The FastDay Forum

I must walk and breath this 5:2 stuff forever thinking of solutions.

Had a great result the other day after 2 months of actually increasing my weight. I was inspired by something @Sassy1 said to me in a post ion the Christmas Challenge thread, about thinking about what used to work before. (thanks Sassy1!) So on Monday I was really careful and didn't have anything from about 10pm the previous day to 7pm that night. (other than coffee and a bit of milk) I had a 500 g weight loss (and yes it could have just been a fluctuation) but then I used to do the same every Sunday last year as I was heavily involved in a house renovation and remember people offering me food all day and I just had my head strongly set on about not eating till I got home in the evening. Always saw a good result on a Monday.

Anyhow, born is my personally titled method diet plan. It's my

3 DAY A WEEK 21 HOUR POWER FASTING DIET

or if you are a 5-2er and not a 4-3er its the
2 DAY A WEEK 21 HOUR POWER FASTING DIET

which combines the power of 5:2 or 4:3 and "eating windows" approaches. It is a bit of a mouthful but cant figure out anything that says it all. I originally called it 5:2 21 POWER FAST diet then i thought it was too many numbers and difficult to say and using the word FASTING not FAST is to stress its not a "speedy/fast" diet but a FASTING diet

In my diet plan...
- choose 2 or 3 days to consume your 1/4 TDEE but only on 2 or 3 non-consecutive days, your choice of which day.

- consume 1/4 of your TDEE in 3 consecutive hours of your chosen days, preferably no earlier than 4pm. You will fast for a full 21 hours from your previous day's last meal. Food consumed should be from a wide range of food groups, liquid or solid, your choice.

- no snacking through day. All food is to be consumed within the nominated 3 hours.

- drink non calorific liquids on your nominated days to avoid risks of dehydration as needed.
[/b]

I call it a diet, but if you prefer its a Way of Life

If you are really struggling with weight loss go for 3 days not 2 days, every week. If you are indeed keeping in your 1/4 TDEE calorie restriction, you shouldn't need more than 3 hours to consume the food to be satiated (and nourished).

The power is in the fact that you fast in the true sense of the word and not nibble on brekky, lunch, fruit , nuts or anything on your fast day thus getting the full benefit of a real fast. The chances of not going over your TDEE on the days nominated are stronger as you are limiting the length of time that you are consuming food.

The concept of eating windows is also good though I personally have a problem with the fact that you need to do it every single day of your life and I need some days where I can be a bit more carefree every hour of the day (within the confines of your TDEE)

Simple and neat I reckon. Anyhow just wanted to know your thoughts. Nothing revolutionary I guess but i felt like I wanted to share.

So I start today...

Tonight on the menu will be Thai fish cakes with steamed veg. Nothing to enter my mouth (other than liquids like water or coffee) till 7pm and then I can have my dinner / and yoghurt fruit till 10pm. And a great result on the scales tomorrow. And I get the full power of complete fasting as documented by all the research.

Thoughts?

@Juliana.Rivers isn't this what those of us who don't eat anything until the evening of our fast day do already? I don't eat anything after about 8pm the evening before a fast day and then nothing until about 6.30 - 7pm on my fast day, then nothing else until the following morning. Or am I misunderstanding what you are describing?

@Juliana.Rivers isn't this what those of us who don't eat anything until the evening of our fast day do already? I don't eat anything after about 8pm the evening before a fast day and then nothing until about 6.30 - 7pm on my fast day, then nothing else until the following morning. Or am I misunderstanding what you are describing?

Correct you are doing this method.

By putting a label it, it reinforces the need to not eat through the day in order to have an extended period of complete fasting. In basic 5:2 they say you can eat throughout the day as long as you stick to calorie intake of 1/4 TDEE

As i say this is probably not revolutionary at all i just had to "give it a name" and also actually give a figure on the number of hours you can eat.

@Juliana.Rivers, I think it's a brilliant reminder. It's so easy to slide, a nibble here, a nibble there, even if you keep it low cal, then it's not a true fast. I was reading in the"Average weight loss is a pound" thread, that the fastest losers are the ones not nibbling through the fast day.

@Juliana.Rivers,

That is very close to what I found worked the best for me. I try not to eat anything after 7PM the night before my fast. Then I only have plain tea until 4:30, at which time I have a cup of cocoa made with almond milk and water. Dinner is between 5:30 and 6:30 after which I don't eat anything else until I wake up the next morning.

I am much, much less hungry on that regimen than when I was eating tiny breakfasts and lunches. I think the prolonged non-caloric fast period does make some kind of metabolic change that is helpful.

@Juliana.Rivers, I think it's a brilliant reminder. It's so easy to slide, a nibble here, a nibble there, even if you keep it low cal, then it's not a true fast. I was reading in the"Average weight loss is a pound" thread, that the fastest losers are the ones not nibbling through the fast day.

Thanks @piper sometimes labels help and its incredible the difference my mindset was last Monday.
Its's a bit like AA (alcoholics Anonymous) principle that you cant just be a light drinker.. you dont drink at all.
Taking that across to the fast day.. its better we dont eat at all and this leaves a whole 500 calories (in my case) to enjoy dinner and a light dessert.
Its a fast day now for me and my stomach just growled but that makes me feel the power of fasting is working.

Hi Juliana
Pleased to hear that you have found some extra motivation! That's wonderful.
It is all about finding whatever works for you. If eating in a 3-hour window towards the end of a fast day is what does, then go for it.
It does make sense that longer periods (within limits!) without food can increase the benefits of fasting. One has to find the balance with being able to manage one's hunger though.
Different fastday regimes have worked for me at different times. At the start, 3 small meals a day worked well for me; then since reaching my (now interim) goal I had the one meal a day; now I just have liquids plus a small number of snacks and no evening meal (total cals less than 300) - I feel less hungry in the evening with this routine and this does seem to be helping move those few pounds I had put on (tho early days!).
But, as I said, it is whatever works for you and is sustainable. Good luck!

Hi Juliana
Pleased to hear that you have found some extra motivation! That's wonderful.
It is all about finding whatever works for you. If eating in a 3-hour window towards the end of a fast day is what does, then go for it.
It does make sense that longer periods (within limits!) without food can increase the benefits of fasting. One has to find the balance with being able to manage one's hunger though.
Different fastday regimes have worked for me at different times. At the start, 3 small meals a day worked well for me; then since reaching my (now interim) goal I had the one meal a day; now I just have liquids plus a small number of snacks and no evening meal (total cals less than 300) - I feel less hungry in the evening with this routine and this does seem to be helping move those few pounds I had put on (tho early days!).
But, as I said, it is whatever works for you and is sustainable. Good luck!

Thanks Sassy1, i just added now to post 1 that they can be liquid or solid, your choice. Yes whatever works

Well as I have said before this doesn't work for me, I'm just starving all day, obsessed with food, tummy rumbling, hating fasting! But I am up before 5.30am, do a fairly physical job and don't need food after I slouch in front of the TV at night. I also don't think it's good to eat before going to bed and I go early as I have to wake early. But each to their own. My question is this: how long after eating do you go to bed? Do u have a good 3 to 5 hours? The Krista Varady's model suits me far better. Big lunch nothing after.

Well as I have said before this doesn't work for me, I'm just starving all day, obsessed with food, tummy rumbling, hating fasting! But I am up before 5.30am, do a fairly physical job and don't need food after I slouch in front of the TV at night. I also don't think it's good to eat before going to bed and I go early as I have to wake early. But each to their own. My question is this: how long after eating do you go to bed? Do u have a good 3 to 5 hours? The Krista Varady's model suits me far better. Big lunch nothing after.

probably go to sleep 3 to 5 hours after eating , yes.

if you are eating at lunch and nothing after then how many hours between last meal previous day and your first meal.

am struggling a little today till i remembered the mints. Had a tiny headache at about 3pm so had a 1/2 glass almond milk as i was "coffied out" Hadnt eat since about 10pm last night so 21 hour fast ends at about 7pm today.

Something for me to think about @Juliana.Rivers - I do 16-18/8 quite well (when I focus) but I always find I need a little something early afternoon.

cheers
Maggie

Something for me to think about @Juliana.Rivers - I do 16-18/8 quite well (when I focus) but I always find I need a little something early afternoon.

cheers
Maggie

Yes i do to I found today.. but trying to fight it. 6.38pm and its 20 minutes to go )
if i find it a problem always i will cut the fast time to 20 hours or even 18 hours. good to be flexible.

just felt the 21 hour would be a really good boost but i do have to be able to operate. lol

This is my method, albeit EOD, but this is what works for me. If its a good fast day I leave it a bit longer before I eat my main meal, 300-500 cals, depending on how hungry I truly feel. If its a hungry fast I have a cup of oxo to get me through. I think the thing with any kind of IF, be it 5:2, 4:3, ADF, eating windows etc, is you have to find what works for your body and stick with it. Call it what you want ( so long as its not too tongue twistery) and knuckle down!
Good luck with your plan x

This is my method, albeit EOD, but this is what works for me. If its a good fast day I leave it a bit longer before I eat my main meal, 300-500 cals, depending on how hungry I truly feel. If its a hungry fast I have a cup of oxo to get me through. I think the thing with any kind of IF, be it 5:2, 4:3, ADF, eating windows etc, is you have to find what works for your body and stick with it. Call it what you want ( so long as its not too tongue twistery) and knuckle down!
Good luck with your plan x

yeah.. whats eod.

hey i just realized the title sounds like you fast for a full 3 days and 21 hours straight (which it isnt ...oops.) will have to come up with a better name.

EOD = every other day. aka ADF for alternate day fasting. Basically, Krista Varady's method.