Welcome to the Fast Diet Forum, from Michael

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  • Welcome to the new forum! People have joined the Fast Diet Forum for a variety of reasons; to share their successes and get advice & support when they get stuck or things aren’t working out as they hoped. I have certainly had times when my weight is moving in the wrong direction and I need a boost in motivation to get back on track. I am now doing a 1:6 maintenance regime and recently managed to get into a suit I hadn’t worn for 25 years! I’m not sure which is more impressive; that or the fact I have kept a suit for so long.

    Do tell us if and why you are doing Intermittent Fasting, how you are getting on and share any queries and tips. Hopefully the forum will make it easier to make Intermittent Fasting work for you. Perhaps it will become a way of life as with so many intermittent fasters. All the very best, Michael

    Hello,

    My Dr. recommended your book and an IF approach at my appt. yesterday.  I’m a 43 year old woman, 5′ 8″ and currently weigh 210lbs. Over the past 2 years I’ve lost 50 pounds after being diagnosed as pre-diabetic.

    Since last September I’ve been stuck between 205 and 211 lbs, unable to get the weight to come off, even with increased activity – I do TaeKwon-Do 3 times a week and I’m currently learning to run and plan on doing my first 5K in June.  My Dr. feels that IF will be the change I need to see the weight start coming off again.

    Wish me luch, my first fasting day will be tomorrow!  I look forward to chatting with other folks on this journey.

    Dr Michael

    Somehow I happened to come across this wonderful way of dieting. I am not obese, but little bit overweight and have been looking for ways to lose some weight. I have tried different things in the past (except the paid ones as I am a believer of taking control of my own diet) and had various levels of success.

    Started 5:2 on March 10th and I modified this to 2:1 diet (eat 2 days and fast 1 day) and if there is a hurdle, I try to make it 1:1 and go back to 2:1. Since fasting is part of Indian culture (we catch later though by eating more), I have not had any issues.

    So far I have lost at least 7 pounds in 8 weeks and have not weighed in the last 3 weeks and planning to weigh only once a month to avoid frustration and doubting the diet.  My pants fit (some of them 10-15 years old) and I have moved to the last hole on the belt. I will try to post the pictures soon.

    I did health checkup in the first week of May and waiting for results to compare to my previous years.

    Will keep you posted. Thanks.

    Hello

    I have been doing the Fast Diet for about a month. I have had years of dieting and whenever I have eaten normally I have put all my weight on again. This diet is easily manageable however in that month I have only lost 1 lb. I assume this is because my body is already used to fasting as for years I ate nothing until the evening and then just one meal and piled weight on. I will persevere though.

    I too have been dieting for a life time.  Someone in my office told me about the diet when they saw it mentioned on Good Morning America.  I immediately looked it up and ordered the book but started right away that was in mid March.  I am sorry I didn’t measure myself when I started because I know I have lost  lots of inches.  Clothes I couldn’t even think about wearing, now are loose.  I have lost sixteen pounds.  I feel so much more energy, even on fast days and everyone has noticed the change in me.   I no longer eat a big lunch but have switched to fruit and yogurt but I do indulge in a bagel on Fridays.    I also have an underactive thyroid and am on medication but this just seems to be the right way of life for me.  My son said he can’t remember me looking so good.  I will be 65 next month and I’m looking forward to a happier and healthier way of life with the Fast Diet.

    Hi Dr Mosley,

    I started the fast diet during the first part of April, but got sidetracked when my son became ill earlier this month and had to go out of town to support him in his crisis. Things have calmed down and I’m trying to get back on track. I’ve decided to add in the exercise component into the diet and want to know if it’s too much to do the 5:2 fast diet, 1/2 hour walk and HIIT 5 days a week? Thanks.

    I came across this way of living via The Horizon TV show and it made so much sense that I began fasting the very next day. That was four weeks ago. In that time I have lost 3.3kg (7.2lbs) and I cannot believe how good I feel (and look!). At 47 years of age I now have the body that I had before I had children (my oldest just turned 21yrs). I have thrown out all my fat clothes and plan never to put on those unwanted kilos ever again. On Mother’s day my own mother and father were so shocked at my transformation that they wondered if I’d had a facelift!

    Oh I should probably mention that before I began the 5:2 diet I had been calorie counting for 4 months and had lost 3.5kgs (7.7lbs) – I same amout I lost in 4 weeks with fasting.

    On fast days I feel light, in control and virtuous. On feed days I feel nourished, pampered and a little bit naughty! I’ve also noticed (and I don’t want to gross anyone out here) that my body is working in a much more predictable (regular) fashion. So along with my fat clothes I’ve also thrown out my fibre supplements 🙂 I’d also like to add that I do a lot of walking (yesterday I walked 20kms), I’m sure this has helped with my weight loss and I would very much recommend that an exercise plan be included and walking is such a lovely way to spend one’s time. A calorie counter is helpful too, there are many free apps out there, the one I use is called EasyDietDiary.

    Anyway – that’s me in a nutshell, thank you Michael and Mimi – this has changed my life and the life of many of my friends. It’s easy, it’s fun and it works.

    Happy living everyone!

    Hi,I too have tried so many diets.was motivated to do this after reading Mimi,s experience as I ,too only have a few kilos to loose.

    For the past ten years I have tried so many ways to loose the weight which seems to sit around my middle.middle age spread.i am in my fifties and I am short and have thyroid problems so it makes it very hard to loose weight.i have been doing 4.3 for four weeks now.i feel thinner and have lost a few cm off my waist but have decided not to weigh yet as I become very disheartened when the scales don’t move.

    my question is about feast days.from my reading I seem to be getting two different messages: some say if you don’t eat welll on feast days the body goes into starvation mode and some say watch what you eat on feast days : have found I don’t really feel like eating much on feast days so worry about this starvation mode concept

     

    Dear Dr Michael!

    I was just wondering when the forums where going to appear! I was about to comment to suggest that it might be worth taking it in, but now you already have! Anyway, great job with the books. I have just got the recipe book in the post and is now marking out all the recipes that i can imagine myself cooking on a fast day with little lables. Its a lot of labels since i have to mark out every other page! eveything looks delichious!! I am really looking forward to one of them tonight.

    I have one question though. i didnt know where to put it, but i thought might as well put it here. This is my second day, second week of fasting, its going great! i have lost several kg’s already and can see the difference! But yesterday i caught a nasty cold and today i got a slight fever and feeling a little fever faint. How do i do with my fasting day then? i know of course that a lot of water is importand for both fever and fasting, but should i not fast on days when im ill? i dont really mind, im sure i could do it, i just dont want to damage my body.

    Regards – Iris

    Hi MM

    Love your work.  Saw the high intensity exercise doco first, then the Fast Diet one just recently. Devoured the book, and  started the 2:5 program this week. As a former dietitian, now winemaker, I’m a big fan of science and evidence based work.  Furthermore, as I have struggled enormously over the past decade with health and weight issues (including breast cancer & sleep apnoea…and that ain’t all!!!) , I’m convinced that the strategies outline by you & Mimi in the book will be at least part, if not all, of the solution for me.  I do believe that intermittent fasting will be revolutionary for public health.  Well done on bringing to the attention of the world.  I’ll keep you posted re my progress.

    Cheers from downunder

    Hello! I am a 58 year old woman and started the 5:2 three months ago. I have struggled in the past to maintain a steady weight. It has yo-yo’d between about 55kg and 75kg recently. I have high blood pressure, high-ish cholesterol, and a family history of stroke, heart disease and diabetes. I also take antipsychotic medication which makes it easy to put on weight and has been associated with changes to lipid metabolism and predisposition to developing diabetes. My dietitican suggested this diet. In the last 3 months I have lost about 14 pounds (slow and steady) and, remarkably, five (yes, FIVE) inches off my waistline! After some experimentation I have settled on taking most of my 500 calories in one go, skipping breakfast and having my small meal as late in the day as I can manage – usually after 4pm. For me, the health benefits are more important than the weight loss, though both seem to be happening. I have just ordered the recipe book. Many thanks!

    Hello,

    I’m 32 (tomorrow) and as birthday present to myself I have embarked on this “eating strategy” with the hope of a lasting positive change on both the outside and inside.
    Naturally, as an obese woman all my life (since being a toddler anyhow), I’ve had a bash a Weight Watchers and Slimming World (both not mentally healthy obsessing over  points and “syns”, etc.) but had quite a bit of success on the “Pig to Twig” diet – an Atkins variation devised in part by by India Knight. The key for that to me was not weighing things and eating lots of protein, etc which I do love. However for some reason I fell off the wagon and have never managed the mental frame of mind to commit myself to it again. Especially as it can be quite a costly way to eat and £ is now much more limited.

    So I’ve not attempted anything specific for some time and after piling all weight lost back on again (and more of course) then the impetus to do something is rising. I was first aware of IF after hearing something about the programme, etc. last year and then I forgot about it. However I was in a bookshop the other day and saw an awful lot of IF diet books prominently displayed and it came back to me. I was very keen to track down the material from the man I remembered on the programme because he was a man of science and as a woman of science myself I felt his material might be more scientifically valid and that appeals very much. Happily, I recognised Dr Moser on the book cover, read the “About the author” bit to confirm it was the right one and then made off to the till with the book and companion cookbook in hand. And here we are!

    After reading both cover to cover I understand there is a bit of calorie counting whilst getting to grips with what 500cal looks like but I’m happy to do that just 2 days a week and enjoy the freedom the other days. It feels psychologically like a good fit and so I’m in the middle of my second ever fast day slurping black coffee looking forward to a healthier future.

    Good morning!  I have  question.   Are all variations of intermittent fasting welcome on this forum?  Frankly, I am successfully doing 16/8 fasting (eating for 8 hours out of the day), because I don’t want to count calories for even two days a week!

     

    I love intermittent fasting.  It’s time has come.  It’s such a freeing experience no matter how we do it!

    Hi there, new to The Fast Diet and new to Forums (so really hoping I do this right).

    I dabbled in The Fast Diet today- downloaded the Kindle Version and read it avidly yesterday, but am waiting so that I can start properly with my husband.

    Anyway my “dabbling” took the form of not eating anything from about 8.30pm last night to 6.30pm this evening- I call it “dabbling” as I am really unsure of how many calories my dinner was- it wasn’t a massive portion so I’m not beating myself up over it.

    What was very interesting was that I had absolutely no problem with the fasting part- drank tons of water and kept busy and before I knew it my husband was home from work and it was dinner time!!

    I have ordered the recipe book as I feel I may struggle with inspiration for breakfasts and dinners, so will wait and see.

    This is the most excited I have ever been about trying a new eating regime. Having tried pretty much every diet going and currently being the heaviest I have ever been (funny how that works isn’t it??!!). I had a Health Check on Monday to check Cholestorol, Blood Pressure etc and when I found out that my waist measurement was nearly a metre thought action was required. Then I saw Mimi’s article on the Daily Mail online and felt compelled to find out more.

    Anyway, will let you know how I get on……

    Hi!  I’m new to the forum, but have been doing the 5:2 since January, and have lost 1 stone 10 pound,  I find this the easiest diet, I find I don’t have to think on my fading days, Tuesdays and Thursdays, I know what I can and can’t have, bizarrely I have more energy on my fast days than my normal days… weird. ..

    Thank you for coming up with this, is brilliant. .. doing it with my mum, it’s great doing it with some one as you can support each other if your feeling a bit of it!  Looking forward to posting my before and after pictures! !

    Hello to everyone,

    My bf and I started The Fast Diet about 7 weeks ago, after being very inspired by the documentary aired on PBS, here in the states. We’ve followed it to a T, but  while he’s had good weight loss success, I’ve not netted any loss at all. Tomorrow, I turn 50. I’m 5’8″ and weigh anywhere between 155 and 158, depending on whether it’s the morning after a fast, or the night before. I started the diet, as I said, about 7 weeks ago, and at 157.5 lbs.

    Anyone have any thoughts about why I’m stuck at this weight?

    Michael,

    I had watched the exercise and diet programs on PBS. Couldn’t quite get through the gut program. Sorry, a little squeamish. I had been adding cardio intervals to my regular workouts and now do them regularly though I use the Tabata interval. The Timmons interval just isn’t hard enough — and Dr. Jamie  admits in an email exchange that he was looking for the “easiest” interval that a regular person, or someone who hadn’t done much working out, could manage.

    I started the 5:2 diet about a month ago along with a move to a more vegetarian eating pattern along with green tea and an Ayurvedic tea designed by my herbalist wife. So far, I’m down 4.5 pounds and am now the lowest I’ve been in 5 years. Initial bloodwork done just a week into the regimen had the overall cholesterol dropping by 40 points from 136 to 96. I am off Lipitor as a result (still on Zetia, for now). Also supplementing with grapefruit pectin. Blood glucose was down though not as far as the doctor wants it.

    I don’t find the CR days easy but I’m managing and people in my office are surprisingly supportive. The teas and water are getting me through. What I’m trying not to do is go crazy on the non-CR days. Trying to stay within an 1800-2000 calorie limit, a drop more on the days I’m working out.

    I’m very curious to see what the new bloodwork will show. Those test are scheduled for late June so I’ll report back then on those results.

    Ian in Los Angeles

    Hi Dr. Mosley & Forum Members,

    I live in North Dakota, USA and am a retired nurse.  I read “The Fast Diet,”  and found the research and information regarding IF to be compelling.  I was a consistant 5:2 faster for about a month, but did not obtain any weight loss at all.  Since then, I have implemented a 16:8 plan that is really easy to adhere to, but again………..no much for weight loss.  Evidently I am eating too much during the 8 hours I can eat.  Am working to refine my program so I can lose the 50 pounds I have packed on over the years.  Very excited to learn more from everyone on this forum.

    It’s great to hear from so many intermittent fasters who have made this approach work successfully for them and thank you for sharing your stories. Welcome to those from the USA and Downunder too! There are some very impressive improvements in blood glucose and lipid levels being reported which is what we would expect given the mounting evidence in human trials.

    For those of you who are finding it frustrating as you have hit a plateau or are not losing as fast as you would like, it’s worth having a browse around the site where there is excellent advice from experienced fasters and you might have a look at the FAQ section section for further advice. It can be worth checking your calorie on a normal day to make sure it hasn’t inadvertantly become a ‘feast’ day! Worth checking your carbohydrate intake on those days  as well. @ Little Lizzie – great idea to do it with a fasting buddy as this keeps you both motivated. Look forward to seeing the before and after pics (please email to stories@thefastdiet.co.uk) Good luck to all! Michael

    @Irizar Great to hear that you are making the most of Mimi’s lovely Fast Diet Recipe Book. Sorry to hear you have a cold/flu coming on – I would suggest you defer your fast day till you are feeling better. One of the great things about the Fast Diet is that it is flexible.  Hope you recover quickly

    Hi,

    ive been on the 5:2 for a few months now. Along with spinning classes I’ve lost a total of 38 pounds!

    im now at a weight I haven’t seen for 18 years. At last I’ve found something that’s sustainable and effective…….it really is a fantastic lifestyle change.

    Michael,

    Absolutely wonderful diet plan! March 2011 I weighed 233 pounds (5’4″tall, 42 yrs old). I began an 1800 calorie per day eating plan restricting my fat intake to 19 grams per meal and taking the fat blocker Alli,  in that first year I lost 45 pounds. I stopped using the Alli, for the next several months I lost another 18 pounds (for a total of 63 pounds). At this point I landed in hopsital with a very infected gallbladder AND pancreatitis. Recovery went well and then came the holidays!

    I struggled trying to loose any weight…even to keep my previous weight loss off. As my body had many changes after the gallbladder removal (even one day without taking a probiotic will give me severe gas), everything I had done before was not working to loose weight.  I saw a quick blurb on tv about this wonderful new diet, so I googled it and bought the book. I have now been following th 5:2 plan for 6 weeks, loosing 7 pounds bringing my weight loss up to 71 pounds! I have not been this size in over 25 years!

    The fasting is so easy for me, I now have co-workers begging to borrow my book so that they can learn more. Need my book back! will have to buy them their own copy. I will be at my weight goal in 25 pounds, my first daughter is getting married in 4 weeks and I absolutely had a wonderful time shopping for a new dress!

    Thank you so much for putting your diet plan out there where I could see it! I was searching for a new plan that would incorporate my new eating habbits and help me shed the last of my extra pounds. I feel completely free to eat, live and be happy…the occasional eating splurge is much enjoyed.

    Hello everyone! I started this diet yesterday. Today was a fasting day for me. I am well pleased so far. I made a HUGE fat 300 calorie salad and got several eatings from it. I was hungry this morning  but now I aint. I am finished for the day. I am excited to be here.

    Hi, I started this on April 15th having seen the Horizon program on PBS here in Canada.  I’ve lost 7.2 pounds and wonder where this has been all my life!  I just find it so easy and look forward to my Monday’s & Thursday’s.  I’ve been very overweight since my early twenties (now 59) am right this minute 201.60 lbs.  This is the closest I’ve been to ‘One-derland’ in 30 + years so can’t even begin to tell you how thrilled I am.  I’ve never really dieted very much at all, flirted with WW once or twice but ennui set in fairly quickly!

    I weighed myself this morning but for the first time hadn’t lost anything.  Normally I’d have thrown in the towel immediately but doesn’t even occur to me, I’ll just cut down on my Feast Days over the next week. I don’t eat anything like the quantity of food I did as it just feels uncomfortable, this is wonderful.  I just have to be very careful that I don’t get too evangelistic as I’ve hated in the past when people have tried to convert me to whatever the latest fad has been.  But this just makes sense to me, logical and scientific and doable.  Thank you so much!

    Hello! I just weighed in after my second fast day and have lost 5lb in 6 days! Ok,  I know it all happens quickly in the first week of any diet and then you slow down but I’m very chuffed nonetheless! I’m hoping to lose 1st 4lb in all, so 13lb to go. A rate of 1-2lb per week would be great.

    The only other restrictions I’m imposing on myself are that I drink alcohol on only two days per week – something I’m going to try to stick to after a recent successful month on the wagon – and only one sugary treat per week – if I go to someone’s for dinner and they make a lovely dessert or something. Otherwise on non-fast days it’s big breakfast, small lunch, big dinner and fruit only for snacks, which is how I normally eat. And lots of walking and swimming.

    I think this is going to be a pretty perfect diet for me. Partly because I love food and eat well, cook everything from scratch etc. – I just eat too much! Everyone says your metabolism slows down in middle age. That may well be true – but I don’t think it helps if you’re also  just really greedy! Anyway, I don’t want a Lifestyle Change, just a way of losing weight without having to think about it much. I was worried that I’d feel all faint and headachey and not be able to concentrate on work during the fast days, but not at all. In fact I was really productive as I didn’t get my usual post-lunch slump. So whether I stick to a one-day-per-week fast or not when I’ve lost the weight, I’m definitely going to be eating less for lunch generally.

    Many thanks, then, for this simple, brilliant idea!

    EllieB.

    Hello Michael,

    My story is similar to others on here.  I have been a yoyo dieter on and off.  I’ve found that as I’ve got older that it’s harder to lose.  I’ve had some success in the past with Slimming World but found it quite expensive to follow and go to the classes.

    My daughter is getting married next year so I am motivated to drop at least 2 dress sizes before then.  I’m currently a reluctant size 16 so intend to be back to 10/12 before her wedding.

    I read about this diet on Moneysavingexpert forums and the motivated folk who post on there.

    Today is my first fast day and have had 440 cals in total.  That’s it, no more today.  saturday’s are good for me as it’s a busy day with housework, gardening, shopping and looking after 11 hens.

     

    First heard of Fast Diet in Boston Globe, saw program on PBS (thanks to Web) and fell in love.  I am 71, with BMI of 27.5 and could not seem to be motivated for any old diet.  The Fast Diet struck a nerve and I am now ready for Week 6 and down 8 pounds.  On Fast Days, I eat nothing until a bowl of soup and maybe an egg in the evening.  It seems to me this is mind over matter.  I am seldom “hungry”, but habit wants me to grab something.  Keeping busy is key to keep my mind off food.

    Just love this diet.  I’m sure I can get my BMI in limits and fit in my jeans easily again !

     

    Thank you Michael!

    HOWDY from Houston, Texas. I have been intermittent fasting for a couple months and have had incredible success. Thanks for establishing the forum. It gives me an opportunity to express my gratitude to you and to others who share their experiences and advice.

    I would like to share what has helped me break through a plateau after my 5th week as well as an unexpected benefit.

    The “Warrior Diet” by Ori Hofmeckler advises to undereat during the day and gives permission to eat a satisfying meal in the evening. The diet is not just eating healthy but timing of your meal. During my “feed” days I applied Ori’s principles and my weight loss resumed.

    The unexpected benefit was my 50 year old prostate has improved per my physician’s digital exam. My flow is probably back to when I was 40 years old. ,

    While you refuse credit for intermittent fasting, it it where not for your program showing on my local PBS station, I would be in fair shape. Now I feel energized and hopeful that my “new lifetime” healthier a

    5:2 Fast Diet means to me: large free-choice-days  and some little hours of self discipline a week,  result: 3 lbs during the first 9 days (vegetarian meals). Thank you for your video-documentation “Eat-Fast-LiveLonger”.

    hi there – I’m a 45 year old woman living in beautiful auckland, new zealand. I heard dr michael on the radio yesterday and today has been my first fast day. Giving my body a rest from eating to repair itself made alot of sense to me. So I am looking forward to improved energy levels, clearer skin and brighter eyes. My BMI is at the top of the acceptable range and i’m having to work harder to stay within this range. So learning about this way of eating has come along at a good time for me – thank you

    Hi everybody. My husband and I have been doing the fast diet for 3 months now and feeling great: we have lost about a stone, can fit into old clothes and have lots of energy. We havent done any blood work to see the health improvements but are positive that we are going in the right direction. However, now that the holidays are approaching, we are getting really nervous about how to keep it up and not lose everything we’ve achieved so far. Has anybody successfully kept fasting when in holidays? Any tips would be greatly appreciated! And to Michael, thanks so much for your honesty and clarity when delivering science. I use your programs all the time to teach my students… 🙂

    Hello Dr Michael,

    I’ve just recently begun your 5:2 diet and whilst the first fasting day was incredibly challenging, the last week has been a little easier.  I’ve found that eating breakfast does work for me and then have dinner at night as well.  The first day I tried no breakfast then had a small lunch but that was too long for me to wait!!  I’ve now found though on the other days I am starting to eat less than what I usually would, which may mean that my body is getting used to eating less in general.  Anyway, the results are good, I’ve lost around 2 kilos in 2 weeks which is great.  I’ve tried so many different diets in the past and whilst I did lose weight on them I found them so restrictive and not suitable to real life that I piled the weight back on again.  I am so pleased that you’ve introduced this to everyone as it’s been a wonderful!!!

     

    My compliments and thanks to Michael and his team for bringing IF to us all. I saw the documentary on SBS (Aust) and had no doubt it was for me. In three weeks I’ve dropped 6kg and feel so much healthier, on 3 days fasting each week. I’m a former runner and gym junkie who, with age (I’m mid 60’s) and sore muscles, gave it up and started to put on weight, but this seems to be a great alternative for a healthy lifestyle. I know I can’t keep up the 3 days forever and will drop back to 2 or 1, or maybe try skipping breakfast and fasting for 16 hours daily.  But in the meantime, there are so many benefits I’m feeling – food never tasted so good, energy levels are up and feel like getting on with those things I’ve been putting off, disposition is much more pleasant, even improved sex life.  Need to wait a while for blood levels, my doctor recommended six weeks. Life’s good again – that’s how I’d call it. Thanks.

    Hello Michael,

    I am from Australia and my husband and I have been doing the Fast Diet since March this year after reading about it in the Australian News paper.  My husband was 92 kg at his heaviest and is now down to 84 kg.  I was at 65.6 kg and am now down to 60.3 kg.  I am a coeliac and was undiagnosed for many years and spent a long time eating all the time to try and put on weight.  Once I was diagnosed this pattern of eating was very hard to break and subsequently went from my lowest weight of 39 kg as an undiagnosed coeliac to up to 68kg/164 cm at my heaviest after eliminating gluten!  Without resorting to eating gluten I tried lots of different ways of eating:  French women don’t get fat, quit sugar, the 80/20 diet (healthly chef) and increasing exercise which just made me eat more!  I am extremely happy with my slowly decreasing weight that has occured since I’ve started the 5:2 way of eating.

    We started out doing the 2pm to 2pm fasting regimen as I was scared I wouldn’t cope (had previoulsy experienced hypo episodes) and when that became ‘easy’ my husband and I moved to the full day fasting which is now becoming second nature.  I have found that I can easily go to the gym during my lunch break and lift weights and do cardio (sometimes for longer than I can on a feed day).  I suffer no effects from doing exercise on an empty stomach (hopefully not losing muscle mass as I make sure I eat some of my 500 cals straight after).  For those whose weight loss has stalled from my experience I would recommend increasing activity/exercise (particularly on fast days) or switching from 24 to 36 hours to shake it up a bit.  Looking forward to reaching 55kg and switching to 6:1 to see if I can maintain.

    Thank you for bringing this alternate way of eating to the general public.  I am a medical researcher by training and now the struggle to get good quality research out into the public.

     

    Hello Michael and hello to everyone else too of course,

    I remember seeing the Horizon prog and being stunned by the physiological changes that people reported. I watched it again yesterday and have also read a few papers around the subject and decided to make today my first fast day.

    I am 46, currently weigh 91.2kgs and have raised cholesterol levels. Blood pressure tends to be higher than average also and heart disease, cancer and strokes run in my family.

    Of course I’d be thrilled to drop some weight, but it’s not weight loss that has made me decide to do this. It is absolutely the prospect of lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and also IGF-1 levels.

    I had thought that sticking to a calorie level of <600 a day on fast days would be tough (and I don’t kid myself that one day = experience) but I started to read calorie counts on things in the supermarket and was amazed at how many things can easily come in under that level whilst still being what I would view as a meal.

    Today I’ve drunk tonnes of water and black tea and had a poached egg with 30g of smoked salmon and I’m looking forward to my evening meal of a very carefully weighed out tuna salad nicoise later.

    I am also registered to run the Royal Parks Half this October and hope that the 5:2 and the run aren’t mutually exclusive. I can’t see any reason why they wouldn’t be anything other than fine as long as you don’t overdo it on fast days perhaps.

    Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself and say a little about why I have decided to follow 5:2.

     

     

    Hi Deb here.  I started this program about 2 months ago and I LOVE it.  My weight, however, fluctuates and while I don’t have much to lose (I teeter totter between 118 at a high and 114 at a low), I am doing this to keep my weight stable at 114 as well as for the health benefits, disease prevention (lost both parents to cancer and much heart disease in my mother’s family).  I have a few questions:  why does my weight fluctuate as it does from day to day?  I have been doing the 5:2 and now I’d like to try fasting for 24 hours from lunch on day 1 to lunch on day 2.  I want to be clear about when I can have the 500 calories.  I believe it’s at lunch on day 2 after fasting for 24 hours and then on day 2 having a normal dinner.  So I believe it goes like this:  Day 1:  normal breakfast, normal lunch, no dinner.  Day 2:  no breakfast and lunch of 500 calories, normal dinner.  Please confirm that I have this right or that I don’t and if I don’t, please recommend alteration.  My husband is also doing 5:2 and has lost about 8 lbs in the 2 months we’ve been on this.  My goal is to keep my weight at 114 and not fluctuate as I do. Thank you very much!

    My first fast day – so far 500kcal and I even went out for tea (half portion linguine 300kcal).

    I’m hungry but very aware that come 9.30 tomorrow morning there a toasted teacake with my name and jam on.  Something I would normally feel horrendous about.

    I just want to stop dieting and be healthy.

    Fingers crossed . . . . .

    @debowhit, start here and search the forum. There are already many discussions on the questions you have.

    http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/forum/body/different-approaches-to-intermittent-fasting/

    Hello,
    I began the 5:2 diet immediately I got back from a long holiday DownUnder in April. I downloaded the book on to my new iPad and read it all through on the flight home (airline meals are good practice for fasting) and was impressed with the science behind it and the promise of other huge health benefits. I have had breast cancer and first tried intermittent fasting 5 years ago as recommended by the Genesis Breast Unit. At that time their diet was heavily dairy based and I couldn’t sustain it. My current weight isn’t excessive but I would like to shed about 30 – 35 lbs. I have no difficulty with the fasting days apart from caffeine withdrawal. I can’t drink tea without milk! I now counteract this by factoring a small amount of skimmed milk into my calorie count to have with my tea and drinking some black coffee (as if it were medicine). I’m learning to love herbal teas especially licorice.

    I’ve bought the recipe book and some of the recipes have become everyday favourites however may I make a plea for a less “middle-class” version. I can’t see it being much use to people on a budget, people who live away from large towns and the rather more conservative amongst us. I have tried creating my own meals by doing my own calorie calculations but find it very frustrating as calorific values vary widely between the sources I use. Has anybody else come across this phenomenon? Can anybody recommend an accurate source of calorie content of foodstuffs?

    My whole family are now doing the fast diet and not finding it a hardship at all, although my husband tends to fall off the wagon more than the rest of us but then he’s slim and fit already. I don’t even have to feel guilty on W.I. nights when I indulge in the delicious cakes made by other members. A Win – Win situation.

    Hi Silva-Slimmer.

    I use myfitnesspal.com to track calories. I have found they have a huge comprehensive database and you can enter your own foods if you have an item that they don’t have listed.

    Good luck!

    Hi there,

    I’m from Australia and here our food labelling uses the kJ. My grandma has recently started this diet after watching the documentary (i.e. she does not have the book, in which this query may be explained) and I just wanted to confirm that your use of the term ‘calorie’ in fact refers to the kilocalorie/Calorie.

    I assume this is the case as an apple would contain 143 times the recommended fasting intake if calculated in ‘calories’, as opposed to a 6th of the intake if calculated in kcal/Calories. I just want to confirm as this distinction can have a big impact on the results of kJ conversion calculation!

    Thank you!

    Just posted my numbers as promised on 05/22. Please check it out.

    http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/blood-test-results-comparison/

    Hi starting my second week so fast num 3. I have lost 2lb but have been dieting for awhile doing other diets. Now lost 27 lbs since Jan. I am very interested in the health side of it. The best bit was that in a week I had lost an inch off my waist. I couldn’t believe it was thrilled. Tried a pair of trousers on that I hadn’t been able to get on any fitted me. Will keep going so far so good.

    Hello,
    I started the 5:2 the day after the Horzon programme, my aim to lose weight and to improve my health. To date Ihave lost 35 llbs, with a blip at Christmas and at Easter on holiday in Europe. I have been Yo-Yo dieting for 50 years. What I love about this diet is that it gives me control, a recovery system.
    This eating pattern has been a great success with my nursing colleagues too.
    I have reachd a plateau of 6weeks, yet continue to shrink from the top down, have increased my exercise and for a little while I have changed to alternating days fasting.I have also benefitted from knowing what hunger and fullness are REALLY like. I feel this is a true lifestyle change and would like to thank Michael ,Mimi and evryone involved because I feel so much fitter and motivated

    Hi
    I’ve been on the diet since mid January and have lost 2.5 stones. I have been on various diets throughout my life and this one is way the best. I am on a fast day today and have to admit I’m pretty hungry at the moment although lunch is looming at 1pm. Yes you do have weeks when you plateau, but stick at it as it will start to drop again. I tend to lose a little bit one week, half a poundish, then a pound or two the next. My husband is also on the diet and has had great results as well. I have half a stone to go to get to my target weight then I will try 6:1 for maintenance. The only downfall I have found is that none of my clothes fit me and I don’t want to buy anymore until I get to the weight I want to be! Nice problem to have though!

    Hi everyone!

    Just thought I’d pop on and say hello. This is my second week of fasting and today is my second fast day this week. Last week I lost 1 lb, getting weighed again tonight (I do it at the same time each week) so hoping for a loss this week. I’ve found that skipping breakfast is the easiest for me then eating a small lunch (usually soup) and then dinner. I’m also a tea addict so count the calories in milk for my tea fix.

    Prior to doing the fast diet I’ve done SW, lost a stone then put it back on again…really struggled the second time around. Hoping that I can lose at least a stone fasting.

    Hi everyone,

    I’m new on the forum but not new to 5:2. After watching Michaels wonderful documentary end of August 2012, I was sure this was going to be ‘it’ for me.

    I’m 52 and was used to being slim most of my life until I started having strange sypmtoms a while after having my second daughter in 2002, one of the symptoms being gaining weight for no reason.
    It took 3 years to find out what was wrong with me : I had Hashimoto’s and was now hypothyroid. It took a long time to get my medication to the right dose so the past 10 years I gained about 10 kgs (22 lbs). I never ever managed to lose any of it … until now !

    Since I didn’t have a lot of info and ‘the book’ wasn’t out yet, I searched the internet and found Brad Pilons ‘EatStopEat’ site. I read his book and started doing his Flexible Intermittent Fasting (similar to 5:2) in September 2012 (24 hrs real fasts so not eating after breakfast until the next breakfast, twice a week).

    I knew that my pace was going to be slower (because of my underactive thyroid) but I didn’t mind. Rather losing weight slowly than not at all !
    I’m proud to say so far I have already lost 6,5 kg (14 lbs), which is 10% of my original starting weight and plan to go on until I’ve lost another 4 kg (9 lbs). After that I’ll switch to 6:1 to keep it stable and still have the benefits of fasting.

    I hope to see some improvement in my bloodwork as well as high cholesterol is usually a problem for hypo patients.

    Thank you Michael and the BBC for informing us !!! It has changed my life ;o)
    Cheers, Carla

    Hi, I started the 5:2 after seeing my Mums success with it in just a few weeks. I started on the 11th March 2013 and although at the start was a not overweight female at 10 st 13 ( BMI of nearing 25 I was getting close to being ” overweight” and certainly felt it! I was the heaviest I had ever been in my life at age 32. I did not feel happy and new something had to change. After just 10 weeks I have lost 1 stone 2 lbs And now have a BMI of 22.3. Everyday I feel better and better I have lost 5 inches from my waist, a couple from my hips , 2 from my thighs and a whopping 2. 5 inches from my knees. I feel great, fast days are easy – i eat a simple breakfast of porridge made with water or cereal then a tasty dinner 12 – 13 h later (I Do them on work days) and I eat and drink normally the rest of the time. I do exercise everyday and find it particularly easy on fast days. I am a medical professional and aside the amazing weight and measurement changes I was mostly inspired by the health benefits all round. I have recommended this to my patients and other members of staff and all with similar results. My target weight is 8st 7 lbs then I will go to maintenance. Happy fasting to all and thanks to Michael and Mimmi, I am in control of my weight again

    Hi everyone, have been doing the 5-2 for 4 months now and have lost 30 lbs which am really pleased about.
    I normally fast on Mondays and Thursdays and not having anything to eat till after midday when I have a spicy lentil soup with spinach which comes to about 140 kcal, in the evening I have a white fish curry with spinach again on bulgur wheat which comes to about 430 kcal .
    I make my meals up in advance for the week or two, as dont want to be using the kitchen preparing mine while my family have a different meal.
    I have tried different meals but have settled on these two as dont mind eating them twice a week and find them filling.
    I am about 7 lb off my target weight, though wont really know till I get there, which should hopefully be within 2 months, then I will be going on the 6-1.
    It’s not just the fasting that has been beneficial to me, it’s the realisation that I have been over eating for the sake of it, and a little hunger won’t kill me.
    I did suffer mild headaches once or twice in the start, but have been clear of them apart from yesterday when due to time restrictions I tried to do 2 consecutive days , which I won’t be doing again.
    This is the 1st diet I have been on and am pleased that it working for me, even if I may be a bit grumpy on fast days.
    Hope everyone finds it as beneficial as me.

    I have been doing this since January and haven’t looked back once. I don’t weigh myself because it is not the reason I started this. I did it because I am 61 and getting higher cholesteral and pre-diabetic. Even though I wasn’t overweight I could afford to lose 15 lbs. I just weighed myself this morning and see I lost a bit over 10 lbs (major for me) and feel so much better. I have questions so I joined here to be with like minded people. 🙂 I’m from Minneapolis MN

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