The FastDay Forum

Watched the show last week, bought the book and fasted Monday and Wed. To be honest, fasting doesn't bother me too much, I have been on way too many diets over the years so starvation in a bid to lose weight is nothing new

I am just not convinced this is going to work, I have way too many questions!

My biggest question is that, when everyone says you eat normally on non fast days, what is this? The book says you shouldn't have to calorie count but surely if you stuff your face on "normal" days, how can you possibly lose weight? I spend my life on a diet and what I have already found is that on my normal days so far I have eaten crisps and sweets - things that I normally try to keep away from.

And now it is Friday and the weekends are the worst for me and given my experience, I can starve myself all week and then do the opposite on a weekend and by Monday I haven't lost a lb...what makes fasting for only 2 days any different?

I hope this makes sense

Hi and welcome!

"Normal" needs a little more clarifcation, agreed. It is generally accpteed that it means your TDEE - your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, ie the calories you use up each day. Also known as your maintainance level - what you should eat in order to maintain your weight.

The average for women is about 2000 cals a day, but shorter and lighter women might be 1400-1500, and larger taller women might be a bit above 2000.

While it would be lovely to be able to eat about that without counting, for a while at least it is helpful to note what you are consuming on a non-fast day.

[Betsysgr8]

You have the first step: you are fasting (500 cals for female and 600 cals for males) for 2 days of the week. Weigh and measure waist (very important!), you can use the progress tracker provided on the left panel to input your info.

Second step: Eating "normal" for 5 days. Normal with 5:2 is eating your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). This is where you may have to calorie count for a bit to determine what your TDEE looks like. Find your TDEE (use search box upper left to find links to TDEE counters) then stay at or just a bit below on your normal days. Many of us eat a bit under during the week and a bit over on the weekends.

Third step: Once a week, do an official weigh and measure and log in progress tracker. For the 1st few weeks expect this to bounce around a bit as your body adjusts to the changes.

Fourth step: continue and enjoy the results. Many of your questions can be answered in the FAQ sections or just post a question and somebody will get back with you shortly with advise and/or encouragement.

This is a fantastic WoE (Way of Eating) and is sustainable in the very long term.

[Betsysgr8]

I spend my life on a diet and what I have already found is that on my normal days so far I have eaten crisps and sweets - things that I normally try to keep away from.

Eating the traditional 'forbidden' foods on non-fast days is not uncommon in the beginning. It can be difficult to adjust to the reality that with 5:2 NO food is forbidden! You should settle down after a few more fasts to having more healthy selections on non-fast days.

As for eating crisps .. on your fast days did you have any bouillon or soup or anything salty? It's possible that your craving for salt on non-fast is only to replace salt lost on fast days since we expel more fluids on those days. Try having something salty to drink on a fast day (it helps with keeping hunger and headaches at bay as well).

Good advice from others in reply to your post.

You do have lots of questions and I think that you will find the answers to all of them on this forum somewhere! Use the 'Search' box on the top left of the screen and all will be revealed!

Like you, I have spent years 'dieting' - searching for the holy grail of losing weight and keeping it off. My attempts have involved strict calorie counting, weighing recording, obsessing, losing and putting it all back on!

I started this WOE and, quite frankly, it was very similar to what I had done in the past, except with the addition of two very low calorie fasting days. I counted and recorded calories and I had quite a successful start, which I had expected because I hadn't been calorie counting since the previous July and my last weight-loss effort.

After three weeks, I had my 'Eureka' moment! I went away on holiday and couldn't weigh and measure my food - neither did I want to! I no longer wanted to spend my whole week (life!) obsessing about every calorie. I decided that I would really enter into the spirit of this WOE. I have not worked out, or recorded, a calorie since - not even on fast days!

You are absolutely correct that eating 'normally' is the key and for many overweight people they have no clear idea of what 'normal' is. For those people I think that it is important that they know their TDEE and eat around that figure by counting calories for a few weeks - until they feel secure in their knowledge of what 'normal' eating involves.

I have found that my relationship with food has changed and I am now capable of making choices based on what my body needs, rather than what I want. For example - I have eaten only half a pizza, turned down cake, refused a dessert, not eaten all six buns in a packet etc! These are all things which I would previously found impossible. I have even been known to leave some food on a plate because I was no longer hungry! How amazing is that?!

I apologise if this post seems to be all about me but I wanted to show you how it is possible for even hardened dieters to change. This WOE is not a miracle cure, it is a restricted calorie diet but it does have the potential to change your WOE for good. You are right to be sceptical but try it for a month. You may well find that you do gain a little weight to start with, as your body adjusts to a more generous intake. Enjoy your crisps and sweets, cakes and whatever else you fancy, guilt free, but bear in mind that moderation is the key to success! This WOE is working for many people and there is no reason that it shouldn't work for you too.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

Normal is the amount people who don't put on weight eat.Roughly your TDEE as has already been said. The Fast days should give you the calorie deficit to loose about a pound a week as long as you don't eat too much on the other days- but you can eat more on one day and less on another as you are really looking at the average over the week. Some people seem to get food craving- it doesn't really matter if you stick to your overall limit. I like tracking calories and use My Fitness Pal - but most seasoned dieters don't except on fast days. I wasn't convinced but I am loosing about a pound a week- and I had fish and chips on Wednesday!

Thanks everyone I've got my TDEE and I have set up the progress thingy. Merlin, I do also use My Fitness Pal already so will continue to keep my calories down.

It's a long time since I've counted calories but is a bit easier with My Fitness Pal...I'm usually a carb free gal!

Finger's crossed for Monday's weigh in, I've got chips for dinner tonight!

Thanks again

I find the best time to weigh yourself is the morning after your second fast of the week - that way you should be at your lightest.

Give it a go, give it a month, I BET you'll see some kind of favourable results

I just have to say i was really skeptical about this too! But I have been on it for 6 weeks now and on non-fast days I just don't worry about what I eat. Sometimes what I want is a yummy veggie stir fry and a couple glasses of wine, some days it's a bacon cheeseburger and ice cream. No matter what I have been loosing at least a pound a week. Down 8 pounds in 6 weeks. We'll see how next week goes when I have two potlucks and a birthday party to attend. But I am confident now that it works!

I think that whoever wrote this book should have written "eat sensibly" instead of "eat normally". That would make huge difference. Normal is very personal and quite often is very unhealthy.

U have fab advice so far...
Just as an example I have lost 6.5 pounds in 2 weeks and during these two weeks I have enjoyed the following "naughty" things

One mcdonalds
Two dominos take outs
One Chinese meal
One large slice of cake
One subway
One cookie
One cornflake cake
One kinder Bueno choc bar
Resus peanut butter cup
Fishcakes peas and chips from chippie
2 finger kit kat
Two penguin wafer bars
Two bags of crisps
Two fried egg cobs

Stuck within my tdee prob about 300 cals lower too - r u convinced?!

Claire, how much is your TDEE?

2009 I have been having between 1500-1800 a day

Am I doing something wrong?!

No, no, I'm not implying anything like that! I was just curious since mine is 1270 and I struggle to squeeze in a pud once in a while, LOL!!!