Warnings to Newbies

This topic contains 97 replies, has 56 voices, and was last updated by  simcoeluv 7 years, 7 months ago.

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  • Today is my first day on this site and reading through some forums!
    Thank you simcoeluv for posting WARNINGS for Newbies and other links!
    Have yet to complete my profile, was not prepared to be entering goal measurements, having no idea what they are currently! Motivated to get in tune with my body again!
    It was a little taste of success just to weigh myself today and enter it online to find out BMI … one step at a time.
    My fasting today came about organically, as a response to indulging through the holidays. Finding this site and reading posts has motivated me to stick with it for the rest of today! Will need to find out what makes up 500 cals! I am a real newbie ๐Ÿ™‚
    Created user name with a mind to succeed! Looking forward to the forums for support to do so.
    Going for tea now ๐Ÿ™‚
    Alisa

    Great set of warnings simcoeluv in your opening post on this thread.

    Just wanted to share success and hopefully inspire others. I live in Sydney, Australia. A visit to the doctor in mid-2013 showed I had high blood pressure at 145/90, and blood tests showed cholesterol at 7.2 mmol/L (recommended is below 5.6) with HDL at 1.8 and LDL (the bad stuff) at a whopping 4.1mmol/L (recommended is below 2.5). Triglycerides (the fat floating about in my blood) were at 2.8 mmol/L (recommended is below 1.5). I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic. Doc wanted to put me on medication for BP and cholesterol. I asked if I could try to get levels down with diet and exercise. He said yes. I went to Europe for a month in August 2013 and came back, as one of my co-workers nicely pointed out, “with a belly”. I could barely do up my suit trousers.
    I watched Michael’s doco shortly afterwards, and decided to start the 5:2 on 1 January 2014. At that time I was 47 years old, weighed 87 kilos and had a waist measurement of 89 cm. I am 180 cm tall. I had always thought I was reasonably fit. These echoes of Michael’s own words are why the program and the concept really resonated with me. I work an average of 55 hours each week, starting between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m. each work day. I made the decision to get up every weekday morning at 4:45 to get back to the gym, which I had been neglecting, and did (do) 3 sessions of 20 minutes HIIT on the bike each week, and 3 sessions of weights. I also fit in a Pilates class each week, and incorporate Pilates exercise into my stretching routine after my HIIT sessions.
    As of today I am 72 kilos, my waist is 76 cm. I have dropped 2 jacket sizes. My blood pressure is 130/80 and my cholesterol is at 5.5, with HDL at 1.9 and LDL at 3.2. Triglycerides are at 0.9. My doc is stunned by the change and is now spruiking the 5:2 to others with me as his role model!
    5:2 changed my life and is now a habit. It’s not a diet, it’s how I live my life. The way I see it is that life is all about choices. No-one makes you fat, and no-one can make you fit. You choose what you want your life to be. MM and 5:2 were catalysts for change and made my choices very easy. I have never felt that I am going without. I plan my fast days which are usually Monday and Thursday, unless I have work commitments, and then I work around those or make sensible eating choices if I need to at functions. There are weeks when my weight up โ€“ no biggie. It happens. If I miss a day now and then, I donโ€™t beat myself up about it. I still enjoy a drink after work, mindful that itโ€™s then my choice whether I get up the next morning to get to the gym. I still enjoy red wine, and chocolate, and a good slab of Buche dโ€™Affinois brie, but I also adore having a crisp Asian-style coleslaw with spicy nuoc pham dressing and a few thin slices of seared beef fillet on a fast day.
    There is one small down-side: I am now in the process of throwing out and replacing almost every item of clothing I own, and thatโ€™s really hurting the hip-pocket as suits, jackets, blazers, polo shirts, t-shirts, business shorts, belts, pants, shorts and even underwear go to goodwill! At least I get to keep my socks, ties and handkerchiefs!

    Thank you for replying so promptly. Information was extremely helpful.

    Hi annvelo:

    You are welcome.

    I note the link in the post to ‘Starving Your Way To Vigor’ no longer works. Here is another link to the same article: http://charleycropley.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/FASTING-ART-Harpers.pdf

    The article gives a nice history of fasting and the experience of a guy that decided to do a long term fast. It is very well written and I recommend it to anyone that wants to know a bit more about fasting.

    Please, please Help-Me. I have only done two days of fasting so far, however on my feast days I have eaten like there is no tomorrow – possibly thousands of calories, as I am absolutely starving. Any suggestions as to tips would be greatly appreciated.

    Hi Mad and welcome:

    I call them non diet days, not feast days. Seems to help.

    What kinds of foods are you feasting on? Fat and meat? Processed foods? Sugar filled foods or breads? Is there a general type you seem to crave?

    If you are eating a lot, you really can’t be hungry so it must be something else.

    Thx for the comments. I am just like a magnet to the fridge and I am unable to stop eating even when I’m not hungry. It’s, very, very bizarre! I know I should stop but I can’t. This is one of the reasons I’ve started this diet. I think I need to focus and get my head into the right gear and just hope for the best.

    Hi Mad:

    But what kinds of foods do you crave? There is a reason for my question.

    Awesome advice. Reducing igf1 and other blood lipids being healthy is the number one reason why I want to do 5 2. Losing weight is a nice side effect.

    Well it’s been 3 months since I started the 5/2 way of eating. I’ve lost 7kg (1 stone) and I feel so much happier with my new shape and definitely feel healthier.I am now down to 63 kg ( 9.13) . It has been so easy so I will now do 6/1 to maintain this weight.
    I am eating healthily on the non fast days. I no longer want to snack in between meals and don’t feel that eating out is an issue any longer. If I do indulge I know that a fast day will rectify that.

    Thanks for this post its really helpful. I’m on my first fast day and as I’m going out for dinner tonight (I’ve already looked up the restaurant menu to check what I can have!) I’m attempting to fast until half 6 this evening.

    I think I can manage this no problem but a lot of it is psychological where I’m conscious I can’t eat so all I think about is eating!

    Annvelo that’s amazing well done! Hoping I can lose the same amount in a similar length of time!

    Can you please explain what is the different kinds of fasting?

    Hi camillesmith and welcome:

    A book could be written to answer your question.

    In a nutshell, fasting is going with little or no food for a period of time. So if you eat dinner, go to bed, get up and eat breakfast, you have fasted between dinner and breakfast.

    This site deals with intermittent fasting. That means you don’t eat much for a day, eat like usual the next, and don’t eat much for another day. 5:2 means you don’t eat much two days a week, 4:3 means you don’t eat much 3 days a week, and ADF – alternate day fasting – means you don’t eat much every other day. On ‘fasting’ days, some people eat only a few hundred calories, while some consume no calories at all.

    You will also hear ‘water fast’ used occasionally. That means you don’t eat or drink any calories at all (just drink water) for a period of time. The time period involved is measured in days, not hours – so a person will do a 4 day water fast, for instance. That means they consumed no calories whatsoever for four days. People have been documented as water fasting for months, with the longest documented water fast being about 54 weeks without food of any kind.

    Hope this helps.

    I’m definitely in it for the long term. It’s a change of lifestyle. I intend to go down to one day a week when I get down to my sensible weight.

    I like fast days – I am using them as ‘treat’ days, where I make myself a delicious bowl of cinnamon porridge with fruit for breakfast, have a cup of Bovril for lunch (or Veg Bouillon to ring the changes), then a lovely bowl of veggies for tea, using a 200 calorie or under recipe.

    So like others on the forum, I have found myself looking forward to my fast days! Much to my surprise.

    What I like about this way of moderating my eating, is that you don’t need to buy any special foods or tablets – it’s just about changing the way you eat and think about food. I don’t want food to be my master anymore. This diet helps me take control.

    Thanks for this. Started the 5:2 diet today and this has helped to manage my expectations – slow and steady wins the race.

    Hi BabyBell:

    You are welcome.

    Good Luck!

    Well said! I would merely add that we are all different too and getting to know oneself is essential. As a weight loss programme it is around a 12 month programme – but most of us put the extra weight on over a longer period before we seriously started paying attention…
    Finally I would add – don’t sweat the small stuff – don’t fret about variations but manage your averages and stay friends with yourself!

    After reading this post I’m wondering if I am doing something wrong! I am only on week 3 of the ‘diet’ I’ve been weighing myself every half week and every week if that makes sense. In the first 2 weeks I lost 14lb (A stone) Which I was delighted with and I weighed myself today and have lost 3lb, the end of my week being Saturday. I was extremely pleased with the results thinking I was doing something right. I’ve been sticking to 2 500 calorie days and 5 1800 calorie days and doing crunches every day. I only want to lose another 3 stone. Is it ok to be losing weight as quickly as this?

    Hi VR and welcome:

    If I understand correctly you have lost 17 pounds in three weeks while eating as you described. While initial water weight losses can be large, you are losing weight faster than most would lose if they were water fasting – not eating anything at all (I lost 13 pounds in 10 days on my last water fast).

    You are not ‘doing anything wrong’ or out of the ordinary, but your weight loss is exceptional. I will not guess why you are losing so rapidly. You might check with your doctor to see if she/he has an opinion.

    VR2708,

    Can I ask what your TDEE is? Just use the resources link on this website to calculate it. Your weight loss seems exceptional!!

    Yes Simecoeluv 17 pounds in 2 and a half weeks I have not yet finished week 3. I had read up on this diet and realised it was a slow process but I have never dieted before knowing even with will power I wouldn’t last more than a month I enjoy what I eat. I didn’t expect results like what I’ve been getting so fast. I know usually water weight comes first but it seems a lot as you said to just be water weight. I even expected to be hungry on my fasting days but so far I’ve not really been bothered with food, a lot of my eating before and the reason I’ve put weight on is eating out of boredness.

    Bigbooty.. Your TDEE is: 7516 kJ / 1796 calories

    That was when I started but I haven’t lowered it I’m still eating 1800 calories every day except monday and wednesday which are my fasting days and I consume 500 calories on those days.

    Hi VR:

    Given your TDEE you can understand my concern. Given the numbers you relayed, here is the ‘math’:

    TDEE – 1800 calories (rounded)

    Five days of 1800 calories – no deficit.

    Two days of 500 calories – 2600 calorie deficit.

    Approximate expected weekly weight loss – 12 ounces or 340 grams.

    So in three weeks you might expect to lose a little over two pounds of fat plus an unknown amount of water weight. But not 15 pounds worth of water weight.

    I believe you should investigate why you apparently are losing so rapidly. I suggest you check everything from your scales to your doctor.

    VR, one other piece of information that would be helpful is how much you are aiming to lose? 17 pounds may be a huge amount or maybe not.

    Hi folks. I’m starting on Monday. Fact gathering and waiting for my book from Amazon to arrive. Reading the great posts on here and some of the frustration too. Oct 2014 I joined Sliming world by Jan 2015 I had lost 31 pounds. Felt amazing holiday photos amazing. Looked younger fitter exercised. June 2016 back to being heavy sorry… heavier. It was to quick a weight loss. Could not sustain it. One I came off it I REALLY came off it. Soo even if ur weight loss is slow chances are it will stay off. This for me sounds like a way off life that I could do. So advice from someone who hasn’t started but had tried numerous DIETS ARRRGGGG. Stick with it. Sounds promising. Molly x

    Hi Molly,

    Its me again. Most diets fail because its based on a destination. Once people get to their destination they go, “so what do I do now?” Treat this as a journey rather than a destination and you will be OK. Develop a pattern of eating that you can sustain and do for the rest of your life. Ive been doing it for 9 months and the last 2 have seen me switch to 6:1 as I no longer want to lose any more weight. 202 down to 158 pounds, Im a 5’10” tall male. I weigh what I did in my early 20s (many years ago) and what I weighed before I got married.

    Hi Bigbooty. I hit my 51st birthday. Not happy. Don’t like what I see in the mirror. If I can’t make the change now I never will. Mainly though it’s because of my health I’m on 4 tabs a day after mini stroke. Don’t want to take tabs for rest of my life. Trying to get blood pressure down. Soo it’s a long term plan for me. I don’t want to get any worse. Weight loss makes movement easier. From last yr till now…. I don’t recognise myself. Well done u though … Ur weight loss and I’m sure you have loads more energy. 9 months is no time at all ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ‘

    Simcoeluv

    I have now read many posts from you across the site and just wanted to let you know how helpful I have been finding them. I really liked the trouser story and others! As a newbie who has just completed two weeks and lost (only) 3lbs your posts, along with those of some others, have stopped me feeling that loss is not enough. I can mentally remove the ‘only’ from that sentence now.

    Sarah57

    Thank you for Your post

    hi y’all !

    i am in a really weird position. i am standing on my head. not. ๐Ÿ™‚

    i lost 8 pounds – of something- in the first 5 days. i ate no more than 500 calories for 2 or 3 days of each week, or even ADF, for the next 5 weeks and am still at the same weight! how can that POSSIBLY be! with all my effort. and i was at a pretty steady weight before. it makes no sense to be taking in so many fewer calories and still 5 pounds from when i started. i don’t cheat. at all. as one is advised in the book, i have not changed my exercise regime nor my eating habits on normal days. so ‘control’ is covered to make it simpler to compare.

    i don’t know whats going on. and actually, it’s rather doing my head in. i am doing this as it was advertised , as a weight loss diet. i am doing it to lose weight .

    why x

    Hi why:

    You posted the same question on 3 threads. See my response on Jojo’s thread.

    Thank you Simcoeluv, I am starting tomorrow and found your warnings very helpful.

    Hi DES and welcome:

    You are welcome.

    Here are some more tips: https://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/the-basics-for-newbies-your-questions-answered/

    Good Luck!

    Simcoeluv, I found your post very helpful when I started 5:2. Thank you. I wish this forum had a thanks button, as I’ve said a number of times.

    I’m now a regular on the maintainence thread, where I’ve been grateful for advice.

    One thing I’d say for this thread is to totally disagree with getting a ‘fat friend’. My fat friends have a plethora of excuses for their weight and indulgence. On the other hand, the two friends of whom I’ve taken notice, eat Smaller portions and choose wisely when we eat out.

    Twenty years ago I did the F Plan and went from 10,8 to my target 8.10 in a year, but could not stop losing. I ended up just under 8, looking scrawny.

    Now I’ve learned to heed my much reduced appetite and been at target of two months.

    Hi Polly:

    Not sure what you are talking about when saying a ‘fat friend’. I have never mentioned such a person, although I have several.

    Good Luck!

    Not you, simcoeluv. It was an early response on the thread.

    This is an important post. Thanks for sharing. I lost 30 lbs. a few years ago on 5:2. It took me a year to get there. I had never counted calories prior to trying intermittent fasting. I just simply hit the gym a lot. I was actually gaining weight at that time. So, I became a faster and lost the 30 lbs but had to quit during my pregnancy/breastfeeding. My daughter recently weaned at 14 months and it was time to get back to the plan for my health, body and mind. I am back up about 25 lbs, so now I have to work really hard. At first, I thought how could I possibly start over? I really considered this a lifestyle change but it wasn’t a picnic. It required sacrifice, stubborn will to avoid temptations, and learning to go to bed hungry. I am a vegetarian so finding low calorie options isn’t too challenging, but I am constantly bombarded by my family’s yummy treats everywhere. I am doing this because my weight, cholesterol and overall health improved dramatically the first time. I don’t like to share what I am doing with anyone with the exception of my partner. I find he is extremely supportive and believes the science is sound on this. And let me tell you, he is one tough critic about science versus pseudoscience. Others have been less than supportive in the past. They liken this to an eating disorder or unhealthy, etc. which isn’t the truth and really unfair. Hoping to get some support, ideas, and just laugh with all my fellow fasters. You inspire me to keep going and never give up! Thank you!

    Trying to lose weight are shakes or veggie juices better as i walk about 10 kilometers

    Hi Elzboltleri:

    Your walking is included in your TDEE and has no impact on what kinds of foods you eat. 5:2 is calorie based, not food type based. Eat either shakes or veggi juice but keep your calories from those foods (with all other foods you eat each day) within your TDEE.

    Good Luck!

    Hi simcoeluv, thanks for your good advice and explainations. I’m doing this for 3 weeks now and it’s going really well. It’s easy to fit in everday’s life.

    Hi Snowflake and welcome:

    You are welcome.

    Just be persistent and it will work like magic.

    Good Luck!

    Hi all –

    Just looking for some advice! I did 5:2 about a year ago with some success – but didn’t properly stick to it, but I am back again! How did you deal with the urge to ‘binge’ on your day before (or perhaps after) your fast? This was something I really struggled with last time! I would go a bit overboard the day before my fasts, which I think ultimately effected my weight loss. Any advice?

    Didn’t ever have an urge to binge, as we both found that our appetites reduced fairly quickly. Use your TDEE as your maximum, even if it means a calorie count on non-fast days.

    It’ll be worth it.

    Hi sparkling and welcome:

    Weight loss is as much mental as anything else. You have to really want to lose weight before you actually do. You need to consider why you are going on a diet and if you really, really want to be on that diet. If the ‘why’ isn’t strong enough, the failure is almost certain. All of the knowledge in the world won’t help you lose weight if you want to do something else more – like eat the day before because you can and because you feel like it and because the food tastes good and you maybe won’t get as hungry tomorrow if you eat more today and because, deep down, you think if might be unhealthy if you don’t eat enough food each day and on and on.

    And then there is the food addiction thing – it often drives us to eat food we know we shouldn’t be eating while on a diet (or at any other time). It can take a certain amount of self control to overcome the very real urge to eat addictive foods. It’s nice to be able to blame other things for our eating too much or when we shouldn’t, but that does not relieve us of the basic responsibility of simply not eating when we shouldn’t. If we can’t overcome the urge to eat, we can’t learn how it feels not to eat and how it feels when we don’t.

    From a physical standpoint, try ‘binging’ on a lot of fat and a moderate amount of protein the day before your diet day, and totally skip any carbs. You might be surprised at what happens and how you feel!

    Good Luck!

    Sparkling, simcoeluv has spelt it out clearly and tactfully. I was tempted to ask if really want to lose weight or how much do you want it.

    For me it was knee pain, becoming more regular rather than after kneeling or running. I thought that losing a stone would help. Measuring my waist was horrific, I was ashamed of myself. In fact, I’ve lost two stone, 7lbs over my target. It took 20 weeks to reach that 21lbs loss. 10 inches from my waist.

    OH has lost three stone and that horrible beer belly, gaining confidence along with it.

    Intermittent fasting is a way of life and well worth it for all its health benefits. If you really want to, you’ll succeed. Good luck.

    Pol. ๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿผ

    I personally don’t agree w/ all the warnings…. I mean if you’re doing the 5:2 without actually changing your diet then yes it will take some time. But I’m doing the 5:2 with a whole diet change: low carb, no grains, lots of protein, exercise and I’ve been losing 5 pounds a week. This is your health! It’s not always easy to love your body but its worth it, go for it! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Hi winter and welcome:

    How long have you been on your diet?

    Aw hi! Thanks for the welcoming ๐Ÿ™‚ I’ve been on it for almost a month, this diet is really sustainable I’m just eating super clean and the 5:2 helps a ton!

    Hi winter:

    So do you expect to be down about 40 pounds after your second month given your 5 pounds a week average?

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