doing 5:2 for a little while earlier this year I successfully lost 18lbs, fell off the wagon, was sort of mindful of my eating, done a couple of half day fasts then ‘oh sod it’ syndrome crept in. Finally stuck to my first fasting day yesterday for a month (yay) and for all my struggle and effort lost 1lb, hmmm can’t say as I am thrilled, however the 1lb off brings me to 15lbs off since I originally started my journey back in May. I guess it’s the old hare and tortoise tale, slow and steady wins the race in the end. Trouble is I want to be slim now (must be the Taurus the bull in me lol). Any help you can offer would be greatly received! 🙂

Hi Tinkabelle

Haha like the ‘oh sod it’ syndrome! I have that too.

Tried 5:2 before and then seemed to forget about it after a few weeks or rather had enough.

Feel more determined this time round but having a few struggles, so I am hopeful I can just keep going steady and slow.

Good luck. 🙂

Most eating plans need to be established into a way of life that is suitable to your own life style. Unfortunately sometimes things get in the way to alter that path and you get thrown off course. It is the choices you make thereafter that help you achieve your goals. Don’t give up – just alter your path – we all get to the same destination even with forks in the road or bumps along the way.

Poor Ali 🙁 just chuck these things in the bin he wont notice. I’ve had a rotten week too although I did manage to lose 2Ibs eventually. Mum fell yesterday and it’s been a nightmare since as she can’t weight bear 🙁 Plans for the foreseeable future up in the air! I was at the hospital all night and just ate rubbish to keep me going. Oh well at least I haven’t gained 🙂 Good luck all. x

I am sorry to hear your mum had a fall Jeannie, I really hope she gets better. Fasted today as I skipped lunch due to an appointment, so managed my two times. Struggling to fit in the gym and only managed 3 times this week, but figured packing and moving boxes is sort of exercise. Great advise about the ex-wife’s things! I will just throw it away! At least we are moving to a house we have chosen together in 2 months, which will be nice. Has the weather improved in Scotland Jeannie? I am heading there in a couple of weeks (hopefully a few pounds lighter!!)