I’m curious about this too, Quick. I’m truly amazed that so many people seem to be doing this 5:2 thing, and to hear such positive feedback about it, so I’m thinking about the people I know who could really really benefit but won’t attempt it, or give up quickly.

There will be a multitude of reasons for not starting or continuing with 5:2 but it would be good to have some bullet points to give people to keep them getting smaller, healthier and fitter. I know I’ve never stuck to a diet regime in my life before but this worked for me and I now find it easy. I’m pretty relaxed about ‘rules’ and I don’t beat myself up over the slip ups, and I’m amazed that I have embraced 5:2 almost evangelically. That’s why I don’t quit.

I’ve had quite a few people comment about my weight loss and general fitness.
“Don’t lose anymore though” they say. Actually I don’t want to lose anymore anyway.
If I was very overweight though I don’t think anyone would be telling me to lose some weight.

I read it’s been decided that more people are dying from too much food rather than not enough.

The 5:2 is a bit out there but it works. I have a friend who has taken it on and going well. Another doesn’t think she can do it but will try lots of other diets.

The five days of eating is terrific. I think there is such a negative perception about diets in general, Some people can’t quite believe that it works, hence the perception that there must be some other reason ie anorexia.

@quick

“Here are a couple of reasons that I’ve heard.”

Fundamentally, there’s only one major reason that people discontinue anything:

Their environment is unsupportive.

There are also loops of nested environments:

Society ➡️ Marketplace ➡️ Social ➡️ Family ➡️ Individual

If we were to be born in a different environment that supports other beliefs, we would be different people.

With 5:2 lifestyle, we are breaking out of the norm & require a support system ( like this forum ) to succeed.

A supportive environment breeds success, always.

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A lot of people “self-sabotage” whenever they manage to lose some weight. I saw a really interesting BBC documentary series a couple of years ago about the psychology of “the monkey inside us” but can’t find a link now. Does anyone know anything about this?
I agree about older people and people who are dieting together finding it easier, if my own experience as a recently retired person following the programme with my husband is anything to go by. We are both feeling great!

What I was thinking of before was the “chimp paradox”. Dr Steve Peters has written a book on mind management about it. He helped the GB cycling team win all their gold medals through understanding how their emotional side could limit them.

@doghouse
“I become really grouchy.”
Yes, definitely got to watch that. My worst time is the morning after a fast day, up until lunch. ”

Do the old trick: get your worst pillow and really beat it up, then go back and beat it some more, then once more.

That will teach that pillow not to withhold food from you..until the next time.

Then you are allowed to see people.

Maybe.

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I started 5:2 a while ago – well theoretically! I kept putting off the fast day! I’m now doing it in a more structured way and it’s going fine.
But I suspect a reason people don’t stick to it is that it can be very dull to eat so much less in a day. For many, meals are the highlight of the day and a regular, very very enjoyable marker throughout the day – lunch transitions morning into afternoon etc. And without that structure it can seem as if you have a long unstructured, rather dull day.
Don’t misunderstand me! I’m a huge fan of 5:2 but for those of us with food ‘issues’ (probably it us who need it most) a disruption in our meal/pleasure rhythm can feel disturbing in the short-term however good the long term results will be.

Well not much Rockyromero!

But for me it’s always been a problem with deferring pleasure.
Do I chose to eat now or be thinner/healthier tomorrow?
I always chose to eat now because the alternative was always to eat less than I wanted now, today, tomorrow and basically forever. That’s why diets fail.

But 5:2 avoids that because I can (usually) manage to defer that eating pleasure from today until tomorrow.

It’s an interesting thought that older people may be inclined to stay with the 5:2 for longer. While I started it for weight loss, when I read the book and really understood the likely health benefits it spurred me on even more. I have several friends on it – we all started around the same time and it’s great to share our progress.

@speedy
“I always chose to eat now because the alternative was always to eat less ”

Yes, but what if the alternative was more exciting than eating?

@lilygirl
“I just make up an OXO cube, so it is just a mental thing rather than actually filling me up. The days I forget drag terribly!”

If it’s a mental thing, what mental thing would be more filling at lunchtime?

@heatherfast
” health benefits it spurred me on even more.”

I’m thinking that I could give up eating lunch. You and I do it on fast days and know how to do it very well. So, how about having breakfast, which is enjoyable and filling, and having a dinner on feed days?

Lunch has always been a filler and an after thought and less enjoyable. For me, often alone.

What would happen if we did something more enjoyable and more fulfilling and better at lunch time?

Back to my question: What would be more exciting than eating food at lunchtime?

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Actually, it depends on what importance we place lunch and whether it is practical to go without food in the middle of the day. When I am not at work I can happily skip breakfast in preference of a small lunch at around 1-2pm with a main meal at 7pm. However when I’m at work, lunch is very important. I work a 12hr shift with the very strong possibility of not getting a break until around 4pm and on some occasions, not getting a break at all. I work in mental health and mealtimes for patients are a social activity in which staff participate. I absolutely love sitting down with them and they absolutely love waiting for me to open my lunch box to see what delights I’ve brought. Will it be salad, will it be pickles, will it be a sandwich etc., etc. Whether we like it or not, food and eating it, is a very important part of our daily activity and let’s not forget that for some, eating regular meals is important because of health problems and it is dangerous to suggest otherwise. If you are able and more importantly want to skip meals on normal days, great but if not, don’t give yourself a hard time. Just my thoughts 🙂

Don’t get me wrong rocky, I do fast on my days off and I am one of those people that according to the experts should have regular meals. I have type 2 diabetes and on fast days I don’t take any diabetic meds at all. I have found that my blood glucose remains stable throughout the day without any hypos thank god. But if that changed, I would have to alter my fast days slightly because it’s too dangerous to try and cope with a hypo. Of course working in mental health, I do also have some knowledge of psychotropic medication and what effect it might have on diet or what effect diet might have on its effectiveness. I guess I was just trying to make a point. I don’t post very much because I often feel pretty much overwhelmed by the extent some will go to in the pursuit of the perfect body, weight, health etc. With all my skills and knowledge in the field I work in, I am but a simple woman 😀

@speedy
“Can you give an example of what sort of thing you mean?”

Our discussion inspired me to discover more of this:

http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/visualization-strategies-and-recipes/#post-13332

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rockyromero, I’m interested to hear what you come up with that’s more interesting than lunch 🙂

Since starting the 5:2 I’ve found I’m not hungry at breakfast time on non-fast days, so I’ve practically given it up. Lunch is then something I look forward to.

Fortunately my husband, who’s not doing 5:2, is supportive with what I’m doing, so that’s not something I need to worry about, unlike what some others have shared.

Im in my 19th week and have only lost 11 pounds. Last week I was seriously thinking about giving up. Then my personal training took my body fat measurements and found that my BF has dropped considerably even though the scales havent refelected the loss. Then I thought to myself, Im in my 19th week why give up now! Slowly but surely I guess

Points to consider:

* no longer lacking energy
* sleeping alot better
* Able to complete weight lifting exercises I never dreamed I could do.
* Appetite on non fast days has decreased
* Throw the scales out the window (going to weigh once a month from now on)

@kiwiana
“Last week I was seriously thinking about giving up. Then my personal training took my body fat measurements and found that my BF has dropped considerably even though the scales havent refelected the loss. ”

You are clearly a success story.

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I think I’d rather weigh a ton and be fit, healthy and comfortably in a nice flattering dress size to be honest. From the clue that you’ve got a personal trainer and are doing weight exercises, sounds to me like you’re toning up Kiwiana. All that comparatively ‘light’ fat is being replaced by healthy lean ‘but dense’ muscle. I think once a month weigh-ins is definitely the way to go – welcome to the club.

Tracy J, loved your witty profile! And your inspirational weight loss story, of course!

All very interesting. I have no problem with the fast days – find it easiest if I eat nothing at all until 6 or 7 because once I eat anything hunger kicks in.but don’t manage to eat as well as I need to on the ‘feast’ days to work for my diabetes. Now trying a sort if low GL intuitive eating approach on those days.

Definitely toning up Tracey. Looked in the huge mirror at the gym this morning and my top which was a little tight is lose round the waist, hips and tummy but Im a way off from the slinky dress lol

Tom Mantis. I just have to keep thinking of the little achievements and not so much a number on the scale.Im dropping the scales off at my mums house where I wont be tempted to jump on it weekly! Especially days after a fast day.

I find weighing regularly keeps me focused – on the fast days I have a brunch at about 11 and then another meal 6-ish. There are some long stretches through the day. Maybe it’s easier when one is older, but then I think some older people can use their age for opting out of such a structure as the 5:2 fast.

Age aside, the most common remark that I have heard is – Sounds good but I couldn’t give up food for such long stretches –

@ecka
“Why punish yourself on a diet when its benefits are questionable?”

True, if it is punishment for you and you are not getting the benefits that you expected.

For me, I find the 5:2 lifestyle rewarding in health, time and potential longevity.

Hoping that you get satisfactory answers to your other questions.

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