The FastDay Forum

Who else is finding that your calorie awareness and restriction state of mind is carrying over into your "feast days" .. the days you dont calorie restict.

Maybe it's just cause I'm new to this and I get a bit obsessive about things new in my life... but its really making me cut down on days where I probably would normally consume 2,500 calories (10,000KJ) - They say I don't have to and can eat as I normally do but just dont want to anymore.

[Betsysgr8]

Yes! I do the very same thing. I try not to get too involved with thinking calories but I do find that I make different choices when I think about the calories in something. Even when I think I'm being 'bad' I have found that I wasn't even close to topping my TDEE. I just can't consume the same amount as I could pre-5:2ing. lol It's really cool and I hope that I just naturally reduce calories as my weight and TDEE drops.

I've noticed this, too. For me, I think there are three reasons: (1) fast days have formed a habit of thinking more about what I'm eating, (2) fast days mean there are alot more veggies and healthy things in my fridge (I live alone, so they would go off if I didn't eat them on feast days, too), and (3) fast days are actually changing my appetite. There are definitely times when I get peckish on feast days, and now I am more likely to think "it won't kill you to wait until the next meal" rather than snacking.

Definitely. Partly because I don't want to waste all that 'hard work' on the fast days by gorging something on a feed day, but it is as much what I read here that is changing my overall diet as the 5:2 process itself.

I am eating more fish (especially salmon), more veg, less potatoes, less high-sugar chocolate, probably less bread too. And some weirder things such as linseed (flax), and I have started taking Eskimo fish oil too. Canny or faddy?

But unlike Betsysgr8 it's not that I can't eat as much as before. I think I could still stuff my face, and do occasionally (and regret it afterwards).

Yes! This happened to me yesterday too didn't want anything really and couldn't finish my tea still met my tdee though, felt full but still comfortable. No more food hangovers, love it!:)

Finally seem to be getting my head in the place as my stomach -metaphorically speaking. I don't feel hungry but it has taken a while for my head to agree!

Am saving quite a bit of money as well as my shopping seems to go a whole lot further. This is an unexpected 'side effect'.

I also agree with you - I have just completed my third week on 5:2 and find it difficult to eat my TDEE calories on feast days. I record my food intake and exercise levels on MFP and find that I rarely go over 1200 calories on feast days. I prefer to have lots of small meals/snacks during the day and as I avoid wheat containing products I tend not to eat many starchy foods. However, I will not give up chocolate for any reason!

This has happened to me but a lot more slowly than some of you are reporting!

I would read other people on the forum saying a similar thing some months ago and wish it would happen for me. Well it has now which is great but it took 4 or 5 months to kick in.

I still eat chocolate - a friend bought me a selection of chocolate with lots of strange flavour combinations - like chilli or lime - it is easy to just eat a small amount because the taste is so fantastic and strong.

I knew that the way my weight was going, I'd probably have to go on a diet. But the one thing I would NEVER give up is dark chocolate!!!! So glad I found 5:2 == Love this WOE!

BTW, often the day after the fast I don't feel like eating much and don't always meet TDEE. So far hasn't affected weight loss. I REALLY want to lose waistline inches - and that has not responded well! I have the family belly, so that may be stubborn no matter what I do. Enjoying the exploration!

I definitely get fuller faster on non-fast days. It's almost like an uncomfortable full feeling but I remember eating the same meal (pre 5:2) and not feeling that way. They I tend to eat a lot less the next meal or sometimes skip it because I am still full from lunch!

[Tracieknits]

Welcome to the forums, fastgirl101!!

I can still pig out effortlessly on my non-fast days. Okay, my appetite has shrunk a bit, but I certainly haven't lost my sweet tooth. I do find that I'm having a lot more days where I don't snack though, I just eat 3 meals.

I haven't given up chocolate, either. I have given up candy bars, though. I am really lucky at work we have a catering company that believes everything should be home-made (they're actually a cooperative between a vegetable grower, a bakery, and a restaurant). They occasionally make these chocolate covered rum balls. These things are amazing. Two of them (which is how they sell them) are about the equivalent of a half a candy bar, but they taste so good. They go really nicely with a bitter coffee. It seems to me that one of the points of this diet is to not deny yourself too much. I let myself have one package of these a week. I pretty much don't have other sweets the rest of the week.

[janeg]

oh, they sound good, MaryAnn.
My marzipan failing is still with me, but instead of polishing off 500g in a couple of days, the packet lay for a couple of weeks and took over a week to get through. Quite a change. I have considered just not having it in the house, but that kinda defeats the purpose of 5:2ing. So it'll make an appearance occasionally and be enjoyed- in moderation *coughs*

Certainly weekdays there seems to be a bit of the 'carry over' effect, I'm fasting Mon/Wed or Mon/Thurs so I've found weekdays I am tending to eat a bit less, no alcohol either during week. Weekend just gone there was a bit of overindulgence, but not excessive.