The FastDay Forum

After 7 months intermittent fasting, it occurred to me tonight as I slowly enjoyed a mouthful of a sweet yoghurt I have taken a liking to of late just how much 5:2 has changed my approach to food.

The denial by choice, intermittently, of the simple pleasure of eating, has made me appreciate food and has reminded me that I am lucky enough to ever have to go hungry

What I do eat i enjoy with every bite. Over time in this way of life, I am sure that food has tasted better and I am sure I have a heightened sense of taste. I never feel bloated nor do I ever now suffer indigestion because even on feast days I am careful about what I eat and the quantity I eat.

Indeed I have been blogging my pictures of food a lot and even share photos with family and friends on my mobile like never before. Ive become a real foodie because when i do allow myself to eat I want it to be special. I'm constantly browsing food sites and every week I will try at least two brand new dishes.

Previously I know I overate and i remember just eating all day, every hour either out of boredom or habit or because i just had an uncontrolled appetite. I don't think i ever got to any obese state, though I did start putting on that "extra kilo" a year that happens to women past their thirties and if i didnt stop who knows what would have happened.

I empathise with those people in the world that just don't have enough to eat, like the poor Cambodian woman shown in a TV documentary tonight, forced to enter the clothes industry and work for very little money, and according to the doco, for an amount which does not even allow them to buy enough food for sustenance.

What a difference this way of life has made to me. Started of as a way of losing weight and general good health but it has meant a lot more.

Great post J
The 52 " knockers" should read it to give them a better perspective on IF
So happy for you that you have embraced this way of eating so thoroughly and thank you for inspiring others by writing this and starting the Crimble Club Tent to cheer us along to our Xmas targets xx
PS * modest cough*.... Please note, have reached my Xmas target :0)

In the early days, when my partner @fixedwheel and myself started, we would send each other pics of our fast days meals to each other. This was more an encouragement of how much you can eat for little cals, and the choice of food.

We don't live together so we are not totally bonkers sending each others pics sat on the sofa together

Although I don't have a sweet tooth now its back in check and back to being a savoury girl, I appreciate the taste of sweet food more. Take the weekend, whilst I was having a lovely chicken broth soup in Arundel (lovely town), John (OH) was tucking into WARM fudge cake. I did my best puppy dog eyes and asked (begged) for a small mouthful. It was touch and go whether I would get some as he devoured it.. but I did, thankfully !

Later we shared a flapjack with caramel topping. In half. And I cut mine in half again for two days. But I loved the taste of it, just enough

5/2 makes you (IMO) appreciate food taste alot more when eaten in moderation and enjoyed.

I never feel over full or bloated through eating and hungry before a meal. I love feeling in control of food, and not the other way round

I agree with the above and think that for most of us in the western world we have become so used to having food, especially fat and sugar laden 'snacks' always on tap that we are no longer able to differentiate between appetite and genuine hunger. For millions of people hunger is a constant gnawing ache that we will probably never fully appreciate even when fasting by choice.

I agree with you Juliana, appreciation for food, no more mindless eating , no more feeling too full. It's wonderful. I'm about to go and have lunch at Bowral with my beautiful best friend and have decided to go an hour early just so I can scout the best yummiest place to have lunch. Now that's dedication to the cause.
Xxx julianna

[carieoates]

What I find interesting is that I choose the food I eat with much more thought, not just because of how many cals it contains but do I actually need this.
I don't eat when my tummy grumbles anymore as It rarely does to be honest. But I now tend to eat when I think I should. I know I need lunch and dinner, if I fancy a biscuit I will have one as I know I haven't been snacking. I'm still not a real clean eater but I'm happy with what I'm consuming and my 10lb loss pleases me immensely.

Thanks for the appreciation of my sentiments last night. Was thinking more about it today driving around. Imagine what it would be like to feel hungry all the time, as would people in a third world nation. With all our petty problems about what brand of car to buy, what dress to wear, which suburb to settle in, quite honestly we should all feel blessed that we can at least have our basic need of food fulfilled.

So the hunger pain next fast day sometimes can be a strong reminder. For us its usually 12 hours or less to our next meal.. what if it was like 2 days or more.

This is a good thought! It makes me think, maybe I should take the money I save on food due to fast days and donate it to those people who are hungry and not by choice!

My sense of taste has changed dramatically and I no longer eat chocolate, crisps, cookies, sweet buns etc etc. Most stuff that is ready made taste vile and sweet things too sweet. Not even an Egg McMuffin tastes particularly good anymore

But wine still taste great