The FastDay Forum

@debs. Thanks for reviewing this for us. I initially turned up my nose on the junk food point. But then wait - when you are travelling you are not always in control of your own environment. so from a practical point of view, the message I took from it that your diet does not need to be perfect in order to fast.

This is a big one for me as I have abandoned fasts because I couldn't get the 'right' food, eg sandwiches over a working lunch. Note to self. When that is all there is and you feel like a numpty for not eating, just eat a small one

Thanks for the resume of the book. The two things I think I will take away are 1)Daily weighing is effective for weight loss and maintenance and 2) There's more than one way to get 'er done! What works for one person doesn't always work for another or even for the same person at different times. In the words of Tim Gunn of Project Runway fame, "Make it work, people!"

Optimistic Valentine's Day Challenge Member #45

Weighing daily works really well, so long as you use it to inform not to punish yourself. So my graph is currently trending up but I'm sorting it, not comforting myself with food, which is very tempting.

[Debs]

Agree with that; I bought myself a set of scales in town yesterday to keep at the mining camp. Not pretty so far though, just got back to my pre-Xmas weight!

Hey all - just jumping in as I worry people browsing past may get the wrong idea from this thread. She does not encourage junk food in the book in my opinion - I just read it and thought it was excellent. The point is her studies did not push people in any direction for the feast days - you eat what you want subject to some familiar broad rules. As others observed above, the regime is aimed at giving people the best shot at keeping up with it. There is plenty of emphasis on healthy food (e.g. in the recipes), but the point is hers were scientific studies aimed at exploring specific variables. Her studies show that people can eat anything they want on the feast days and still consistently lose weight over the course of a programme. Many people find ready meals useful on the fast days as these are calorie counted and get you out of the kitchen fast, and if you spend the money (e.g. M&S) you can get real food in ready meals, or you can use cheaper generic ones with all the sodium and processed crap. Obviously one is better for you than the other, but the point is that choice (ready meal versus freshly prepared food, high quality versus low quality) doesn't affect the specific outcomes being measured. Other studies of course show that low salt and "real food" is better for you and I think most people tend to find themselves eating more healthily on these regimes anyway. So don't go thinking this is a junk food diet or anything like that, it most certainly is not.

Weighing daily works really well, so long as you use it to inform not to punish yourself. So my graph is currently trending up but I'm sorting it, not comforting myself with food, which is very tempting.

Oh, WOOOF!

You're not trending up lassie (take a look at mine for an upward trend!!). But I'm fine just knowing that I'm coming out of the festive season and back into sensible season

You're bang on with your attitude / approach @BBT053 == sorting it. Bravo!

All the very best, FatDog

you make a good point, polsonby. As far as I can tell, non-fast day advice in the Varady book is identical to MMs 5:2 (which makes sense given that his plan is loosely based on her studies).

I'm reading it on kindle now. I am surprised to find out that the 25% of calories on "fast" days is not random, but chosen specifically to reduce loss of muscle mass.

Ever since reading about her Maintenence plan, I have mainly stuck with it and it seems to be working for me. If I see my weight creeping up (I also weigh daily) then I just make one or two of the fast days a regular 500 cal or less day.

In the 1000 I try to be low or no carb but eat mostly what I like on the other days

I'm debating between getting her book or reading Micheal Mosely's new exercise book.

Hi Umleila. Do you do the 1000cal days every other day, 4:3, or 5:2?

Food for thought especially as we are on a WOE/L there is always going to be temptation to eat a bit of junk sometime, like now I am of the thinking anything with sugar is junk and ditto wheat. But we live in the world where highly processed rubbish food is standard fare - take breakfast cereals so it is reassuring to know if ones options are limited and one imbibes is not going to do too much damage long term.

I weigh daily, it's no big deal, I say just don't fret about it, you get to know your fluctuations and you definitely have an handle on where you are at.

Like the idea of some 1000 cal low carb maintenance days

Anyone who has read the book: what do you think of her recipes?

I've only skimmed the lunch ones. I'm surprised at how carb-y they are. Also, way too many processed sauces. I'm hoping the dinner ones are better.

Maryann I try to do the 1000 every other day but sometimes it works out more like 4:3 so I can have a full weekend of no fasting. I don't count each calorie either although I do have a good idea of what 1000 calories is from all my years of calorie counting before starting 5:2

I've been doing the ADF Maintenence now since mid November. I have had some unexpected days where I couldn't reduce for the 1000 calorie days and my weight went slightly up. I know from experience a couple of full fast days will sort that back out again

Sending off for the book, seems a 'must read' to me.

Weighing daily works really well, so long as you use it to inform not to punish yourself. So my graph is currently trending up but I'm sorting it, not comforting myself with food, which is very tempting.

Oh, WOOOF!

You're not trending up lassie (take a look at mine for an upward trend!!). But I'm fine just knowing that I'm coming out of the festive season and back into sensible season

You're bang on with your attitude / approach @BBT053 == sorting it. Bravo!

All the very best, FatDog

Thanks for the kind words. It's the daily chart that has a distinct V shape. Started taking creatine tho & it's known for causing water retention.

I might get the book. Particularly as I had a go at ADF last year.

Too many Varady threads! In MM’s book he describes her as “slim, charming and very amusing.” (p27, iPad version) and on the following page, “Krista doesn’t want people to binge on rubbish,...” unfortunately (as for any researcher) the results showed that those who had such food on eating days lost more weight than those who ate low fat. Her view, according to MM, was people allowed high fat food were more likely to stick to the diet. It could be something else.

For other health reasons a little while ago I was weighing myself everyday, slowly my weight was creeping up. A puzzle. A consultant had mentioned to me sometime last year I should add yoghurt to my everyday diet. I chose low fat fruit ones, until I checked the contents. Every 125g pot had about 16g of sugar. Not surprising the weight was going on!

Also, Varady felt that despite health professionals saying for years not to eat such stuff, people ignore it, indeed, a headline in yesterday’s Telegraph said, 1 in 5 obese people are happy being so. Go figure. Perhaps she's trying to be realistic.