The FastDay Forum

Hi everyone!

This is my 10th week doing 5:2. In the first six weeks, I did really well, losing 7.5kg. I exercise five days a week and try to stick to around 1500 on non-fast days so I guess that is why I saw such good results.

Then came the week of my 30th birthday. I had lots of eating/drinking celebrations planned with my partner, so decided to take the week off the diet. All good until I hit the snag – I sprained my ankle. That meant no activity as well as no diet.

I returned to 5:2 the following week, and over the past four weeks I have been slowly starting to use my ankle again. I am back to four spinning work outs a week, although walking and running are still painful.

I am fasting today and tomorrow is my first proper weigh in since the birthday week/ankle injury debacle.

I am SO hoping for a good loss. I have been working so hard not let the set back throw me off the wagon completely as it would have done with other diets.

Has anyone else had any major unforseen set backs with this program? And if so, how did you overcome them?

I've had some injury problems as well. The main reason I wanted to lose weight was so that running would be easier on my knees. But now I have plantar fasciitis and I've also had sciatica. I'm finally running again, but only on the treadmill, which I can only bear for about 30 minutes. Also, I do more low impact exercise now like cycling and swimming.

I hope you ankle heals soon! And I wish you continued success with the diet.

Thanks, MaryAnn!
I have also suffered with plantar fasciitis so I know how painful that is! I also have it on the same foot as my ankle injury, so I am double the amount of pain whenever I exert myself!

I am just pleased that the fast diet is such that I am viewing this as a setback, rather than an excuse to go back to old habits.

Hi @polly in oz so sorry to hear about your ankle ..and PF in the same foot! Ouch!
I get PF too,but special Dr Scholl insoles have helped a lot
@maryann sorry that you too havePF ..and sciatica...at the risk of sounding like i' m just a copycat i too suffer painful bouts of sciatica...With other health probs.on top,it makes exercise difficult
Polly,all i can speak from is my experience ( i lost 2 stone on 5:2,put it back on,lost a stone and a half,regained it,and now lost halfstone again) ...so have been beset by mostly self imposed obstacles ..i.e., too greedy!...
We can only keep plodding along,taking each day as a new opportunity to eat healthily,move as much as we can,stay positive and look for creative ways to enjoy the journey..as they say, the journey is more important than the destination!
Also,always high five yrself for the successes and dont beat self up over failures
Look how well youve already done! And pat yrself on the back coz despite the obstacles you are determined not to return to old habits xx

What an inspiration you are, @CandiceMarie.

@Polly in Oz, I'm sorry you have had a 'set back' and I think you are thinking very well about it. Are you in Australia, as your name suggests? If so, would you like to join us in the Wild Winter Challenge? I think fasting is more difficult in winter, and also exercise is more difficult, shorter days, more wet days etc. Consider this an official invitation to join the challenge.

Thats kind of you @sallyo ! If i wasnt so darned greedy tho,i wdnt have so many setbacks! X

I've been 5:2ing a little over a year, and have been losing very slowly for the last several months. But I can deal with it because I TRULY see this as a Way of Life, NOT a "diet"! (except in the sense that however you eat--including like a little piggie--is a diet)

Once you realize that this is your new WOL and you'll be doing this for the rest of your life, you can let go of all the "how much did I lose this week/month" and focus on being healthy and having a good attitude. As I've said before and will no doubt say again, 5:2 isn't the place for speed/those in a big hurry. I've lost weight...many times....obviously, not so successful in keeping it off! People around me clearly (secretly) thought when I first started this, Eh, it's just another one of her crazy diets; watch, she'll lose weight then it'll all be back within a year. Well, to their surprise--and mine too!--nope, a year on and still going strong. Have lost about 32lbs, have another 25 or so to go--ideally--but am pretty happy with where I am (though I'd like the remaining roll on my stomach to abscond, bitte!) and have NO thoughts of going back to where I was.

Perhaps my age (59) has something to do with it--vanity isn't really a big motivator for me anymore--also, I try to see the bright side of losing slowly: 1. Hopefully, my excess skin will have a chance to bounce back and I won't end up with a disgusting "apron"; 2. My metabolism will adjust; many find they plateau at weights they've spent time at in the past...Anyway, don't despair; you will heal and you'll get back to your preferred exercise mode; in the meantime, don't overdo the dietary restrictions that could backfire on you.

@CandiceMarie, I don't like how you call yourself 'greedy'. You are too hard on yourself.

Thanks @sallyo you're right..greedy isnt really the right word..i certainly never binge, and i don't think any of us fasters could be called greedy as we have the discipline to go so many hours so often without food
Let's just say i have a tendency to draw a chair up to the fridge now and again !
Thanks for yr encouragement,i appreciate it xx have a fab weekend! X

Yes, what should we call those events? I call them 'desperate'. Trying to fill and emptiness. It's not a good time. May we be spared from them. May we find healthy ways to fill the emptiness.

@sallyo youve put it in a nutshell.. You wise old owl!
Living this wonderful thing called Human Life, we get hurt, which causes a split off in the psyche,meaning we're no longer whole,and we try to fix this harm by endeavouring to fill an emptiness that can't be filled longterm with food...or by cars or a big house, or any other material crutch come to that
At least once we're aware of this,we can start looking for better ways of dealing with the damage that don't involve unhealthy " treats" x

[carieoates]

I feel your pain. PF is awful, I had steroid injection in the heel for it. Never had it reoccur since.
Candy you know how to say it don't you.

Ohhh my gosh Caro @carieoates Steroid injection for PF? You must have had it badly
Mine wasnt that bad but still horrid..mine seems to have gone fingers crossed or at least lying dormant now!

Candy you know how to say it don't you.

Caro @carieoates..i think it was aLeonard Cohen song that has the line...
There is a crack,a crack in everything,thats how the light gets in
Xx