The FastDay Forum

The Fast Day, is it a 24 hour thing or a breakfast to bedtime thing? For example, say my fast day is Thursday and I don't eat after 8pm on the Wednesday night. I eat my 500 cals on the Thursday before 8pm. So, between 8pm Wed and 8pm Thursday I've only had 500 cals. Can I then have something more at 9pm Thursday night?
Or is the night before irrelevant, the fast is from morning to night on the fast day?

[Debs]

There are no silly questions, Miss YoYo, and what are you doing up so late again?!
The fast goes from the last thing you eat on the Wednesday night until you eat again on the Friday morning. You have your 500 cals within that window on the Thursday at whatever time is best for you. If you chose to eat something at 9pm on the Thursday evening, that should come out of your 500 cal allowance.

This is discussed in the 5:2 book and possibly the EOD book as well. What you describe is a 24hr fast (or very low cal day), what Debs describes is 36h (ish). Most people here favor 36h, I think under the presumption that it is more effective (which makes sense, but I"m not sure it's been proven). Both MM and Krista Varady suggest it's ok to try. Clearly your calorie deficit won't be as great, though.

Fantastic ladies, thanks a mill. 36ish it is so!!!

oh, i meant to say, if you're struggling to sleep, save a few cals for a low cal hot choco or something like that. I don't do that, but a lot of people here do...

Hi and welcome:

This will explain it, with some other things: post68626.html#p68626

But as mentioned above, it is 32-36 hours, not 24.

Good Luck!