Does the hunger go away??

[gigi556]

To be clear I'm not fasting BUT I'm in the middle of reading Fast 800 and I'm interested in giving it a go but I'm struggling to get my head around not being hungry all the time on 800 calories.

I've been tracking my calories the last few days and I'm finding I'm hungry all the time on 1600 calories 🤦🏻‍♀️ I've cut way back on sugar and carbs but I'm not strictly low carbing.

So how does it work in practice? I did some juice fasting about 10 years ago and I know that after a few days, it got a lot easier but I struggled to keep fasting past a week. Does 800 calories start to feel good after a few days? What happens when you switch to 5:2? Do you get hungry on your fast days having readjusted your body to more calories on non-fast days? I want to find something that works but i know if I'm hungry all the time I won't stick to it...

I really like 5:2, I use it (and 6:1) as a healthy lifestyle choice, in addition to weight control.

Some fast days I find really easy and could even not eat, whereas others are very hard. Just goes to show how our relationship with food is complex and not simply a calorie balance equation.

I have a terrible sweet tooth and love baking, so I’m not willing to give up these kinds of foods. I find that 5:2/6:1 allows me to indulge without weight gain. Most people find they don’t eat more than usual on non-fasting days - me included.

I’ve not heard of Fast 800, but if it involves only 800 calories a day for more than a couple of days, it will be next to impossible to follow.

@FloconDeNeige Fast800 is an update to the 5:2 diet. So Michael Moseley advocates kick starting 5:2 with 800 calories a day for 2-12 weeks depending on your goals and then swapping to 5:2...

@FloconDeNeige I agree it isn't as simple as feeling the same all the time! A big concern for me is 800 calories leading up to my period when I'm feeling much hungrier and get my biggest sugar cravings.

Ah ok, I didn’t realise it was an update to 5:2. In that case it should be fairly easy to go with. 500 calories per day is already pretty manageable for fast days, as I find.

The trick is to drink plenty of water too, so your stomach doesn’t feel empty. I find eggs are a good fast day food as they are nutritious and high in protein, so keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Oh, and don’t eat your fast day meals in front of the TV as you’ll have demolished it without really noticing and then be hungry for more!

When I did 5:2 I used to think of all the things I would eat the following day, but when it came to it I just didn’t. If you can regulate yourself on fast days you might find your normal days easier once you start losing weight?

As with most things it depends where your heads at. I’m fat as a fool though again and have been for ages, I have no motivation. Good luck!

@FloconDeNeige no tv eating it is then, thanks!

@Fanthorpe it is so often about your mindset isn't it. I'm feeling motivated now but who knows how I'll feel next week. I started trying to lose weight a couple times last year but didn't get into and fell off the wagon. I think a big weightloss push at the beginning might help me soldier on.

The 800 cals a day is like Exante (shake meal replacement plan) which I have done but with real food. I think it takes about a week for the hunger to reduce and then maybe 2 weeks to really get used to it after that you don't feel hungry. It's really surprising but you feel less hungry than you would when eating a normal amount of regular food.

The first week is quite hard though you will feel hungry. You have to keep your motivation up and power through.

Hunger isn't consistent and it comes in waves. You don't get hungrier and hungrier. I've just done a 42 hour fast and yes I got hungry at the usual meal times. But then it passes. I've done the fast 800 and again hunger wasn't a problem because the food I was eating was delicious. If you plan meals you really can eat a proper meal. E.g I would make chilli con carne but then just have cauliflower rice. Means it's low carb and low calorie. Or make courgetti and then add on top chicken and other veg. Really tasty and filling.

Thanks. I started today 🤞🏻