The FastDay Forum

hi I'm new to this diet doing my 3rd fast today. Is anyone suffering the same as me??? i seem to have developed a new shape since going through the menopause in that my midriff has expanded and my waist disappeared..... i also stopped smoking 2 years ago and have gained 2 stones since I'm hoping this diet can really help lose those unwanted pounds. This is my 3rd fast and i've already lost 3 pounds so i am encouraged.

Hi mx3lady,
Yep, the dreaded menopause has some lovely effects doesn't it??
I've been pear shaped all my life, big legs and bum, but always had a lovely flat stomach, right up until age 52, then everything changed completely!
I have gained a lot of weight over the last 6 years, (I'm now 58) and like you, it all seems to be around my middle these days, something I never used to have a problem with. I'm also not a very good sleeper and someone told me that makes the body produce more cortisol, which puts fat around the middle, not sure if this is true or not.
Anyway, after years of being on 'normal' diets, you know, lose weight, gain weight, lose weight etc., I'm now into week 6 of 5:2. Weight loss has been modest, just over 1lb a week, but I have finally lost a little around my middle and not looking quite so 'matronly', so I'm hopeful that longer term, this will show some good results.
Hope it works for you too.

Thanks Evie, its good to know i'm not the only one suffering, i'm actually doing 4:3 to start with as i have quite a bit to lose. They say eating a couple of kiwi fruits an hour before bed helps you to sleep, shall definately put those on my shopping list as I too have major problems sleeping. In fact it was one of those sleepless nights a week ago that i downloaded Kate Harrisons book on the 5:2 diet onto my kindle at 2am !!
Good luck anyway.

Hi
I really sympathise. I also gained weight post menopause and most of it round my middle!
I had never been overweight before and never had to even think about my diet so it's been quite a shock.
Like you, I am a terrible sleeper. Most nights I am awake for part of every hour. nothing works....
Take heart though, I have been doing 4:3 since mid January and have slowly lost weight (just over a stone), but more importantly I have lost 4/5 inches from my waist. Clothes fit at last..
Good luck.

Hello Ladies,
I can only agree with all the above. I,ve been on 5:2 for 10 weeks. Lost a few pounds although was hoping for 8 . But definately a reduction of that horrible fat round my middle. Lets all keep going eh?

Thank you ladies for your encouragement and well done all for your weight losses. Its good to know i'm not the only one carrying what feels like an inflated life vest round my middle!

Hi I am new to the 5.2 diet and have never joined a forum before so here goes.
Like you I am post menopause and standing at 5ft I never had a problem with my weight until I hit 40, I am now 56 and really struggling with my weight and carry all my weight round my middle and the dreaded back fat. I have done W.W and lighter life; the latter which gave great results but not sustainable and very expensive so....everyone was talking about the fast diet and it seemed too good to be true. I am in my third week and had a 3lb loss the first week and 1lb the second but zero this week, felling very despondent hence the need for a boost and support from other followers who may have experienced the same. Please tell me it will get better I am being so good on my fast days and not gorging on my feast days so am a tad wobbly and don’t want to throw in the towel but need your advice;
Thank you

Oooh me too. 5:2 has helped me. I can now see a waist forming again, at last!!! I hope the meno tum will eventually go. I have also noticed I sleep better. Could be that I have cut down a little on the red wine though!!

Interesting about the kiwi, s woulnd mind trying that, I also suffer tne same problems of menopause and constant yo yo dieting with SW , WW and all the other stuff, im 56 and have been dieting since I was 20, so am loving this 5.2 I did my 2nd fast yesterday, so good luck everyone xxx

Yes my horrible menpot is slowly getting smaller too, I've lost a little over 7lb since joining the forum, but think it must be nearer 10lb but I didn't weigh myself right from the start

What a lot of post menopausal ladies on here! I'm afraid that I can't blame the menopause for my weight because my weight has yo-yoed for forty five years, since having my first child. My problem is really just loving to eat! However, the 5:2 seems to be suiting me and I am losing weight steadily despite a couple of weeks when events have conspired against me!

DorisDay: Please don't be despondent at no weight loss this week. If you read other people's posts you will see that this often happens. A good loss to start with, then nothing - for some people it has been up to four or five weeks before their weight started to move again. However, it may be worth measuring yourself because many of them have discovered that, although they are not losing weight, they are losing inches from their waists. If you think about it, you have dieted for six(?) days in that three weeks and lost four pounds! The rest of the time you have eaten whatever you chose. There aren't many diets which could provide that!

Well done to all of us who have decided that we don't want to be fat into our fifties, sixties, seventies etc. This is a great forum and there is always someone on here to offer support and advice, so let's keep going!

Hi Doris Day,
I also have never used a forum before and still cant find how to thank ppl for their helpful and encouraging replies except in a post, I'm still trying to navigate round the forum site.
i too am 56 but dont feel it (56 is the new 36 ???) and do know that it is much harder for ladies of our age to lose the dreaded excess pounds, but i am DETERMINED to get to target wt. I know i will feel devastated if i dont lose anything as you must have felt but keep at it. It must come off eventually.

Lesley 54, great news about your waist returning, well done , I cant wait to get mine back lol

Thank you mx3lady.
Won`t we all look good in our smaller clothes and showing off our waist instead of trying to hide the lumps etc.
And yes WE WILL do it.
Keep going everybody.

I am so grateful to hear that all you lovely ladies have had the same issues as me. I'm 50 and post menopausal and have also put on the weight around the middle and not a good sleeper at all. It’s just nice to know that there is hope to lose the weight.
Good luck to everyone.

51 (I think, my memory's gone now that I'm post menopausal...) and 5 foot 2.

I didn't really notice a weight gain around the menopause, but I've definitely been able to shift a few pounds since starting 5:2. It's best to look at the total pounds lost since starting - one week is a fairly arbitrary division of time, and looking at losses week by week is rarely a positive experience.