The FastDay Forum

[Tracieknits]

So as I sit here on my fast day, I thought it might be helpful if people posted what they do to make it through a fast day - especially those of us who simply don't eat until 6pm, or at all!

I don't eat until dinner. So first thing at 6:20am is I have a cup of nespresso with 1 tablespoon of whole milk added (9 calories). I repeat this once. If I want any more coffee, it's black and likely decaf.

From there, I go to herbal teas. I have a nice teapot that stays warm under a wool tea cosy, and I make one or two pots during the day, depending on how cold or hungry I am. I found one tea I like by Republic of Tea - it's called "get lost" and it's supposed to reduce cravings blah blah blah. I don't know if it's placebo effect or actually does anything, but I like the emotional support of "I'm reducing my cravings". I don't know much about the herbs though, so I wouldn't do two pots in one day. I just make one pot with two tea bags. Other herbal tisanes I like are chamomile, one by Allegro that's called "Queen Bee Balance" (it has Raspberry leaf, which can be used for PMS), and mint teas or chamomile/mint/lemongrass blends.

If I get really hungry late in the afternoon, I like a cup of chicken broth. I use an organic "Better than Bouillon" chicken soup base and it's delicious and satisfying for about 10 calories - but use a measuring spoon or you may be having a lot more calories than 10.

And I try to stay busy, which isn't always easy on a day like today where it's just too cold to go anywhere.

How about you? Any things you love to keep you going on fast days?

Like you I drink black coffees, herbal teas (mainly Pukka), water and if desperate a mug of bouillon for the salt. I try to be out and about busy, but if not, reading loses some hours for me :0)
I've just begun my 24 hour fast for this week \O/

Thanks Tracie! As someone trying to eat my fastday dins as late as poss, i welcome any tips!
The morning of a fast n repair day i wake and remember with dismay what type of day it is! Anyone else like that?
i just have water and warm water with lemon in the morning..i miss my morning cups of tea,but not as much as i used to.
In the afternoon, i usually have a 60 or 100 cal cuppasoup at 4 pm which really gives me a boost
This week i havent wanted the 4 o clock salty boost,so have been able to have a little fruit later in the evening.
An orange is handy as can slowly eat the segments.
I have a few small teacups of builders tea in the evening,v little milk,no sugar.
I am lucky as i dont get cold like so many others throughout a fast day. I try to do decluttering/ phone calls that i've been putting off/ chores ive put off ( might as well have a thoroughly miserable day while i' m at it hehehe!)
Tend to be starving at bedtime but grit my teeth and wait for sleep to help me forget! Funnily,like many others, i wake next day not hungry! And feeling so pleased with myself! Love the feeling of a rested tum! X

I don't eat until dinnertime (round 6pm) cause 1) I get more hungry if I have something to eat and 2) I like my allowance of kcal to get me something more substantial - always use the Hairy diet cookbooks since all their meals come in under 500kcal.
i drink huge amounts of water (mostly sparkling) during the day and somedays (when we socialize) I have a cup of foamed milk (can't be that many kcal in there since it's much air) with a dash of coffee.

I don't eat until early evening on a fast day. I drink lots of plain water and if I need to warm up a cup of tea with some milk in it if I'm really struggling and Earl Grey black if I just want a change from water. I have found that if I eat it kick starts my appetite and I've never found it that hard to miss meals.

It seems that most people save their calories until the evening meal. I'm the same. I sometimes experiment but I find if I have my meal at lunch time the rest of the day is so long...and I don't have anything to look forward to. I drink my coffee black (which I realise I really don't like) and drink green tea. I've recently bought some highlights hot cholocate (38 cals) which tastes quite good and I rely on M&S and their scrumptious meals to see me through the evening. I like the idea of an orange, Candy, so you can munch the segments slowly, but I imagine the calories are quite high aren't they? After all, oranges are pretty sweet aren't they.
I've recently bought some seafood sticks too which are low in calories....just as an emergency measure.
It IS amazing how you go to bed feeling a bit peckish but just don't fancy breakfast in the morning. I'm now taking advantage of this and not eating breakfast...even on a feast day!
Well, I must say...I'm pretty glad tomorrow is NOT a fast day!

I find it really helps to have an engrossing project. When I'm busy time flies.

I usually just drink tea but I find that a cup of cocoa at 4:30 gets me to dinner and keeps that last hour from dragging. I make it with a tablespoon of Hershey's cocoa, the baking kind that has more nutritional value than the dutched kind, DaVinci German Chocolate sugar free syrup for sweetener, and either one TBS of half and half or 1/3 cup almond milk.

@nursebean - I too have seafood sticks for emergencies and have recently discovered a mango vinegar which really complements them a treat!

I don't wait until dinner to eat, but I don't eat much before then, so I still get plenty hungry on fast days. I try to time my gym workouts so that I'm eating dinner shortly afterward. It's a good distraction.

Oooh yes @MaryAnn timing is everything and I guess if you've just done a gym workout you're going to need some food afterwards aren't you. Good plan Stan!
Mango vinegar? @Madcatlady? sounds strangely tasty, although I suspect there are one or two calories in there aren't there?
Anyway, yesterday's fast went pretty well. Here's to Saturday...

An engrossing project is a fantastic way to pass the day and forget about food @peebles.
I like the idea of Get Lost tea @TracieKnits! And a pot of tea with a cosy to keep it warm zounds very comforting!
Beano @nursebean a 100g orange is 47 cals,lasts longer than a lowcal dessert, full of vit c,so i think it's well worth saving 47 cals for an evening snack. If its a bigger orange,just have half and have the rest on your feed day x

We usually eat at about 6.30pm and I just drink black, decaffeinated tea all day (my usual everyday drink). I have an insulated tea pot and don't like strong tea so one teabag does two mugs of tea. Just for the occasional change I will have a glass of water with a dash of lemon and, if I'm wanting something sweet, I will have a glass of sugar free orange squash. After nearly two years, I find, like many of you, that I don't get hungry on fast days any more, as long as I am busy.

I am still in full time work and for me fasting is not very difficult when not at home. I just don't bring any food to work. I have never fasted when not at work so I admire anybody who is retired or working from home. On fast days I keep all my calories for the evening because I like the feeling of coming home from work and "relax" with a bit of food. I feel almost lost when I come home and my routine of having a meal is gone.
This week on Wedndesday (fast day) I had to go to the supermarket next door and saw weight watchers meals for just 99p (never bought a ready meal) so I bought one and had it at four in the afternoon. The meal tasted OK and I managed to not eat when I got home but I think psychologically, I prefer to have my mealafter work.
I drink coffe and herbal tea throughout the day and when I am very cold, I drink some stock (very helpful).

[Tracieknits]

Thanks everyone, I'm sure this will be helpful to many people, especially newbies.

I fast until dinner for the reasons you all say. My hunger definitely gets turned on when I eat. It's a lot easier to not eat when I haven't eaten yet in the day. My other big issue is that I can't sleep on an empty stomach. I need to have had a meal in the last four hours or so, or I find I can't sleep.

I don't have any tips as I find it too hard - but its great to read some of these! @peebles Half and half is a product that seems to be only in the US, so for the benefit of others (and correct me if I am not on point), half and half is half double cream (heavy cream) and half full fat milk (whole milk). Wonderful for ice cream making and for ketogenic diets! The only equivalent English version I can think of is Jersey milk or gold top milk, but even then I think half and half is richer again. So maybe single cream (or light cream?)

Interested if our Australian colleagues have something similar.