The FastDay Forum

Hi All,
Today is my 3rd fast day, I started last week and have chosen Monday and Wednesday's to fast. I really need some support as I find fast days so hard. I literally think about food all day!! However the day after a fast I felt like I dont even want to eat despite having the freedom to eat anything! I know this is how I will feel tomorrow but right now my tummy is rumbling and black coffee is just not helping!! Please say this gets easier as I really want it to be a lifestyle change!

Maybe be a bit more creative in what you can actually eat. As time goes on, I'm eating much better on fast days and it really helps. So something crunchy and tasty but small for lunch, adding in a small salad and then a fairly substantial supper, in terms of size. BBC Food have recipes with less than 400 cals per serving and lots of them!

If you're not into cooking, try distraction techniques, go out, think about other stuff. Generally though, if you are REALLY, TRULY hungry, eat something very small. It's better to acclimatise slowly than sabotage yourself totally.

The most surprising thing I've found if I'm starving, I only need to eat/drink something very small and it's all ok. And I'm someone who always ate everything within reach...

Now that I've had lots of fasts, I don't snack but it was helpful to have a breadstick in extremis. Then I fed half the breadstick to the dog, then no breadstick mid-pm so it is doable!!

It does get easier. What times are you eating? It may be an idea to try a few different things to see which works best for you. I skip breakfast and have a bowl of soup for lunch at 1pm and then a bowl of salad at around 7pm. Others here have breakfast and dinner or nothing until dinner.
And try to keep busy!! If I find myself thinking about food I tell myself its ok as I can have those yummy things tomorrow.

Thanks guys, I have had porridge for breakfast today and now eating a salad so will not eat again today. Last week I had lunch and dinner so I am just mixing it up to see what works for me. I just feel like I am obsessed with food on the days I fast which drives me nuts!!

That's ok, plan what you can eat tomorrow. I find mostly tomorrow never comes but quite like planning what I could eat.

Thats a good idea, ooh the treats I will (probably not) have!!

I don't know about you but I obsess over and can't stop thinking about food whenever I am on a 'diet'. At least with this eating plan it only happens on 2 days a week! That's the beauty of it for me and why its the only 'diet' I've ever been on that I can see me sticking to long term and actually working.

[carorees]

Its funny, I just switch off considering eating as an option on a fast day. I can prepare food for others, go shopping, watch people eating, watch food programmes, anything, it doesn't bother me. That certainly would not have happened on any other diet. I know from past experience that if I am hungry, eating say a single apple actually makes me hungrier, so right from the start I chose not to eat until the end of the day. If I do get hunger pangs I remind myself that if I give in I will actually feel hungrier and as I don't want to skip my evening meal (because I wouldn't sleep that night if I did), eating is just not an option.

I think that it is worth trying all different permutations of how to cope with your fast days. You may find that not eating until dinner is actually easier even though you might not think it. Today you are trying breakfast and lunch, you've tried lunch and dinner, try breakfast and dinner and just dinner and see which will work for you. And remember, vegetables are your friends....extremely filling for few calories.

My first few fast days were very hard but it got much better and although I sometimes feel a big uncomfortable, it soon passes once I have a drink. Vegetable stock is a good option I find, it seems to quell the hunger pangs really well. So does exercise.

I do find some fasting days are easier than others, for some reason. I felt that I might have succumbed to temptation today so I went on a 3 mile walk and then walked around some shops! I spend quite a lot of time thinking about what I will eat for my one meal (in the evening); usually change my mind several times during the course of the day! On one of my fasting days last week, I spent the afternoon trying on clothes that I hadn't been able to get into for a long time, which helped to focus my mind! Very pleased to discover that I actually like drinking sparkling mineral water on fast days; hate plain tap water and don't really like tea and coffee without milk; in fact I just had to have a splash of milk in my coffee this morning, just the one!

I am struggling too so I know what you mean. I feel sick and really lethargic when I don't eat. Not good when I have a lively 3 year old! I fast when at work but I sit at a desk all day so that doesn't help. I've tried various meal combos but the best is not to eat until the evening so far

Hi All

I think I can second what has been said here that fasting does get easier... I think today was my 12th fast and I can now go all day just drinking coffee, tea and water and having my full calorie intake at dinner.

I think the thing is to hang in there and keep going as the next day you feel so great for having done it.

Chin chin every one :0)

xx

I too have a 3 year old who keeps me running around when I am not at my desk job so its hard either way as I tend to eat a lot at work out of sheer boredom!! I know thats probably the reason I have some extra pounds to lose so I try to remind myself of that but its tough! I do feel amazing today though, went to bed at 7.30pm just because I was feeling down and didnt want to give in to temptation. I weighed myself this morning and have lost 4 pounds in a week so very pleased. Just another 14 or so to go!!

After having a blip on yesterday's fast (usually breakfast and evening meal) I think that one 18-20hr fast from 2pm one day to 8-10am next day may work better for me but that also depends on my work shifts. Just keeping trying different permutations as Carorees says. You're not expected to be an expert from day 1. Good Luck and don't despair.