The FastDay Forum

I sometimes wish that the main forum for Fast-5 was like this site and not a Facebook page where interesting topics are aired and then just vanish down the page never to be found again.

Because if there was I would post something like this on there. Stick to basic Fast-5. Some of the tweaks tried with it are bizarre, some make me shudder they seem extreme. .. combining ADF and Fast-5, is that possible for a human being?

Still, to adapt an old adage

My way of eating is sensible and backed by strong scientific evidence
Your way of eating is a little unconventional but many people have reported success on it
His/her way of eating is extreme and unsustainable

I shall not be returning to 5:2. Fast-5 forever for me.

I sometimes wish that the main forum for Fast-5 was like this site and not a Facebook page where interesting topics are aired and then just vanish down the page never to be found again.

Because if there was I would post something like this on there. Stick to basic Fast-5. Some of the tweaks tried with it are bizarre, some make me shudder they seem extreme. .. combining ADF and Fast-5, is that possible for a human being?

Still, to adapt an old adage

My way of eating is sensible and backed by strong scientific evidence
Your way of eating is a little unconventional but many people have reported success on it
His/her way of eating is extreme and unsustainable

I shall not be returning to 5:2. Fast-5 forever for me.

Fair enough. Your back to basics is Fast -5. always wish that had a different name as its too close to 5:2 and its a bit confusing the the newbie.

Anyway each to their own, and my old adage... if it aint broke dont fix it.

Fast-5 has been around since at least 2005, so I doubt it will get renamed. Bit like a music store in Newcastle called Windows which was established well before Mr Gates came on the scene,.

But the discussions about low carb, Windows etc evolved out of experiences where people were doing basic 5:2 for a long time but were not happy with the results, stuck on long plateaus, achieving nowhere near 1lb loss a week, suddenly unable to stick to the Fast, mysteriously gaining weight etc. So are extremely valuable...

While I accept all your points throughout the thread about keeping it simple for newbies, let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. You have built up a wealth of information on this forum which is a fantastic resource. I have learned so much in the seven months I have been here. I thought the idea behind changing the forum name from 5:2 to Fast Day was in order to incorporate the various methods of Intermittent Fasting, widening the range.

By all means encourage the newbies to stick to 5:2 for a while, but I'd just like to say that I have really appreciated the rich array of your different methods and experiences which have helped me find what works well for me. I'm sure others do too.

I must admit i was a bit saddened that the forum and site changed its name from 5:2 to Fast Day but it was a reflection of the myriads of methods that people adopted. In itself not a bad thing of course. There will always be 5:2 stayers around and I guess from a media perspective its the one people the silly newspapers and magazines headline at the moment. I don't think they know about all the other methods and the words "Intermittent Fasting" aretoo many letter for the average IQs of their target audience

If I could give some advice to someone who wants to try fasting I would say "Begin with 5:2, see how it goes, listen to your body, drink a lot of water and relax. If you feel more confident with counting calories, by all means,do it but never lose focus on the one thing really important, whatever you decide to do (low carbs, counting calories, etc) do you REALLY see yourself keep doing it in 20 years ?"

When I decided fasting more than a year ago I was bored with my way of eating. I wasn't dieting per say, just being careful, and already lost a fairly high amount of weight but I was bored to death (eating lean chicken and steam vegs is not exciting.... at all....) so I was about to give up.

I began with 5:2 but naturally did my 2 fasts back to back in the beginning of the week. After a while I naturally switched to 4:3 with another fast just before the weekend. It was not because of what I read but because on how my body reacted. It needed those fasts, I felt relaxed, was looking forward to them and they never were a chore;

Only when I went on the underweight side, I had to cut down on the fasts a bit, and was truely saddened by it because I really do enjoy those days but had no choice as I couldn't lose more weight. After I was back on the normal BMI side with a 18.50 BMI, I began to fast again with the same joy as before.

However I don't count calories, even on fast days, don't do low carbs (after all, I am in the country of the baguette, sacrebleu ! ) but my taste has changed and I get satisfied with one milk chocolate square or 1 or 2 sweets. Why ? Maybe because I don't relate to food for comfort any more maybe

So all that to say that the most important, for me, is to listen to your body and learn to understand what it's trying to say

Well said Manderley

Fast-5 has been around since at least 2005, so I doubt it will get renamed. Bit like a music store in Newcastle called Windows which was established well before Mr Gates came on the scene,.

aaah i thought 5:2 was first. oops.

@Margotsylvia - I completely agree with what you write about feeling 'relaxed' around eating doing 5 2. I personally have always (until recently) felt pretty out of control around food - and now I don't and I am MUCH more relaxed. If we go out and I have a pud I enjoy it without worrying it is the beginning of the end of my good intentions - because I know that I now have a means to put the brakes on weight gain! It is quite liberating really Plus I think 5 2 has made me far more mindful of what I want to eat.

@Margotsylvia - I completely agree with what you write about feeling 'relaxed' around eating doing 5 2. I personally have always (until recently) felt pretty out of control around food - and now I don't and I am MUCH more relaxed. If we go out and I have a pud I enjoy it without worrying it is the beginning of the end of my good intentions - because I know that I now have a means to put the brakes on weight gain! It is quite liberating really Plus I think 5 2 has made me far more mindful of what I want to eat.

Very important pooints you raise @loversghost

a) 5:2 dieting is liberating
b) 5:2 dieting makes you more mindful.


yes i do use the word dieting.. i keep hearing on this forum its not a diet but it is.

I agree about this @juliana.rivers, I lost my last stone in sept/oct last year. I believe I just followed 5:2.
I gained this stone again, between nov and may/june and have came back here a couple of times, but wasn't quite ready. But when I came back this time, I was overwhelmed by all of the support I was given.
Then I started looking around the new site more. That's when things got confusing. I saw eating windows (which really interests me), 4:3, low carbs and I found I was failing as I was trying to do everything. I became quite grumpy and was struggling to work out to do it all.
What I have decided is to get back to 5:2, but not until we are back home (this does mean the birthday party picnic next Sunday is allowed as I'll have fasted earlier in the week )
I am going to back to basics until end of September and then review things. If I am still losing, even if this is slowly, I will carry on. If not, I will look at the 19:5 again as I found that very manageable. I can't do it right now as I've been enjoying drinking milky tea rather than my usual black coffee! I haven't felt at all faint today, so it must be working!

5:2, classic 5:2 removed 14 unwanted kilos (just over 2st) in 6 months. Then I moved on to "maintenance". It may be a WOL but continued fasting would have caused continued weight loss & I didn't need/want that.

So, maintenance to me is .... daily weighing, a quick 16:8 if I have put on 500g or a fast if it's a bigger gain or if the 16:8 doesn't work.

In 3 weeks time I will be 12 months on maintenance & I wouldn't be here without this forum. My toolkit is vital to keeping my life under control, but regular 5:2 would now be too much for me.

5:2 certainly teaches us that a bit of hunger is not a problem, it's a good thing. It also teaches us to listen to our bodies. Important stuff!

Wow, @AnnieD. You have done brilliantly! You and I started at about the same time and at about the same weight but you have managed to lose weight and keep it off!

My Tracker goes up and down like a mountain range! However, although I put on weight every time I go away or have visitors staying, I would say that this WOL is working for me because I have managed to lose that regained weight and stay (most of the time) around my 147 lb target.

I have done this with basic 5:2 and the very occasional 4:3 when I have really piled on weight! However, I think it's marvellous that there is something in the IF way of life for everyone - and for any newbies out there - just keep on keeping on!

5:2, classic 5:2 removed 14 unwanted kilos (just over 2st) in 6 months. Then I moved on to "maintenance". It may be a WOL but continued fasting would have caused continued weight loss & I didn't need/want that.

So, maintenance to me is .... daily weighing, a quick 16:8 if I have put on 500g or a fast if it's a bigger gain or if the 16:8 doesn't work.

In 3 weeks time I will be 12 months on maintenance & I wouldn't be here without this forum. My toolkit is vital to keeping my life under control, but regular 5:2 would now be too much for me.

5:2 certainly teaches us that a bit of hunger is not a problem, it's a good thing. It also teaches us to listen to our bodies. Important stuff!

@AnnieD you certainly seem to have it all under control when it comes to weight and eating habits. Well done.

I think for a good majority of us this can be all we need. "Classic 5:2" with a bit of 16:8 thrown in when needed i.e. a certain weight level has been surpassed.

The fact you are daily weight on maintenance is a key too cause if you only weight weekly you wont know when to add the 16:8 and it really doesnt hurt to jump on the scales. The colder months in Sydney (whilst warm in European standards) sometimes make it difficult to weight but for the other 10 months of the year, daily weighing should be followed (in my opinon)

5:2/4:3 helped me lose weight and boy did I lose a lot (about half my former weight as in the beginning of February 2013) but I don't consider it a s a diet. I know it sounds strange but it makes no sense to me that it could be seen as a diet as I ate whatever I wanted the other days of the week . Plus, I still fast every week even after 7 months in maintenance. That's the point, it's NOT a diet, it's a new way of thinking about food, organizing meals and calories but without anything really forbidden.

"Diet" is an ugly world, with a lot of negative impacts, I wouldn't see myself being on a diet for the rest of my life, even if I am a control freak. On the other hand, I completely see myself fasting 1, 2 or even 3 days a week for the rest of my life, just because it's part of my routine and I love it.

Of course, it's just my opinion on that matter

What an interesting thread. I have only tried the "basic" 5:2 as I don't understand all the variations & don't feel I have time to find out. I like the simplicity of 5:2 although perhaps I've complicated it as I calorie count too. I have to virtually loose half my current body weight so try have around 1400 cals on normal days or 500 on fast days. On fast days I don't eat until 6pm having had only water, green tea or black coffee during the day. Portion sizes has been my downfall so I have to weigh & measure.

I'm still finding my way round with the new look but there is so much great information here & everyone has been so friendly & helpful.