The FastDay Forum

Hi everyone,

Nearly finished my second fast day of my first week and all good so far!

However, I haven't told anyone (well apart from you guys!) that I am doing the 5:2 diet. I can just imagine how they will react.... lots of warnings about starving myself and not being healthy. I'm convinced by the science but I expect they will be unnecessarily worried about me.

The thing is, I'm not sure I can hide this from my husband in the longer term - If the scales are kind I can really see this working for me as a way of live and that means spilling the beans...

Any others had similar experiences?

Gemma

I havent told anyone other than my daughter. Ive not told anyone outside the house. I want to give it a week or two before i say anything. I feel like ive started so many diets and failed they will just think here she goes again! When i was doing harcombe i didnt tell anyone cos it was sooo extreme. I knew my parents for instance would not understand being able to eat as much fat and meat as i liked but not bread or potatoes.

I've not told none yet either apart from my husband because I want to see how it goes. To be honest I only told hubby because it would be ifficult to hide it from him. I can tell he's not keen, but then again he won't read any of the articles about 5:2 and doesn't take a lot of notice of his own health.
As a mum to 3 daughters I'm very conscious that girls can pick up their eating issues from their mum. I've always been very careful not to discuss people's body size or talk about food as fattening etc. as I'm really aware of eating disorder territory. I've decided to hide my fasting from them for this reason and instead model healthy eating with treats in moderation and exercising for pleasure.

I have only told it to my family. As I feel so uncomfortable with my current weight I don't want to draw any more attention to my body than necessary. And I wouldn't want to fail publicly if I had to fail at all. I really hope that I won't, though. I have got two really quite overweight friends whom I feel I should tell what a wonderful way of losing weight this is but I keep putting it off.I think I somehow fear that discussing it all might break the spell and I won't be finding it easy any more ...

And this diet is one of the very few where you don't feel you have to tell people because they might feel offended if you didn't eat their cake or something else, because with this WOE you can still have anything on your feast days and still stick to it all.
I might actually not tell my friends for quite a while I think ...

Husband and I watched the programme together and have fasted together since September.
Once I hit target weight everybody noticed anyway
and the flat tummy has convinced lots and lots of friends ....

haven't told anyone at all . I'm not sure why really. I think I just want to see how it goes first. I tend to save my calories for my evening meal so nobody notices anyway but I may fess up eventually especially if I want to keep it up while on holiday.

The only person I have told is my partner and he is generally supportive, although he is not doing it himself he is eating whatever I cook in the evening for a fast day. I am having to hide it from work colleagues as they wouldn't understand but a couple have asked what I am having for lunch as they just see me eating an orange, so I have to make up some lame excuse!

We're the exact opposite to other posts left here - Hubby and I watched the Horizon programme together back sometime last summer - I was the one in rehab from having had a hip replacement at age 54 and desperately in need of shedding weight - at the end of the programme we just both looked at each other and said "it's a no brainer, we've got to do this together". He could do with shedding a bit of weight but not much, it was the other benefits that interested him - we've been doing it together now since November and we tell EVERYONE !! It's so obviously working for both of us - everyone says how well we look and how much weight we've lost (I've got far more to shed so it's more noticeable) - so we're spreading the word!!! Quite a few friends are now trying it too, under their own decision making process, having seen our effects - we have to be careful not to make it a crusade as we're so excited/keen about the 5:2 programme we could be in danger of becoming boring !!!!!

I've told nearly everyone, parents and work colleagues and my grown up son but I can't quite bring myself to tell my close friends. My best friend is doing Sliming World and has lost an incredible amount of weight but it has been tough for her. She can occasionally be a little critical and I just don't want to to get into discussions on why skipping meals and starving yourself is a bad/good idea. I'm probably making a mountain out of a molehill but I suppose I want to have some solid results to show before introducing the subject.

Told my husband who (as usual) is really supportive " Wow, that sounds great, go for it". For the millionth time, bless him. Won't be telling anyone else until they see me and say "wow, you look fantastic. What have you been doing?" Then the results will demonstrate the value of regular repair days. After reading the great results of forum members, I'm feeling really confident.

I haven't told anyone except my hubby, He is 100% behind me after he saw Dr Mosley's video AND read the book. He has seen be lose and gain weight with all the various diets I have been on.

I shall tell people AFTER the weight loss really begins to show. My reason for doing the 5:2 is for health reasons more than the weight. I have been overweight for over 15 years and I have joined various slimming clubs during that time. However, with my cholesterol getting worse, my dad having a heart attack this year and my mum having had a triple by pass a few years ago, Dr Mosley's programme gave me the kick up my bum to DO something NOW.

I feel thinner around my waist but haven't measured YET as I don't want to be disappointed. On Monday I am having my cholesterol and blood pressure checked so I will ask to be measured to get my waist:hip ratio

I'v mentioned it to my husband but i don't think he was paying too much attention. Then when he noticed i wasn't eating he said 'is that you starving yourself again?' ( im not new to fasting )

I'v spoke to my mum about the diet but not told her im following it, she's skeptical of the science, as am i, because there is not sufficient studies conducted on humans yet proving any health benefits beyond weight loss. Im not over weight but need to loose the last wee bit of baby weight which is my reason for dieting, but I'm not sure i will gain any other health benefits as i am not over weight to begin with. When/if they prove any benefits i will be shouting it from the rood tops.

Demi

The clarity of mind while fasting (I'm not weight losing either) is worth it alone.
Both DH and I save real thinking work for the afternoon of fasts as we both find that we think really, really well.
His IBS has stopped completely (after 15 years)
and both of us just feel GREAT on fast days.
We always fast on a Monday (Sunday lunch then nothing till 500 cal Monday supper) and I do housework
6 months in see NO reason to change - ever

I didn't tell anyone apart from my OH when I started, he did the first couple of fast with me but hasn't carried them on!!

I have now told my sister when I found the book at her house too! She and her OH did their first fast on Wednesday.

Have discussed it with my mum and tried to explain the science behind it but she is very of the mind that you can't leave the house in the morning without breakfast and can't possibly survive without 3 square meals a day so isn't yet convinced! I am still trying to persuade her to read the book!

Haven't told anyone at work but my boss did notice I had lost weight!

Talkinpeace

I'd really love to know for a fact that IF improves the overall health and life expectancy of already healthy weight people. I am keeping a close eye on the research. But for now, as the research stands at the moment, there are many gaps and until they are filled in, im staying somewhat skeptical.
I do however believe there are definitely health benefits for those already overweight, as IF causes weight loss and all the health benefits that go along with that.

So for me, at the moment, i'm using IF just to shed the last stubborn 10lbs of baby weight left over from 2 pregnancies. I'v not noticed any other benefits for me other than weight loss so far, but i am young and healthy anyway ( 27 years old, BMI 21.5 ) so i don't see how i can improve on that haha