The FastDay Forum

has anybody else set out with the best of intentions in the morning of a fast day only to find by 11am that the hunger was soooo great and combined with tiredness there was no way this was going to be a FAST DAY?
What did you do?
How strong was your need to eat?
When did you fast again?
your answers would be much appreciated- we have been doing this since end of january and today was the first slip up.
will try again tomorrow- ursula

If I'm hungry I just eat something with low calories and make sure I stay within my 500 calories limit.
Rice&corn cakes are a good choice, with only 25 calories each.

Hi Ursula, rest assured you are not alone in this! Well done for following this way of eating since January, you must be pleased with your results. I wouldn't bother fasting again tomorrow, just write today off and continue with your normal second fast day later in the week. I have had a few weeks when things have got in the way of a fast but as you already know this is a long term regime. Good luck whatever you decide.

Yes, come to think of it, doing it on the next day of feeling hungry and tired might not be a good idea. Give yourself a break, you've been sooooo good!!!

Like the others, I would say just wait until your next fast day. Try not to beat yourself up about it too, or feel guilty. One day not fasting is so minor in the overall health benefits from 5:2ing for months.

I would also say tiredness is probably a much harder thing to fight than hunger, I know that's when I'm just not as strong, and give up on things.

So far though, I've found that exercise has got me through my fast days. If I ever get really hungry, I take the dog for a long, hilly walk

Have eggs in the morning. The protein keeps you from getting too hungry. Other than than that drink lots of water and suffer through it. Go for a walk. Some parts of the day are harder than others.

I was on vacation and did a 6:1 week. Better to allow that occasionally than to start thinking failure.

What keeps me going is knowing that if I give up on a fast day my DH will come home and tell me how easy it was for him no struggle at all. So I can't let him beat me!!
I agree don't fast until your next fast day.

hi all and thank you for your replies!!! It is always good to hear what other people are doing in certain cases.
We did have a fast day today as this week is requiring flexibility with regards to fasting- too much going out.....
we have had a really busy working day- gardening in the rain and cold for 6 hours is enough to take your mind off food- well it worked today anyway!! And our customers always provide lovely hot tea to keep us going!!
rufus- like the suggestion with the eggs but we try to keep all 500cals for the evening meal
michmod- thank you for the 6:1 tip- we had a holiday and did the same worked really well!!! I was not going to think failure exactly- was just annoyed with myself because so far it has not been a problem on any of the fast days!!
rufus- thanks for the tip with the eggs- we try to have one meal a day in the evening using our 500 cals- makes it simple and easy.
so- we are back on track- hope all is well with all of you!!-ursula

I can easily 'fall off the wagon' when I have to cook for the rest of the family. A nibble of cheese here, a taste of that, a slice of this and suddenly I'm thinking I have ruined my fast!

Also if I get really hungry and feel a little dizzy, I find the best way to get over this is to have some fruit juice or smoothie.

Good luck.

fantastic results for you trabasack!!! well done!! and you never guess- I bought a VW beetle many years ago from somebody in quorn- what a small world!!!
Have you got a receipe for a low cal smoothie?

On my very first fast day, I managed to make it through most of the day without eating, but at dinner time that evening the desire for food was too great, so I gave in and had a full dinner. I had managed about 19 hours which wasn't too bad for a first try coming off a very high sugar diet.

The next week on my third fast day it happened again. A bit strange since I got through my second without too much trouble, but this time I decided to eat a plate of steamed veg thinking, if I needed to eat that badly it shouldn't matter what it tastes like.

No major problems since then. The thought of a another mound of misty vegetation seems to be deterrent enough.

on 22nd fast today, 12th week. Normally find fasts easy but really struggling today. Woke up tired and hungry. I have not eaten anything until tea time, had 500 calls, still felt hungry after my tea. A few weeks ago I had the same problem, end up going 300 calls over with choc. I did not feel guilty, I enjoyed the choc, I didn't get the 'i've blown it so I might as well binge' feeling and still went on to loose a pound that week.
So, what I am trying to say is, don't stress if you go a bit over, you have not failed as you are still having less than before. Fasting does get easier but we will all have hard days and feel hungry. My hunger is now going so hopefully I will get through today on 500 cals but if I don't, no worries

* cals not calls x

ujs, I have found that using unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk (about 35 calories in a cup of each) is a good base for a low-cal smoothie, also egg white is a good addition. Spinach and kale are very mild tasting when blended very well, I use them frozen and my package says it is 20 calories for a cup of the spinach. And I like to add a few drops of a strawberry flavor, or flavor of your choice. and I use pure liquid stevia as a sweetener. So depending on how you mix it up you can end up with less than 100 calories for about 2 cups of smoothie.