The FastDay Forum

Walking past a book store and decided to buy the official book from the BBC Horizon program that started it all.

Skimmed randomly through the book..

the big question..

Why did i wait so long?

[Debs]

WHat did you learn that you didn't know from the book or from watching the program? Did you find it useful?

I got the book from the library a few months after starting the diet. I didn't learn anything new from it. I found it poorly edited in several places. I have forgotten most of what I was annoyed by, but one thing is that in the calorie charts at the end, all foods' values are given for 100 grams. Which in many cases is total nonsense (example: hope that no one puts 100 grams of butter on their toast). Also, they could have done a much better job of explaining that 500 calories is not 1/4 of every woman's TDEE. They sort of say this on their website (which is also unimpressive, I must say), but certainly in the book they oversimplify, and I don't think that's necessary at all.

I purchased the book to show my support as if Dr MM did not do the documentary then very few people would have found this WOL.

I have only read half of the book as I learned pretty much everything I know about fasting from the forums, research papers online etc. I did it more as a gesture of thanks as I didn't really need more information on the Fast diet.

WHat did you learn that you didn't know from the book or from watching the program? Did you find it useful?

up to third page.. knowing my chaotic life it will take me a month to read it.

i might grab snippets of book and get people to comment here.

e.g. i randomly opened a page (102) and it was a list of tips. and tip 7

"Try the two to Two fasting .. not bedtime to bedtime.. e.g. 2 pm until 2pm

after lunch on day one and sparingly until a late lunch the following day.


thoughts ?

I have forgotten most of what I was annoyed by, but one thing is that in the calorie charts at the end, all foods' values are given for 100 grams. Which in many cases is total nonsense (example: hope that no one puts 100 grams of butter on their toast).

the 100gram thing i think stems from a universal measurement on all commercial packages. they say serve size and 100 grams in Australia .. by saying 100grams it means that we have some "relative referencing".
e.g. i know i might not use 100g of butter in a sitting but i can see that 100g of butter is a lot more calories than 100g of say canned peas.

i use the 100g mark more than the server mark to know if its calorifically a dense food.

I do agree that theres an error in the table column name as it says Serving size and is always 100g for all foods

and serving size is not necessarily 100grams. (which is probably what you meant wendyjane)

I did enjoy the book after watching the show and at that stage I hadn't found this forum. Also I was surprised when my OH picked up the book too. He of course reached his ideal weight ages ago whilst I am still plodding on. I like to have it to refer to if I need it

I agree with Juliana re the referencing of foods in 100 gram lots. I think it is also then simple maths working out the calories if you are having 30g or 40g

Regarding the 2pm to 2pm Juliana that is how I started out as I think I was a bit daunted at first by the thought of only 500 cal over 36 odd hours. It worked out really well and I would highly recommend it if you don't like the "cold turkey" approach. I still had good weight loss but when I switched to the 36 hour fast my weight loss was more dramatic and I also found it a lot easier than I had first imagined so haven't looked back. It is still a useful approach if you have a lunch out one day and a dinner the next night and want to fit in a fast

Enjoy the book

I bought MM book before starting. Found it offered me motivation to start 5/2. I would highly recommend anyone thinking of starting to read it first.

Then you get on board with the thinking behind it !

I have some friends who say they have read it but you can clearly see from the questions they are asking now and the fact that they are grazing most of the day on fasts and putting weight back on after a month, they haven't bought into 5/2 properly

Yes I bought the book before starting, I hadn't seen the horizon programme or any publicity at all
( Think i must have been in hibernation ) i did read one of
Mimi Spencers colums and she mentioned the fast diet so I sent for the book next day, the best £5 I've ever spent
Started the day after then 2 weeks later I found this forum.
I will never look back on making the decision to begin this WOL and i've said many times on the forum i do truly believe that it has saved my life !!! Sue

I also only bought the book recently, despite having been doing 5:2 since May. But I found out all I needed to know on here, to be honest! I hadn't seen the Horizon programme and only knew about 5:2 from a couple of friends who told me in January. I was skeptical then, but a few months later the penny dropped.

Like TheFrog I kind of bought the book to show support for Dr MM. I enjoyed reading it, but felt there was quite a lot of space given over to recipes, many of which didn't appeal to me.

So glad I found this forum though, thank you everyone for making it so brilliant!

Saw the Horizon programme, bought the book, found the forum (albeit 6 months later)... the rest is history... just need the t-shirt now

Found the book really useful and would definitely recommend it, but as I say the forum wasn't around then. But I'm a booky type of gal, like to have pages to flip through and be able to refer to. The book is firmly on the shelf now, I don't need it anymore. But it's a firm part of me/my story, so on the shelf it will stay (it won't go into the charity shop bag).... thank goodness for MM/Horizon/5:2 - I found it just in time and it's changed my life

I watched the programme and decided to do it, so by the time the book hit the shelves I was almost at my target weight and then I found this forum. Like The Frog I purchased the book as a sort of show of solidarity and thanks to Dr M for bringing this way of eating firmly into the public arena. There was nothing new for me in the book but it is nice to have it as a point of reference or if I wish to re-cap on anything. The initial programme changed my life and eating habits in a way I would NEVER have believed possible but for which I shall be grateful til the day I die, and I hope that day is now a lot further off than it might have been otherwise!

Ballerina x

I came into it by Mimi's cookbook. I had already researched different IF methods on t'internet, eg LeanGains.

That is how I found this forum and how I learned. I didn't watch the programme until a couple of months ago so I guess I did it all backwards!

[wildmissus]

A couple of friends told me about the documentary. It took me a while to 'think' about it. I bought the book which took me on to the internet where I found the forum where I found the link to the programme.

I ordered mine online and read it super speed started it next week.Have been on the 5;2 for few months fell off the wagon a couple of times.But now i am on track seriously and losing pounds and inches.What a wonderful feeling.Thanks to the writers for giving us such a great wl and get healthy eating plan