Hi everyone

As with one of the earlier posters, I too have been stalking this forum for a couple of weeks now, looking for inspiration. And I certainly found it! You’re all amazing! Well done!

I stumbled upon the 5:2 fast diet by accident a couple of weeks go (possibly after eating too many biscuits…), bought the book the next day then started my first fast the day after!

I am nearly 38, a working mother of two struggling to balance a high-stress job with kid wrangling, and about 5-10 kilos (sorry, I’m Australian, I don’t don’t do pounds) overweight. My BMI is 24.9, so technically I am an ok weight, but I don’t feel ok within myself, and the past year I have had every single cold/flu/stomach bug going around, so clearly my immune system is not happy with me. Oh, and I also have a savage sugar addiction.

A couple of years ago I decided I wanted to be super fit and healthy by the time I reach 40 so took up running and tried to give up sugar. The running has been great and I am totally hooked on it, but the sugar…alas, I’m hooked on that too 🙁

Anyway, despite all the running I have been doing (5-10kms a day, 5 days a week) I have gained 5 kilos! And not 5 kilos of muscle, either! Far from it. I feel like I am a super fit person in a pudgy wobbly body. Clearly I have been using my running as an excuse to eat whatever I like. Hmm. Tut, tut.

Soooo, that brings me to now. I’m on the eve of my fourth fast day and getting a bit excited! The first fast day was hell on earth. Let’s just say I ate a lot of iceberg lettuce that day. A lot. The second fast day was easy peasy by comparison. The third was hard again (which is weird, because I didn’t even run that morning). And so tomorrow – who knows? The things I have learned so far are:

1. I have never let myself get hungry before. Being hungry made me really anxious to begin with. My brain just kept telling me I HAD TO EAT! It’s how I’ve been conditioned, so I figure the 5:2 system is about re-conditioning myself to understand that being hungry is ok.
2. I can do a whole lot of exercise the day of and the day after a fast and not keel over and die. Amazing! I usually run before breakfast anyway but I have found that I actually have more energy after a fast. I can run 10kms and still feel great.
3. Although the book says not to count calories on ‘normal’ days, I can’t help myself! I want to count them. I am really scared that I will undo all my hard work by eating too much. I am still trying to decide whether MyFitnessPal is a friend or foe…
4. I can’t believe how little I knew about food portions and the calorie content of food before now. It’s been an eye opener and really not surprising that I have been steadily gaining weight.
5. After just one fast day I already felt better – more energy, less lethargic, and totally alert to what food I was putting into my mouth. I wasn’t expecting that at all.
6. I can eat just a couple of squares of chocolate or a couple of lollies and be satisfied. The whole block/packet is not necessary.

Oops. A long first post – apologies.

Wish me luck tomorrow!

Nickers