The FastDay Forum

Hi all.

So I am ready for my second day of fasting tomorrow.
I found it quite hard whilst I thought about food on my first day, but when I got back to work with a cup of water I soon forgot about my belly.

That was till I got a headache. A thing I am looking forward to though is Friday when I can go back to eating properly.

What is the norm? Do you guys fast till dinner or do you have a light breakfast skip lunch then have a main meal in the evening?

As it's only my second day fasting I am still not too sure what to do.

Thanks Graham.

[Debs]

Hi there,
If you do a search somewhere there is a survey which people did to see what type of fasts people did, and the majority have one meal in the evening and have something substantial. I do a liquid fast and find it a bit easier not having anything, I don't obsess about dinner then!!

Good luck
Debs

Hi G,you can experiment with different ways of fasting and find the one that works best for you..the beauty of 5:2 is its flexibility!

I go all day on water and raspberry and pomegranate tea( the only fruit tea i like)
I usually long for a cup of strong tea with milk but i resist!
I have my evening meal of 500 cals and really enjoy it,then a cup of tea or two..bliss!
Or you can split yr cals between brekky/ lunch/ dinner..or just have lunch and dinner..or brekky and lunch!
Some people like Debs for instance dont break their fast til the following morning coz they find once they have their 500 cals ,they want more
I am like that too..i just want to draw a chair up to the fridge and spend the entire evening there once i have eaten...i may well delay my 500 precious cals til the following morning in the near future.
Good luck with yr day two! Have a good look at the forums for advice and tips ..there is so much great info here! Dont forget,the guys get 600 cals to play with! X

Headaches are usually lack of fluids. Most of the water your body needs comes from the food we eat, not the drinks we have. Think of the difference between a grape and a raisin to get the idea. So make sure you get much more fluids than usual. If that doesn't stop the headaches have a mug of bovril (bouillon) to top up your salts when you feel you need it.

When we started out, OH and I (and I am so grateful hubby joined me). I saw something someone wrote early on that was to the effect that whatever it is you want now with this WOE (way of eating),you can have it tomorrow. Think of the number of people in the world that can't have it tomorrow. Buck up. It's one day. Sorry if this is too much tough love, but really. Can't we go one day? And then the next....

Anyway, this has helped me through the tough times.

I have come to love and look forward to my fast days. I feel lighter and cleaner and in control

I hope you enjoy the journey too. It's not as scary as you think.

Graham,

I just reread your post and feel awful. I feel I was too harsh. I didn't pay attention to your concerns re timing of eating etc.

Our experience was that the first couple of fasts were a bit difficult, but our motivation was strong. We worried that the motivation would wear off. Maybe I should switch to the singular here since I can't speak for OH (other half - there is a link to a summary of abbreviations people here use).

I worried about this but discovered over time that not only did the fasts become easier but I found that although I started with a plan where we would have a 300 cal supper and each of us would spend the other calories when and how we wanted, it changed over time.

For me, I found I did better not eating anything until one bigger meal around 5pm. Eating triggered hunger (or the habit of the feeling of hunger). Then I found info re fat burning and I extended my fast time to burn more fat. Then I found I liked not eating the full day so I didn't flip the appetite switch.

But, and this is a big but (not to be confused with a big butt) everyone is different. What is so great about this WOE/WOL is that you can find what works for you.

I wish you the best success and if you need any propping up, let me know. It is sometimes a bumpy road. Hang in there.

Fasting gets easier the more you practice.

When I started I would have black coffee in the morning, a small snack 100-150 cals e.g. vege sticks and hoummus in the afternoon (around 3-4pm) and then 350-400cals dinner. Not forgetting to drink lots of water during the day.

I now have my black coffee in the morning and about 500 cals for dinner. I still make sure I drink plenty of water during the day. If I start getting headachy it is usually due to lack of fluids (as has been mentioned above).

Some people also avoid coffee/tea/caffeinated drinks on fast days. If you normally drink these daily but avoid them on a fast day you may end up with a headache as often we are addicted to caffeine and the headache is a withdrawal sign.

Wishing you all the best with your fasting.