The FastDay Forum

Hi all!

I'm so curious why I the 5:2 diet is so much more popular in the UK than in the US. Maybe because it's a diet that actually involves purchasing LESS food, and doesn't promote buying "fad" products that are expensive and benefit the diet industry? Hmm. Not sure. Anyway.

Looking for anyone in the US who is following this plan, I'm on PST (in Arizona), would be nice to say hello to you all!

Hi, I've been here (West coast, Southern. Cal.) about 16 months or more - sometimes not as consistent as others but, it really does work. Don't know why there is not more interest here in the US but, if you stick to it, you can't go wrong. This is the best site for all the info and encouragement.

Good luck for 2015 !!!!

[Tracieknits]

My husband and I have been doing it since last January (with occasional breaks) and have each lost 50 lbs. We're in NY

But yeah, there aren't many of us here from the US. I'm not sure why. Perhaps because it's not making anyone any money, like you said. Sigh.

I think I know the reason why its more popular in the UK. Because Dr Michael Mosely who made the original Horizen documentary 'Eat,Fast,Live longer' has been making medical and health documentaries for 30 years in England and he is a well know, familiar and trusted face.So his results on the program probably meant a lot more to the UK viewers than the US viewers.

@sourbaby. Hi and welcome from me too. I'm in NorCal and there are quite a few fasters here. However they tend to do more of the intermittent fasting approach using the eating time windows method rather than 5:2. I was quite surprised how many fasters there were in the office where I work when I got to know everyone - just as many as when I worked in the UK. Then tend to stay in the closet though as the culture of pushing eating 5 times a day seems to be rammed down everyone's throat at every opportunity, and the fasters stay quiet in case they get accused of an eating disorder.

I'm in Massachusetts.

I think the lack of media attention explains some of it, but I know quite a few people in the US who are fasting, including someone who has published a 5:2 cookbook (not once cited here.) I first heard of the 5:2 approach it when a bunch of women who I interact on a business-oriented discussion board mentioned that they were doing it, last January.

But I'm the only one of the people I know who are fasting who participate in a support forum, so it is possible that 5:2 fasting is so simple/stupid to do that most people doing it don't feel the need for a support group. I do, mostly because participating in online support groups keeps me from boring the people I live with by nattering on about my diet, and secondly because I am a long time student of dieting and have learned far more over the years from reading posts on support groups about how diets REALLY work, than I have learned from any diet book.

Hi sourbaby and welcome to the forum. I'm here in upstate NY and first heard about 5:2 and IF from a March, 2013, NY Times article. Some people here in the US know about it, most do not, although Dr. Moseley's book is quite popular on Amazon.

Others responding to you have described why the movement started in the UK. If you search the National Medical Library's database (pubmed.gov) you will find many articles-- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ A lot of the scientific research is being done here in the US.

One of the things I like best about this forum is the fun of learning about other cultures and chatting with people from all over.

Enjoy!!

Hi everyone!

I'm in Pennsylvania. I don't really remember how I stumbled upon 5:2, but I do remember seeing DR Moseley's show on PBS. I've tried IF before, but never had the patience to make it a way of life. I'm at the point now where I'm very fit from 2 years of boot camp workouts, but still not liking the number on the scale. 30-40 lbs off would suit me nicely, but I'm not in a hurry. I feel strong and healthy and just need this layer of fat gone. I'm actually leaning more toward 4:3 or even ADF to get myself in the groove. It has been slow....only 2 lbs in 3 weeks, but I'm headed in the right direction.

Let's keep up with each other here and check in with our progress, questions or concerns. I love an active forum!

Hi,
I'm in CT. I don't know why it's not popular here either. I do think because it started in the U.K. And like someone else said it might be more popular than we know. For some reason though, I also think people here freak when they hear you are fasting that you might get an eating disorder or something. Everything here is about not skipping meals and small meals all day and that sort of thing. So it is somewhat of a big change. I think it's great though!!

Good Morning!

I'm a happy girl this morning. Today is exactly 3 weeks since my first fast and the scale finally took a dive! I'm down 4.5 in 3 weeks, so ahead of the average of 1 lb a week. I was despondent after weighing on Friday. I had a rough fast day yesterday and ended up with around 600 calories, but the scale was down, so it's all good. I've already eaten a big breakfast and 2 cups of coffee. Just the normal domestic stuff today. Laundry & a trip to the grocery store. I'm also stopping at our local Sweet Frog yogurt shop for a treat later. Yum!

What are you all up to today?

@Lori - congrats! 600 calories it not a big deal on a fast day. That's fine!
I started this last year and it was slow going, then I gained back a bunch of weight over the summer. But, since the fall I've been doing really well and am down almost 10 lbs. again! I hope it keeps up.
I resisted for a long time, but I finally gave up breakfast on my fast days and I think that's made a big difference and it is so much easier than I thought it would be.
We should keep this U.S. thread going or start a tent or something!

U.S.-specific fast day food ideas would be very helpful.

The FAGE 0% yogurt with a splash of Da Vinci sugar free syrup and sometimes some cinnamon has been a nice fast day dessert for me, but after eating it on every fast day since Feb, I'm burning out. I struggle to find something else that is as healthy. Not eating enough protein on fast days will lead to loss of muscle tissue over time, so I love the high protein in that yogurt

Two Tbs of Stop & Shop's medium Southwest salsa in chicken broth makes a delicious soup base for very few calories. I add chopped romaine leaves and 2 oz of chicken for a nice soup.

Any other U.S. brand specific suggestions?

I'm too new to this to have any real "go to" foods, but I'm sure I'll end up with some favorites. Right now I'm sticking with my post-boot camp breakfast of a cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk with a scoop of vanilla egg white protein powder stirred in, 130 calories. That is often all I have until dinner time except black coffee, hot green tea and sometimes a beef bouilion cube. For dinner I like to take a couple cups of broccoli slaw and saute it in a little olive or coconut oil, throw in a little protein of some sort and a TB of stir fry sauce. Fills me up!

Any tips will be greatly appreciated!

Perhaps it needs the likes of Dr. Mehmet Oz (The Dr. Oz show) to give it some attention in one of his programs to get it out there.
Some of the popular diets (e.g Atkins Low Carb diet and Pritikin diet) was founded by Americans and its a bit of a NIH factor in play (not invented here principle)

Dr Oz, ugh. The day he features the diet is the day I start wondering what's wrong with it!