Mumsnet Talk

The continuing thread for those of us following either the 5:2 diet or the alternate-day fasting diet. Both are two versions of Intermittent Fasting, which you can read more about here.

The 5:2 diet was featured on Horizon recently, and essentially requires you to fast for 2 non-consecutive days per week. The other 5 days, you can eat what you like. Alternate-day fasting is just how it sounds; you fast every other day. By "fasting", we mean that we keep our calorie consumption very low, around 500 calories on average, on those days.

Come join us, and tell us about your experiences with this diet!

I've only had three fast days so far, but they have become easier with every one. I am doing something between these two diets; I am aiming to fast 3 days a week. I would do ADF (Alternate-Day Fasting) but I have decided to have two eating days in a row (Sunday, Monday) due to family and activity scheduling.

Today was a fast day. I find I really am putting effort into cooking on the days I'm not fasting. Probably have too much time to think about what I want to eat. Tomorrow might be ginger-chicken Chinese dumplings, if I can possibly find wonton wrappers in this town!

Well yesterday was my first fasting day. I decided to go for one meal - my evening meal. It only tallied to 267 calories but it was a big meal (chicken, sweetcorn, courgette, mushrooms, rice, pinenuts, olive oil and limejuice). Not having eaten all day, I could not have eaten anymore after that to top me up to my 500 cals.

Myfitnesspal is warning me that my body will go into starvation mode. I am on a non-fasting day today, but just not at all hungry.

Not sure what to do. Should I stuff it in today to make up the missed calories yesterday, or stick to what I am inclined to do and only eat when I am actually hungry? My appetite has just disappeared - although I am sure it's not gone for long...LOL

My understanding is that by fasting intermittently, you are effectively keeping your metabolism guessing and so your body won't go into starvation mode.

I'm over to this new thread. I'm on a normal eating day today, having had one meal yesterday at 2pm of around 400 calls, plus milk in tea throughout the day. Woke up and don't feel at all hungry. yesterday was fast 5 and each one is getting easier. Might put of breakfast today and start with a fruit snack around 10 ish, as as soon as i do start eating on a normal day,i find it difficult to stop! Marinated some rally nice looking salmon fillets last night for tonights dinner. Can't decide whether to have with potatoes and peas, or some boiled rice. Will decide tonight. Good luck to everyone fasting today. I'm planning on making a Quorn chilli tonight and dividing onto for portions to save for some future fasting days. Should come in at 290 calls so will be able to have with a salad our a few potatoes.
My 15 month old is stirring- better get up!
Speak later

Marking my place. Feeling crap after my first fast day yesterday. Sore throat. Exhausted. But strangely not hungry...

Marking my place - fast day tomorrow. Bootcamp in the park this morning, should burn a few more calories. Have decided to skip breakfast on a daily basis - it's the easiest meal to miss and now we have debunked the breakfast myth I no longer feel compelled to eat it.

Is this programme available online? I have looked on iplayer but cant find it. Good luck everyone.

I get a sore throat on fast days I hadn't thought of that before. Wonder if anyone else does.

Sorry goody but don't think programme on I player any more but sure someone will be along soon to help you out.

Hi, can I join you?

Was totally fascenated by the horizon programme. Have been trying to lose weight lately for health reasons (I am going in for surgery next month) and this seems really do-able. I have had to more or less totally cut fat out of my diet due to gallstones (hence surgery!).

Any tips on things to eat during fast days?

I think the reason myfitnesspal says to low calorie intake and starvation mode is because it thinks you are eating like this every day. When you put in 500 calories itdoesn'trealise that's not every day.
My 3rd fast day was Monday and my next one tomorrow.
Have decided thatmy meal will be lunch as I can keep myself busy in evening with ironing, studying or painting nails.

um why do we have a new thread? is the old one now obsolete? I do want to keep in the loop but not up on social networking ..

I'm doing my second day fast today .. eating much like the first
porridge berries
eggs (or might be turkey)
veggies

Goody Horizon prog is on You Tube

Am trying a fast day today. So far I've had a slice of melon and a cup of tea with milk.

Really not sure how I'm going to cope though as I usually eat loads! .

Wish me luck!

Marking my place. My beer wasn't quite as disastrous as I thought last night. I came in at 560 calories which wasn't so bad.

Today is second fast day this week (Week 3). Am doing Tues / Weds / Fri this week, partly because was on holiday on Monday and partly because my Italian boss is coming over on Thursday & I will take him out for dinner.

Next week will return to Mon / Weds / Fri.

Ate about 520 cals yesterday, but have today's menu well planned.
Good luck to everyone on a fast day today

Feed day after fast day yesterday, poor night sleep again after a fast day but not feeling so hungry today. Have to do another fast day tomorrow, so I'll be doing Tuesday and Thursday from now on. So far 3lbs down and a pair of trousers fit much better today, my stomach has gone flat yippee. DH is being inspired I think and I hope to shed alot more weight so he will join me. I hope its all a bit easier when the kids go back to school.

Laska there's a new thread because, I believe, a thread can only have 1,000 posts. Our last thread was around the 950 mark and I guess it just seemed like a good idea to have the fresh thread ready for today's posts.

For the sake of information, here is a link to our previous thread. I'm sorry I didn't put it in the first post!

Also, the Horizon programme is here, though I guess that link will stop working at some point.

Intermittent fasting keeps your body from going into starvation mode, as far as I understand, iMoniker. The longer I do this, the more articles I read on it. I'll post a few as I find the more pertinent ones.

Good luck to everyone fasting today. It's an eating day here, though I've just had coffee so far. I have a bit of piece and quiet in the form of a DVD full of old Looney Tunes cartoons (!) so I'll be on forums a short while longer before we head into town..

Nice one, LBY! I thought your beer might not be too much of a problem if you'd eaten well the rest of the day.

Fasting today. My scales need new batteries, but that could be a good thing and as won't be tempted to weigh in too often and will hopefully get a pleasant surprise next time I step on the scales.

I am doing ADF and really hoping to lose a stone or so. I often give up on diets if the weight doesn't seem to be coming off as quickly as I'd like, but this keeps me motivated, as I know there is always tomorrow when I can indulge.

Ate quite a lot yesterday, as I had a friend over, so we treated ourselves to cake. On a normal diet, I'd be thinking I'd blown it! Hopefully that doesn't matter with ADF, although I can't quite believe it!

Have just joined MyFitnessPal and totted up what I've had so far today and it comes out at 100 cals! Oh God, that only leaves me 300 cals and I thought I was being really good .

thanks *green eggs*for the explanation - I'm still a newbie on mumsnet!
I think you'll find that the BBC content for Dr Mosleys programme isn't working now ( well i couldn't get it to work , but i'm not too good at this stuff). but it is on You tube (as I posted above)

Well I'm doing 2nd day fast today. Haven't eaten anything yet and planning on holding out until lunch if i can. Yesterdays feed day came to 1800 cals so was quite pleased with that , unfortunately 400 of those came from wine... oops unexpected guest .. it seemed rude not too ...

I saw the question posted in the previous thread as to why I noted ADF in the OP here when ADF has its own thread. ADF thread is here. I actually just thought it would be nice to mention both in this thread, as several of us seem to be doing a range of fasting days. Because both diets employ the Intermittent Fasting method, it seemed to make sense.

Also, the ADF thread is 3 pages long and two of those pages are from 2010. I think some people moved from ADF to this method, or the 4:3 I'm doing. Or stopped altogether.

Twas me who mentioned there is an ADF thread. I wasn't complaining, just pointing it out. ADF sounds too hard core for me. Who knows though - I'm already finding fasting much easier.

Laska ooh welcome to MN!

Ugh I'm sorry about the link. I did think we were close to it not working anymore. I think the programmes only stay up for 2 weeks on iPlayer. The related BBC article is here, which gives an overview of the findings.

Second fasting day of week 3 for me. I'm doing 4:3 as well, lost about 8lb so far so really motivated to keep on. I can't do 1 meal though, I need my breakfast (slimfast) and then normally have dinner in the evening, or a few bits throughout the day. Was bad yesterday and had fastfood, but as it was an eating day, I didn't technically break any rules! Still felt really bad afterwards though. I might set myself a weight goal and say no more fastfood until I get to 9st. Then it's like a reward, instead of being naughty! I'm not a food person at all, but I do like junk!

LBY oh no it was a good question, I should have answered it in the OP. I'd just noticed several people in the old thread were fasting more than two days, so thought I'd mention it.

Am doing three days now but, like the person who wrote that BBC article, I suspect if I keep this up long-term it might make more sense to try 5:2. I'm liking the results at the moment, though, and I think I need the results for motivation right now.

sore throat went not long after breakfast....strange...

How are you all losing so much weight? Very jealous.

Fast day today.

I'm doing ADF.
Although this week I'll have to do 5:2 as I've got things on Sunday and Monday (planned months ago) and I'm not going to be nibbling on radishes while everyone else is enjoying a BBQ and Sunday roasts.

Thank you aftereight and Laska - going to watch it now!

Hello!
2nd fast day this week for me...
Just taken the kids swimming so that shuldnhavenburned off a few cals
Was naughty this morning and weighed myself - normally domitnonce a week on a Saturday.
I am down another lb since Saturday and yesterday I went to idea and had chips and meatballs and a strawberry cream tart!!!
Will be interesting to see what it says on Saturday!
If I can lose 2 lbs per week it will only take me 10 weeks to get to goal
Still not eating bread or rice.
Limited potatoes.

Thanks for doing new thread greeneggs...

I'm on my 5th week of fasting and am losing weight slowly but surely. I've lost 5lbs in the first 4 weeks which is fine because I am trying to do this as a lifestyle change - ie do something I can do for the rest of my life rather than as a quick fix...

As a consequence, I am trying not to obsessively calorie count, nor to particularly moderate what I eat on normal days, since I want something that doesn't make food, types of food, calories in food a mahoosive ISHOO. So yesterday I had pancakes with butter on for breakfast, had wine and haribo in the evening and fishcakes with oven chips with the kids. After a decent loss after Monday's fast, I seemed to put on about half a lb yesterday.

Today I'm fasting and have only had a cup of tea so far. It seems to work for me to do a version of the 16 hour thing - ie to eat very little during the day and then have a substantial pile of veggies in the evening. I'm going to make a veggie soup for tonight but before then I will have a milky coffee and a piece of fruit as 'lunch' about 2pm.

Monday's fast was hard though - I wasn't feeling great in the, er, bowels dept and had much worse cravings than normal. Gave in an had some serious carbs in the evening but this didn't seem to be too bad as I still lost weight. Much easier today now things feel back on an even keel.

I suppose I like being able to notice how my body's feeling on this WOE and to be able to cope with hunger (although it doesn't feel quite like hunger anymore, more like something else). I also have given up any notion of guilt, bad foods etc on normal days since if I know I can have it, I don't feel the need to stuff MORE in! Stupid psychology I know but it's working for me.

Good luck everyone - most of us seem to be doing really well so far!

Just marking my place. I did one fast day, then doc told me I needed antibiotics so have just eaten normally. Thinking of doing another fast on sat if I'm better.

Somebody mentioned 'debunking the breakfast myth' - I'm interested to know what they mean? I naturally like to leave my breakfast til lunchtime but was always told this was unhealthy.

Hi, fast day today for me. Coffee for breakfast and just had a boiled egg and carrot soldiers(!!!) for lunch. Haven't experienced a sore throat as per above, but it is getting easier overall. I'm in 2nd week of ADF.

Yes I feel rubbish today. Really tired and my voice has gone. My fast day was yesterday.

Hello - been inspired by the Horizon programme to do 5:2 and now on the 2nd day of my first fast.

We (DH is doing as well) have decided to do consecutive days as that works better for our lifestyle. I saw an earlier comment which said non-consec days was better but everything I've read says there is nothing conclusive about consec/non-consec. Does anyone have updated info on that?

We're doing it basically to keep healthy longer because we are older parents, DH is 50 so is reaching a make or break time with his health. I'm doing it to reduce percentage of body fat rather than actually lose weight as I'm quite slim and generally happy with my weight but would prefer a better fat/muscle ratio.

My general approach is not to stave, if I feel hungry I'm having a couple of nuts but I'm not going to be too strict on keeping to 500 calories, especially during the school holidays when I need all my energy!

However, definitely finding this easier than I expected and have really only had one energy dip yesterday mid-afternoon. I'll see how it goes today and maybe make adjustments for next week's fast to take account of my findings!

Please can I join?

I have a few questions though.

I'm not trying to lose weight, well not much. DH and I are both in the healthy range though we'd be happy to lose 1-2kg each around the tummy. Our main reason for wanting to do this is for the potential long-term health benefits.

But my concern is that I'll be ultra cranky on the fast days. I'm the sort of person who gets shaky 2 hours after breakfast (breakfast is sugar-free, nut-rich muesli with oat milk). I've been tested for hypoglycaemia before (came up negative) but I do get very low blood sugar if I don't eat little and often. I try to avoid sugary foods, always eat protein at meals, only eat sweet things at the end of a varied meal, and am generally pretty health-conscious. I suppose I'm worried that on a fast day I'll keel over and/or get extremely irritable (I'm already a bit grumpy with the children during these endless holidays!)

I recently gave up coffee in order to try and balance my blood sugar a bit. And eat more nuts, seeds and veg. I get terrible PMS and these are some of the recommendations. Too early to tell if it's helped yet though. My second concern with the fasting is that it'll make my PMS worse by upsetting blood sugar - though actually my blood sugar is already erratic as I explained above.

Do any of you have any experience (when fasting) of a) irritability or b) PMS?

My other question relates to DH who cycles 100 miles a week. Presumably he cannot survive on 500 cals on the fast days? I just can't imagine how he'll get through his (long) day at work on that little!

Thanks

Hi HeartsJandJ. Welome! Not sure what you mean by 2nd day of first fast? Do you mean your having your second fast of the week?
I haven't had any irritability so far and if anything PMS is possibly better (don't get it bad anyway).

Just to clarify, I am sure you do not have to restrict yourself to one meal, the 500 calories can be spread over meals and snacks.
This is my second week, on my fast days I eat approx 600 cals;
Breakfast - 50g plain porridge made with water
Snack - 25g peanuts/sultana's
Lunck - Shredded Wheat with Skimmed Milk
Dinner - Roast chicken with stacks of steamed veg
Lots of water/green tea/black tea in between.
I am not in the least bit hungry as I've picked carb based meals to keep me fuller for longer but only 600 calories for the day.
Week one I lost 2lbs, I was genuinely amazed, I've lost 14lbs since January and had hit a plateau 4 weeks ago.

Hi Treadmillion it's not really good to spread the food too much because you won't be in a fasting state and insulin will continue to circulate. Insulin is lipogenic and also has a role in cell growth hormone which is not what we want. It is the cgh that can cause cancer.

Fasted yesterday and feeling great today so trying another fast day today. I'm hoping this will compensate for the excesses of the weekend and Legoland!!
I have found though that even on eating days, I don't want chocolate like I usually do. I think it's because I'm aware of how many calories etc it has. Can only be a good thing as chocolate really is my downfall.

Badvoc - you lucky thing, i looooove ikea meatballs! I'll have to tell dh we need some furniture so i can go and have some too, haha.

Tried doing it differently today, had slimfast breakfast then lunch of salad, egg, bit of tuna and a slice of nimble bread. So that's most of my calories gone i think, and aaaaaaall afternoon to get through, eek! I'm hoping it'll stop me getting to that stage of feeling really weak and low blood sugary.

Nature lover - i am a bit like that, i really feel it if my blood sugar is low. I do get a bit weak and exhausted and irritable by the end of the day on only a slimfast breakfast, and then i have dinner, but that takes time even after i've eaten to start feeling better iykwim. This is why I have had lunch today instead of dinner, to see if that takes me through the day better. I'm not as extreme with it as you are though, by the sounds of it, so I can put up with it ok.

I am going to keep going with it for a while Naturelover but I felt very like you yesterday. Very shaky, faint and headachey. Feel so much better after breakfast today though. Not sure I will be able to keep it up during a busy day at work though...

well so far i've had 100g berries (strawberries and blueberries , half a nectarine and two dessertspoons of natural yoghurt for breakfast.
and 3 olives just now..
also black coffee , black tea and fizzy water with lemon and feeling fine. Have 150g turkey and veggies for later but will eat them as an early dinner so I can get my 16 hours in before my feed day breakfast tomorrow.

The trouble is I cant stop looking at food sites! (and I'm supposed to be working !)
However , this one does look good so I thought id share it , has some really good 5:2 fast day recipes on it www.lavenderandlovage.com/

What's this 16 hour thing?

I may have this wrong but I believe what Dr M was saying is that you should go 16 hours with no food at all , to give your body time to go into cell repair mode.

So 500 cals on a fast day (I think he said the optimal is only 400 for a woman , but I don't think I can do that right now) and then eat your last meal so that you have time to make up 16 hours of no eating over night to reduce the amount of insulin in your body and stop cells from being in 'Go go' mode ..

Perhaps some one else who's been doing it longer can clarify / confirm

naturelover I know I keep quoting articles, I will find the one that's in my mind for you. But I think the best answer for your active DH is to try to use most of his calories for a reasonable meal in the middle of the day, or whatever time suits time for biking. There was an article with a researcher, and she said the test group (for their particular study- I believe there's been a few similar) had their meal in the middle of the day. This was to stave off lethargy at a time when most people still need to be active. It also has the benefit of being in the middle of the fast time, so you've got about 8 hours on either side of that meal when you aren't eating. (however that bit has not been tested, so don't get worried about having to have a small snack at another time of day. I've been having a meal of veg around 3pm and then another later in the day, with decent results.)

And you should be okay with the diet. It wasn't originally meant as a weight-loss thing, it's just a happy (well, for a lot of us!) side effect.

Shall go find the link and report back with it.

Here is the very informative link LBY posted in the old thread, if you would like to read a bit about the science behind why this works.

Here is an article from Dr Mosley in the Telegraph about the 5:2 diet and its health benefits. This might be the first place I saw this quote: "It doesn’t matter which days are spent “feeding” and which “fasting”, as long as the fasting days are non-consecutive and you stick to the 5:2 ratio."

Here is a food blog which features some recipes we can use on fast days, as well as a bit more info on the diet.

Brilliant GreenEggs!

Reading the thread can see some of you are experiencing sore throats.
Not noticed that myself, but bowel habits have changed.

I really struggle on fast days because eating for me is now just habit. It has nothing to do with being hungry but mostly about being bored. Need to find something to replace eating. Something easy and nice, so not studying and not ironing.

Hi Lookbehindyou - sorry if not clear what I was trying to say. I meant I did Day 1 yesterday and doing Day 2 today. And this is the first week of my new 5:2 life!

I had overlooked the 16 hours without food bit, I eat my last meal about 5pm and then b/fast at 7am so a bit off. Hmm will have to try to work on that.

ooh I don't mean to spam you all with links (you can tell I'm home again for the day, and DS is entertaining himself a bit) but here is another interesting article which was linked in one of the above articles, but is good enough that I think it deserves its own read.

It cites a study done on a small group of obese patients in Chicago. In addition to the weight loss benefits ("After 8 weeks of treatment, participants had an average 12.5 lbs reduction in body weight and a 4 cm decrease in waist circumference. Total fat mass declined by about 12 lbs while lean body mass remained relatively constant.) it also mentions "Plasma adiponectin, a protein hormone that is elevated in obesity and associated with heart disease, dropped by 30%. As did LDL cholesterol (25%) and triglycerides (32%)."

So it seems worth doing, even if your weight loss isn't happening as quickly as you'd like it to.

Hello everyone, just checking in on the new thread. A feed day today for me. I have had a knowing hunger all day today despite eating pretty well. The kind of hunger I get on fast days. I'm a bit nervous of over doing it on feed days because I'm a greedy pig

Interestingly this article stresses that there is no research that says how you should spread out your food on fasting days (which is what I originally said). But Varady clearly says spreading food out is not good in her interview and the science holds up. Need to do more reading.

I'm on a fast day and am trying the 'only one meal' approach for the first time - will have a jacket potato, cottage cheese and salad tonight (which i love anyway!). my weigh in day is friday but I couldn't resist this morning and it was hovering under the 11st mark for the first time in years - I was thrilled

Afternoon! Yesterday was my first fast, which went fine, but today has been bizarre!!:

Woke up with no appetite, felt really full, which is unusual for me.
Then once I got out of the shower was suddenly ravenous so had 1 poached egg on 1 slice toast my favourite breakfast
Mid-morning I was not hungry but HAD to have a Bounty for some reason, so had that and bought a pot of grapes/blueberries/pomegranate from tescos to compensate for the bounty..... Crazy logic I know.... So much sugar!!!
My lunch break was scheduled for 2pm and got peckish around 12 so had 2 oatcakes with peanut butter.
Come my lunch break I was still stuffed from all my snacks so just had a cup of tea.
Have just eaten my lunch now, at 4pm, as was suddenly hungry. Cous cous with peas and sweetcorn.
Am making macaroni cheese tonight and was so looking forward to it, but now I might be too full of couscous!!

This is waaaay more than I normally eat, and much less veg than I normally have. Don't know whether it's to do with the deprivation yesterday or just a well-timed coincidental bad day. I really didn't feel deprived yesterday though! I rather enjoyed it.

Another fast day tomorrow, so I shall see whether Friday is as bad as today... Hope not!

Oh hang on, I'm hungry again, perhaps I will get to enjoy my macaroni cheese!! Gaaah.

green eggs these are great links thanks .. i've looked up the 16 hour thing again and it may be more pertinent to the ADF , However , the idea is that you eat your food in an 8 hour feeding window and fast for 16 hours so 16:8. although some people seem to think women can do 14:10 (fast for 14 hours eat in a 10-hour window) .. but from what the Horizon programme said i think its also probably useful for people also doing 5:2 as it is about insulin production and letting your cells go into 'repair' mode.

I'm intending to keep on with it as it seems do-able for me . in fact i'm just eating 'dinner' now which is a big bowl of veggies 'stir fried' in a little h/made chicken stock - so no salt- 150g turkey and a big splash of chilli..

This is fine while I'm at home ,but not sure how ill do this in the office , I might swop breakfast and dinner.. have my main meal at lunch time as early as poss and my breakfast fruit and yog late afternoon.

I think what's important is if your primary focus is weight loss,(then maybe the 16hr total fast period may not be so important) or if you are like me with other indicators pointing towards possible future problems.. Being over 50 I'm as interested in those health factors as well as in losing this last stone,, especially as I have stubborn belly fat that I haven't been able to shift , whilst my legs and bum have melted away on my previous WW diet ..

Thanks for the links everyone

Glad i'm not the only one extra-hungry on my feed days headfairy

On my fourth fast day and It's been the easiest yet. Bowl of porridge for breakfast(200 calories) , just had a bowl of miso soup ( 17 calories!) and am looking forward to so w fish and veg for tea.

Was concerned this morning as I appeared to have gained two pounds - but then went to the toilet and now er...appear to have list three...

(anyone else not um going as regularly?)

I've honestly not timed my meals yet, myself. My fast days have consisted of me waiting until I'm needing "something" before I eat, and so far that seems to be around the 3pm mark. I do end up eating again at 6 or so, but then not eating after that. Then the next day (the feed day) I also don't eat in the morning, so if the spacing out the meals thing is necessary on ADF, I'm subconsciously achieving that, I believe.

Well done WopBop! My eating day today hasn't consisted of excellent choices, but I know I'm still within the normal eating calorie range (2000 for a woman) so I'm not worrying. I've lost weight despite most of my eating days not being great. I've not tried to diet on those days, which I think is the point. I had pizza today with DS at a cafe in town.

ooh Pizza..... its been years since I've had pizza .. I've been far too long on WW..

If you want to eat one that makes you feel less guilty this is a good and really easy recipe: zero carb pizza. I used smoked polish sausage, green pepper and onion for the topping.

Thanks LBY .....

Right, I've just had my veg soup which I didn't calorie count but the carbs would have been in carrots, squash and swede so I'm not really that bothered. I had a tiny bit of cheese on the top and a bit of oil to sweat off the veg, and a small slash of white wine... But I only had about a quarter of the panful so it can't have been that much in calories. Chucked in some caraway seeds and garlic too. Was yummy and filling.

I'm wondering if we can encourage MNHQ to get Mosley or the American researcher (Varady?) to do a live webchat... What do you reckon? If you think it's a good idea, someone report my post?! Then we could pin them down with all our questions...

Hi marking my place on new thread and just wondered if anyone can tell me what miso soup is?? I looked for it in tesco but no sign? X

Miso soup is a Japanese soup made from fermented soy beans - sounds horrid but it is very salty/savoury tasting and very good for you - apparently. Use very hot water rather than boiling as boiling water destroys the goodness. Made by a brand called clear spring.

So today I have had:
Milk in 2 coffees
Alpen cereal bar (they are the best wrt sugar)
apple
WW soup
Egg salad
Strawberries
Not really hungry tbh but as always the biscuit cupboard is beckoning!
I am off out to a meeting tonight so I won't be at home to scoff
Tomorrow I am not sure what we are having for dinner...perhaps courgette and meatballs with tomato sauce.
I will probably have a biscuit tomorrow (oh how I miss them!)

Miso soup = cup a soup for middle class people

Sainsbos stock the Clearspring ones, a clear one with seaweed and a white one with tofu. Both very nice.

The WW tomato and basil soup is lovely and only 77 cals.

Wilfsell was just wondering the same thing yesterday!

I had a fast day today too - milk in 2 coffees, sardines on toast & salad. I've been trying to stick to one meal (apart from the coffee!) recently & it has been okay.

Was supposed to have a fast on Saturday but had a party so I just ate what I wanted (& had a bit of wine), Sunday was a hungover feed day & I had the closest I've come to a pig out in the last month (ice cream) but calories were just under 2000. Monday fast was hard because I'd eaten often in the previous two days; today was fine though.

Didn't weigh myself on Monday (scales out of batteries) but my clothes are still getting looser. I'm almost at the point of needing to ditch my fattest jeans! I am still eating what I want on feed days - though I'm not as snacky as before & am eating for hunger rather than habit. I had a slice pizza & a filet o' fish yesterday. Between that, the icecream & the party buffet it doesn't sound great but that's fairly atypical & I've been eating far less often & much smaller amounts without effort than I did before. So still happy

Miso soup is the work of the devil!! I lived in Japan for 2 years and can't stand the stuff Shame, as it would be good now I'm 5:2ing!

Week 3, fast day 2 for me (so 6th day in total). Today was definitely the easiest for me so far. I still get extra hungry on the feed day immediately after a fast day though.

I've had the sore throat thing on fast days too! It can't be a dehydration thing as I drink loads of water on a fast day (I get so thirsty on fast days!).

Feed day tomorrow and I'm going to have takeaway with some friends tomorrow night (yum!).

Keep up the good work everyone!

I really really like miso soup - have drunk it for years , only i don't buy the sachets but the jars of Clearsping barley miso..! ..

Cant bear any cup a soup at all although i didnt used to mind it .. but it might have something to do with someone once giving me a mug of tea when I was out sailing once , it was in an unwashed mug which had previously had cup a soup in it... I was feeling seasick beforehand and now even the smell of cup a soup makes me feel ill ....

I admit I do chuck soy Saudi and a dab of sweet chilli sauce in to make miso more palatable. But I find it very satisfying as it is so savoury and you can chuck fish and veg intk it too.

it does seem to give me the trots though

Soy Saudi? Soy sauce

I was doing so well this evening but have just had a cup of frozen strawberries .. and not because I was feeling especially hungry either ..so that puts me nearer 600 than 500 now. I love to eat fruit straight from the freezer - especially frozen banana slices which taste uncannily like ice cream.

Just marking my place

Re. the consecutive days . . .

I read through all his Tweets and he said there is nothing wrong with doing consecutive days fasting but he preferred not to.

His article posted by GreenEggs says that should be non consecutive.

16th August

Michael Mosley ‏@DrMichaelMosley
@GailThornton the researchers do back to back days, I dont because I don't enjoy. Not sure much evidence either way.
View conversation
Reply Retweet Favorite

yep well it's in the Telegraph article I posted, but it's possible it's wrong, or is just repeating what the participants in that particular study did.

I don't like miso soup either. Would be lovely if I did!

The pizza we had today was proper pizza, not the oil-soaked crust which takeaways here seem to always make. I usually make my dough etc but didn't today. (I'm not low-carbing, obviously though I pretty much am on my fast days.)

Interesting about all these sore throats. I do get a feeling in my throat by the end of a fast day, but it's usually more the feeling that I'm missing eating something solid, if that makes sense. No pain.

Hi all, I've been reading the threads and it is really encouraging me to keep going. I am now on day 15 myself of doing this sort of diet.

Including today I have had 6 fast days so far. Mostly I am finding the fast days fine but the very first one was hard, and last Monday was hard (but I wasn't feeling well anyway so that was probably the reason). I am not doing any consecutive fast days as I like to have a day or two of normal eating between them.

I'm hoping to lose about 18lbs and have lost 3lbs so far which I am very pleased about. I can't exercise due to illness so any weightloss is purely due to diet.

The thing I really like about this is that I just tell myself on the fast days that it is only for a day and can eat what I like the next day. It is not like having months looming ahead of me of being strict. In reality I think my appetite is often less overall than it was, and I am more able to tell when I am really hungry as opposed to just a little peckish, or just feel like something to eat even if not that hungry.

My diet was fairly healthy before this (I just had a bit too much of it!) so I am not eating loads of rubbish on my normal eating days. But with this diet I feel I can occasionally treat myself to cake, or take away, or eating a bit more than normal of something nice, on my feed days without feeling like I have blown the diet and set myself back.

I started this diet to kick start some weightloss, but I am also interested in the health benefits so I think I will try to do a fast-day once a week, or every second week, once I have lost the weight.

I'm still watching the cals on the non fast days at the moment as I'm finding it tricky to know when I can manage a fast day, being off school with the kids at the moment. E.g. Today was going to be one, then we ended up out with others and at MDs for lunch. Not possible today. I've shopped today with a fast day in mind for tomorrow. If it goes well, I'm going to try and do 2 consecutive days.

I definitely find that I am not as hungry. I've dieted for the last month, and have got used to smaller portions, but hadn't managed to reduce my hunger.

After a few fasting (or even semi-fasting where I didn't eat til the evening, then had about 1000 cals), I've stopped being so hungry. I don't necessarily feel the need for something sweet to round off a meal. I don't feel as hungry as quickly. And most of all, even when I am very hungry (never light headed/headachy/sicky yet - yay) I think very carefully about what to eat. Even on non fast days I am far more likely to choose healthier meals and lighter portions.

It is a revelation! Hurrah for 5:2 even if that is the biggest outcome for me.

Just finishing my first fast day, yay. I've used MyFitnessPal to calculate the calories after seeing it recommended on here and mine come out at 468, which I don't think is too bad for a first attempt.

Really, really looking forward to eating normally tomorrow though .

Well after a massive whoop whoop last week, I seem to have regained those 2lbs I lost! I fasted Saturday, yesterday and today, but did have a blow out when I was away Sunday and Monday. Having thought about it though, it is my TOTM so I'm going to be adult about it and say its probably water retention due to me starting my period today. Otherwise, steam may start coming out of my ears!!!!!

Fasting again on Friday now.

Oh and with regards to going for a number 2

I go fine after an eating day. Don't go after a fasting day unless I've drunk lots of ginger and lemon tea. That could also explain my weight gain?

Was supposed to be fasting today, but was feeling a bit emotional, so
blew it by eating cake and chocolate . Not sure what to do now. Shall I treat tomorrow as a fast day instead?

Hi all,
I am just winding up my fourth fast day and it has been reasonable. I don't think I stuck to the calories too well, but not sure.
Got very hungry at around 8pm so had some crackers and carrot. Oh well, probably still quite a low calorie day.
Normal eating tomorrow and weigh in on Sunday, so hopefully will see some weight loss.

You could do a fast day tomorrow. Today was going to be my fast day, but it didn't work out that way, so I'm probably going to be doing it tomorrow. That is the main reason I am still keeping an eye on my cals. I'd be concerned that I'd keep shifting my fast day until I'd not had 2 in the week. If I do manage a fast day, then I do have a feed day the next day when I don't count and have something that I've been depriving myself of while on my diet. Otherwise I stick to my cals from mfp. A bit of a hybrid.

Fingers crossed I can do my fast day tomorrow. I'm helping prepare a funeral buffet and will be around food all morning. I'm planning on skipping breakfast (always do in the hols) and then have a big drink before I go. I have my meals planned so won't cave through lack of prep. If I can hold out when around food I shall feel very virtuous.

You could always weigh yourself in the morning and then decide? Don't be sad - you can be flexible and just do another day, or half day or just stick to your original plan and carry on! Don't sweat it, honestly, the flexibility here is the key to sticking to it I reckon.

Just to say, on the period thing, that was by FAR my hardest week out of the four I've done (as well as the day I was under the weather) I'm just going to try and time my fast days for that week for after the first day of my period when I feel like shovelling cake shite. But I got through and with a bit of flexibility it got easier. I do think I need to take a supplement though as I felt very anaemic and a bit light headed that week..

whoop whoop 3 lbs down! Blimey .. up early but not feeling hungry but had a banana anyway as just out on my bike .. feed day today

So had a fast day Monday & yesterday & weighed myself this am & I've PUT on a lb! Not the object if the game! Normal day today but may fast again tomorrow shall see how I feel.

Another fast day. Can I do this?

Yes you can

This week I've done Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. I'm tempted to do tomorrow as well, but I think that way madness lies.

My scales have broken so I have no idea what's going on with the weight, but I feel so much healthier - having seriously cut down on carbs and sugar, and just being forced to switch to more green veg, fish etc and drink more water - and can get more comfortably into clothes.

Fasting days are much easier to handle, and as everyone says, it's manageable because I always know that the next day I can eat more again. I've just had some porridge and fruit, and I probably won't want to eat again until mid-afternoon.

I like this system

What is the split between people primarily doing this for weight loss opposed to those doing it for health benefits?

I'm wondering because it seemed to me that this was a way to keep yourself healthy longer and any weight loss was a nice side effect.

But a lot of the comments seem to be about losing/gaining a pound or so. It is a genuine question but surely if it is going to be all about weighing yourself then it is just another fad diet?

This isn't meant to be a controversial or aggressive post so please don't read it that way. We all have different motivations for what we do and none of them are wrong. I just want to understand how this is different to, say, Weightwatchers if weight loss is the ultimate aim.

I'm doing it for both outcomes. I need to lose weight and nothing else is working atm - watched the programme and was blown away by the health benefits, so if I can lose weight as well then it's a win-win. Plus I find this system much easier to follow - I hate calorie counting.

I'm actually doing it for both. I have a lot of health problems & am on so much medication that I put on weight literally just looking at food. If I can help not having any more health issues I will. Having said that I think once I have my next medical review I'll be told I'm not allowed to do fasting but will wait & see. I definitely feel better for it.

HeartshJ it's all linked really isn't it? Higher weights are linked to diabetes, high blood pressure and some cancers etc so if you lose weight your risk of those go down. Eating, especially starchy foods uses insulin. Insulin stores fat and produces cell growth hormones. So I guess this is just giving our bodies a break from that and encouraging cell repair instead. I think we really need one of the researchers on here for a live chat.

both for me .. I've already lost a lot of weight on WW , but have stuck at around 11.7 stone for over 2 years.. but my weight is top heavy apple shape and I'm over 50 , so I would like to lose this last stone and get back to a healthy BMI

But the health outcomes are a major factor for me doing this , and i was shocked to see the horizon programme (and the hairy dieters ) about how much fat we can store around our organs . People in my family have often died from heart problems and I am a dead ringer in looks and body shape for my grandmother who had increasingly serious heart probs for the latter 30 years of her life and died of them.

I dont want that to be me..

Just cycled 8 miles (2 hills!) this morning so feeling good. I'm off for my feed day breakfast now....spinach, mushroom and coriander and cheese omelette YUM! .. but i dont intend to go over my 800 basal rate today if I can help it , have healthy choices planned ..

Morning all.
Fast day for me today. I forgot to eat the big bag of malteasers I bought yesterday so today's gonna be tough knowing they're there.

Off to the park today, and later tonight i have lots of ironing to do and then plan to paint my nails and get an early night.

Off to catch up with thread now.

Have a good day, and good luck to all thursday fasters

Laska, that's a great incentive. I'm healthy and fit but too fat and now is the time to do something about it.
This is another fast day for me and then I leave for two weeks on the beach tomorrow - woohoo! I need to find out how many calories there are in calamari and greek salad...

Fast day for me today, just had a coffee with milk and will be drinking gallons of water.

Both for me too. I am overweight by quite a lot and now I'm middle aged, my health is beginning to suffer more. I also had a grandmother with heart problems.

But the thing is, many of us who are overweight (but not all) have food issues anyway. My 'control' over what I eat is pretty poor - I know the theory, and I try to eat healthily most of the time, but somehow my brain intervenes and I stuff myself with junk. My take on this way of eating is to be realistic. I've also tried just cutting down, exercising more, WW (twice), SW once, and most recently low carbing. Every bit of weight I've lost I have put back on because I can't control myself when I start eating normally again. So I needed something that allowed me to exercise control as a normal way of eating, still see food as a 'treat' and banning no food groups, but also lose weight. This seems to be it, so far as it is sustainable for me. In the research done by Michelle Jarvie, this seems to be a major factor so that people are able to stick to this regime for long periods of time.

I am, I must admit, still a bit sceptical about the science behind the other health benefits just now, but am prepared to be convinced and am hoping someone is carrying out large-scale trials somewhere. I read somewhere that having too little IGF-1 is also a health risk so I just don't think we know. But based on Mosley's programme, anecdotally and based on the small studies there, it was persuasive.

The bottom line for me is I can see myself doing this consistently for a year, two years or more, which is what I need to do. That IN ITSELF is a health benefit because if I don't shift 3-4 stone, then I'm already unhealthy...

On normal day here. Tried to have toast for breakie but only managed under half a slice as it tasted doughy. Dh didn't like his either. It seems that our tastes are changing. I am also not reaching for chocolate and didn't enjoy my milky coffee.
I did like my onken fat free yoghurt tho

I find it easier to diet in short bits.
I did a day on Tuesday - mostly yogurt and berries.
I also find that if I don;t eat in the morning then I'm not really hungry later in the day. It's always been like thins though, for me. Funny.
Anyway, this fits my way of eating so I think I'll follow and see what happens.

LBY I have envy coming out of every pore.. had my Greek holiday in June and it will be another year before the next. But have a great time!.

If you are thinking of still doing some of this whilst you are away , I'd go for things like stuffed vegetables , Gigantes or Greek salads with only half the feta on your down day and try to limit the oil if you can , or just grilled fish and salad. But enjoy the up days! Calamari, Greek yoghurt, spinach and feta pie, grilled lamb chops - yum ! (oops sorry, you down day-ers reading this .. ill get my coat )

Wilfsell what I find interesting is that after so long on WW is that I don't know the calories of anything..(of course this is how they tie you in) For example on WW all fruit is 'free' but i've been shocked to find out just how many calories i've been packing away in fruit.. no wonder I wasnt losing weight .
The other thing i've found interesting is how to make sure that what I eat on my down days is balanced using MFP and that I'm getting the most good nutrition for my limited 500 cal option. Quite a revelation .

I already feel so much more in control over my eating choices.. now i just need to limit the wine (and stop having that occasional ciggie at social events).

I never said I was good.....

Fast day for me again today feel so miserable at the prospect. Didn't help that I weighed myself this morning and all the 3lb loss has gone although my clothes fit a bit better and my stomach is flat. I'm doing this for health benefits too but want to lose at least half a stone ideally a stone.

Hi Laska, I intend to do it while I'm away. There's quite a lot of food that's good for it in Greece, just as you say avoiding so much of the oil and the bread they serve with every meal - so nice for diping in oil & vinegar.... <sigh>

I think the things I'm not comfortable with include calorie counting versus just listening to your body and letting it lead you.

On my fast day if I felt hungry I would have a couple of nuts rather than force myself onwards just to stay under 500 calories.

Then there is weighing yourself and feeling happy/sad depending on if you are up or down a couple of pounds.

Things like that shriek fad diet to me, not a holistic approach to health and well-being. If this is a way to be healthy, which it is for me, then the benefit of it is is long-term and not to fit in a pair of jeans for Christmas for example.

I feel that things like WW are responsible for people losing touch with their body and feeling they can control it rather than nourish and love it and listen to it.

It actually makes me feel quite sad to read that people feel deprived on fast days and that eating days are a reward with chocolate or whatever. Chocolate is not "bad" but binge eating it is. Cramming down huge quantities of vegetables is not "good" and it is this element of force which makes me think diet not health.

And now I've read that through I realise it sounds judgy and sanctimonious which is genuinely not what I intend. I wouldn't want to offend anyone and the examples I've used are not meant to point the finger in anyway.

Actually HeartsJ it does sound judgy.
Many overweight people struggle with the very thing you think they should do. One is not necessarily healtier than the other. Many slim people struggle with blood sugar control. Anything that makes people really think about what they're eating (as you do when you only have a finite amount of calories to play with) is good.

HeartsJandJ well, as this topic is in the weight loss forum, you'll see more posts skewed towards the weight loss effect of this diet. The weight loss is also something we can all measure for ourselves. I can't readily check my own blood levels etc.

I have noticed I have more energy in the mornings. For whatever that is worth.

The differences to WW, assuming weight loss is your aim, as I see them (since you asked): 1) I don't have to pay to sign up to this diet. 2) I can plan my calorie-restricted days and eat normally other days. This could mean having more than one glass of wine, or whatever floats my boat that day. For me, personally, the strict day/ casual day thing works better.

I was doing calorie-restriction daily and not seeing any results before this. I am seeing results now. Am I going to do this forever? I don't know. I could see me maintaining the diet for health reasons at the 5:2 level. At the moment I'm closer to ADF. I'm using this to get motivated to lose more weight. I need the results (which I'm getting) to motivate me to stick with it.

I don't see it as any more faddy than low-carb, for example. I know low-carb works, but I also know my own limitations and I personally would not be able to stick with it as a lifestyle change.

(btw I know you're just asking the question, I'm just answering. I'm not taking your post as controversial or anything. It's a reasonable question to ask!)

I'm also typing this with a toddler saying "WHATS THAT WORD WHATS THAT WORD" at my elbow so I think I need to go for now. Off to the playground. It's a fast day, so I've just had water so far. Looking forward to a cup of coffee when I'm home!

oh actually, I was responding to your original post. Yes, your new post sounds judgy. Shall leave it at that, the playground beckons for now.

LBY - I really don't think anyone should "do" anything and although I realise it did sound judgy I just didn't know how to phrase it otherwise to not do so. But once again I didn't mean it that way and I wouldn't want to hurt or put anyone off.

GreenEggs - thank you for taking the time to respond and explain.

heartsJandJ I think you are making a reasonable point but of course we all have different motivations but sadly I do really need to focus on the method to succeed whether its counting calories, points or whatever..Listening to my body is a bit like listening to a naughty fairy..

I'm a hedonist and I'm not going to change now (been one for far too long). but on this I can be !

But like DR M . I love life and I want to keep doing so for as long as I can ....

Good luck on your journey also .. the great thing is that what ever our motivation we support each other .. (sorry if that sounds judgy ..not meant to be )

For me it's definately a health thing. Long term health that is. I look forward to fast days, as I actually feel better on them. I sleep better too. Dp is noticing health benefits too. I am in a healthy weight and bmi range, but I think if people can gain both from it(health and weight loss), then their motivations are no less valid than someone doing it for just health reasons.

Feed day today. Will try not to be too bad, but we have a birthday in the office and taking my Italian boss for dinner tonight.
Will fast again tomorrow, day 3 this week. Also going out for dinner on Saturday night with DH for our anniversary, so will be consuming a few too many calories, although its a V. posh Spa Hotel place so delicious food, but thankfully small portions.

both motivations for me as well - my BMI is 23.3, within the normal range, but I am at "increased" risk of health problems because of my waist size i.e. body fat. Since redundancy & menopause I have found I've gained weight around my middle and my shape has changed, so I want to tackle that and at the same time tackle the other risks which fasting seems to address.

I don't do faddy diets, never done WW or Atkins etc, just tried to eat sensibly based on the latest research and eat less. Over the last few years that simply has not worked, this is. I'm a scientist and have read some of the papers this is based on - the sample sizes were small in the human trials, but there was enough of an effect for it to be statistically significant so it's worth trying IMO. My uncle, who's a retired GP, has been doing a version of this for about 15 yrs and is probably a tad smug right now. He just eats in the evenings, one good meal a day.

Yes, I agree laska - some of us listened to our bodies and ended up fat! I think if you don't already have a habit of making sensible choices, it is difficult to impose 'from within' and you (by which I mean I of course) need some regime of external control that is simple and easy to apply. This fits that bill.

But I do agree with hearts on not being obsessive about it either, that way lies madness too.

Fast day for me and this one I was worried about because I've got a really long day at work today. 8am to 11pm. But so far not feeling too bad at all. I'm trying for the first time to have a 500 cal meal in the middle of the day and I'm not feeling hungry at all. So far I've had a pint of sparkling water with lemon and a cup of tea. I hope I don't get another banging headache this time, as I've still got an hour long drive home after my marathon shift.

I find I do much better during busy work days. Less time to think about my tummy. Can't stop my tummy rumbling today though!

This second fasting day is soooooooooo much easier than the first (so far). Feeling hungry in waves but not exhausted, light headed, irritable, headachy (yet). About to have a green salad and a boiled eggand miso soup for lunch then veg soup for dinner. does that sound ok? what are the rest of you having on fast days?

Lunch today will be an Innocent veg pot, a banana, and a couple of my Graze box snacks... There will be no dinner <weeps>

I'm actually not feeling that hungry yet, I'm wondering if it's better to wait until I'm ravenous because the thought of going from 1pm to midnight when I get home and get to bed isn't pleasant!

I am about to have a miso soup and then tonight will have smoked salmon skinny omelette with lots of salad.

Back from the playground! It's a fast day so suspect I'll be around here a bit.

I think one of the problems is that one person's sensible portion (without weighing or counting or all these things) will vary from another person's sensible portion. And unfortunately, there are certain foods I just can't have in my house because once the package is open, I will eat the entire thing gradually over the course of a day or two. Nuts are one of those things. Crisps as well. Biscuits and sweets are generally safe, if I have a biscuit or whatever I can limit myself to one. We all have our weaknesses.

I find limiting myself to veg and other plain foods on fast days to be much easier than having a very small portion of something I will just want to eat a whole lot more of.

I've never followed a fad diet or even an eating plan like WW etc. I have struggled with my weight but was able to lose a lot in my early 20s and keep it off. I ate sensibly for myself, usually watching fat, portions, etc and worked out regularly. However, since having my son (put on 30lbs during pregnancy, then a bit more after. Hadn't gone crazy with eating but well, it's a long story really!) I've found my previous ways of keeping track of my weight haven't worked as well.

So I'm happy to try this. The health benefits are a good bonus. I also don't want to end up needing knee replacement surgery etc, things my larger friends have all needed, some in their 40s. I'm aware that I'm not getting any younger, and continuing to walk around being overweight isn't doing my body any favours.

Anyway, it's a fast day. I'm having my first cup of coffee, with a bit of milk. Have just had water before now.

thinkfast That sounds good to me. I have some vegetable soup I will have later. I'm trying to limit even more than usual because I've got to go to a friend's house this evening, and it will be quite odd if I don't have a drink. So I need to have 2-300 calories left for the evening. No dinner, I think. Should be interesting.

I just want to be thin

<shallow>

I want to be thin and healthy.
<<greedy>>

<I think the things I'm not comfortable with include calorie counting versus just listening to your body and letting it lead you.>

The problem is for overweight people listening to their body doesn't necessarily work, especially if your body is giving out confusing or "incorrect" signals (e.g. cravings for something through more of an addiction than physical need).

I saw a programme looking at why slim people might be slim, and about how people experience hunger. They looked at some of the science behind it and as far as I can remember a lot of overweight people experience more hunger than slimmer people (I think it was a hormone or something they tested, I cannot quite remember at this stage). So if they just listen to their bodies, and respond to hunger signals, they might not lose weight.

I think types of food eaten can influence hunger as well. For example I think I saw in the documentary "The men that made us fat" that High-fructose Corn-syrup can interfere with some bodily signal that tells us we are full.

One thing I have found so far with this 5:2 "diet" is that I think it will give me a better idea of when I am truly hungry not just a bit peckish, or just fancy something, so I can make more informed choices every day.

I can see it will also give me a better idea of what calories are in what foods over time, but without feeling the limitation and annoyance at having to count calories and weigh things every day. It also means I can go out to eat, or visit someone and eat with them, without needing any special foods or worrying about calories.

And I think it might be slightly altering my tastes as well as now sweet things taste sweeter so I am eating less of them, or feel satisfied by a piece of fruit instead of a biscuit. I don't know whether that will last or not.

Before this I had managed to lose 2 stone by changing my diet and reducing portions (and I had also partly put up weight due to medication, but I switched to a similar medication that didn't have the weight-gain side effect for me). But I wanted to lose just over another stone but basically got stuck where I was for over a year. I would lose a little and put it up. I seem to put up weight very easily. My diet was very healthy, and fairly small portions, but as I have a mobility problem I was not moving very much so I found it hard to lose weight. I was sort of dreading having to start more strictly calorie counting every day and feeling hungry a lot of the time to lose the last stone, which I would probably only lose very gradually if I managed to stick at it.

Bizarrely on the 5:2 I feel a lot less deprived and less hungry overall than I would on a daily calorie restricted diet. It doesn't even really feel like a diet in the traditional sense.

I think people are focusing on the weight as well as someone else pointed out it is something we can measure ourselves at home. I am going to be getting some basic blood tests in a few months so it will be interesting to see if there is any change to them, but I would love to do the more "fancy" tests the doctor did on the programme.

For me, its both as well really. My BMI is 28/29 so in the overweight category. Im only 29 so I fear if I don't take care of this issue now it will only get worse.
My family has a history of health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and my grandmother recently died of stage 4 cancer. So i figure by sorting out issues of weight first, I will hopefully be sorting out any other health issues before they arise.

With regards to my period, I'm glad its an eating day today as my stomach is in knots, and I feel like crap!

Have fun everybody!

Fasting today, decided to skip breakfast again, since it didn't kill me last time.
Found myself really productive, cleaning up, doing laundry etc.
Even solved a big financial annoyance (DH being sloppy at paying his bills), took charge and paid them, if he jumps at me, I'll blame it on fasting!

Saw this and thought of you ladies. A recipe we can all indulge in. Tis funny on its own, but the brilliance comes in the review section. Especially if you're familiar with typical online reviews of recipes...

Haha! Love it!

Love it GreenEggs... I'm a terrible cook so a recipe like that is always useful to have around

ha ha! greeneggs

Well had a fast day today. was a bit naughty and had a burger in McDonald's after taking the dds to buy school uniform. It was only 250 cals though.

Still fasting. Have just had the coffee earlier, otherwise just water. I've kept busy with other things and honestly haven't felt hungry. This is a big change from my first fast day; it's gotten easier with every one. (Today is my 4th fast day, btw)

I'm going to have a cup of soup or something in a little while. I'm saving my calories for this evening. As I mentioned above, a friend is having people over, so I want to make sure I can have a glass of wine with everyone else.

Anyone else had trouble eating much on a food day?
I've just found i cant finish my dinner . turkey and stirfry .. its just too much .. I had a snack planned for later also but dont think ill be eating it
Didnt eat much lunch either ...just some lettuce cottage cheese and ham.. This is not like me ....
I've decided to do a sort of 5: 2.5 this week as its bank hol and theres bound to be more food and drink around than usual .. will fast from bedtime until dinner tomorrow if i can ..

Laska42, Same here, decided to treat myself to some chocolate raisins yesterday evening, but my heart wasn't really in eating them. Ate them all, but with not as much enjoyment as before...

I wish Laska, I spent the last couple of days absolutely ravenous. Completely unable to fill myself up! Mind you, I was busy busy busy all day yesterday and on my feet for about 10 hours, so that might have had something to do with it.

could be.. ive been stuck in front of the computer all day writing a report ( or not as it turns out - more timewasting than i should be hence being here again ) and will most of the evening and all day tomorrow the rate im going.. , but was out on my bike this morning.. ..

just not hungry though .. but have only had about 1000 calories today

I'm definitely less hungry on my second fast day today, don't know if that's because I had all my calories in one meal. I went a tad over; 577. Oops! Still, no headache today which is a huge bonus.

Is sugar free chewing gum allowed on this diet? Or sugar free sweets (I'm completely addicted to Lemon and Mint Ricola!)?

I have failed again.
By lunch time I was starving so had a chicken wrap and some fruit. Used up most of my calories.
Got home from the park at 5 and was drawn straight to the cupboard where there was a big pack of malteasers.
A big pack. Gone. That's over 2000 calories.
All I have to do is one day at a time. One day of not eating. Why can't I do it?

I think I need to look into lower calorie food so I can split it up better. One meal will not work for me

For my fast day today (7th) I had a small salmon filett, rice and some broccoli in garlic sauce. God it was gorgeous. I found the recipe for the broccoli on skinny chef, definitely worth making, although not skimpy on the calories with using different oils etc. maybe one to try on an eating day, then you can eat all of it to yourself, it really is nice! A full portion is about 450 calls and supposed to feed 2-4 as an accompaniment. So not BAD but not as good as plain broccoli. Had that about 2pm and that's going to last until breakfast.I definitely find one decent meal a day works best for me.

I, picked up my dress today from the seamstress that was altering the style for me. I didn't zip together at the back by at least an inch when I took it in a few weeks ago. Fit like a glove today, so pleased I'll be able to wear out for the wedding next weekend.

Think I'm due on my period any day (not regular) as I've had a few spots appear today. It will be interesting to see how this affects how my body feels on fast days. So far each day just gets easier.

Super Green Soup from M&S is great - 1/2 carton is 110 cals and mini sub rolls are only 60 cals which makes for a good lunch if you're splitting cals on a fast day.

I've just had a seafood selection from M&S too - a pack is 105 cals and I had some salad with it.

You can tell I work near an M&S!

Is everyone splitting their cals up on a fast day? Sorry if I'm being lazy and not reading back on the thread, but I thought the idea was to have one meal between 12 and 2pm?

I think they majority of us seem to split our calories up

Had a bad feed day today, which started with peanut butter on toast, followed by houmous salad roll for lunch, three Jaffa cakes then three oatcakes with houmous, then 1slice toast with beans and have just had a bowl of muesli and a bit of DPs pasta. Saving grace is that I walked quite a few miles today.

Think I will have another fast day tomorrow and start with porridge which seems to fill me up very well.

Does that not defeat the purpose of fasting then? From what I could tell reading the studies and watching the Horizon programme the idea was to limit food intake to one time so your insulin levels only rise once during the fast. Sorry if I'm completely wrong. I'd quite like to have left myself something to eat this evening <sulks>

SilveryMoon, I did exactly the same yesterday, so have fasted again today.

I think it is better if you just have one meal a day, but Robert Mosely on the horizon programme split his up and I think it still has health benefits.

I have done 2 fast days now with DH and they were not too bad so we are going to try the 4.3 plan for a couple of weeks with a view o dropping back to 5.2 if we struggle. We watched the horizon programme on you tube and it was interesting although it did raise some questions. It wasn't that clear to me if you are meant to spread the calories or not so for now we are. It was also suggested that high protein was not ideal but the programme didn't go on to explain this further. I would also like to know the sample size for adf and if the results have been replicated. That said, i am happy to give it a go.

My eating pattern is to have large cuppa with milk and half teaspoon of sugar first thing. For lunch i have had salad with protein like prawns or duck ready made so i can't have extra. About 150 cals. Dinner has been stir fry turkey and veg with tiny bit of sweet chilli sauce for about 250. Through the day i have tea with no sugar, diet coke, no sugar squash or the odd tic tac at 2 cals each! Have enjoyed my feed day today a bit too much... Peanut butter on toast, crisps, olives stuffed with olives, few Thornton chocs in addition to meals!

Marking my place - I did my first fast day today - small banana for breakfast, Sainsbury's lentil & tom soup for lunch & dinner, with half a wholemeal bread roll with each. Peach for pud. A bit over 500 cals I think, but I really couldn't contemplate going without breakfast!

Looking forward to food tomorrow!

I know this sounds pathetic, but I really don't like salad or vegetables or soup or anything really.
I have always been a fussy ester which is prob why I have such issues.
Need to do something though and break this pattern of eating crap

As if we needed more incentive. But read this
www.genesisuk.org/media-centre/articles/The%20Intermittent%20diet%20.html

Very interesting cunning.

My next fast day won't be till Sunday as I've got a birthday to go to tomorrow and then off to Newmarket races on Saturday. I want to lose this weight though ideally before Xmas. :s

And silvery moon... I'm so glad u said that! I don't mind soup but salads and vegetables I will quite happily not eat! Always feel like a bad parent when I say that cos inevitably I get the 'well how about setting a good example to the kids' question.

Yes suja. My ds's eat veg. I just can't. They don't seem too bothered that I don't eat it though

Yes the Genesis way of fasting was my original inspiration. I do still follow some of their general rules, like just having one piece of fruit per fast day. They are quite specific about having a lot of milk, or yogurt as a substitute, and I think I could do that. Also you can have that throughout the day.

Have finished my fast day, I might even be under calories. I saved up everything for the evening, had a small bowl of veg before going out, then didn't even finish the second glass of wine. This day was very easy, certainly compared with my first fast day. My friends ate (this was not ideal btw, I'd planned my eating day as yesterday so I could join them, but we changed plans at the last minute. I'm stubborn though and didn't want to give up the fast day ) and I had a small amount of wine. I'm pleased.

And I want to say I'm looking forward to food tomorrow but I am, for the first time, not actually chomping at the bit. I'm sure I'll have something nice, but I'm not as focused on it as I have been on previous fast days. It's all very interesting.

I can't comment about whether or not you should break calories up over the fast day. I think it's best to try to leave a long break at some point, either the first half or second half of the day, but I think the important thing is to get yourself able to complete a fast day and then work from there.

I personally think I wouldn't be able to have food in the middle of the day then not eat anything else. Today I had the veg around 5pm and that felt right. I probably won't eat again until lunch tomorrow, going by the eating pattern I've had this week.

Thanks for the link cunning. The milk days on that diet sound really quite good. Much more than I'm currently eating on my fast days.

Hi all,
it was an normal eating day for me today. I did feel a bit tired, but had a late night, so not sure if I can blame yesterday's fast day! Can't say it is making me feel especially healthy doing the fasting, but hopefully I will lose the weight I haven't been able to shift through this.
Had two bowls of cocoa pops for breakfast, felt sick! Surprise!
Seem to always want seconds of cereal the day after fasting.
Other than that had a very boring day of meetings all day and struggled to stay alert, and had a peculiar buffet for lunch, tiny bit of pizza, tiny bit of quiche. coleslaw, bread and butter and some fruit.
Then later a scone and cuppa then much later a bit of homemade casserole and a chocolate bar Dp bought me last night, felt sick again.
Also a couple of biscuits at around 6:30 with a cuppa.
I definitely think I was eating more than usual and feeling a bit spaced-out, but hopefully I will go back to normal eating tomorrow.
About to hop on exercise bike for 20 mins pedalling - I'm a night owl! )

Silverymoon you could try some vegetarian Indian food if you don't like straight veg. If you make it yourself you can control the oil.
Alternatively, you could always eat fruit instead, but watch out for the sugar. I can eat one orange for 62 cals or 100 grammes of carrots (about 4 small/medium carrots) for 42, so a lot more bulk in the carrots for fewer calories.

I started on the Genesis diet too but have cut down the milk to 1 pint a day but I do eat only vegetables and 1 piece of fruit as advised their. Occasionally a tiny bit of other protein. I think 2 pints of milk is prob too much in calories for me and later research seems to suggest it was the calorie restriction that matters... in any case milk is good for us perimenopausal types I think? But I certainly use milky drinks as a way to stave off other cravings along with a bit of truvia sweetener. Really helps me not scoff all the junk the kids have around in the holidays...

Hmm. I can do carrots. And cucumber, tomatoes.
Will need to look into what fruit has the least sugar.
I'd try another fast day today but am going for drinks tonight. Not strong enough to drink water and not wine in a pub

Morning everyone. feed day for me today. Little boy been up since 6, trying to make him go back to sleep now but he doesn't appear to be relenting!
I've got so much food in the house to make some lovely recipes, might do some cooking tonight when dh at work and ds in bed. Anyone else do much cooking from scratch and have any recipes to share? I don't usually cook from scratch very often but finding that i can get more food for my calories if made at home, plus very satisfying when it's all done.

Has anyone had bloodworm done? I am tempted to ask my gp if they can do it just to see. Though a comparison would be hard now as my third fast week is now over.

Blood workbloody iPhone

well yesterdays feed day was strange as I couldnt finish my dinner , but i think i was just trying to eat too much in one meal ..so wondering if fast days have started getting me me used to smaller portions i did have a small snack later in but only made 1200 calorie the whole day ..

I'm having a 'half fast' today -will eat a dinner tonight as Dh home for the weekend - he works away all week which does make it easier to follow this weekdays. I know there will be lots of bank holiday food and wine around and so my next day fast cant be until tuesday now.

Good luck all those fasting today .. i'm definately feeling not only a bit lighter but full of energy too! id like to keep off hte 3 lbs ive lost this week if I can overthe weekend .

How did Michael Mosely manage to lose a stone in 5 weeks? I have done three weeks now and lost three and a half pounds...

Man metabolism I'm guessing!
My DH has lost about 5-6lbs in 2 weeks and he's pretty slim anyway! Grrr!

I started off on genesis diet also but find the 5:2 much easier to follow. I've not lost a single lb this week but have lost 9lb overall so not bad. Only another 4 stone to go!

Some links have mentioned that men have more success with this diet, due to physiology. During one of my googling sessions for Intermittent Fasting or ADF, I stumbled across several male fitness sites which were espousing the diet for use in combination with weightlifting.

As a diet, it does work for females (the results of the Chicago group, for example; that was a mixed group of males and females) and the Genesis diet results are similar as well. But I think, as females, we generally won't see quite the drastic losses Dr Mosley did. (There are always exceptions and I've read of many success stories from women)

If you find you aren't having much success, you might want to try to change up how/when/what you are eating. I've stuck loosely to the Genesis diet in the sense that I just have one fruit and some veg on my fasting days. I've eaten poorly on my eating days but I've gotten better. I think my first few I had convinced myself I was ravenous or something. However, I suspect we shouldn't be eating too low calorie on the eating days, if you know what I mean. If you just look at it from a caloric intake point of view, if you eat 500 cals one day, and 2000 the next, you're averaging 1250 per day. Which is good. (Higher average depending on your ratio of eating to fasting days ofc) But if you're ADF and you're eating 500 cals one day, and 1200 on a feed day, then your average per day is 850 and your metabolism might very well slow down from that. (Again, this won't be as drastic if you are 5:2, but your average cal per day will still be low)

I'm willing to give it a good go. At the moment, even if I stayed even I'd be happy, because this actually allows me days where I'm not worrying over the fat/caloric content of otherwise healthy foods. My fast day yesterday was the easiest yet, and I practically sprang out of bed this morning compared with my usual hiding under the duvet until I really have to get up. Something must be up.

My dp has lost half a stone in 2 weeks. So she is on target for a stone. I have lost half that amount but dp does have weight to loose. I don't have to much to loose. It's really working for her...but she does two mad martial arts sessions a week which helps too.

rachelblythe I have found myself planning more home cooking in advance now that I have fast days. I've done a bit of bread baking this week, focaccia last week. I made Chinese ginger chicken dumplings this week. Wonky, but tasted nice. I assume they were low in fat and calories, actually, because I just used minced turkey (er okay I couldn't find minced chicken ) herbs and veg in the fillings, and they were boiled. I wouldn't have them on a fast day or anything but it was nice.

What sort of food do you like? I wonder if we should do a different thread for recipes, not sure if I want to drive all the fasters away with talk of food.

TheCunningStunt wow well done her! Yes, I think those of us with more to lose (like myself) will post bigger losses than those of you trying to lose those last few pounds.

Hi everyone! Am on Day 1 of my first fast day ever and looking forward to feeling good and losing weight. Haven't told DH about this yet as he is somewhat sceptical about what he calls fad diets so will wait for the results to speak for themselves!

Welcome 2012fan I haven't told DH either, but I know he does a modified version of this naturally so he probably won't think it's too odd when I finally do tell him.

Good luck today!

greeneggs I think you are right about not restricting calories too much on a feed day ,i definately didnt eat enough yesterday as I simply wasnt hungrty and couldnt manage it ....so unlike me. ( and manged only 1190 on a feed day! ).

I have modified my 'semi-fast day' today as a result so as not to put myself in a starvation mode Just had an omlette (where i wasnt going to have breakfast today, ) ill just miss out lunch and have a normal dinner this evening now .

Its really annoying that many women (like me!) seem to struggle to lose compared to men (like my DH!) but thent hats just how we are made it seems.. Shame that when were done with reproducing (postmenopause ) our physiology doesnt go to more like men's though !

.. in fact my DH (who the same height and thinner than me) struggles to keep weight on.. GRRRRR....

.. I think that should be a good grounds for divorce .. (and for me getting the lot!!)

I am on target for a stone in 5weeks I think. Lost 8lbs in 2 weeks. I am bf though, so that is helping probably. I put on 4 stone in pregnancy, (size 8 to size 20ish!) and I think the idea in that biologically is so that it is then used up for suppling you with the energy etc for bf. I know some people say you need to eat extra while bf, but surely that only applies if you don't have plenty of fat stores you want to use instead!

Third and final fast day of the week for me today on my 4:3. I overdid the minstrels slightly yesterday, when i accidently bought a family sized bag! But was otherwise good, lots of salad!

For me this diet is mostly about losing weight as quickly as possible, as I am really unhappy this size and it feels bad and uncomfortable. Extra health benefits are a bonus though. I don't care if that makes it a fad diet in some people's eyes, my motivation doesn't have to suit anyone but me. :-)

Yesterdays feed day went fairly well.

I had a cereal bar for brekkie & an apple (160 cals)
Then prawn salad for lunch. - Say 350 cals
A Krispy Kreme doughnut - just glazed ring - 275 cals
Went out with work for dinner - had half portion of calamari and salad without dressing. A chicken caesar salad for main, with 5 chips and half a piece of garlic bread, we always share sides. Then Honeycomb icecream with an espresso over the top - Yummy. No idea how many calories, but was very full and I don't think I was too unhealthy. I know in the past I would have done for something stodgy.

Today is my third fast day this week. Will fas again on Monday next week. Am going with DH to a spa hotel for a couple of days (its our 20th anniversary) so will not calorie count at all and might even have a glass of wine!

good luck to all fasters today.

According to my admittedly rubbish scales I think I've lost 5lbs this week. It's first week so I don't expect it to continue along those lines.

Hello everyone! I am a newbie on here. I've started the ADF diet last Monday and have managed to loose 4lbs but nothing this week ..... I'm just wondering whether I'm doing this diet correctly?

I only drink water on my 'Fast' days & I Usually fast from 7pm one day (after dinner) to 7pm the next day, which means I am able to have dinner everyday:-)

RightBuggerForIt I agree entirely. I'm not too worried about how faddy other people may think it is, if it works, who cares.

Solar I have no idea if that works long term or not. "Fast" days aren't really fasting, you're meant to have 500ish calories on those days. I would think you could have dinner on those days if you were saving your calories all for dinner time. A lot of people are doing slight variations here, and only those who've been doing it a few weeks can really say what works for them, beyond that initial first week weight loss.

Laska grounds for divorce, indeed

Greeneggs, hasn't your dh noticed you not eating anything for 2 days a week?! Mine keeps trying to feed me on fast days! I've explained the diet but once i've had all my calories he tends to keep offering me stuff (snacks, small bit of dinner etc) and saying stuff like 'you have to eat something', 'just have a little bit'. I think he thinks I'm going to waste away - hahaha, fat chance!

had our weigh in last night, as we're away this weekend (weighing alternate Sundays generally)

I have lost 3lb in the last 11 days, making it 5lbs altogether in 3 weeks (Wii fit then grumbled that I might be losing weight too fast - I will NOT be lectured by a chuffing computer )

DH is very cross, has lost less than one lb in the last 11 days. But, he lost 5lbs in the first week, and we went out for a meal on Wednesday night, and he had cleared his plate, including a dollop of chips.
He is also reducing some medication he has been taking for a long time, and I suspect that chemical change in his body might be affecting the way his body reacts to intermittent fasting. I pointed out that he hasn't gained any, be positive.

Up to this week we had been having 2 consecutive fasting days, but after reading the article in the Telegraph last week, have changed it this week to Tues and thurs.

All in all, well pleased.

Right lol yes well, mine does a bit of this sort of thing himself. If he eats too much one day he compensates the next day. It helps that we don't really have dinner together on weekdays anyway. My fast days are Tues Thurs and Sat. I think since he sees me eating normally, especially on Sunday when we go out, that he isn't worried.

I'll let him in on it in a little while, if it seems like something I'll be doing long-term. I hate to "announce" a diet, though, then decide to stop it.

You've done really well though. I shall be keeping you as inspiration.

GreenEggs Thanks! I think I will start eating the 500 cals on my Fasting days ......

Greeneggs, i like all sorts of food, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Italian, but don't usually ever cook any of this type of food, it's seemed too complicated in the past, but finding making different foods really therapeutic. I like the sound of the focaccia breads, do you have a special bread maker?

Hi, just checking in, fast day for me and just having a mushroom cup a soup and a ryvita (95 cals). Definitely leaving it as late as possible works best for me. I've made up some sugar-free jelly for tonight later, Friday night treat haha!! Have a good day everyone

First ever fast day yesterday for me, thought I would struggle not having my usual gin and tonic or 3, but that didn't bother me a bit...but if I wasn't vegetarian i would have knawed my own hand off and barbequed it I was so hungry. It was only reading on this thread that it gets easier that kept me going, that and the thought of all the stuff I would eat as soon as my head rose from the pillow!

But, wasn't hungry this morning...didn't have anything till about 12, couple of crackers and cheese. Usually have jacket spud and salad with my mil friday lunch, put ususal amount on my plate and could barely manage half!!!

Got my dh to take note of all my stats on the weighing machine yesterday, as I don't want to know how much I weigh now, or what I'll weigh in a months time when I check again (previous eating disorder sufferer) but would like to be able to visualise the actual amount I've lost (bags of sugar, blocks of lard, etc) and how my % body fat has changed etc.

Great thread, lots of inspiration, thanks ladies!

Oh god, I just braved The Shop of The Death of The Soul (yes, IKEA) on a partial fast day. I got over the 'oooh yes I NEEEEEED one of those' stage and went straight to the 'I'm ready to napalm every living being within 2 miles of me' stage MUCH quicker than normal. Even DH, who likes to share the load of screaming in IKEA normally, was saying to me 'tell you what, I'll just take them to the kids' section and you can browse. Quietly. On your own.' while shooing my crying children away.

If I'd planned ahead, I'd have taken an apple with me. As it was, Warrington, I'm sorry...

Along with the odd bowels, that IS one of the side effects isn't it?

rachel I don't have a bread maker. I do often use the dough hook attachment for my mixer though, unless the dough really needs kneading. (I'm not naturally the sort of person who enjoys kneading, though I know a lot of people do!) And foccacia is often a bit more wet than a bread dough, so it's easy to make with a mixer and dough hook. I used Paul Hollywood's recipe (have made both his normal and his sourdough/lemon/rosemary version), here is the basic one. I have his book and am slowly baking my way through it.

Will IKEA is tough on any day!

For my own if looks could kill moment: DH today ate half the piece of cake I was carefully saving for today. A friend made it and I was really looking forward to it. A cupboard full of biscuits and chocolate and THAT is what he needed to tuck into! grr.

yes Wilfsell the trouble is I do that in places like lovely ,calm , genteel, John Lewis .. even on a normal day ... (but i put it down to menopause.. or just the wish to blast everyone down who isnt me or mine with an AK47..)

Yay, I'm an inspiration!

Dh said today that you can really see in my face that I've lost weight. And he was planning to get an Indian tonight, but obviously since it's my fast day we're gonna do that tomorrow instead. Veg curry for me I think. Yum. :-)

I am getting Ikea out of my system with a big glass of wine and some Graddfil & Lok Potatischips

Love 5:2...

Just checking in, I did my third day yesterday but found it harder than the others, just to buck the trend. But I saw it through. Thanks for all the links.

I lost 1lb this week as weigh in day today (when I'd weighed myself yesterday it was a gain of 2lb but that was post chips ). Today was a fast day. Next week I may do Monday, Wednesday and Friday as a 4:3 but not sure. The 5:2 works better in terms of dh and family meals. With the 5:2 are you meant to lose weight every week. <getting obsessed>

Checking in again. After a half stone drop the first week, I haven't lost anything this week... however, last week I couldn't see where the weight had come off, but this week my clothes feel looser and my face looks 'tighter', so something seems to be happening.

Finish my holiday today and just hope I can keep this up at home (where all the bad habits are - it somehow seems easier to change things while on holiday).

Hi all,
just another 'normal' day. Went quite well until after dinner when I suddenly had to eat two big bowls of cocoa pops. Luckily the box is now empty so that's and end to it!!!!

Wilselfl I understand - IKEA is hell! It's just the whole 'follow the arrows around, like a seaside donkey plodding along' thing and the furniture that falls to bits. What are the 'funny' bowels? I'm not sure I have experienced that yet? The joys of fasting!

Bunt I have no idea about losing weight and how it is supposed to work. Michael wotshisface on Horizon did lose weight, but he was focussing more on the blood sugar levels (or something - confused face) so it seemed a side-issue. The consensus seems to be that 1lb a week is reasonable to expect. I think? What weight are you aiming for?
I'm hoping to lose about a stone.

It just dawned on me that I will be fasting on Sunday and it's Saturday tomorrow!!! (music from Psycho shower scene plays) Hopefully, it will just get easier and easier!! Wah!
I am managing to do a bit of pedalling on my normal days and not bothering on fast days, so settling into a bit more of a routine, I hope.

Have just got to the end of my 3rd fasting day this week. Just need to get to bed before I give in to any temptation! I am finding internet window shopping an excellent distraction from wine and crisps. Naturally I am shopping for shoes so they will still fit me after my amazing weightloss

Just dropping in. My next fast day is Sunday and looking forward to it! Off to the races tomorrow where steps will be performing so well excited!!!

Really interesting article here

Suggests that low carbing in combination with IF could be helpful - also interesting about the role and timing of exercise, and gender differences.

Fascinating article! Interesting about the dairy aspect too. I had started this 'diet' on the genesis diet but then went on to 5:2. Makes me wonder whether genesis would be a better way forward after all. Wait to hear what others think.

Interesting link, thanks BIWI

Well I managed my first fast day just fine, about 450 calories, and didn't really feel hungry this morning. Had a shocking detox headache in the night though, so something's working! Next fast day Tuesday but going to try and stick to a reasonable diet on eating days. Thanks for the welcome folks!

Hi BIWI!
I am doing 5:2 and low carb on the other days and am still losing...albeit not loads, but still losing.
Bad day yesterday...I ate croissants for the first time in over a month and a) didnt really enjoy them and b) they have stalled my weight loss for this week. I also had 5 x choc hob nobs!
I tend to do mondays and wednesdays as fast days as these are days I wont be going to the gym.
I am also thinking of skipping breakfast (when I was thin I never ate breakfast!) too as the article suggests.
Dh lost another 3.5 lbs this week making his total weight loss over a stone
The gym scales put me at 11 st yesterday which I reckon is a stone down on where I started so an happy.
Another 14-20lbs to go!....

Fast day for me today. It's the first day of my period and been swimming this morning with my little boy so feeling peckish already, not like me as I can usually last out until about 2pm quite comfortably. I'm going to give a cup of bovril a try, never tried it before. Little boy asleep so going to do a bit of ironing, see if that can distract me. Definitely find days at work easier to fast. Weighed in this morning and was pleasantly surprised to have lost another 1.5lb. With it being the time of the month I want expecting anything. Got some home made Quorn chilli for my meal today, think that might be why I'm so hungry.made it last night and I know it's gorgeous and is calling me from the fridge, lol.

rachel fast day for me and, indeed, period is just starting today as well. Would explain the chocolate I wanted yesterday (I only ever seem to crave it then).

BIWI Thanks so much for that link! I think I'm doing a lot of that already (my fast days are almost entirely veg, with one piece of fruit. And coffee ofc!) I need to clean up my eating days now that I have the fasting down. Unfortunately, my first few I didn't eat so well, but yesterday I noticed I'd calmed down a lot and was eating normally.

Despite the days of not eating ideally, I still have lost weight this week, a few pounds at least (I weigh myself in kilos, it was almost 2 kilos). I know a lot of that is just because it's the first week, though. If I can manage to lose 1-2 pounds a week, I'll be happy. I'll be happy with any consistent weight loss, tbh!

Aftereights I wonder about the Genesis diet, as well. I did start with that but I don't really enjoy drinking milk. I do like yogurt. I'm still considering it.

Thanks Biwi , looks interesting. have printed it off to peruse fully later as im SUPPOSED to be working!

Yesterdays partial fast was good , I didnt eat lunch and although today is a feed day im not eating lunch again..(although had a sausage and egg breakfast) so i can drink wine this evening instead!! .

I want to keep my feed days down to my basal calorie rate of 1800 and if 500 of them is going to be wine (like today) then i need to lose it elsewhere .. Im prepared to do that though its not like i drink every day , just weekends

Loving 5:2 so far and have lost another pound making 4 in a week now (unheard of!) so this will also motivate me into anothercycle ride later on today .. ill need it as have been sat at computer working al morning so far

I'm going to try and lose lunch all weekend now and fast again on tuesday.

good luck all down day-ers today!

DH and I found the Horizon programme very interesting. We have followed Michael Mosley's programmes over the years and what he says about 5:2 is very convincing.

Can I ask how many of you have consulted your GPs before starting?

I'm very interested in the whole fasting thing, not least because it is obviously the latest 'thing'. But I can only really see it working for me if I low carb, otherwise I will just be hungry. The key benefit of low carbing for me is the hormonal control that leads to appetite suppression. Without that I think I would just end up head first in the biscuit tin!

Am currently on holiday and eating carbs without restriction for the first time in 6 months. Some of it I have enjoyed, some of it just makes me realise I'm just not that bothered about eating.

I have definitely put weight back on, so will be LCing with a vengeance when I return. I will be very interested to see if fasting or ADF or intermittent fasting makes the weight loss any faster/easier then.

PP (love your name!) I didn't consult with my GP first. I think if you're on insulin medication or have other issues (most are mentioned in these articles), it is advised to visit your GP first. I'm reasonably healthy (outside of the fact that I'm overweight) so I didn't feel the need to waste his time with this.

It is something I will bring up when I am in there again, if I do keep this up in the long term. Or if I want to become pregnant again. Which is a possibility.

If you want a diet where the weight just seems to fall off then do Dukan. However I have regained all that weight and am not convinced that low fat and low carb together is right for me. After 3 weeks of 5:2 it looks like I will be in for the long slow haul in terms of weight loss but will keep going, although as yet I am not feeling any different.

DW and I watched the Horizon programme, found it very interesting and we are going to give the 5:2 a go. We also watched the new "slimmer" Hairy Bikers' series "The Hairy Dieters". Many of the recipes are around the 300 calorie mark which might work well for TASTY fast days.

(First post ever - looking forward to reading more about I.F. and other topics in due course :-)

I didn't check with dr either, didn't think he'd have anything useful to say about it. I would have gone if I had something which could be affected by it (heart issues, diabetes etc).

I have lost 3.5 inches from my waist in 3 weeks - need to lose another 10 though!! But I have fitted back into some of my old clothes, ok they are maternity clothes, but still, they weren't fitting on before, and i look nice (comparatively, not actual nice yet)! Saves me buying more 'fat clothes' from the supermarket.

Fast day yesterday and I lost another lb, so 3down this week, as long as I can keep it off on my feed days. That seems to be the key for me, I lose a lb or just over consistently each fast day, then if I eat 1200-1400 cals on a feed day, I keep that loss, any more and I put it back on. Appetite has definately reduced in general though, which really helps.

I'vefound low carbing only works for me up to a certain point being pretty much post menopausal now (ihope!) I think a lot of the 'standard' diets work differntly.

I've not found any information yet on post-meno women and fasting (because ive not looked !) but would be very interested if anyone has any info they can share.

Thinking of getting older, looking forward I'm interested in the potential health benefits of fasting as well as keeping my weight down, but dieting does seem to be a while new ball game after menopause.. Its harder i think to shift excess weight.

However im lucky in that i have no other health issues and right now cant see there being any reason as to why i shouldnt be able to reamain active for a long time yet.

But my initial experience of 5:2 seems to be pointing to acheiving a weight loss ive not been able to acheive with anything else recently. It wasnt always like this. I used to be able to shift weight fairly easily if i stuck to a process like WW or similar. However on LC I lost half a stone and then no more.. despite keeping it up.. I still do limit most carbs now .

Second day of fasting for me, my other day was Wednesday. So far I've had a banana and 3 cups of tea. I'm cooking the Hairy dieters Korma for tea and it smells WONDERFUL .

More recipes with 250 calories or less. www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/9483381/52-diet-healthy-recipes-250-calories-or-less.html

Think the Hairy Dieters said it came out at 400 cals with rice, but I'm just going to have a smaller portion

I find it quite interesting that I'm noticing far more about what I'm eating on the normal days. I'm skipping breakfast occasionally & it's not bothering me. On days it does I have a boiled egg. I've been gluten free for a long time as it makes my arthritis much worse so it helps not having loads of butter & marmalade! But I've not really lost anything these last 2 weeks so am beginning to wonder if it's worth it. But I'm going to persevere as I need to lose about 5 stone though I'll be happy with 3!

Tis my fast day and I've just had a coffee so far. I'm heating up some sweetcorn for dinner, and will probably have a piece of fruit as well. I might even.. have a glass of wine as I'll still be in a calorie deficit. It's strange how easy fast days have become.

Normal day today, but eaten healthily as we are going out for Indian meal tonight & out tomorrow. Weighed myself this morning down to 9st 12lb. So 2½lb down from Monday, but as I am eating at the w/e will probably be at nil loss by then.
Will fast M/W/F.

Oh dear just been on holiday and really enjoyed life and completely forgot about the fasting. Its hard to switch back to the fasting days.

Hello all, I've been lurking a while. If you noticed that uncomfortable feeling of being watched: it was me!

After reading the old thread, I did a little more research (mostly via the links within the thread!) and told DF I was planning to start. When I explained why he said he wanted to come along for the ride (he's become increasingly frustrated over the last year or so that although he exercises more than ever and is mostly quite good with his diet, he's piled on about a stone or so mostly around the belly area ).

As for me, I'm 14 weeks PP (fourth baby) and still ebf. Before DS2 (third baby) I was 58kg and happy there. After him, I was 61kg and then went up to 63... Fell pregnant when he was 9months but that ended as a mid-tri loss. My focus after that was just. Get. Pregnant. Again... which resulted in DS3. At 66.7kg, at the end of July, I started LCing - Despite doing really well for a couple of weeks I couldn't take it all day every day as I really don't cook very much and it became horribly repetitive. I wasn't eating because I just could face more eggs, more ham, more steak... blurgh.

So, first fast day was tuesday. I found it really easy but then as I said, I'd not been eating an awful lot in the week prior. DF struggled a little more than me but he was surprised that the reality of a 'starve' as he calls it, wasn't as hard going as he imagined it would be. Our second day was yesterday.

We (he particularly) have been so surprised how how it affects us psycologically: the whole 'I can eat what I like tomorrow' to get through any wobbles on a fast day but that, once tomorrow comes, you are generally not that hungry, skip breakfast, and actually don't over eat.

This morning I was 61.5kg and he was 2kg down from when he weighed himself monday. We don't feel deprived. It just feel sustainable. I'm also really interested/motivated by the health benefits too.

Ok deep breath, been lurking, this is my first post, weigh 11st 2lb, would like to lose a stone. Didn't see original programme but two friends who are dementia specialists raved about it (both very interested in Health benefits) I have had 2 fast days this week, Tuesday ( ate boiled egg toast for breakfast; veg stir fry for dinner) Friday (2 boiled eggs for breakfast; chicken salad for dinner, goats cheese). I stupidly did not weigh myself before starting. Overall the fasting has been fine, apart from the awful headaches, will aim to drink more water. Also been a bit irritable, period arrived this week too.

I have reasonable diet rest of week, don't eat a lot of carbs. Have a bad track record at keeping up new routines re trying exercises - lots of enthusiasm which wains after 2 weeks. intend walking to work when school starts back , have got a walking buddy for that.

I am off to visit freinds next month and would love to have lost even smidge of weight by then.

ooh welcome lurkers Manda and drb

Am finishing my fast day today and I'm addicted to this thread so have just come to check in. I find posting and reading yours posts to be very motivating!

I finally told DH today what I was doing. It'll make things easier, so he isn't wondering why I'm not eating things on some days. I told him that I've planned it so that our Sunday lunches aren't disturbed, etc. He's intrigued, but he's been doing a version of this himself, on and off, without the actual calorie counting, so he understands the concept and doesn't think it's odd. He would like to lose a bit of weight, but as a % he's a lot closer to his goal weight than I am. I'll share some links with him at some point in case he's interested.

Totally agree re: that next day on the horizon just in case you get tempted. I've been okay my last few fast days, but the first few I was hungry and that's probably all that kept be going!

I will possibly be visiting family overseas in Oct (this is something that's come up today and I'm still in the process of deciding/planning on) and I will use this as more incentive to stick with it at least that long.

Welcome noobs.

Have had my usual saturday, involving WINE. And sugar. But actually, this afternoon while I was out and about, I was really conscious of not wanting snacks. Am back to a morning fast tomorrow (one of my two 'half' days) and then fasting again proper on Monday.

As nancy said earlier, am getting, er, very backed up on this regime again. Must up my fruit and veg... but when I do 'go', I lose a fair bit on the scales the next day...

Just realised I am also 'backed up', was out all day today, not in normal routine so didn't notice, hopefully strawberries for supper will help!!

Hi all,
another normal day for me - fasting tomorrow! I have worked out my approximate intake today and make it just over 2000. Too many sweets, but I think it is partially because I am tired and craving sugar.
I don't think I am eating as healthily as usual on normal days because I viewing them a little like 'treat' days. I hope I can get back to my usual, quite healthy diet on normal days.
So tomorrow plan on a milky coffee mid-morning and then probably2 egg ham omelette with carrots, celery and radishes then not sure about the evening. I have some frozen prawns so might defrost some and make a stir-fry with rice or something like that.
Also hoping to have a bit of a lie-in so the morning should pass quite quickly.
It's my weighing day tomorrow, feel I haven't lost anything, but
Anyone else fasting tomorrow.

laska42 I am post-meno by quite a considerable amount (I'm 60) and YES, it does become more difficult to lose weight - maintaining is even worse. I am a serial dieter and this year alone have done Atkins and IPD. Don't think the low-carb suits me (I love the food but get very constipated) and at the time I discovered 5:2 I was on Carol Vorderman detox, which I like apart from the time spent in the kitchen! I haven't weighed myself yet - Wednesday is weighing day after next fast day - but will post results. I definitely feel thinner :-) (old git that I am I haven't worked out how to do smileys yet...)

Does anyone else wake up after a fasting day just not hungry? I fasted yesterday and usually feeling hungry and eat lots for breakfast. Yesterday was the second day I've fasted this week and both times I've woken up the next day not feeling hungry.

I've also woken up both times with a slightly sore throat and have seen that mentioned on here.

Finding MyFitnessPal really helpful for tracking my calories too, if anyone wants to add me I'm Lazychu .

I haven't lost any weight so far - 3rd week (5th fast) starts tomorrow, trying to focus on the health benefits. Would like to lose a couple of lbs, not much just a bit.

It's odd that you haven't lost any weight Spring. I haven't been weighing myself much but can feel with my jeans that I'm smaller around my waist. Could it just be that you are changing shape? Have you measured your waist? Have you being doing more exercise than normal and put on muscle?

For me it's my waist that I was worried about as my extra pounds have settled there and everyone keeps saying that apple shapes are the most dangerous.

Have you tried tracking your calories on Myfitnesspal too? It is really helping me .

My waist has got smaller gone down an inch - now 26 inches and I am doing quite a lot of exercise but not building muscle mass - I don't build muscle mass that easily. But my arse and my thighs are remarkably resistant to any of my attempts to slim them down.

I think you are heading in the right direction Spring and I wouldn't get disheartened, an inch is really good .

If my DH ever wants to slim down he never weighs himself as he gives up really quickly, he just measures his waist. He finds it much easier to motivate himself that way, as he may not be loosing much weight but is definitely changing shape.

You mention you'd like to just lose a few pounds, Spring, does that mean you're very close to your ideal weight? I only ask because that makes it more likely that it will take you longer than those of us with a lot to lose.

But I admit, it's a bit odd that you haven't had any reduction on the scales. Most people will see something happen on the scales, if only for the fact that they've got less food passing through their system. (Which is why that first week always tracks such a high number.)

oh alright, I cross-posted there, sorry. Well done, Spring Just stick with it, if it feels like something you want to keep up with. Sounds like you're doing great.

JiltedJohns I feel that way! Today is an eating day and I'll probably have a cup of coffee in a bit. Not saying I'll be virtuous all day (tis Sunday after all Have some baking plans..) but I have felt this way after all of my fast days.

2012fan if you take the nose out of your smileys there, you'll get a regular smile like this If you look below the box where you're entering text, you'll see a list of all the special smilies.

Like, here's a , something we can all have regardless of fasting or eating today.

I finally got some batteries for the scales & weighed myself - 91.7kg that's down from 93 or 94 (can't remember!) 13 days ago.

I was 101 when I started (6 weeks ago I think) & my first goal was to get my BMI down to 36 (which was booking weight with dc4) which I've reached now Next goal is 88kg which will get my BMI below 35.

I've missed a couple of fast days (I'm doing ADF) during that last 2 weeks & had 3 really calorie heavy days out. I'm hoping to be super strict for the next two weeks as would love to be in the mid-80s as soon as possible. I'm not splitting my calories on fast days now - usually have two white coffees & a miso soup or something for about 100 calories all together then the rest in one meal in the evening (fish/eggs/cheese + salad or vegetables).

As suggested by wilself I re-weighed myself this morning, am 10st 13, as opposed to 11.2 from last night, mental note to self - will do weigh in morning time.

DH decided to join in, he is a runner, very fit but high cholesterol and family history of heart problems.

We aim to do Tuesday and Thursday , we normally don't eat a lot of fish, dh not a big fan, but I plan our fasting days will be eggs for breakfast and fish and veg for tea.

Must remember to eat more fruit rest of week to help digestive system

Can I recommend dried apricots for 'digestion'? I've found that having 4 - 30g which is 55 calories - will help a lot with bowel movements .

I was out with friends last night and they spoke about fasting on a monday and tuesday. So today I find myself looking into it.

I am currently doing Weight watchers and have lost 19 pounds. Just wondered if anyone else is doing this and incorporating the fasting days into the plan.

Have enjoyed reading this thread thankyou.

I've lost inches this week rather than poundage. Happy with that, since loosing weight is just a nice bonus!!

Yes I'm close to my target weight - I put on about 4 lbs this summer - holidays, eating out a lot, not getting to exercise as much have contributed but I'm really struggling to dump the extra fat, which translates to an extra inch around thighs and an inch around my hips and I want to to go as quickly as it seemed to appear!

Thankyou Green Eggs - it isn't how they tell you in the help

Well I had a very naughty eating day yesterday - lunch out AND a takeaway AND a bottle of wine with a friend but have been particularly good today, just home made veggie soup, lots of tea and coffee and one hard boiled egg and one banana so far.

I think, as someone said earlier in the thread, it is so much easier to be very good on some days if you know you can have a treat on another and not feel like you've "ruined" your diet!

having watched the programme (and most of his earlier ones)
DO NOT fast two days in a row - part of the idea is to create a cycle that you will maintain for the next 40 years

he was also VERY clear about it being flexible : if Tuesday is a party then make Wednesday the fast day etc etc

the most interesting point to me was the fact that for those who have stopped growing, skipping meals is NOT WRONG
I make my kids have something three times a day - but once bones have stopped growing, really the long term calorie level is far more important than three meals a day - which is an entirely modern / westernised / artificial construct.

Hmmm..I havent lost that much weight since starting 5:2 but I seem to be losing inches...my bra is gaping at the top!!
My swimsuit is def too big me
Maybe I won't lose lots of weight but will lose the inches?

Think I must be losing inches too, just been out for a walk with the DC and my jeans are getting too big. Don't know if I've lost any more weight as I don't own any scales.

Thanks pigeonpie I'll give apricots a go. Plan to build exercise levels up this week, have hand weights, will be doing 15 mins before bath time. Determined to make changes to lifestyle alongside eating plan, mid 40's and shockingly unfit, noticed on holiday how much I got out of breath climbing small hill every day to our accommodation when rest of family. Not good. Positive thinking from now on - I will be a fit fabulous 40 something in not too distant future!

Oops forgot to add too will get tape measure out and keep record of boob, waist and hip areas as others have noted changes even if weight stays same

My normal eating day today and it's the First day in two weeks that I know I have got far over my normal base rate of calorie requirements. Had a large Sunday lunch, then been to one of my mums notorious bbq parties and ate until I was stuffed, rather than until I was satisfied. Got to say that I didn't even really enjoy eating it as much as I have in the past as I knew how I would feel after. Hope I haven't undone all my previous two weeks adf. Will only know next Saturday on weigh in day, also the day of the wedding that I have been trying to lose weight for. I'm sure it's really not that bad, but I know I would have been much more satisfied eating a little less. Back on track tomorrow and should have plenty of energy to carry me through, built up on reserve today, lol

Hey everyone. Been busy this weekend I see!

I was meant to fast today but Went out for lunch so didn't. Plan to fast Monday, Wednesday and Friday although we are away from tomorrow till Friday. Just me and kids in a caravan so shouldn't really be a problem as such.

Haven't been eating overtly badly I don't think. Have become fuller quicker and find I don't eat as much junk as I usually do. All things can only be a bonus.

Yes DP and I are both a bit thinner but haven't lost any weight, glad others are experiencing the same thing. Fast day tomorrow, not really dreading it.

Fast day tomorrow, but psychilogically felling different about itnow back in my own home with all the old temptations / habits...

Hi all,
fast day for me, almost over!! Hooray!
It actually hasn't been too bad, although that is hindsight. There were some hungry moments in the afternoon.
Strangely, kind of crossed a barrier after a period of feeling quite weak and a feeble then, after sitting on a bench in the sun whilst ds ran around a park, felt more energised and walked home quite briskly.
So today was weigh-in as well and have definitely lost weight, but weighed without trousers then remembered that last week I had trousers on for weighing! Never mind, probably better without trousers. So I have gone down to 10st 3 or 4 - hard to read the scales properly, and last time was bang on 10st 7lbs (with trousers). I'm not even sure what my ideal weight is, but I will keep going and see if the weight continues to go, would be great to be under 10st for the first time in years.
Today had a coffee with milk, 2 egg omelette with slice of ham 3 small carrots and half an apple, lots of water then around 7pm had a stir-fry with more carrots, onions, peas and prawns with soy sauce and a tiny bit of sweet chilli sauce, but shared it with DP (who had noodles with his).
That's it and I think it is the closest to 600 cals I have been so far.
Normal day tomorrow and saving a bit of DP's chocolate, birthday cake for lunchtime or even breakfast if very hungry ala Wilself.

Glad to hear all are doing well on this - almost into my 3rd week now. Had a feed day yesterday which went a bit crazy as today is DHs only day off with me this week, so 'dined in for £10' and drank far too much. Today we're off out to lunch with family, so I'm going to skip breakfast as I know I won't calorie count today. Actually looking forward to the restraint of a fast day on Tues!

Third week of fasting today and my weight has remained static. What seems to happen is I lose 3-4lbs on fast days and it goes back on during feed days so instead of doing consecutive fast days I'm going to split them to a Mon & wed.

I am losing weight though, it just doesn't seem to be showing on the scales. I've gone from a 32in waist to 30in so obviously something is happening.

Had a bit ofa blow out on Sat night so got a feeling this week is not going to be a good weight loss week!

Badvoc and Aboutlastnight...seems you're experiencing the same thing as me. Clothes are getting looser but it's not showing on the scales. Anyone know why that may be?

fast day for me today...
my clothes are def looser but I am not losing loads of weight...down 0.4 kgs from last week.

Has anyone else noticed fast days muck with their sleep?

I don't sleep very well after a fast day. Waking several times in the night and unable to get back to sleep.

I think I need less sleep because my body isnt wasting so much energy digesting food.

I haven't lost much weight - but my jeans are def a bit looser.

No, I'm sleeping like a baby but do make sure I eat an evening meal, even if it's much smaller than my usual one and have a and a piece of fruit before bedtime.

Freaking Nora I have gained 8 lb after a weekend away camping ! My fast days are mon & weds and have been fluctuating about 2 1/2 lb over the course of a week (I know I know I should only weigh once a week but seem to be unable to stop weight myself three times once every day ) I did pig out but was only expecting 4 lb gain tops - especially as have recently been on a 12 day all inclusive holiday and despite pigging out for 12 days only gained 6 1/2 lb so how on earth have I gained 8 in 3 days !!! I am sipping my green tea with jasmine (delicious, Asda) wondering if anyone else has noticed blinking humongous weight fluctuations ??

It's not possible to put on 8lbs of fat in a weekend. Literally not possible.

So a large part of it must be water retention.

Agree with Indigo. Perhaps you just need a big poo .

Btw I was down to my goal weight (9st 8.5 -i'm a pear shaped 5ft4) on thurs morning before I headed off camping so don't feel too sorry for me! I'm just annoyed I have gone from goal to a whole different zone in one weekend. And if anyone was wondering - yes I did visit the loo quite satisfactorily before I weighed myself. Will be interesting to see what I weigh this Thursday . I suspect the fast days will be hard this week (easy last week didn't feel hungry really) as my body is used to 3000 cals and 2 bottles of wine a day after this weekend. serves me right !!!!!!

Maybe some of it is water ? On day 5 of period so maybe it's a big wee I need rather than poo....

Planning boiled egg carrot n celery for lunch, cod in butter with chipped courgette (rice substitute) for tea , ww sweeties in cinema.

About to watch GB bake-off on Iplayer (hurrah lazy teenager still asleep dh visiting mil) might not be the best viewing at start of a fast day!!

I think lots of woman have complained about fasting mucking around with their sleep, it is said to make woman more alert. Personally I find sugar disrupts my sleep.

Fast day today and Wednesday this week. Weighed this morning, no movement on the scales. Am on the bench, atm due to knee injury, so I can't even run , hoping it will only take a few days to sort.

Today's menu - coffee for breakfast, boiled egg with veg for lunch, fish curry with cauliflower rice for dinner accompanied with lots and lots of water and herbal teas.

For all those fasting today - enjoy the feeling of slimness!

Hi all. Really going to try to keep up with the thread.
Fast day for me today and hoping to stick to the 500 calories.
I have good news though, my mil made a salad to go with dinner on Saturday, I ate some out of politeness but it was quite nice. Going to mix some up for lunch and then again dinner but adding some chicken I think.

HI all , fasting today after rather a blow-out weekend (especially on the wine,) and Ive actually been looking forward to it ! Iseem to maintained my loss from last week, and yes ,I too have noticed a waist measurement decrease by 1 inch in a week, and can now fit back into a skirt (full price Boden!! moment of madness ..eek!) that i bought last autumn when it briefly fitted and then couldnt wear all winter becasue it didnt... So im going to be using that as my guideline skirt for weight loss.. I want to still be able to get into it (or even have it too big !) in January !

So far ive had a ham rocket and tomato omlette (250 cals) and black coffee.. then lots of water and green tea planned ,then tonight i think it will be some white fish and veggies ,, probably with a little spice of some sort..

A tip for those who 'arent going'. (not me, luckily) , one zero calorie and really quite nice way ive found in the past (esp during my disasterous Atkins diet days where i just couldnt go at all) is to buy some whole senna pods . and make a pot of tea with them.. They taste fine as tea, -a bit like herby green tea - but dont put more than a 2 or 3 in at once! . I get them at my local Easy Weigh.. so try a health food shop (have not seen them at H&B though , best try to find an independant who stocks loose herbs and spices.. oer i expect you could buy on ebay or soemthing like that )

Infected wisdom tooth do other than feeling like crap and low energy, EASY fast day
On liquids only, coffee so far and soup later

So far I've had some water, just starting to feel a bit 'peckish' now but think thats boredom

Getting my gallbladder out on Tuesday next week, so really looking forward to being fully recovered and being about to do this properly!

I lost another 3lbs this week. Clothes are looking better too. still got a massive belly though. If I can keep this rate up though for another week, I will have lost a stone in 4 weeks. Fast day today, so far so good.

Thats utterley fantastic rightbuggerforit a total inspiration.. I want that to be me in 4 weeks ..

I'm fasting again today, so far feeling fine. This will my third week.
I don't have scales around ATM so not sure about weight loss since doing this, but I started just over a month ago doing strength training and lowish carbing then started 5:2 and the difference in my body is really noticable, clothes looser and just looking better generally, feeling stronger and fitter.
I work out 3-4 times a week for 30-40 minutes max, I'm really happy with results so far and feel I could keep this up long term no problem.

lurk

Nice work rightbugger
Yesterday after exercising I noticed my belly had actually disappeared behind my tits, as it were. It's back today, but it would be nice one day not to look pg anymore.

My weekly 'proper' weigh in today Think I've lost another lb this week so not fantastically fast weightloss but I'm still VERY relaxed about what I'm eating on normal days. Am officially 'on holiday' though at home and a bit of a change to be losing a lb a week on hols instead of putting 3lbs on each week! Went to a christening yesterday so stuffed face and drank lots; and then ended up in a Turkish restaurant in the evening with my family so not doing too badly

I quite like my fast days now too! I feel a bit crap when I eat crap and it is interesting to properly notice this, instead of the permanent 'crap feeling'. So the fast days sort of feel pleasant, after the initial little chat I have to have with myself, you know the one at breakfast that goes 'you don't really want to do this, you really want an enormous pile of toast with chocolate spread don't you? Go on, it won't do any harm, you can cope...' 'No, just one day, have the chocolate toast TOMORROW - just this one day...' After I've got past about 11am I'm OK.

Well done to the losers! <envy>

I'm going to weigh myself next week, so i don't become too obsessed with the scales, as it can be a little discouraging if you haven't lost much one week. I might get a better idea of how it's progressing if I weigh every fortnight.

Today is a fast day. I did a 45 minute spinnning class this morning (as I knew I wouldn't have the energy to do it later.) Have just eaten my only meal today, a bowl of tomato soup with a slice of dry bread. I feel stuffed and slightly sick! That comes to 340 cals, so enough left over for milk in my tea.

Indigo, I struggle to sleep on fast days. I don't like going to bed hungry.

Dontcallme why not try and divide your calories into 2 meals so you have something in the evening too? I couldn't manage on just 1 meal in a day. Also maybe substitute some of the teas with herbal tea or green tea so you won't need milk.

Marking my place as I think I'll be doing this too. Am really interested by what I've read and watched so far, and the losses you've all achieved are great!

How do you all feel if you work out (45 mins cardio, 15 mins weight training) on a fast day?

Anyone else feel the urge to lick the plate on fast days ?

(I've just had my 2nd 250 cals ..white fish, salad , so thats it for today...Roll on breakfast.. Did someone mention toast earlier?...)

Ah well I have green tea and a glass of fizzy water with lemon slice to look forward to in the meantime ..

squishy 45 mins cardio and 15 mins weight training?!!
Whats that then? LOL, Respect, Sister!

I only tend to cycle (usually 6-8 miles at a time - dont get off for hills) , walk , zumba and rebound mostly .. I find even on Fast days I can do those ok , though sometimes getting up the hills on my bike I think my legs are definately giving up ...

I saw a kettlebell class advertised recently though.. I may start giving that a go ..

Squishy I think you'll need to try it and see how you go. My first few fast days, I don't think I could have done much exercise. Now, though, I feel just fine, not hungry or lightheaded or anything, and am actually quite active. I'm unable to do proper cardio for another month (long story) but I do a lot of walking on those days and it's not been a problem. If you were doing weight training on those days I'd guess you'd want to be sure to get a bit of protein in whatever you do eat. (I mostly stick to veg on fast days)

However, the reason I say you should try it and see, is that people are having different experiences with fast days. I actually feel more active and alert on those days, but I wouldn't say all of the responses are the same.

Squishy
On a normal day I do not eat till Lunch - and supper will have been at 7pm the night before
I regularly swim a mile and do two hours of classes (yoga / pump or spin / Balance or Yoga or balance) of a morning and feel just fine
BUT
I've been doing it for years and years

if you start to feel AT ALL dizzy, be very very careful

Wow rightbuggerforit that's great motivation - have you found it easy to stick to the fast? Any side effects headaches / sore throat? Could you give us a quick summary of what you eat on fast days? Are you doing any exercises? Sorry for so many questions - curious to get view of someone with experience :-)

I think I'm going to have to come off this thread now.
I just can't do it. I am so weak willed.
Bloody hungry and just scoffed a chocolate bar.
I have not had 1 successful fast day. Not one.


Wishing all of you all the luck though, and maybe I'll feel able to do it at a later date.
Will continue to lurk.

Silvery
You do know that on a fast day you are still meant to be having 500 calories ....
which is a GOOD bowl of cereal, endless cups of tea and a bit of fruit .....

and more to the point - why was the chocolate bar in the house ???? :-)

Yes. I've been adding everything onto myfitnesspal.
Today a salad for lunch and an orange, for dinner I have measured some pasta (it's a tiny amount) and some sauce with some grapes for after which I have already eaten.
That took me to 500.
I sent dp to the shop because I am in a foul mood and am hungry

Oh, silvery your disappointment is palpable.

I truly think you would benefit from doing a couple of weeks of Low Carb to switch your body into the zone of stable blood sugar/utilising fat for energy then you won't have the massive crashes of hunger that are causing you such problems with the fasts.

There WILL be a way that works for you. You're not simply 'weak willed' you're attempting to change a lifetimes habits and that won't happen overnight. The key is that you pick yourself up, dust yourself down, and try again (or try something slightly different)

Hang in there.

Thanks for the congrats and the questions. i feel really good, really proud of myself and like I am getting on top of my weight now. The results are really motivational.

I haven't done any excersize really, I have a baby and a toddler and we walk to the shop every day, other than that, my arse is settled on the indent in the sofa pretty much! I am bf though, so some calories will be going on that. I have got hold of an excersize dvd now but have so far found excuses not to get on with it.

I got headaches the first week or so. I fast mon, wed and fri and find it easyish to stick to, especially now after a few weeks of fab results. I've got my eyes on the prize, so to speak - the prize of being slim in a couple of months if i keep this up, and then not having to be as strict anymore about the eating.

On a fast day i always have a slimfast for breakfast, then whatever else i can find for the other 270 cals, sometimes i have it for lunch and sometimes dinner. Omlette, egg/cheese salad, cheese salad sandwich with nimble bread, or a ready meal have been my main options. I drink pepsi max all day too for practically no calories, and water of course.

Well done everyone else too - sputnik, it's one of my special aims to stop looking pregnant too!

Silvery, i don't think that's too bad tbh. So you had your 500 cals, and then a chocolate bar, so thats about 750-800 cals total? Not bad, why not aim for fast days of 700-750 cals for the first few weeks, then you have some wiggle room for a bit of choccie if you're desperate for it, while you get used to the whole idea of it? x

Silvery if you can branch out and try some veg (you were the one who mentioned that you don't like veg, right? Correct me if I'm wrong!) you should give it another try. I am not sure I could manage a fast day that involved pasta. Having even a bit of pasta just leaves me wanting loads more! I can totally empathise with you wanting chocolate after that.

When you try another fast day (because you will ) try to do it with protein (an egg maybe) and veg. Manda has some good hints there. I can't low-carb for the long term, but it has its benefits, especially for a fast day.

As Right says, it's possible it hasn't taken you over your limit. Depends on how big it was.

fwiw, my first fast day, I'm sure I went up towards 700 cals. I had a last-minute desperate grab for something more substantial (small piece of focaccia I'd baked the day before). Those first attempts at fasting are difficult until you get used to it!

I'd agree with the skip pasta thing

a two egg omelette with mushrooms or veg is MUCH better for you and being high protein (see Dr Moseley's earlier programmes on the topic) will make the calorie restriction easier

Silvery don't feel bad, the others are right and I agree with what Manda said about doing a bit of low Carb first, that has really helped me find it easier.

Squishy I work out first thing in the morning before eating even on non fasting days so it doesn't affect that at all, afterwards it seems to make no difference how I feel for the rest of the day. I do either mostly weights with a small amount of intense cardio, or the Shred DVD. I would experiment to see whether that amount of cardio would make you hungrier later in the day, some people on here manage running etc no problem.

Eggs are much more filling too. I think there is this feeling you need starchy carbs to feel full, I certainly used to think like that, but actually it's not true.

Nope. It's totally not true. Starchy (well, any) carbs will make you more hungry.

Protein/fat are far more satiating and will not make you feel hungry.

Exactly. Hence the chocolate bar.
Also 200 Cals worth of pasta must be a depressingly small portion. I usually try and have a full plate at both meals, veg and protein.
BIWI do you have a permanent search on MN for the word Carb?, or did you just happen to be passing

I have come to the conclusion that I cannot do calorie restriction on days when I exercise...I could have gnawed my own hand off after swimming earlier!
So this is my plan...no breakfast, calorie restriction (500 cals) on mondays and wednesdays then low carb rest of the week.

No - as I've posted on this thread it popped up on 'Threads I'm On'. Although I realise I am a woman on a mission ...

Oh, yes, BIWI is a little bit like Beetlejuice - say 'carb' three times and she'll appear!

I was just saying to DF the other day that if we get good results without the struggle that other ways of 'healthy' eating seem to involve it will be difficult to not evangelise to those we care about, particularly, but in a more general way too.

I can't wait for all these: looks!

I am also pretty acclimatised to low carb, although I'm not really doing it at the mo. I think if you're used to the feeling of ketosis, plus you know you can knock the cravings with a bit of time, it is much easier to move into fasting. You have to almost switch off your brain telling you you need carbs. I agree about cutting out white carbs also. If you find it hard you could adjust down slowly - or do the Genesis diet for a couple of weeks before a stricter fast. I used their '2 pints of milk' to help in first few fasts - I headed off carb/sweet cravings with hot milk, tsp of Truvia plus a bit of cinnamon. And drank it REALLY slowly to make it last. A piece of fruit or two is better than giving up also... You could also try adding in more protein snacks for now: piece of ham, chicken, boiled egg, handfull of nuts. These will up your calories a bit but you may find doing this means you don't have to eat bread, pasta, potatoes, cereal etc. And if you get through 1 day like this, and gradually adjust a little bit for the next one it may get easier... Don't give up yet without a bit of tweaking.

Another thing the Genesis diet recommends is a hot salty drink, which really helps me with the 4-5pm cravings. Something like Marmite, Bovril, miso, bouillon/stock powder/cube is fine. I quite like the Marigold powder which has a teeny bit of dried veg so it is almost soup .

Thanks everyone.
You've all made me feel a bit better.
It was me that said I can't stand veg. I know i need to change that, easier said than done though, right?
I did take a big step (for me) on saturday and tried some salad. You know, the whole lettuce, cucumber, tomato thing, and it was nice. I threw some together today, so I reckon if i can replace sandwiches at lunch a few days a week, that'd help.
I was such a terrible eater when I was a child, in the end, I was just left to eat whatever i wanted as mum thought it better than nothing.
I'd have a box of fish fingers for dinner every night. Just that. Fish fingers.

I think my ds's eat fairly well. I try to make sure they have lots of fruit and veg available and they do actually eat most things.

Thank you all for your support. Maybe I'll just take a break from 5:2 now and try low carb. No point in continuing with 5:2 in this frame of mind.
then maybe I could try a higher low-cal day too.

I'm also a massive fan of AIR when it comes to fasting

No I'm not one of those mad people who say they only live on air, bear with me. The hot milk thing - if you don't want to drink non-stop coffee - is drawn out a bit with a milk frother. I sound like a loon now but it really got me through the first couple of weeks. Frothed milk just seems more...

And I haven't yet perfected a low cal meringue but I keep trying. I'm gonna have another go tomorrow with some Truvia (have not had good results with Splenda). If anyone has any tips, please let me know. Last time I tried, it came out more like chemically light chewy french bread. Not inedible when you're desperate but I think lots of air in food is probably a good thing.

Ooooh, and I forgot... I've also had good help in the past taking chromium supplements (seem to really help sweet/carb cravings) and drinking green tea - helps limit appetite a bit.

I agree. Silvery dont do pasta on your fast day .its just gointo give you a sugar insulin low soon after .

Ithink it has to be veg mostly and a bit of protein .. I had omlette this morning and my dinner was two fillets of white fish steamed in microwave , some cous cous salad (,homemade) tiny bit of cous cous , a few pumpkin seeds and cucumber tomato and spring onion grated carrot mixed in and all served o na pile of watercress and rocket leaves and splashed with lemon juice and chili sauce (i do like my chilli). Was a huge plateful..
Also i tend to eat early (had that at 4.30 )

Yes I am a bit hungry again now (but not utterly ravenous ) and ive been working inthe garden all day .. .

One thing ive found is (what DR M said inthe programme i think), yes you do get hungry but it doesnt build , and i find after a while it just goes off .Ive only done 4 fast days now but have been surprised that when ive woken up in the morning ive not been ravenous. Ive been able to go out for my bike ride and not eat until ive got back .

But if you want some carbs you could have 2 egg omlette in the morning and and a baked potato in the evening ,no butter, but with lots of chopped up salad and low cal dressing.. Then you wont feel so bereft..

Also rightbugger4it has a good point, why not try for mainly LC most days and up to 700 cals on your fast days and see how its going after a couple of weeks then try and reduce ? Youll still be getting a lot of the health benefits and i bet youll still lose weight, .betterthan giving up now. your body needs to get used to it ..

You're starting to sound like whatshername from Fat Fighters now, Wilf.

You'll be recommending dust next!

^"Marjorie Dawes [Fat Fighters are discussing foods]: Dust. Anybody? No? High in fat, low in fat? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. It's actually very low in fat. You can have as much dust as you like.
Little Britain"^

Thanks for your replies everyone

I don't normally eat breakfast anyway (just copious amounts of coffee!) and either do a zumba class or my normal workout, have just started running too so not eating prior to exercising shouldn't be too much of a problem, it's just afterwards I'm starving. Maybe I could keep my main cardio work to non-fast days.

I'm intent on doing my own version of low carb too, cutting out all refined carbs but still having small portions of brown rice, quinoa, bulgar wheat etc and plenty of fruit and veg.

Marjorie Dawes?! I look a little like her too perhaps [aargh emoticon]

I know. It's also a wee bit too 'anorexic' this kind of eating, which so far is the only thing I'm really uncomfortable with - ways of 'not eating' etc.. I don't think I'm quite at that stage yet since there is NO danger of me ever overcoming my addiction to food, or being dangerously thing, but I see enough people discussing eating non-food things at work to think we perhaps need a 'healthy' way of talking about fasting...

I know havng read what others have just posted ,thats you'll all say NO about the baked potato.. but you know ive found that potato (being part of the vegetable family, oh yes, it is!!) doesnt seem to affect me in the same way (nor do carrots etc) as refined carbs do (or sugar for that matter).
BTW ive tried sweet potatoe yuk!! ...sweet veg ....just YUk .. (just an aside)

thing haha. Excellent self-loathing Freudian slip.

'thin'

Glad you haven't given up silvery, just doing it another way. :-) x

Starving now though. Repeat after me: 'Eat it tomorrow'

Think I may have to go to bed early to stave off cravings...

Wilfy: I think I understand you. I have HUGE issues, I mean really enormous, with any kind of talk of diets or food restrictions due to a terrible eating disorder in my youth. I never want to diet again (am almost phobic about it) and yet, and yet ... need to do something about unignorable levels of size 16 fatness on my 5'2" body.

But, given the choice, I would rather be this size for the rest of my life than go back to the torture that was being obsessed with food, weight, measurements, exercise, dieting. It is so exhausting and such a mind-fuck.

But still will dip my toe in this thread and see what happens .

Well done for not giving up Silvery, maybe you can look at soups as an easier way to consume vegetables, without them being too vegetablish iyswim.

But Laska - the potato will be affecting you, as it is turned by your body into sugar ...

Mintyy you are very welcome to dip a toe in, I think if you've suffered from eating disorders you'd have to think long and hard before trying this, maybe a good approach would be to focus on the health benefits, and treat the weightloss as a side effect. Plus you don't have to weigh or measure at all if you don't want to.
One advantage of this though is that you only need to focus on your 2 days a week, you might have to calorie count at first but I've found I already have a feel for more or less what I can eat. Other 5 days you treat as normal.

I'm hungry <cries>. Dh is eating crisps, the bastard.
Might take the suggestion up thread of having two small meals instead of one. Have eaten a couple of raw carrots. But I'm still hungry...

Hi - I'm new to here and found this thread through searching for posts about the 5:2 diet. It is the most active and comprehensive one I have seen so hope it is ok to join.

I am approaching 40 and like a few people have tried all sorts of diets over the years but always lose motivation and give up. I am looking at losing over 6 stone but 3 stone would be a good start

I watched the Horizon programme and am really excited about the health benefits as well as the weight loss- and it just seems so do-able

I am doing my first fast tomorrow- so will report back. I have put today's food into myfitnesspal just to see what it came to without really restricting myself but it certainly made me think about what I was eating

I have also started couch 2 5k!

dontcallme hang in there You're almost done with today!

Welcome geranium! Good luck with your first fast day. The first one or two can be tough, but it gets easier.

I'll be fasting tomorrow, but will be out most of the day at the zoo with my son.

Hi all,
normal eating day for me. I think I am getting the hang of the fasting side of things. It actually makes me feel less frightened of being hungry and more able to work through it.
Today I had bowl of fruit and fibre at 7:30 then went out to meet someone and didn't get home until around 2:30 and didn't eat anything in between, which I would never normally do. I did then buy a bacon roll (first for years) which wasn't all that to be honest.
Came home had a stir-fry with veg and lean pork, no noodles and allowed myself a small piece of DP's birthday cake, then went beserk and had another big piece [chocolate covered face emoticon] not sure what happened there. Oh well it won't be his birthday for another year, but I'm a bit frightened of him arriving home and discovering he has no cake left!
So getting the fasting days a bit more sorted, but need to work on the normal days a bit more rigorously.

Laksa well done on getting into the ridiculously expensive skirt, you are going to be looking very posh on all this fasting. I see ridiculously expensive skirts in charity shops on a regular basis so it is clearly, quite unusual to ever get into them.

Hi Geranium good luck tomorrow! What are you planning to eat or just going ad hoc?

Started off really well decided would do a fast day today. However am on holiday soooo failed by lunchtime! Then I thought don't worry make it a normal day but don't have any dinner! What happens bumped into friends so that's out of the window too! Think I'll give it a miss this week & start next week.

Didn't fast today. Drove 75 miles to get to the holiday caravan and got hungry half way through our journey. Have drunk a bit too much today!!

Fasting tomorrow though. Nothing stopping me. Feeling positive

Thanks for the welcome - am planning on holding off eating until I feel I need something and then going for yogurt, making some kind of veggie soup and then chicken and veggies for tea

Hi, just catching up with this thread and glad to see lots of you doing well. DH and I are doing fine on the (three) fasting days (DH is really good even though normally he is the type to eat ice cream by the tub). We aren't getting especially hungry. Today we had planned to have some soup but then we went out so just got through the day on a few cups of tea and had a stir fry soupy ramen thing for dinner - we even had a few noodles and some prawn crackers as the calories were so low! A feel a bit despondant that I am not seeing a loss on the scales yet. I have been eating what I want on feed days - I am really reluctant to start counting calories on feed days as this diet appeals in it's simplicity. If I have to start obsessing on the other 4 days I might as well go back on WW. Ok I know it's not just about weightloss but... Will keep going though as we agreed to do it for a month to 6 weeks initially.

Fast day tomorrow , will be having boiled egg and one round of toast for breakfast, then fish for dinner with veg, fish is pangasius fillets???? From m&s, looking forward to trying it!

I will not be eating anything else, but drinking tea, coffee, water to get through the day.

Did 15 mins of free weights / crunches this evening, felt great afterwards, which is a good motivator for next session.

Plan to park at distance from work tommorow, will be 10 mins walk.

Back to work today after 10 days off.Have managed to do my fasting days,last one was yesterday and made tomato & garlic soup (recipe on lavender & lovage website) and ate fruit and stirfry veg & falafel for tea. Am struggling with the sugar in my hot drinks (don't drink many but can't get a sweetener I actually like!, any suggestions?). Did wake in the night hungry this time, praps again due to no or very low carbs? but lasted until this morning. Like you fruitpastille I don't want to have to calorie count on the other 5 days otherwise it's just as complicated so am eating how I want and will assess after 6 weeks. Have lost 2 & 1/2 pounds in two weeks which I am fine with as I have about a stone to lose

Fast day today for me....I have had:
Coffees x 2 with skim milk
3 egg Omelette with spring onions
Will have WW tomato soup for dinner and poss an apple later.
Next fast day will be thurs this week as cocked it up yesterday!
Still having...ahem...bowel issues. Took a laxative yesterday so feel better today.
Any tips on what I can do re: constipation?

I'm on fast day number 6, i.e. week 3. If weighed myself yesterday on the scales I used on day one I've gone from 10st3lb8oz to 10st2lbs, however when I weighed myself at my parents house I weight under 10 stone - those scales are my new best friend!

I'm doing my 2 days together as I find it easier - 2 days of pain then 5 days of happiness. Disappointed that the weight loss is slow but I always knew it would be I guess, I eat a pretty healthy diet with no booze AND exercise and yet I'm still a good stone overweight I blame the genetics. Also, my birthday 2 weeks ago so there was rather a lot of cake involved... don't judge me!

I am planning to go to the week before Christmas - that's 16 weeks after today's fast day. If I reach 9st we are going to take a trip to New York. That's my motivation!

Oh, just a tip to anyone about to start - after 2 days of fasting it isn't wise to go for a big fancy meal and drink coffee... oh dear I was very ill!!

badvoc did you see mypost earlier about senna pod tea? Its really quite nice - if you like herb teas.. and works .. zero cals too!

I was so hungry during the night, hadn't found that on my previous fast days.. perhaps its because i've upped the exercise as well.. Didnt sleep very well, growling tum kept waking me up but so far this morning (eating day) I havent gone too mad (although I have already eaten my lunch ). i'm planning on eating well, but healthily on feed days if I can ..

The riculously expensive skirt is hanging up in my bedroom where I can see it.. Thanks for reminding me about charity shop mistakes rowingboat im determined that it wont be going that way ! or ebay..

BIWI , yes i know, i know , but love em! ,

Good luck fasters today ..

OK so today is going to be Fast day 1 of Week 4.
Was going to do M/W/F this week as I thought we were going away over the weekend, but we went Sunday - Monday. Only really ate brekkie and a snack yesterday, but had plenty of calories. Ate out Sat night and Sunday night.
Weighed myself today and in spite of my piglet tendencies of the past few days am 2½lb lighter than last week.

Def feel slimmer, so finally am seeing some results. Will keep going for the full 5 weeks and see how I get on.

Happy fasting

No I hadn't laksa will check out.
Feel ok today.
Not really hungry but nt doing any exercise today...only cleaning!

second fast day today - decided to skip breakfast completely, and have just had M&S salad for lunch. Soup + bread roll will be for tea - i will allow myself 1 coffee + milk later (black for the rest of the day), and that should be my 500 cals.

today seems easier than last week, which is because I've skipped breakfast and kept myself busy - that seems to be the key. I haven't weighted myself, but my jeans belt is 1 notch smaller today!

Have started my first fast day

Finished eating yesterday at about 7.30pm and then had a yogurt at 11.30 today and then homemade tomato and red pepper soup (which I have worked out to about 85 cals a bowl) - this tasted lovely and has really filled me up

I am planning scallops with chilli and lime, baby sweetcorn and a rocket and tomato salad for tea about 6pm, followed by some strawberries

This all comes in at just under 500 cals

I've been drinking plenty of water, and had a black coffee - feeling surprisingly fine - and I have definitely noticed that I am tasting the food I am eating much more - anyone else noticed that?

Good afternoon, another fast day for me. Had a fantastic but very naughty weekend - wedding on Saturday (not mine!) and friends staying that we've not seen for ages, so Sunday's fast day didn't happen.

I love the flexibility of this diet and back to the fast today. This week will be 3 fasts and 4 feeds. So far I've had 2 coffees, a boiled egg and some soup and feeling great!

Have a good day, all

As there are limits on how many posts we can make does anyone think setting up a facebook page would be a good idea to keep this going well?
I would offer but I work fulltime so wouldn't be able to commit the time to administrate it. (I'm new to Mumsnet so not sure how exactly it works longterm) I really find everyone's support fantastic and check in as often as I can to get tips etc and wouldn't like not to be able to access it in the future :-(

Ooh Powkin a trip to NY would motivate anyone!! How exciting.

I've been on and off with this 5:2 thing - I've also been doing mfp and trying to stick to that with the odd low cal/fast day thrown in. But DS starts school next week and I'll be back at work (2 days a week) then too so am hoping it'll be easier to get into a rhythm with it, and to fit in some extra exercise classes on my days off.

Went way over my mfp calories Fri-Mon but have now decided to cut out booze altogether (initially for a month but maybe long-term) and I'm sure this will help keep me on track. Am also throwing in a fast day tomorrow to get me going with it again and to decide if I can incorporate fast days in on a regular basis. I'm still finding my way with it all really and seeing what works for me.

louise so long as there are people who want to talk about 5:2 there will be a thread! As the last one reaches its upper limt of 1000 posts, someone will start a new one and link to it...

Of course, if a facebook page exists too then that would be good! I wouldn't post there as I only use fb rarely but yeah!

Fast day here for me. Easy peasy so far but then as I said before I think being LC in the weeks before starting really nixed my appetite/stablised my blood sugar. Hopped on the scales out of interest and was 61.6 so .1 up... and really ate quite badly on my normal days (by that, I mean poor choices nutritionally rather than lots and lots of it - mcdonalds and the like). It could be that 5:2 would be my 'maintenance' level - but I'm really not far from where I want/should be weight wise (bmi 21.5, body fat % 23.7) so I think for now I'm happy to stay like this rather than up it to a 4:3 - not least because I'm ebf DS3 and not entirely sure it's not affecting my milk - he's had a few fractious days this week whereas he's usually very placid. Now 14 weeks and at 12 he was nudging 8kg so I'm sure my milk was very fat rich/satisfying. Could be coincidence, I guess; other factors like teething starting, illness, or something else might be a part of it but his nappies do seem a little less 'seedy' than before. If he continues to seem 'less satisfied' I think I might actually drop to a 6:1 (and less McDonalds in the 6!) to see what that does.

Oh, and I've only ever drunk black coffee (and tea!) so I don't need to worry about allowing calories for milk in it but I WILL NOT give up my 1 and 1/2 sugars as I too have never found a sweetner I can bare. So I have to allow for those calories but it's fine. The stevia/sugar mix was the best I found but was bloming expensive and for what it 'saves' in calories, sooooo not worth it.

Hi Ladies, can I join.

I've decided to start the 5:2 for the next month. I've about a stone to loose and I'm no good at diets, but quite often skip meals due to work commitments so I'm hoping it will be easy to stick to.

First fast day planned for Thursday as we have a family picnic tomorrow.

Geranium - tomato and red pepper soup sounds great, do you have a recipe?

Hello,

I lurked on the other thread, but I'm going for it tomorrow. The only thing I'm still wondering about is that we always eat as a family (DH, and I and DS 4yo and DD 15mo) at lunchtime. DH isn't doing 5:2 and if I'm eating something different at lunchtime on fast days DS and DD (partic DS) will start carrying on and saying they want the same. I'm trying to think of what meals I could do that I could just eat a small portion of the veg component, or maybe something with salad and I only eat the salad?
Also, is it better to eat the 500 cals in one sitting or is it ok to slit it into 2 meals?

split into 2 meals

just saying hello and marking place...

I am half a day into my first fast day (just had an Eat veg soup at 150 cals) and a couple of mostly-air frothy coffees. I will prob have some sort of Weight Watchers dinner because I think I won't feel like cooking (even cooking up a pile of veg).

I am interested in this because I was already doing a version of this to maintain weight loss. I lost about 3 stone last year doing a vlcd and that really helped me come to terms with hunger (not be afraid of it, understand that it doesn't overwhelm). I used to have blood sugar issues but I didn't get them on the vlcd and don't really get them now unless I have a baked potato for lunch so now I try to avoid that. Anyway, my maintenance strategy was just to give up breakfast and try to have small meals about four days a week - so not too far from the 5:2 and not eating for 16 hours.

I just got back from a weekend away where I ate too much so thought I might kick myself back into a regime by doing this. Would like to lose another 2st.

Hi frenchfancy

Quite simple just chop and saute 2 small onions, 1 stick of celery and 2 cloves garlic in a couple of squirts of fry light and some water with a stock cube crumbled in.
Roast (without fat) 2 halved and deseeded red peppers in a hot oven until the skins blacken a bit and then take skin off. Throw peppers in.
Add a carton (500g) of passata and a splash of balsamic and worcester sauce, plus a sprinkle of black pepper, garlic salt and paprika (to taste - you could add any herbs and spices you like).
Add at least a litre of boiling water and then just simmer for about 1 hour (add more water if needed) and blend, and I added lots of fresh flat leaf parsley at the end. Enough for at least 4 portions about 85 cals per bowl

Had a kfc at lunch today, oops. It is a feed day, but still, I regret it already! I have done some exersize though, first time in a year! I spent an hour on the cycle going really really slow and stopping. Oh well, it's a start.

Thanks geranium. I've got both tomatoes and peppers in the garden so that is lunch on Thursday sorted.

Had a long day out at the zoo with DS and friends. Unfortunately it was also a fast day I didn't eat anything but did have two coffees with semi-skimmed milk (skim wasn't an option).

I've just had some veg and feel better for it.

I don't mind making a FB group, though if I did I'd make it private as I don't really want to have to explain to all and sundry what I'm up to with this faddy diet thing.

this thread has been intresting me for a while i had lost about a stone before i went on holiday since being back about 6 weeks maybe longer ive put on a gd few pounds and lost all motivation, can i just ask if i have this right you eat what u want for 5 days starve for 2. so on your days to eat how many calories should you keep as your max and on your two days with hardly any food you should keep this below 500 calories?

have any of use actualy lost weight doing this if so how much is it sustainable im really looking for a new kick start so maybe trying something new will do the trick i only have about a stone maybe a stone and half left to lose

any advice much apreciated

..I don't do FB ... ...have vigorously resisted i so far ..and I'd be sad to see the informative and motivating people who post on this thread go....

Feed day but i've just had spicy vegetable stir fry (made with stock not oil ) for dinner .. really loving my veggies right now, I treated myself to a little peanut butter in it , but wouldn't on a fast day.. I'm going away for the weekend and will have a take away curry (rare treat as the ones here 'offshore' on our little island here off the south coast , are generally rubbish.) and also ,no doubt, lots of wine . so I'm considering fasting again tomorrow -which would make three this week..

Slight change of plan for tea as the scallops were so expensive I couldn't justify it

Instead I had jumbo king prawns and baby sweetcorn with a little sweet chilli sauce on a bed of rocket and tomato - absolutely gorgeous and about 200 cals (proper big plateful too)

I then had strawberries and am finishing with an options hot choc - and feel totally satisfied

I did have a few hunger pangs between 2 and 6 but rode them out- honestly can't believe how easy this was

sounds lovely geranium

Gaby thats about right , 500cals on fast days (consensus is best eaten in two meals ,) and what you want on feed days , However I looked up my basal calorie rate (its about about 1800 for me) and don't go above that if I can help it on feed days.

the Horizon programme was still available on You Tube when I last looked

BBC Horizon 2012: Eat, Fast and Live Longer
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfna7nV7WaM&sns=tw

5:2 diet talk
mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/2012/05/hrt_20120507_1740.mp3

5:2 diet article
www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/9480451/The-52-diet-can-it-help-you-lose-weight-and-live-longer.html

5:2 diet research
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3017674/

HTH

"Eat what you want" on feed days, btw, is so open to interpretation that I feel like I should repeat a bit from one of the articles linked earlier. The amount of food you eat on a feeding day should be around your suggested caloric intake for maintaining weight. I'll leave this for you to figure out for yourselves. But the point was made in at least one article, that some people might think it means you can have a huge breakfast, hit the Chinese buffet for lunch, etc, because hey, you can "eat what you want." Eating three big meals, especially meals out where one meal itself could send you over 2000 calories, is not really ideal. It's mentioned several times that the participants in these studies didn't feel the need to go over their suggested daily calories (will give the example of 2000 calories for the average woman- don't quote this, though, I'm just using it as an example! We're all different sizes!) on their eating days.

I'm not trying to send everyone for their calculators for their feeding days, but I thought it was an important point to make. (and I say this as someone who has over-indulged on one or two of my feeding days, so I'm not being judgmental about what you choose to eat! )

I think the fasting days help to shrink your appetite a bit, and in the long term, you will find yourself not wanting large portions on your eating days, anyway.

ooh links again, thank you maverick!

greeneggs Yes totally agree.. I didn't quite think my wording through before i typed it in ..

To calculate your basal rate

www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

and to calculate you calorie needs to stay the same weight (you need your basal rate first)

www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

oh no Laska I just wanted to repeat because 1) there's a few new people around and 2) I thought it was important to mention because I know everyone has a different idea of what is "normal" eating. Some of us are the size we are because we forgot what a normal portion size is, for example. Thanks a lot for those links!

Thanks for those links - that's really helpful

I totally agree with you about forgetting what a normal portion/eating is

Hello!! I think I've probably had about 1000 calories today. I am on holiday with my sons so don't want to just sit there with soup all the time!! I am however noticing that I'm not snacking and just eat till I'm comfortably full and then stop! I also don't actually like the taste of chocolate anymore. I'm going mad aren't I? Keep dreaming of fruit!!!!!

Lagartijadoesthecrazyshake - I'm wanting recipes that I can either have part of or can be increased for the DSs to have (maybe to include pasta or somesuch) as I'm loath to cook two meals; I also don't feel the need to tell them (as they're only 6 and 4) that I'm fasting on particular days because it would just create too many questions and reasons why they're not eating which I don't want.

In term time we eat together at about 4.30 in the afternoon, so I can just skip lunch, have a smaller breakfast and a small supper. But I need things which I can adapt.

All ideas gratefully received.

So my basal rate is 1381 calories, if i laid in bed all day...well i would take that any day lol! Chance would be a fine thing

Feed day for me today, had a good day. I don't actually calorie count as such on feed days, but have a decent idea of approx how many calories I've eaten. I aim for around 1700-1800 calories but if i go over i don't fret about it, as everyone says, that's the beauty of this diet.

Made a big salad to take to work tomorrow and marinated some Quorn to add. Never used Quorn like that, always in a sauce so I'm hoping it's nice and satisfying.

some one asked about best way to use the 500 calories, it's very much down to personal choice. I find one meal for late lunch works best for me by far, but others prefer two 250 meals over the course if the day. A big life saver for me though is that i have a sugar free energy drink first thing in the morning on fast days. I forgot to have one the other day and it made a big difference.

Only two more fast days for me until the wedding I'm going to on Saturday. Bit naughty but i weighed myself this morning and to date in 2.5 weeks I've lost 9lb, it's really gob smacking, particularly considering how easy in finding it. I'm really enjoying ADF and will find it strange when i drop down to 5:2 in a couple of weeks when i want to maintain my weight.

End of day 1 fast of week 2, egg and toast for breakfast, fish and veg for tea. Found today easy enough , even managed to avoid nibbling on mini chicken pies I made for dh's lunch tomororw.

Have drank lots of decaf coffee, peppermint tea and water. Feel hungry but not starving. On last week think I've lost about 3lb, well pleased !

Hello all, have had a lovely staycation day today, and finished off with dinner of hummus and focaccia <yum>. Fasting tomorrow so just about to have an little evening snack of prunes and apricots to keep things, er, moving when I fast again tomorrow!

I have officially lost half a stone now, and am in week 6. I wish I could give up the scales now and just fully choose this as a lifestyle. Maybe a touch longer till it becomes a really ingrained habit?

Hi all,

Laksa I was talking to a friend who drastically reduced her calorie intake and found her sleep very disrupted. I told her about the 5:2 version, didn't think hers sounded very healthy. How did you find your basal rate? I am a bit worried about checking mine in case it is ridiculously low.

Geranium that sounds like a great first day. It is quite tempting to splurge on fast days - sort of give yourself a lift. Did you feel a bit lethargic between 2-6?
I had a slump on my last fast day around 3, but kind of bounced back at 5.

My normal day wasn't too mad, cereal, pitta with carrot and cheese grated, 2 apples, a pork and veg stir-fry with noodles then oops! an M&S chocolate fondant cake at 612 calories! Get in! Ah well! Even with the cakey splurge I don't think I was tons over 2000 (hopeful face).
I had a bit of a sore tummy last night after my veg and meat only stir-fry and found eating it with noodles easier going. I know a lot of people go carb-free, but I kind of feel happier eating some, otherwise I get a bit of indigestion.

Has anyone seen that blood-type diet? It looks like complete quackery, but my diet was supposed to be based on early farmers, mainly veggie, but including unprocessed cereals.

Well done Will! What were you aiming to lose, if anything?
I know what you mean, I tell people about the health benefits as if they are uppermost in my mind, but I ain't fooling anyone. Knowing nods!

FAb charts, thanks.
Bookmarking my basal thingy - 1331 calories, so about 1600 calories to maintain, which is prolly about right according to my actual experience.

I should eat 2134 on my non fast days according to that thing!!!

Same as me, 2134 but I have an active lifestyle. Actually I think its about right as I don't actually put on weight eating my normal (large) diet. My excess weight has been hanging around for ages and gets added to at Christmas and holidays.

According to that I should have about 2400 calories to maintain! I think that's far too high and will be aiming for about 1800 on an eating day, but not worrying about it as I'm hoping to do my main cardio workouts on my eating days.
I did my first fast day yesterday and found it super easy. We were out and about all day and my friends had taken a massive picnic but I stuck with my water and fruit for lunch, and had a green tea when they all had coffee and cake. Feeling very virtuous , and had a delicious steak with tons of veggies for dinner.

We're off to soft play today so need to convince them to make me a plain chicken salad! Am going armed with a tub of fruit and some herbal tea bags.

What does everyone consider active?? I walk miles every day, seven days a week, so put that down as moderate. I don't stop most days until 9pm.

I did it! First fast day and didn't find it too bad at all-definitely not hungry in the evening and have woken up this morning at 7 and not feeling hungry at all.
rowingboat yes I was a bit tetchy about 3- 5 ish (but was in Tesco so that figures!!

My basal rate (as I have a lot to lose) is 1764 and on lightly active my calorie needs to maintain are 2400+ - not sure I will eat that much now I am planning and working it out on mfp at the start, but it has given me a bit of a shock as to how much I have been eating, or how much of the wrong things

Can't remember who recommended (but thanks)- I have been reading the John Briffa diet trap book- very interesting. I do think for me personally there is something in cutting down carbs on non fast days- I am genuinely not a massive eater (although drink too much wine) yet I have continually put weight on over the years. Thinking back to when I did Slimming World most successfully I did best on the original days. It's an interesting read, with quite a bit of science to back it up but written in an understandable way. It really turns everything on its head.

Anyway, am not going to stress too much in the first weeks of this about restricting carbs but am going ti be mindful and less worried about low fat everything

Next fast day Thursday-I am also considering whether to go 4:3 as I think Sunday would be a good fast day for me too, especially if I am not working

Geranium, my bmr figures are approx the same as yours, and I've made the same decision re cutting down carbs too.
I've had pcos in the past and I think while it's not active now it's massively changed how my body reacts to carbs and insulin etc.

Cunning, I put myself down as lightly active. I walk about 2 miles a day, don't sit down from 8-8 most days and do a zumba class and 2 other long sessions in the gym and swim a mile most weeks.

Hello all, Delurking here... I've been watching these 5:2 threads and have found them really inspiring! So thanks to everyone for comments and advice that I've enjoyed reading.

I'm in week 2 and did my 5th fast day yesterday (roughly doing ADF as need to lose weight) and am finding them easier and easier - yesterday I didn't eat til 3.45 (apart from teas and a life-saving oxo cube drink while kids were eating lunch!) which I could never have done on the earlier ones.

I feel much healthier, more active and less hungry on non-fast days. I'm also def losing weight - today 11st0.4, was 11st9.8 when I started... but where is it going? I measured myself at the beginning and now and (although I feel 'trimmer') I measure exactly the same! Whats going on? Am I just losing the infamous 'water'?

For me the biggest benefit of this way of eating is that I don't feel guilty for days of over indulgence. I have lost 4lbs and will have been doing this 3 weeks on Friday - during which I've shared 3 bottles of wine with friends, had one thai meal out with pudding, one Indian with popadoms & one Chinese :-)

It's flexible - so a day I intended to be "normal ' became a fast day because I'd over indulged the night before and felt in the zone for fasting - so I did.

Flexibility, no guilt, and can still have - brilliant . Some fast days I have healthy soup throughout the day (gets a bit boring so by the evening I'm chucking curry powder into it), others 2 small meals, others just black coffee all day and one meal when I get home - depending on where I am an what I'm doing.

I got into some old, smart, non-stretchy trousers for an important meeting yesterday :-) first time for 2 yrs that I've been able to do that [high fives self emoticon ]

I walk at least 5 miles a day and do yoga and Pilates alternative days so am probably ok with moderately active then

*rowing boat@
basal rate calculator below
To calculate your basal rate

www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

and to calculate you calorie needs to stay the same weight (you need your basal rate first)

www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

I was surprised to find my daily calorie needs to maintain were so low 16-1800 depending on exercise level . having always thought at it would be nearer the 2000.. of course ones age does make a difference and i'm post menopausal now. I put my self as light to moderate as i work all day at a desk, and my exercise comprises mainly of walking several miles at a time usually , cycling and things like zumba,

Was planning to fast again today , but had another bad nights sleep not like me , but I have work deadlines on my mind. So I've started the day off with a 3 egg omelette as as I really felt i needed an energy boost. will see how it goes , I may do 600 cals today instead of 500 and have a good piece of protein and salad later ..

Working at home today so need coffee right now .. or else I shall be going back to bed again instead...

Good luck everyone..

2nd fast day yesterday and weigh day today - have lost 2lbs exactly in 8 days and am pretty pleased. I had a very heavy weekend and was already dieting when I discovered 5:2 so perhaps less water to shed? I made a mistake in buying a small piece of salmon for my dinner yesterday before I realised how calorific it is! However, stirfried (frylight!) with lots of veg, ginger, spring onion & oyster sauce it was delicious! Onwards and upwards - only 15lbs to go.......

Hi all,
I have followed both threads avidly, and am finally coming out of lurkdom!
Today is my fourth fast day, and after 3 fast days in 10 days I have lost 6lb, so really motivated! although it seems like a long day stretching ahead first thing in the morning, it will be easier after about 2pm. I ususally have just one meal, and try and last as long as I can through the day before I have it...

In case anyone wants a short form explanation for basal rates: those of us (including myself here) who are larger need more calories just to stay the same weight. If I'm carrying around, say, 30lbs more than Laska every day, that's actual work my body is having to do. If she were to haul around 30lbs worth of weights all day, she'd burn a load more calories, too.

So, while it might sound high, especially when everyone is discussing their basal rates (remember, we're also all different heights, ages, body compositions here) AND because we're probably all used to the amount of calories we "should" be having when dieting, the number probably isn't too far off the mark. While I'm not saying you NEED to eat that amount on your eating days, you probably don't want to go out of your way to try to eat low calorie on those days, especially if you're doing ADF. Take a look at long-term averages, say weekly, and you'll see that eating your basal rate of calories, plus the fast days, you'll be averaging well into a healthy low-calorie diet range.

Example: I'm doing 4:3 at the moment. If I eat 2000 calories on my eating days, and 500 on my fasting days, I'm averaging 1357 calories a day. This is still in a healthy range for losing weight for my size.

That having all been said: tomorrow will be my 2-week mark, and I've lost over 3 kilos! That's almost 7 pounds. I'm very pleased.

And welcome to the de-lurkers! leeloo I don't know where you're losing the weight from. Water loss would also show in your measurements, so you must be losing it from somewhere!

catsrus I feel the same. I've definitely indulged on many of my eating days and I've still been losing. It feels very doable in the long term.

Have name changed, so not new. Joining you guys today for another fast, had a bit of a blow out yesterday - slap up lunch with wine and then lots of goodies....rather glad to be fasting today. Plan to use 100kcal on hot drinks, lunch - one boiled egg and dinner some fish or chicken with veg. Interesting stuff on the daily calorie intake - I can see why I am heavier than I'd like.

I would estimate that I do eat a bit more than 2000 cals on my eating days. For example, yesterday I had 2 crumpets with margerine for breakfast. Over the whole day I ate 2 packets of crisps, a mini blueberry muffin (v tiny - not a full size one!), a prawn mayo sandwich and chilli and rice. I then had 2 large glasses of white wine in the evening. I would have though roughly 2500 cals?

I am doing ADF though, so I would have thought I could eat a bit more on the eating days? It isn't a massive amount more than I'd normally have and I don't usually have wine. Or am I fooling myself? Does that sound like too much? I do rigidly stick to 400 cals or less on my fast days.

Just checked, the tiny blueberry muffin was 189 cals .

Basal rate is about 1200, so to maintain i need around 1400 or something (but actually it seems i put on if i eat that much, boooo). Anyway, fast day today, had slimfast, not sure what to eat later, but thinking a ready meal, just to make it easy and stick to my calories.

I put on a size 14 trousers today - and they aren't even maternity ones, wooooooh! My arse hurts from sitting on the bike yesterday, no muscle ache, as i took it really easy, just the seat has bruised my bum!

Ooh, and welcome noobs! (love that word!) x

dontcallmehon that's not too much for me to eat on an eating day, but my basal rate, considering I'm moderately active, is almost 2500. (I believe this to be true from my own experience, as well) It's 2000ish if I'm not active.

So I'd say this depends on your own basal rate, if it's around 2k then you're probably fine. Honestly, you're probably fine even if it isn't 2k, if you're doing ADF. I think the proof is in the pudding (haa!), if you're still losing weight with it, then you're eating fine.

Muffins have a ridiculous amount of calories! If you've faced with either a muffin or a cake as a treat, don't choose the muffin just because you think it will be healthier. Just accept both of them as being cake, and make your decision that way. (I do like blueberry muffins...)

I'm on a fast day today. Struggling as been up half the night with baby <yawn>.

Planning boiled egg, lots of leafy salad for lunch and fish in sauce, new pots and veg for dinner.

Thanks greeneggs for post about bmi and the calories on non fast days. Dh and I had argument as he's been eating worse on non fast days and didn't get that outward counter productive. We went out for lovely meal on Monday but lots of pudding . Re cakes, I love bake wells but over 200 calories in just one measly cake

Fasting today but woke with awful migraine.Had planned no breakfast and soup & apple for lunch but felt so queasy and faint in work due to headache just had a spoonful of cereal with splash of milk and feel a little better.
Ate normally yesterday so don't think headache and diet are connected.
Will have main meal after weighing and exercise in Rosemary Conley tonight.
My maintaining rate with light exercise is 1965 calories which is higher than expected.

I only eat 1300-1400 on a normal day...wonder if I need to up this to my actuall 2100? I don't think I could physically manage that much....unless I ate high fat!

Lol, ah well, maybe I'm shrinking somewhere (ankles? wrists?) that I didn't measure?

Cunning are you losing weight? If so, then I wouldn't worry. If you aren't losing weight, then it might be worth considering upping your calories on eating days by a bit and seeing what happens.

If I were to eat 1300 cals on my eating days, and 500 on my fast days (considering I do 4:3), this would average out to 957 calories a day, which is really too low. If you're doing 5:2, it would average out to 1142 cals a day. That's better, but still on the low side for your size (just guessing as your basal rate isn't far off my own). It's important to see your average for the week, rather than thinking of your caloric intake for the one day, because you do need to consider that you starved your body the day before.

Again, though, if you're seeing results, then it's really up to you how you handle it. I'm not a professional at this, I'm merely repeating what I've read in the articles linked previously in the thread.

right. Weighed myself this morning and was a shocking 12st 4!! That's heavy for me and explains why I feel so flabby. 78 kilos. I was that when I was heavily pg with DD.
i'm 5ft6 or 1.67cm so my basal calorie thingy is 1565. i've been eating waaaaay more than that for a while I reckon.
First fasting day today. Have had nothing but water and a herbal tea and feel ok. quite hungry but ok. Going to have a tortilla wrap (108kcal) and some salad for lunch as kids are having chicken fajitas so I'll be doing the same minus the chicken. Then probably a bit of porridge later.
Haven't eaten since last night so will be at least 16 hrs without food. So far it's been easier than I expected. When I get hungry I visualise my body doing all those repairig things they talked about on horizon <<scentific>>.

Bunt oh yes, damned men. They do quite well on this diet. My DH has quietly joined me this week. He didn't announce it, but I'd finally broken down and told him over the weekend what I was doing (can only avoid food for so long without drawing attention) and it seems as if he's doing a modified version for himself. No doubt will lose twice as much as I do. sigh.

But yes, basal rate thing for men will allow them more calories on average than for us. Unless you're a lot bigger than he is, or there's a big age difference, or whatever other factors are taken into consideration.

I've allowed myself quite a number of treats over the course of my eating days, certainly a lot more than I would on a normal diet. I've calmed down a bit, though (I think I went a bit crazy the first couple of days, but that was getting used to the fasting I think).

My BMR is 1429.7 I don't do any particular exercise but I have an active lifestyle running around after ds2 (4), breastfeeding dd (10m) 5 x a day, housework and walking with kids. So what i multiply it by?

Lagarti welcome Those first few fast days are a bit of an endurance test, and a chock to the system if you've fallen into some bad snacking habits (like I had), but it gets easier after the first one or two. Good luck today!

I don't usually have much more than 1400 and often it is less as MFP set me as 1350 and some days I struggle to hit it and other dad I go over it

I did yours by 1.375 which was moderate exercise. That's erring on the side of caution, you could multiply by 1.55 if you feel you fit the description of the playing sport 3x a week etc.

Anyway, it comes out at 1964 calories. If that helps.

That's what I though greeneggsas bfing is like exercise thank you.

I think the long term sustainability is the big thing - If I can lose weight on ADF or 4:3 and then come down to 5:2 or 6:1 and just find the level that works for me then I've cracked it in a way I really haven't before

okay but MFP is doing that as your suggested average daily intake of calories. If you see what I said about averages, we've got to take into consideration we're fasting on at least two days out of the week, some of us more. It's important to remember the averaging, because we're eating so low on the other days.

Even if I eat 2000+ calories today, I will be eating 1200 calories on average per day this week. Because of those days when I'm under 500 calories.

good hope it helped. I think the BFing, the walking, the general play with children, means moderate exercise as referred to by that chart. I think the resting level is pure rest- someone who is literally not moving much- waking up in the morning, getting into their car, sitting at the office all day, etc.

I do a lot of to-ing and fro-ing getting DS to pre-school (walking, an hour round trip) amongst other things, so I said moderate exercise. I'm not doing proper cardio at the moment so I won't claim higher.

I agree cats! I think I've been so conditioned to think that my body needed x amount of calories per day, including breakfast, that I hadn't even considered this style of diet.

That makes sense greeneggs our school run will be very slow as ds2 snaffled blackberries off the bushes this time of year

Thanks Green! I was going to have porrigde for breakfast, following the measurements on the food blog link you posted but was running late to meet a friend and anway, wanted to try to wait til lunch if poss so as to get the benefit of the 16:8 thing.

Hi everyone.

Managed just under 1000kcals yday so going to Aim for 500 today. I have found now on eating days I just can't eat like I used to! Don't like the taste of chocolate or crisps anymore. I actually seem to crave fruit!

absolutely greeneggs - and then I'd get into the whole "not being able to eat normally" - even healthily normal which my diet generally is, and the idea that skipping meals is bad for you and whole days without food is "faddy dieting" and dangerous. Getting rid of those ideas is positively liberating!

Non-fast day today so had yoghurt and fruit then was out in town with dd and we had a drink - nice milky latte for me and hot chocolate for her - neither of us wanted the little chocolate flake that came with the HC so we left it! We both agreed that if it had been a bowl of crisps we wouldn't have managed to do that

I think it seems to work well if you're able to put off your first eating of the day, so it might even be for the best that you weren't able to have your breakfast!

So true. I find I wake up quite hungry but bustling round and a coffee soon knocks that on the head. With practice, I've found I can easily delay eating till 10 or 12 or 6pm depending on the day...

Laska thanks for putting the link to BMR up - very useful

My calories per day is about 2000 - which is 14000/week, with ADF I've been getting about 7000-8000 which is pretty much the deficit required to lose 1kg/week which is what I've averaged for the last month (10kg over all but I lost more in the first couple of weeks). I'll just have to make sure that I reduce the calories on non fast days as my BMR reduces with weight loss.

Hi all,
this thread is soo busy I can't keep up. Never mind waves to anyone fasting today! I'm having a fast day meself!
Laksa thank you for the Basal rate doo da. Mine is 1379.75 and to maintain 2139. I chose moderate exercise because I do 20 mins on my exercise bike 4 times a week and my job involves a fair bit of lifting and running up and down stairs, plus I walk everywhere. Or am I fooling myself. Probably only need 1500 cals per day!
So far today have had a coffee with 100 mls ss milk a 2 egg omelette with slice of ham and 70g of carrots (all I had left). Am making a bit of dahl soup for later, will work out cals later, but should be ok for 600.
Was hungo earlier on today, but went for a nap. Off to work soon feeling suitably rested.

greeneggs yep I am loosing weight and inches. More wanting to loose inches than weight though. I'd say I have averaged out at loosing a pound a week(sometimes 2 but theni can get that back). If I lose another 7 pounds I will be at my absolute lowest weight I'd consider aiming for. So not to bothered if I lose it or not. It's all a bit of a guessing game! I think in 6 months I'll have it all worked out as it seems very individual!

I think this article was posted the other day , but i've just read it
and reposting for newbies. The recipes are good ..though I shouldn't be reading them as I'm on a fast day and shouldn't be thinking of food until later ...

Having said that my 3-egg omlette I ate earlier still seems to be working....yes lots of protein , but ill be having mostly veggies (and some prawns) later

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/9480451/The-52-diet-can-it-help-you-lose-weight-and-live-longer.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/9483381/52-diet-healthy-recipes-250-calories-or-less.html

Also the programme is no longer on the BBC website but is on You tube

leeloo Perhaps the most dangerous fat of all is what your body has been utilising - that stored around your organs, specifically, rather than the general area of hips/thighs/waist.

So, weighed myself this morning and at 60.9kg...

Wow you have been chatty!
Just wanted to say I agree with cats, I found my fast day and post fast day really easy this week, honestly I felt like any other day.

Just checked my BMI and it's 27.7 so officially overeight. No surprise there. To get into a healthy eight range I'd need to lose about 10 kilos or bout a stone and a half.
But I'm doing this for the health benefits too, as like Mosely the idea of dementia in old age is horrifying. Also watched a friend die in his 50s of prostate cancer last year.

In terms of the first fast day, feeling OK, although have had a bit of a headache since midday, but that could just be cos I had such an appalling night's sleep with DD up at 12, 3, 5 and a 630 start to the day.

Had nothing til lunch and then had 2 flour tortillas (108kcals each) 5 strips of chicken smaller than my thumb and some lettuce, tomato and a tiny bit of queso fresco (like cottage cheese) and 3 grapes. This evening will have a little bit of porridge. Feel hungrier now than before I ate, weirdly.

how many fast days have you done sputnik

This was my fourth, but I've been lowish carbing for a while before and I really think that helped adjust, as even the first day wasn't that hard, but I did feel hungrier the next day.
Maybe you are feeling hungry because your meal was too Carb heavy? My fast day meals include a lot of veg and a medium serving of protein (couple of eggs or about 100g of fish).
I also have 10kgs to lose for a healthy bmr, would love to manage that before Xmas.

Yes, it wasn't ideal but I don't want to eat something different to the DCs at lunchtime and that was the easiest meal for me to adjust and eat the same as them based of hat we had in the house. I think I'll try to have something fish based ith veggies for the next fast days and see if that helps.

sigh. Oh well, today is an eating day but i.just.can't.stop. I'm hoping this is an hormonal thing, I've been nibbling on any/everything alllllll day

This is my 3rd week of fast days, lost 4lb first week, 1lb last week. Not measured myself but boobs seem smaller as does waist (might be wishful thinking). Had lunch, 100g lettuce, 50g cucumber, 2 cherry Tom, 5 sliced grapes and 1 boiled egg.

Bunt, I don't want to lose my boobs!!

God DAMN, I'm hungry.

suja mine are 34/36 J I'd like to get down to DD.(they'll be all floppy tho )

Lag: have a herbal tea. I'm having a black currant one as we speak!

Bunt: 2bh I could probably do with mine going down too. They're 34e but just worried about what they'd look like after the breast feeding I've done too!!

Lagarti I'll second the low-carb suggestion. I am unable to low-carb for an extended period, but for my fast days I've found that I last much better if I avoid bread/ pasta etc, as they often leave me wanting more. I tend to just have veg, with a protein thrown in if I need it.

And lots of tea and coffee.

Was going to fast today - scond consecutive day, but felt a bit wobbly when DD woke me up in the night, so thought would have a feed day.

Currently had 530 calories and now thinking maybe a fast day and proper eat tomorrow. Bah I'm so bluddy indecisive.

Eating day today, eggs n toast for breakfast, seeds for snack, mini homemade chicken pie for lunch, babybel, for tea chicken and veg.

As others have noted I think being on low carb eating plan helps generally. I haven't had any massive cravings or big hunger pangs on fast days.

Overall I feel lighter too which is great!

Eating day for me, too - for breakfast (but closer to midday) a 3 egg omelet with ham, tomato and cheese. Baked beans on the side.

Mid afternoon slice of choc/caramel shortcake bake (packet says 250 cals) and coffee made with all semi skimmed milk (homemade latte )

Going out for dinner - will prob have my 'usual' that I have at this tapas restaurant: prawn pil pil to start and lamb chops with veg and a whole bowl bit of patatas bravas

fast day for me - 2x miso soup, 1 coffee, egg salad & some pretzels.

Jeans are in danger of falling down - had a fairly grim weekend so motivation is good!

Well apparently I can eat 2200 calories and maintain my weight, which is good. Today is a fast day. I have eaten slightly more than i usually do on fast days, but I am hoping it still comes under 400 cals. I have eaten 2 satsumas, a scoop of yesterday's chilli without the rice and an 80 calorie cuppa soup. Plus about 3 cups of tea with milk.

Poo! MFB tells me im up to 650 - which is a bit annoying, but then its also saying that 130 of those calories where down to broccoli and carrots! ..

Hmm.... I didnt have that much .. a couple of small carrots and half a small head of broc just steamed .. Oh well , its good vitamins antioxidants and roughage , not like having a biccie so cant see it will make too much difference ,so no point worrying about it..
onwards and upward!

Always good to hear people's good results on here.

I'm with Lag, staaaaarving! Not genuinely I don't think, just feeling a little bit weak/wiped out and really snacky. It's taking aaaaall of my willpower to keep me away from the chocolate in the fridge and the cake aisle in tesco. It's only the thought that i can have it tomorrow that's keeping me from stuffing my fat face right now!

fantasising about feed day tomorrow, although funnily enough really craving quite healthy things, like egg on toast.

I've had the most horrible headaches all morning today. Not a migraine but headache, have been drinking herbal tea and water like it's going out of fashion A coffee this aft helped and am just about to have the most humungous tuna salad I've ever made.
The ridiculous soft play place today wouldn't make me a salad as "they were too busy", and everything else on the menu wasn't suitable so I just had a protein shake, apple and herbal tea while I was there. So glad it's dinner time!

Fasting... Is anyone else freezing on fast days? I was hoping to save some money not eating but at this rate am gonna have to have the heating on even more than normal. Or break out the hot water bottle.

Anyhow, just wolfed an enormous bowl of emergency pea & ham soup, which I calculate must have been about 200 calories:

200g frozen peas
small sprinkle of frozen onions
water just to cover
splash of lime
salt and pepper
teaspoon of mint sauce stirred in after blending
cook, blend, chuck in 1 slice of shredded wiltshire ham.

Takes 5 mins and is lovely, slightly ripped off from Nigella's pea and pesto soup but without the pesto.

Thanks for that recipe Wilf- sounds lovely

First eating day today and really haven't been that hungry - treating myself to a nice glass of wine!

Yes i've been freezing today (which is why I had the broccoli and carrots and chilli which took me over my 500 .. cups of tea just weren't doing it .. I needed some hot food) .. I just did 20 mins running and jumping on the rebounder to warm me up ..but I'm shivery again now so may just go to bed with a pot of mint tea .. Fasting has been a lot harder today ..

Just wanted to say that it's actually best not to have both your fast days right in a row. You should have an eating day between the fast days for best results, according to the links previously posted in the thread.

Well done everyone who has almost made it through their fast day.

Had some porridge and still feel hungry! Looking forward to going to bed so I can wake up and eat!
Went out with DC and DH, he ordered a coffee and I ordered a fruit juice and was horrified to discover it had 100 cals!!!!
Reckon I've stuck to 500-600 cals today. Going to fast again on friday as have a kids bday party on sat and won't be able to resist picking at stuff and host will no doubt be offended if I refuse all offers, then in laws on Sunday...no way I'll get away without eating there!

I'm cold, am in bed with thick socks, ds2 & a hot water bottle.

Fast day for me. Had a huge salad with Quorn chicken pieces. several people in the office commented on the size of it, saying i thought you was on a diet?!
Only about 350 calories even with coleslaw, it was very filling and satisfying.
9th fast day for me, it's so easy now. Keep wondering if it will remain this easy long term, as it would be amazing to keep it up. Can't see any reason why not, but don't usually stick to 'diets' once I've lost the weight i was aiming for - hence then needing a new diet, lol!
Not even slightly hungry, definitely find that a Camomile tea keeps hunger at bay

Well I'm off to bed in a minute. This is the end of my first fast day. It's been OK, although I did find I was really hungry after lunch (first meal of the day) and pretty much remained hungry all day. I think maybe the next time I need to eat more veg.

Well done all you fasters

greeneggsthanks for all the great info you've been posting and all the encouragement.

Well done all of you on your fast days, especially first fast days. It does get easier the more you do.
Another one completed had youngs cod in butter sauce, baby new potatoes, peas and Brocolli steamed. Just having a options mint hot choc and rich tea finger biscuits

Night all x

I'm freezing too. Really odd, didn't expect that as a side effect.

My theory is all the energy has been, er, burnt up warming up all my crucial organs so my feet and fingers can go freeze themselves. Or summat.

Well done fasters! It IS very cold today!!

Well went to weigh and am two pounds heavier than last week when i weighed after a two course lunch whereas today on a fast day! Doesn't make sense and my class teacher said i even look thinner! Will carry on regardless as its the longer term result I'm after.disappointing tho when i didn't overindulge on my eating days :-(

Louise are u on totm? I def gained then!!

Could be hormonal I guess.I always have lost weight erratically even when I've stuck properly to diets .anyway it's not putting me off cos I really like this way of eating!

Could be hormonal I guess.I always have lost weight erratically even when I've stuck properly to diets .anyway it's not putting me off cos I really like this way of eating!

Hi all,
Will I have been cold as well, but it may just be that the weather is not so warm. Er, bit Autumnal shall we say.

So fast day number 6? I think. It was ok, but I was jolly hungry most of the day. I might cut down to a one egg omelette so I can eat more veggies and fill up my grumbling tum. It was ok though, I'm getting used to being hungry.
My workplace resembles a branch of Thorntons most days so I was quite pleased that fasting stops me even considering a belgian chocolate with my cup of tea. It seems to do something to my brain and I don't even have to struggle with the decision. Complete resignation and apathy I think?
I am shifting my next fast day to Saturday so I can scoff lots of Indian food at our local Indian festival on Sunday (pats tummy). That is if it doesn't rain all day long.
Well done fellow fasters! Aren't we great!!
Good luck to all those fasting tomorrow!

Just finished 6th fast day. Feel very hungry now - I always feel hungry if I do cardio on a fast day, but it couldn't be helped. Will skip breakfast and start eating again with lunch. It's good to have it finished again till next Monday.

Today's food ( or lack of) 470 kcal
Breakfast 2 coffees with semi skimmed milk
Lunch 1 med boiled egg and a cup of miso soup
Dinner Roast chicken with a chilli tomato & courgette chutney with green beans and broccoli and a cup of tea.

No time right now to read thru thread will do later but just reporting in after my mahoosive 7 1/2 lb weight gain over weekend have done my usual mon/we'd fast (prob 550 cal mon 600 yest) and have lost 6lb so must have been mainly water .

Anyone else getting bloated stomach when they eat (even if just small amount food?)

whoooee another 1.5 pound off so thats 5 lbs in two weeks.. Well pleased with that. Also my waist has gone down TWO inches !!

Who is it that's reading the Dr Briffa book , I started it last night and was so amazed ( and I thought I knew everything about dieting!!) that I ended up reading it into the early hours ..

I'm on an eating day today , but low carbing.. but reading his book I'm now wondering if fast days could be LC also (and maybe even slightly higher fat ?) .. .. But i've not finished it yet..

I'm combining LC with 5:2 Laska so if you discover anything outstanding would you shout about it please?
Not avidly LC, but no refined carbs and nothing I've not prepared myself, but I'm not restricting what fruit or veg I eat.
I weighed this morning and I'm 3.5 lbs lighter than Monday morning!

First fast day. 1 coffee so far and feeling good. I think it is the first time I have actually felt enthusiastic about a diet. Might feel different later

Planning a banana and a low fat yoghurt mid morning, then something in the evening.

Hi squishy cant stay on this long - im in the office and may get modded!
its called Escape the diet Trap, by Dr John briffa . have a look on Amazon ..

Here goes first fast day today planning to do thurs and tues. I've had a cup of tea with milk and porridge with flaked almonds and cinnamon got a really busy day so planning a 4pm second meal. Wish me luck!

Hi guys, can I join you??

I need to loose a stone and just been reading about this diet....I am starting my first fasting day today as I haven't had breakfast yet!! What does everyone find best..fasting every other day or certain days of the week?

Hi Ilovecake I am doing 2 days out of 5 and not fixed days; they tend to be a Mon & Weds but is flexible if something crops up in the week just change the day. Still experimenting with types of food to keep me fullest longest

Hi Louise, on non fasting days i am allowed to eat any food...that just seems unreal! But no more than 2000cal and 500cal on fasting days! This doesn't seem to bad really just hope it works!!

That's about it cake! it's a bit of trial and error to start and some people seem to be losing loads of weight. I'm not finding that but doing it for health reasons mainly as like you have about a stone I would like to lose.I was hungry yesterday on a fast day but thinking about it didn't have any protein just veg salad etc so will try a different approach next Monday on my next one

Welcome Ilovecake1! I fast on Tues, Thurs, and Sat. I'd do alternate-day fasting, but have decided to just set three specific days so that I am always able to eat on Sundays (otherwise, I'd have to alternate Sundays fasting, and I don't want to disturb the family routine that much).

Low carbing is definitely something to consider for fast days. I know I'm unable to sustain LCing in the long term, though, which is why I'm giving this a go. It's working very well for me (7+ lbs down in two weeks) and I don't feel like I'm struggling with it at all.

Today is my fast day, am having a cup of coffee, and won't be eating until late afternoon/early evening. Shall be having my usual veg. Might have a piece of fruit as well to try to keep things moving along, so to speak.

Well done sqishy and laska, fab losses. I survived my snacky fast day yesterday with a couple of sneaky extra cups of tea. Funny how now it's a feed day and I can, I'm not as tempted to raid the tesco cake aisle any more mainly as I can't be arsed. I did eat a couple of squares of dark choc as soon as humanly possible this morning though, but I neeeeeeded them!

Female fasting

I'm relieved (slightly) to see from this article that not everyone will lose weight through fasting, although I have no idea why that would be the case. I am not over eating, mostly low carb and I'm exercising but my weight is stable, not falling after 3 weeks. Dh is suffering from sleeplessness on fast nights, so not sure how long he can maintain on that level, although the weight is falling off him quickly and he doesn't have much to lose.

Michael Mosley has reduced his fasting to one day a week - does anyone know if he has had his bloods done to see how that affects his stats. I'm thinking if I'm not losing weight doing this twice a week and I can get health benefit from having one fast day a week, then that would make more sense.

Weight loss can be such a mystery times

Anyone seen this? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2195408/Starve-day-pig-Is-perfect-diet.html

Bit misinformed (as usual - it's the daily wail!), but even more hilarious are the ignoramouses commenting. Some arse said 'I think lazy new mums should do this diet', ahaha, thanks for that, that'll be me then!

Have not kept up with this thread, sorry, but is there a thread anywhere for under 500 cal meals for 5:2 dieters? Can't find one in this topic or recipes but thought there was one somewhere.

Also am I wrong that we're meant to not eat much protein on fast days? I thought the point is to get your body to repair itself using stored proteiny stuff rather than the protein you eat? (hah, clearly I am an expert!!) I don't really like carbs and see that lots of people are eating fish or chicken on their fast days (I am too!), but surely that's high protein?

Hmm, in that article Zoe Harcombe compares this way of eating to bulimia. Having had bulimia for a decade (thankfully I seem to be doing well now) I can honestly say it is nothing like bulimia.

I don't eat vast quantities of food on my feed days, nor do I desire to. I don't feel out of control, I feel controlled and happy about what I'm eating. I eat a normal amount. Plus, if you can eat what you want, binging is no longer appealing. It was when I tried to restrict calories that things were tricky for me, as I would go over the top and then desire all the 'bad' foods. I have found this way of eating doesn't do that, as nothing is forbidden.

right I read that this morning. I agree with all the commenters who are pointing out this is how our ancestors survived - eating when meat was fresh then going a few days without food before hunting again. Makes sense to me!

Well done on the losses and the successful fast days

I am on fast day 2 - had water and lemon/ginger tea, and just had a yogurt now at 12 noon. I then have veg soup and 2 ryvita, and chicken and courgettes followed by strawberries and an Options hot choc for this evening.

Laska- I mentioned John Briffa's book - but someone else mentioned it earlier in this thread or the next. Very interesting though

That article is also interesting Tellmelater - I think the thing I took though is that overweight women do seem to see a result- the health benefits seem less clear if not overweight, although as it says, there is not enough evidence. I think if I was wanting to get pregnant then I would be very cautious about this, but for me it isn't an issue (another non parent here) and the improved mental ability is interesting I think

It's funny - I haven't been madly hungry and got up this morning to work, and was really efficient and have got loads done at work this morning as well- I feel sharp

To be honest though for me, if this works with weight loss, then it is the way forward for me as it is just so do-able because I can do 1 day of restricted eating with no problem from the look of it. I don't have many carbs on a fast day and am trying to eat less (especially in the evening) on an eating day. I, like others, can't do Atkins type diets (and don't want to) but I think I can cut down on sugar and refined carbs -I am certainly not limiting fruit and veg, and that then gives scope for higher fat (real cheese, cream, yogurt etc)

Well did turn yesterday into a fast day, but had about 530 calories rather than 500, so sue me. (yesterday was second fast day of Week 4)

Have todays eating planned and have to say I'm not over eating now on feed days.
Will fast again tomorrow, hoping to lose another lb this week.

For those not seeing any results I lost ½lb over first two weeks, lost 2½lb third week and hopin for 1lb this. So I think it takes yur system a few weeks to adapt. HTH

I hope you're right happy orchid I'll give it another week or two before deciding either way.

Very excited to find this thread.DP and I started our new 5:2 lifestyle last week.Our main motivation is to try to live longer and be healthier,My BMI is around 30,his is within the normal range.So obviously I have weight to lose.In the past 12 days I have lost 7lbs (Time of the month during this time too which usually results in a loss of a couple of pounds).DP has lost 2lbs.we have only had 3 fast days so far,next one is tomorrow.I have been drinking green and peppermint tea throughout the day and having a late lunch of around 500 calories.I thought i would struggle with preparing and serving tea for the DCs but so far this hasn't been an issue.But I am hating the evenings of fast days.

I have tried going to bed early but am not able to sleep very well.I wake in the night with hunger pangs.Then without fail am awake by 6am as I need to eat!Has anyone else experienced this? I'm hoping this will get easier as I'm in it for the long haul!

May I join in? Thanks! I've been 5:2ing for three weeks, with a week off in the middle Didn't seem feasible on holiday, but have been back on it this week and am now well into fast day two. One thing - I had a health assessment recently and was told that without my activity levels (quite a lot of running) my maintenance calorie intake for my otherwise sedentary lifestyle should be just 1600 calories, not the 2000 which is widely quoted for women. That explains why I definitely can't lose weight on 1500 calories a day, with a few off-piste moments in the week. 1200 calories plus exercise works, but feels like constant deprivation. So I'm drawn to this method and excited to see how it goes. Weigh in day tomorrow!

RightBugger lol I do love a good sift through comments on the Daily Fail.

TellMe I have read that about females on this diet. Our bodies do respond differently, and I will consider stopping it if we decide to try for another baby (which is entirely possible in the next few months, another reason for me to want to lose some weight first!) I had my period as usual this month, though, we'll see how it goes in the long term.

I was pleased to see this article posted by someone upthread, as most other groups cited were male, or mixed male/female. It might be worth trying for a bit longer, if you're interested in the health benefits as well, as Happy says.

Well done salad!

Hi All, just checking in, haven't posted again since I started 5:2. I'm now on my 2nd fasting day of week 4. Definitely feeling peckish but I know I can ride it out, have always done so far!

Don't really know if I've lost weight, didn't weigh myself at start, due mainly to cowardice as I had already lost a lot of weight and started to put it back on again. But clothes that were starting to get tight are now feeling comfortable again. My main objective atm is to be able to get the size 12 jeans back on I was able to wear earlier this year.

If I find this WOE sustainable, which so far I have, I don't mind how long it takes. I was really panicked and dismayed about regaining weight after a big weight loss, although I'm nowhere near where I was (size 22), I'm now a 14/16. When I can get those jeans back on my next objective will be to get my BMI down below 25. I'm rather short so this will mean weighing less than 9st, my lowest before I started regaining was 10st 2lb. So here's hoping.

Gosh this has turned into along ramble, should post more often to keep the length down ;)

I have just weighed myself and lost four pounds in four weeks!

Woohoo! Just weighed myself and I am 10 stone 7. I'm on a feed day today as well, so I normally weigh quite a bit more. My lowest weight last week after a fast was 10 stone 8, but on a feed day it was more like 10 stone 10. So it looks like this is working for me.

Overall, since starting this, I have lost 7 pounds

Zoe Harcombe might well object but no doubt she might be a teeny bit worried if some regime that involves no purchasing of books, signing up to paying websites, buying nutrients or other VESTED INTERESTS, just cutting right down for a few days, might just cut some of her income stream.

Cynical self publicity methinks.

Is terms of weight loss, is the way of eating just about creating a calorie deficit, or is it supposed to change your metabolism so that you start to burn more energy generally?

WopBopaLooBop I am sure someone who has been doing this a bit longer will correct me if I am wrong but I think that eating 500 cals of food , even if some of that is protein, it is such tiny amounts that it fits the idea of the plan - so by cutting your cals on fast days you are cutting your protein
Does that make sense?

I may be getting maths wrong but if the calculator up thread tells me that I need 1800 cals a day to stay the same, and so on two days a week I eat 500 only, then that is only 2600 calories less a week. And a pound of body fat is 3500. So I am not going to lose very fast am I?

ciao chaps... fourth fast day for me, week 2. Last week I lost 5lbs, I'll weigh myself tomorrow morning before breakfast. Fingers crossed.

I'm feeling pretty hungry so I might have a cup a soup later, and some sparkling water and lemon juice. Looking forward to tomorrow's food.

as i understand it katisha the net calorie deficit creates the weight loss. The fast day / non fast day routine is mainly because there are physiological benefits in terms of reduction of factors leading to cancer and diabetes (among other things which I can't remember ATM). The other benefit of this method is that people generally find it easier to keep up - I certainly do!

I am coming to the end of week 3 and seem to have lost 6-7lb and I've had take-aways, meals out, and treats during that time. I have not felt guilty about that and have simply done a fast day the next day. I started with 5:2 but am doing a fast day whenever I can, so long as I don't do two in a row. I'm fitting the eating plan around my lifestyle rather than my life around a diet.

re. pace of loss Katisha no - not very fast at those figures, but you might use more calories than you think - or you might simply add more fast days. At one end of the spectrum is ADF - alternate day fasting - which should kick start a weight loss if you want that. I want to get back into my size 12 jeans by a particular date so am doing as many fast days as I can sensibly fit in. I will then lessen the number of fast days until I reach equilibrium as I know that under a particular weight has never been sustainable for me.

Hi! I'm a lurker escaping from Dukan frustration I've lost 7lb in under 2 weeks but have started dreaming about celery and watermelon and that can't be normal. I wanted to weep when I looked at the endless consolidation so I'm planning to join you 5:2ers, inspired after reading this thread but combine it with lowish carb on fast and feed days (but with fruit and maybe some wine ;) )
First fast day tomorrow...thanks for all the tips!

Can you hold my hand a bit please? Did really well on my first 2 fast days, and I am supposed to be about to start another one now. (doing 7pm to 7pm as per another poster just for this weeks as there has been so many last minute outings pre back to school etc, this has been more feasible for me).

But I have felt really irritated and annoyed as the day has worn on and am really feeling that I can't cope with it today just want to call it a day and have a big carby supper and a large gin and tonic.

Will it spoil it to leave it a couple of days and try again or will giving in today ruin my will power all together? I have done Thurs and Tue so far as my first week, so could do Sun and Tue as my second week. Would that work do you think? Will go back to 'normal' time for my fasts, i.e. start and finish in the morning.

What shall I do?

Sexbomb, this diet is really flexible, you fit in the fast days whenever makes sense for you, so just do what you feel you need to but dont give up! x

Do what is right for you, I agree

I do find that I am ok if I just say - I can have it tomorrow - try that and if it doesn't work then do it another day!

sexbomb it does get easier, but I believe that if its not feeling right then don’t do it today.. Look, it took you all these years to get this weight, so if you can’t do fasting today and by not doing it you might not do it next week , then cut yourself some slack ..

I‘ts not just about losing weight , its about lots of other n benefits as well, but it takes your body some time to get in the mode especially if you’ve only just started.
I’ve managed ok, but then i don’t have small children and those kind of stresses..Also , i’ve already been Lc-bing so im not having sugar lows , and I guess i’ve just been lucky so far that my body seems to take it well ( if fact i’ve been surprised.).

I think if you really don’t want to do it today then don’t but don’t use it as an excuse for eating much more than you normally would.. If i were you id not fast today , but record my calories and try to not to go over your basal calorie weight.
Then get your self back in the frame of mind tomorrow (or next week )when its easier for you

Good luck and be nice to yourself .. its not a win or fail thing we are just trying to make ourselves healthier in the long term

(hope that doesnt sound preachy..)

Well it's my first feed day today and funnily enough I haven't felt al that hungry or craved bad stuff . Have probably stayed within my basal calorie thingy too . Going to do another fast day tomorrow but avoid carbs.

Katisha I believe during the fast days your body must be burning reserves efficiently. I've lost over 7 lbs in 2 weeks, and that's including several eating days where I was out, eating cake, or whatever else was on offer. I'm not saying I went crazy with it, but it's not overly restrictive. I am, however, fasting 3 days a week, not 2.

Results are varying, though, so I think the best way to find out is to try for yourself.

Am winding up my fast day today, and it's gone alright. I didn't eat anything, just had coffee and water all day. 5pm rolled around and I started to think about my veg for supper, when I got an email from our estate agent telling me the LL wants to sell the house. So, cue me looking at houses until it was time to pick DS from nursery. I've only just now managed to have my veg.

Have had less than 300 calories today though, think I'll have a nectarine as well.

End of my feed day today. Not done too bad but gave in to a large bowl of porridge at 8pm which was very filling but will have definitely pushed me over my basal calories. Oh well it was nice.
Bit worried that I haven't got an energy drink for my fast day tomorrow, I find it really helps me through until lunch time. Won't get a chance to get one until after lunch as out to a Childrens adventure land park in the morning, and I can only drink them first thing in the morning otherwise I can't sleep at night!
I'm I'm bed now, going to get an early night as felt tied all day today. My 15 month old little boy should sleep through until about 7:30 so looking forward to a good 9 hours sleep hopefully

thanks for your support guys...I had to go out to a meeting and to see friends afterwards, no food involved though, but just before I came home, totally out of nowhere I ended up in floods of tears! (Have recently found out that my dad has cancer, which totally blindsided me, so maybe that is a factor, although wasn't aware of feeling anything to do with it during the day, was just monster horrible and irritable).

Anyway, have come home and had a large whiskey, really felt i needed it, so I won't try and start a fast tonight. As everyone has said, it is such a flexible system, much more flexible than I am with myself sometimes!

I will not be giving up. I am deffo doing it for the health benefits first, my dad's condition was a big motivator, but I also need to lose several stone so that will hopefully be a bonus. Will aim for Sunday now as my next fast day, think I need to be a bit gentle with myself for a couple of days.

Thanks again for the support, greatly appreciated.

sexbomb I think one whiskey was quite restrained. Look after yourself.

Also, katisha, remember that your basal rate is just that - as if you were to lay in bed all day and not even get up. To literally exist. Even a pretty sedentary lifestyle will push your calorie needs up by at least a couple of hundred a day... which over a week means your deficit will probably be big enough for a loss of at least a pound.

Yesterday and today being eating days I can't help but to have noticed that DS3 has been more settled/sleeping more which tells me fasting probably is affecting my milk. Tomorrow is due to be a fast day so I shall have a better idea over the course of tomorrow/next couple of days. May have to shelve fasting for now if I really do come to that conclusion - but will have no qualms about starting up again once I finish feeding him albeit that may be in over two years if he's anything like DS2

Oooo Olympia

Hi all,
so that was a normal day for me, following my fast day. I discovered that my scales have been broken for me by my son, who has been jumping up and down on them, to see the dial go round and round. So off to buy another set this weekend for the Saturday or Sunday weigh-in.
Didn't really go mad eating-wise, cereal for breakfast and a coffee then soup and bread for lunch, three apples, a couple of biscuits, tortellini with sauce salad and about 10 crisps. Don't think that takes me over my maintenance calorie weight.

Green eggs that sounds like a fairly stressful day. I hope you find something soon. You should definitely have a net deficit this week after that day from hell.

Posted earlier. Today's my 8th fast day and I'm really hungry! Mostly they've been ok but for some reason this one has been difficult. Mind you, I usually go to bed early on fast days but had to stay up as I'm waiting for a wash to finish, DD needs something in it for weekend, apparently and she's off tomorrow morning. Meanwhile tummy rumbling.

Morning 5:2ers! This morning after 10 days inc 3 fast days I have kost 3.8lbs and feel great! Breakfast has been a small ham sandwich - I thought I really wanted this but it wasn't all that nice actually. Am eating between 1000 and 2000 on eating days depending on how much I drink. I responded to the post on the Daily Mail site but think I must have been overcritical of their journalist, Zoe Harcombe and DM generally as, guess what, they've not put it on!

The daily mail article which suggests that you fast one day and binge he next? I haven't heard anyone encourage you to binge on feed days. Like loads of other I find my eating more under control on feed days now....less snacking. Not that I'm seeing much movement on the scales - dh on the other hand has lost 4kg in 3 weeks - I have respectfully requested that he shuts up about it, bloody men find it too easy to lose weight!

Thanks all for replied to my post about how a calorie deficit of 2600 is going to make it slow. My calculation that I need 1800 to stay the same is not my basal rate but has factored in a rather sedentary lifestyle so yes... more exercise...always my bête noir!
I got the impression from the Horizon that this way of eating might switch on some sort of better fat burning but my rate of loss so far doesn't really support that idea! Shame! However slow but sure is good - its certainly how I gained the weight!

Hey I've started afd since Tuesday (being my first fast day) and have been reading this tread for tips etc, weighed myself this morning and I'm down 7 pounds already!!!! This included going to Eddie rockets on one of my feed days!

Morning all, Third fast day of this week. Ate around 1700 cals yesterday and have not done any exercise this week due to various work committments (sp?)

Have started with apple, satsuma and a nectarine.

Good luck to evryone fasting today

Oh yeah, lost my train of thought then.

I have definitely found myself thinking more about what I am eating on feed days. Previously I had been doing approx 1400 cals per day and losing about ½lb a week. It was very slow going & I was eating grazing almost constantly through the day and eating meal replacement bars / shakes.

Am now eating proper food every day, but am actually enjoying the food and not feeling the need to snack even on feed days. Made me consider my intake a lot more.

All I need to do now is get back to the gym 3 - 4 days a week (which for me is always easier in winter) and I think I've found an ongoing eating plan that fits to suit my lifestyle and not the other way about.

Fast day here again. Got lively friend over later... But she always brings cake. I will be strong I hope. This is 3rd week and weighing myself tonight. Is there a best time of day for weighing? I just been doing it on wii same time on a Friday night.

So far I've had 1 glass of diet Pepsi

The DM article is full of the same tripe most of their articles seem to spew. There is a world of difference between eating normally (the average 2000 calorie day) and "binging". And then you get the typical responses coming in and moaning how people should just do things the way they've always been done, and how things were better when [insert soapbox issue here]. They're good for entertainment value, at least. sometimes! I particularly love the comment that's suggesting this is a new fad dreamt up by someone trying to make money off of people. Um, I haven't had to spend a penny on this diet, unlike something like WW or SW (which DM seems to have a vested interest in, judging by related articles) which charge quite a bit.

I'm glad to see a fair few people responding to say they've done the diet and it works well for them.

I don't know who Zoe Harcombe is but if she's written a book promoting another diet, then ofc this diet isn't in her best interest.

I also think, katisha that although it will be slow for some women - men appear to be super-responders to this regime people, it'll be sustainable. That's a real key factor. Even for the people who struggle with the fasts initially all seem to report it becoming easier and their eating on non-fast days also naturally falling into line with a more healthy way of living (not/less over eating, less/no snacking).

Once you fall into that pattern and your mindset adjusts to the fact that this is how you live now rather than I'm on a diet before you know it you will have lost plenty of weight without really have noticing it. Half a pound a week would be nudging 2 stone over the course of a year!

It's difficult to think 'a stone in six months' because most people want/need quicker results than that to stick with it. But that's also connected to most 'diets' being hard work/limiting/leave you feeling deprived - not so this way!

Hey, and you never know - despite what the figures tell you, it could be that you're also a super-responder and will lose weight quicker than the maths suggest.

I guess we'll never know unless you give it a try

Zoe Harcombe writes a lot about low carbing - she is worth reading - although, of course, she also has her own diet.

I suspect she was expressing some of the concerns about fasting that have also been made on this/the other fasting threads - but was also probably quoted out of context to support the general critical thrust of the article.

Here is her site, if you're interested

De-lurkingh to join. I've done 2 fast days this week and read this thread with interest during them. I am interested in the health benefits, but it I'm honest, far more interested in finding a way to lose the stone or so I want to chuck off before the big 4-0 in December.

Found fasting quite easy. I work in a v busy environment so often find I've not really eaten between 7 and 4pm anyway, and the later I eat breakfast the less hungry I am as a rule.

Fast day 2 was yesterday; have lost 2lbs and just eaten a banana so far today. Will eat a sensible diet today once I get properly going - prob beans on toast at lunch and fish, jacket potato and salad for tea. Plus a glass or two of wine and something sweet later on. The main thing I've found is terrific headaches - prob a low blood sugar/carb withdrawal thing. Hoping they go as my body adjusts.

This is the quote from Zoe Harcombe in the Daily Mail article: ‘I did this during my late teens and early 20s. It was called bulimia.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2195408/Starve-day-pig-Is-perfect-diet.html#ixzz2578V5Wb5.

Thanks BIWI I wasn't trying to disparage her as I honestly didn't know who she was (I'm not originally from here, and am not interested in that type of diet in the long term). But I realise it came off that way, and you're right, it is a DM article and they just cherry-picked the most controversial stuff for this article. I think her comparing it to bulimia is what gave some of us pause.

No - I realise that, GreenEggs! The Daily Fail were doing that!

I think the reason for her comments is also linked to her observation about calorie obsessing, which is definitely a part of the whole fasting thing - and what concerns me about it. I'm really interested to see how it's working for everyone, and want to know more about it myself - but I never, ever, ever want to go back to being obsessed with calories again in my life. And that is my great fear about fasting (of whatever kind). Given Zoe's background/eating disorders, I suspect that this reflects what her own experiences were - but I agree, the bulimia comment was a bit

On days I get irritable I find it really helps to eat a boiled egg around 4pm. See if that works first before giving up!

I'm on holiday at moment with another family so am skipping breakfast every day as we are meeting for lunch & dinner every day. Finding it hard going to do fast days this week. Back to it next week with a vengeance.

I have porridge for breakfast and a two egg omelette for tea bulked up with mushrooms red peppers, spinach and find it really quite satisfying

Third and final fast day of week 4 for me. Finally I didnt wakeup this morning desperate for food, so am going to have lunch and dinner, instead of breakfast and whatever. I made cakes with dd 2.9 this morning though, and there was an awful lot of unecessary spoon/bowl licking (not by dd!) oops.

I need to be very good the next few days, as I'd like to have lost a stone by Monday 4-week weigh in. Dh has just started a low cal diet, and he has lost 6lbs in 2 days, how ridiculous, lol, I am not jealous at all much. Men have it so easy!

Hi wel l,i have another eating day and with yesterday and weekend will be 3 ina row s going away for weekend, but pleased to report that another pound is off , making 6 in two weeks,

AND tah raaa ! I have sz 10 jeans on today!! though whether i will after the weekend is debatable.. But so thrilled because once had to have an 18 .. (well I didnt because refused to wear them then ..) Altogther ive lost 3stone now (but thats been over a couple of years and only very recently on this regime)

i'm planning on doing next fast on Sunday though as thats the travel back day and so do-able. good luck everyone for the weekend and see you next week

Well done Laska42!!!! I tried on my too small jeans and did up the zip ( after a bit of wriggling ...but there was a v unattractive muffin top situation. Oh well it will encourage me to keep going on may first fast today. Those pesky calories don't half add up, all I've had is skimmed milk in coffees and a bran galette thin and I'm at 200 already

Laska that's brilliant! Well done

I have fast today & Sunday & weigh in on Monday. Feeling a bit blah this morning & have had 125 calories, planning on keeping the rest for big egg salad this evening. I've bought myself a couple of new bras this week & hopefully will dispose of my huuuuuge jeans next week.

I'm counting calories on fast days (though I pretty much always have the same stuff so it isn't hard) but not really on feed days. I'm honestly just eating what I want, some days more than others - dh & I had cheese & wine last night which I'm sure was highly calorific. I've found it liberating - I'm not obsessing about food at all; it's fabulous.

Wow laksa that's brilliant - size 10 jeans!!!!

Well done! I'm in size 18 so hope for me yet!

Yeah, BIWI, greeneggs, I posted up thread about the slightly obsessive 'denial' bits of fasting which are sometimes akin to how anorexics think. So although I am cynical about those with books to sell sticking the knife in, I am equally suspicious of those who promote 'ways of not eating' without some critical awareness. I was being self-reflexive meself when I started going 'air is your friend', as I realised how fucked up that sounded.

For those of us who are officially obese, though, and who don't have the mental health issues that are the real source of eating disorders (I still don't believe the desire to lose weight causes eating disorders, but clearly is one contributory factor), then I think the idea of fasting does work. As someone else said, it seems fairly sustainable as a lifestyle choice. For some low carbing is sustainable, though not for me sadly. I can only do it for short periods, whereas this is my 6th week of fasting and so far it seems like something I can stop thinking about and just get on with for the rest of my life. That is very appealing. I feel less healthy, it has to be said, doing this compared to low carbing, but I can live with that.

Why do feel less healthy, Wilf?

My belt is on its tightest and still a bit loose. Jeans keep slipping not sure if 12 or 14 but still .friend bought sponge cake filled with Jam and Cream.... I'm staying strong. drools

Sooo full today! 1st non fast day after 2 consecutive fast days and I feel rammed having eaten only a banana, a cheese Sarnie and 2 Jaffa cakes 2 hours ago. Surprising really. Hope it lasts!

2nd fast day for me and not felt too bad, although again hungrier after eating than before. Waited til lunch to eat anything to get the 16:8 thing going. I had milky coffee at midday and then lunch with DCs, adapted so as not to have a wildly different meal from them. It was a large serving spoon of morrocan chicken (onion, garlic, chicken, chickpeas, tomato sauce and black olives) and 200g of frozen green beans. The beans were 80kcals but I've no idea about the chicken dish, so had a small amount. Anyone else find this, that they don't know the calories of what they eat on fast days?
I though voiding carbs would help but I feel about as hungry as on my fast da on Wed (the first one) when I had flour tortilla at lunch. Not unmanageable and I don't have a headache this time but definitely hungry and tummy rumbling.
Wasn't all that hungry on my feed day yesterday either, so maybe the old stomach is shrinking a bit already.

BIWI, because I think the low carb woe forces you to eat veg and lots of oil-rich things. I'm pretty sure on the fasting diet every other day I'm just not eating enough nutrients cos my skin is deffo a bit dodgy, and I do get exhausted by end of a fast day. I think I should probably take a good supplement which is what Genesis diet recommends...

I still think this works with my psychology though, which is why I can sustain it... See tonight, I'm off out to someone's house for birthday cake/wine, so decided to postpone today's fast till tomorrow, and the idea of it (so far) is not troubling me. Whereas if I had to tell myself, nope you can't have cake or wine for months and when you do, it will feel so all or nothing that you'll put on all the weight you just lost in a few days, it would be depressing!

weigh in this morning for me, sadly no weight loss though I have maintained so after 2 weeks I'm 5lbs lighter. I do need to watch my feed days though, been a bit blase.

can someone clear something up for me please...? I thought Michael Moseley said on the HOrizon programme that the idea on fast days was to eat mostly plant based food, and that our protein rich western diet is whats the cause of more cancers in the west. Because our bodies are always on go-go as he called it, and protein rich diets cause cell division rates to increase. So on my fast days I've been eating mostly vegetables and fruit and a handful of seeds. It seems most people on here are low carbing on their fast days... Have I got it wrong? Or is everyone primarily using this diet as a weight loss programme rather than as a way of preventing ageing and cancers. I thought that was the point of calorie restriction diets, and that weight loss was just an added bonus.

Obviously being overweight can predispose some people to certain types of cancers, but I thought the prime reason for these kind of diets was for the effect it had on lowering cancer rates and risks of types of dementia like Alzheimers.

I'm not low carbing at all - I feel shit when I do - I hardly eat sugar or fruit but have starchy vegetables/pulses/bread/pasta/rice when I want. Fast days are pretty much always the same for me - lots of vegetables & egg/fish keeping protein below about 35g. I'm undoubtedly eating better (more vegetables, better quality fats) that I did when I've tried to low carb. The only supplement I take is vitamin D & calcium. I can't do anything where entire food groups are banned, it just doesn't work with my lifestyle.

This is anecdotal evidence, but I'll share, headfairy- on my fast days, I'm eating veg. I might have the odd piece of fruit (nectarine) but the last few fasts haven't included fruit. I've not eaten protein on these days, though there's a small amount in the milk I've had in my coffee.

I've lost over 7 lbs and have been doing this for 2 weeks total. Am doing 4:3, would be ADF but changed it slightly to fit my own schedule.

So yes, I've been doing the diet the way he suggested, though I'm not sure he recommended coffee.

Lag, I'm the same with calories, I just go with my best guess! Headfairy, the whole point of these diets will vary from person to person, depending on their motivation. For me it's for weight loss.

hello, this is my first posting i have been reading from day one! could you tell me on what days you are weighing in, e.g before first fast day, day after, etc. i am on my 6th fast day will weigh monday morning, have lost 3lbs of far am pleased with this as enjoying it, so in for the long haul.

Headfairy, sorry I still haven't seen the horizon programme, I plan to though.

So anyway, I just weighed myself and I've lost 2kg in the last 2 weeks, so very happy