The FastDay Forum

This is a very interesting thread to read.
I am a long way from being on maintenance, but understand the on-going need to watch one's weight and agree that this confirms that 5:2 really is a way of life to keep with you.
(In other words, you are never 'done'!)
One day I hope to join you all in the maintenance tent!
Best wishes.

I'm glad to see so many people in the maintenance subforum don't struggle with this, but I've not been so lucky.

I haven't been helped by hitting goal right before Xmas, and having two trips since then. I haven't really settled into a maintenance routine, and it would have been nice to have that sorted before the temptations came into play.

...there's a very obvious explanation for my weight gain: I presumably haven't been in calorie deficit.

I could have written this! (Although I didn't lose so much in the first place.) I'm just back from a trip to see my daughter and have put on yet another 1.5 kg. So, why? I've eaten too much and haven't done 5:2 for ages. Once hitting goal I assumed that 6:1 would work because I didn't want to lose any more. Unfortunately I stopped using MFP to log 'calories in' and must have been over doing it on non fast days. So here I am almost at my Fastiversary and I'm going to start again. TODAY! I don't want to get into yoyo-ing, but need to get these few pounds back off before organising a maintenance plan.

Thought I hadn't seen you for a while @golarne. Welcome back!

I'm back after a "break" (read: wedding, honeymoon, Christmas etc) and weigh more than i did when i first started fasting just over 1 year ago. I am optomistic though that even if my progress is as slow as it was last year (average 1/2 pound a week loss) i will be back in my honeymoon summer clothes by the summer.
I have attributed my weight gain to a massive change in diet - i experienced hair loss after my wedding and did worry it was down to the fasting. So i upped my good fats and proteins and whilst my hair is back on track, my waist line is 5 inches bigger!!! Ouch! Had some advice from others on this forum (thanks again to all!) and this time round my non fast days will be heavier on protein and less of the grains etc. Wish me luck!

hmmmm im glad i started this thread.. something i need to be wary off once i reach the heaven of 69.000

if im not careful, i could be back at 75.000

all the best to those that are returning to get "back on track"

While I never did reach my goal I thought I would respond anyway. I was at the point of losing 32 lbs back in Nov. and stopped following 52 for various reasons. I went back to my old ways and three months later put on 7lbs. My old ways included a wide variety of carbs and overeating. When I was on 52 not only did I fast two days but I was eating nutritious well portioned meals. I m finding my way back and sadly after 5 fasts I am only 1lb down.

You can do it@clairemarie. It took you 7 months to put on the weight - slowly slowly catchee monkey. The good weather is coming soo and that should help

Maintenance is certainly no walk in the park and this is the first time I have managed it EVER for more than 5 minutes! I think the reason is that I have not seriously lapsed or returned to former bad habits. I also weigh myself everyday even though I swore I'd not go down that route again, it seems to keep me focused. EVERY diet works until you stop and 52: is no different, unlike a puppy, it's not just for Christmas, it's for life ( joke....honest! ) and permanent changes can bring their own challenges. If you stick with this it will work for ever, or for at least 12 months and counting,in my case. Just find your own individual path, it's out there somewhere and good luck,

Ballerina x

Well I never reached target but was very close (lost 73 lbs with about 15 more to go), and had planned to not try to lose over the holidays(Thanksgiving and Xmas) but unfortunately could not get back on track after and got into some bad habits on feed days and now I have gained about 25 lbs back. I have fasted 2-3 days per week still, but its the feeding days that really do me in. Previously I was pretty strict about my feeding days diet(watching bad carbs) but have realized that what you eat on those days is very important, and just fasting days alone doesn't work for me. The sad part is, I have tried to get back on track, doing what I did before, and it doesn't seem to be effective so I am worried I might have messed up my metabolism in all of this and need to reset it.
i am the type of person that needs to see som positive results early on, or I get discouraged. I am fasting today (after a bad weekend) and am trying to drink more water than usually to see if I can jump start my weight loss again.

While I never did reach my goal I thought I would respond anyway. I was at the point of losing 32 lbs back in Nov. and stopped following 52 for various reasons. I went back to my old ways and three months later put on 7lbs. My old ways included a wide variety of carbs and overeating. When I was on 52 not only did I fast two days but I was eating nutritious well portioned meals. I m finding my way back and sadly after 5 fasts I am only 1lb down.

good to see you working on it again @clairemarie.

Well I never reached target but was very close (lost 73 lbs with about 15 more to go), and had planned to not try to lose over the holidays(Thanksgiving and Xmas) but unfortunately could not get back on track after and got into some bad habits on feed days and now I have gained about 25 lbs back. I have fasted 2-3 days per week still, but its the feeding days that really do me in. Previously I was pretty strict about my feeding days diet(watching bad carbs) but have realized that what you eat on those days is very important, and just fasting days alone doesn't work for me. The sad part is, I have tried to get back on track, doing what I did before, and it doesn't seem to be effective so I am worried I might have messed up my metabolism in all of this and need to reset it.
i am the type of person that needs to see som positive results early on, or I get discouraged. I am fasting today (after a bad weekend) and am trying to drink more water than usually to see if I can jump start my weight loss again.

Yes feeding day behaviour can be the killer in this 5:2. the concept of a "feast day" brings thoughts of .. oh i can have that cake, or pie or double helping of pasta cause ill just fix it on my next fast.. ive been there and the damage is done and i think you need more than 1 fast to fix. so whilst not needing to eat rabbit food only, one should be careful on feast days .. a least mindful
@Guitar1969, the buddy approach might be good for you too? post152560.html#p152560

Has anyone here got to there ultimate weight goal but then put on another 1, 2 or even 5 kg within a few months? Would love you to share your experiences.

Yep.., I reached my weight goal around october, during christmas holiday I decided to just eat and drink as much as I wanted and gained 4-5 kg.

Were you able to shed the "extra quickly" if so what was your strategy?

I went back to having no calories on Mondays and Thursdays, eliminating carbs, eating mainly a little bit of protein, and lots of fat and vegetables the other days, no restrictions on weekends, losing the weight was not a problem.

Did it climb back up quickly or quicker than you expected.

As expected

Did you adjust your eating/activity behaviour to get back to target goal.

I don't exercise at all anymore, as I regreattably can't seem to motivate myself for it. My new eating behaviours seems to be enough to keep everything under control.

Have you been unable to get back to target weight and do you need advice?

No problems, it seems to me like a low carb, high fat diet does the trick.

Actually, I'm with Ballerina. For all my first-part-of-the-year failing/weakness, I'm still experiencing a new situation in that I am acutely aware of my body, what I eat etc. I know full well when I am over-indulging and sabotaging myself.... I know that eating too many carbs will result in bloating and sluggishness and that I retain more fluid to process them so that when I DO have a good couple of sensible eating days, I will lost that fluid and not feel so bad about what the scales say. In the past, when yo-yo'ing, I wouldn't care once I started re-feeding and gaining again. The knowledge that I now have gives me far better tools to be able to keep myself in check... even if I AM weak and feeble at the moment. I know that at some stage I WILL find that determination again, so I'm just slowly plugging away until it manifests itself.....

I've been maintaining for a year now. I have been 2 kgs under target, and 2 kgs over but have stayed moreorless the same. I know my weaknesses and if I overeat one day I under eat the next. I haven't fasted every week, but have gone back to 5:2 if I've gone up to 2kgs over target (57kgs).
My main advice would be to weigh in every day, and keep active. I do a lot of running, and also wear a Fitbit so I know how active I am each day and can eat accordingly...or not! If I have a cake, I skip lunch. If I eat a big lunch, I skip dinner or have a very light salad. And try not to drink too much wine and keep chocolate as a treat. You know your own weaknesses, so adapt your eating plan around those. But do weigh in regularly, it is much easier to lose 2lbs than 2 stone!

This week I had something on over lunch on Monday so that didn't work as a fast day. I feel guilty for not fasting though as my weight is 1.5kg up this week. Bit puzzling as I didn't think I'd overextend and have drunk plenty of water but there has been the odd biscuit and my first hot cross bun of the year. I have done a lot of exercise so I am hoping my muscles are In repair mode and retaining fluids. I'd definitely fast on Thursday as Friday is my progress-tracking day. So perhaps I have to continue with 5:2 and not 6:1.