The FastDay Forum

I track my calories and log a daily report on the Calorie Count web site, and have been doing for 8 weeks. After Mondays fast I received quite a bit of flak - one woman even demanded I 'unsupport' her, as she did 'not support people who fast'. Others condemned my eating fewer than 1200 calories and skipping breakfast as putting myself at risk of going into starvation mode.
I just try and answer each negative comment with details of what the essence of the way of life change is, and suggest they google it and read up.
On the upside many others support me in whatever method I choose to follow, and there are others who are doing the 5:2 or are interested in starting it.
A lot of the flak comes from the US where they have obviously not seen or heard of the Horizon programme that started it.
I am combining 5:2 with counting calories on my non-fast days, not necessarily to stick to a low number, but to make sure I don't go way over.
It seems to be working for me, even though I admit fast days can be hard - they seem to mess with my head!

When a new way of losing weight comes along people are always sceptical so I think the best thing we can do is let the results speak for themselves.
I've had a few work colleagues say to me "you look really well & slimmer, that SW is doing wonders for you think I might join you" but when I say I'm doing something different they just aren't interested. As far as I'm concerned its their loss, anyone asks me & seems to be genuinely interested I'll explain it to them otherwise I'm keeping stoom!

Interesting topic, as for me, I've only told 2 people, one was impressed and immediately started herself, the other is doing the Dukan diet and feels 5:2 may be more doable, she doesn't fancy fasting but she's getting tired of all the protein!
I guess the upshot is that I pick my audience, as for others, they'll see the results!

I have to admit that I don't care what other people think. I got myself into this shape, and it's up to me how I get out of it.

If people ask me how I'm doing it, I will tell them because I believe in this way of life and wish I had thought of it or heard of it 10-20 years ago! If people want to try to tell me it's not good for me, then I will laugh and ask them how healthy it is for me to stay at 150+ kg ?

My advice is enjoy the support of others on this forum and do it for you first of all and not someone else's approval.

I have become used over the years to hugely differing responses to what I eat because I have many food allergies and intolerances. In the past two months a very close friend I have known for several years and often stay overnight at her house literally turned on me 'I know you have food allergies that are life threatening, but this is my house and this is my fridge and I should be able to put what I want in it' was the reply when I asked her not to buy any pork chops or beef mince because the smell makes my tongue swell and can lead to anaphylactic shock. She has known for 8 years that I only eat chicken and in that time have been rushed to the A&E department on three occasions!! So, my advice is to say that this way of eating suits you, you feel great and it works. Sometimes envy produces such negative comments.

[carorees]

OMG Navwoman, I can't believe anyone, let alone a friend would know you have life-threatening allergies but then do something that could result in a trip to A&E!!! I think I would be 'unfriending' her immediately!

I too haven't told many people, my OH and 3 teenage children know and I told my sister about a month ago-with the response being "oh, another fad". She had been on the Slimming World diet and was constantly hungry and had lost a total of 1lb when she started then asking LOTS of questions about my WOE-guess what??? She's started the 5:2 herself this week!!! Turns out she's sick of seeing me shrink, feel good about myself, have lots of energy and eat nice things on feed days!!!!
I agree that people like seeing others falter and they don't like seeing others better themselves-I just quietly keep my head down and get on with things, I've had shocked responses about how much weight I've lost and how well I look and I gratefully take the praise without mentioning how I got here. We've all got each other on this forum, that's enough for me

I never told anyone I was doing this, I know how judgemental humans can be, but when it became obvious I had dropped quite a bit of weight, 21 lbs, people began asking questions and commenting on how well I looked. I now seem to be something of a mild celebrity and champion of the diet round here as friends are now asking me to explain, to folk I do not even know, how it all works. The thing is, it's difficult to rubbish something when you are faced with a startling success story. Just ignore negative, jealous people and carry on.

Ballerina x

What I get a kick out of is the moment you say "fasting" people immediately jump to "starvation mode" as if missing 2 meals will put you there. I think the book says it, it would take much longer than 2 meals to set your body into that mode.

I've told my family & some co-workers, most have been supportive and at worst indifferent. I figure I'm not going to say anything on facebook until I've lost some significant weight and have some health stats to report (thyroid meds & cholesterol levels being my big two issues).

But it's definately a big point about the food industry here in America. They've done a spectacular job at making us obese and working on the rest of the world now. I'm reading a book called "Sugar Salt Fat" by Michael Moss that describes how the food industry has worked over the years that we are now in this terrible state.

A few people at work have asked me and I have sent them some links, including this one. Interesting now others have come and said " you look great I hear you are doing the 5:2", so the word has spread without me saying much. My husband is not very keen on what he sees as science that is still in its infancy (he is a scientist though so he is probably right in some respects - mostly done on animals - few longitudinal studies etc) .
I haven't told my sister or mum - they would freak!! They just think all my exercising (for the last 3 years) has miraculously paid off in 6 weeks.

It seems that the word "fasting" is scary to some people. And it really is not a "fasting" diet, it's a "calorie cycling" diet. "Calorie Cycling" has been effective in the past and still is. But I don't tell anyone what I'm doing anyway. They do like it if you are fatter then them!

[carorees]

Caro, I completely agree about the science being in its infancy. My problem is that I can't wait for the science to catch up...I need to lose weight now! And as eastbruce says its only a very low calorie diet - just done for 2 days a week rather than every day as is advised by the NHS for morbid obesity. So it's not even that severe an intervention!

Funny, I've had the opposite experience. Everyone I've talked to has been very interested and positive about the philosophy behind it. I may be categorizing it wrong after reading some of these post.

I tell people I'm on the 5:2 diet and when they raise eyebrows I say it's a "feast and fast" diet where you eat like our ancestors and many animals do. Then I explain about the 500 calories etc. I haven't found anyone here in the USA who has actually heard of about it. Even my physician showed interest, encouraged me and wants to know more. It may have something to do with the fact that I have so much weight to lose, at this point it doesn't seem as radical as weight loss surgery.

My thin husband - a 6ft 2 and 175 pound engineer, read the book after I'd been doing it for about a week. He was so impressed with the science he decided to do the program with me this week. After my selfish "darn now I won't have an excuse not to cook twice a week" initial reaction I decided I was glad to see him jump on board as I kind of enjoy having him around.

I know that in the past when I have "dieted" it has been so hard, so unbelievably intense, that I have become completely fanatical just to be able to hang onto my will power. So when someone suggested something different, or that I might be doing something wrong, I would react very badly, very defensively. Really through fear. I think that could be why some people react so strongly.

Also, we are constantly brainwashed by the diet industry, nutritionists, personal trainers etc who all have a lot of money at stake and need us to buy into their expensive approaches to weight loss. So it doesn't surprise me that the US don't like the idea - apparently the industry is worth over $60 million a year dollars there!

I'm keeping my fasting to myself and using this site as my support network. Firstly, because I have been known to buy into fad diets and then fall off the wagon before, and secondly, because I think it's personal. For me, restricting and then relaxing works better than daily balance - but not everyone can understand that.

I told my mum and three good friends here in Greece and three of my friends in the UK know too. They are always supportive and happy when I'm happy.
When I'm done -and hopefully have results that speak for themselves- I will tell a couple of other people IF they ask me how I lost the weight.
It's not that I don't want to advertise 5:2 but I know that most people won't get it and explaining to those who don't understand is a waste of time.