The FastDay Forum

I started out on 5:2 and 5:2 is all I've ever done so it's become a completely routine part of my life -- a natural habit. So much so that I am still doing 5:2 even though I am in maintenance.

I think whatever is easier depends on what you started with and therefore what's become habitual.

The way I've done 5:2, in a way that's made losing weight quite straightforward for me, has been to fast Mondays and Thursdays, eat below normal on weekday non-fast days then eat whatever and however much I want on the weekends.

I started out planning on 5:2, but i have fallen into 4:3, I realise that the "loss" could be the same, but i feel more comfortable with this routine, a bit more in control.....
I have been doing Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays, but am still reasonably careful what I eat Monday and Wednesdays, and try not to worry too much at all at the weekends

I think I could manage 4:3, do you lose more weight?

I am still adjusting - some tiredness - but I really like the flexibility. I generally splurge on Tues (out to lunch with a friend) and one day on the weekend (out with family and/or friends) - though I don't sweat it if I go over on any non-fast day. Just tweaks here and there.

The best thing I did was dump breakfast - that has helped immensely and I think I'll try for dumping lunch on fast days as soon as the tiredness decreases.

Losing weight - and I think this week will lose some of the waist inches (the ones I REALLY want to lose!)!

I think I could manage 4:3, do you lose more weight?

Hi
As per previous posts, no - i don't think the weight loss is increased by much (and/or if any) - i think it's just a personal decision on how to manage the weekly calories

I started out on 5:2 and 5:2 is all I've ever done so it's become a completely routine part of my life -- a natural habit. So much so that I am still doing 5:2 even though I am in maintenance.

I think whatever is easier depends on what you started with and therefore what's become habitual.

The way I've done 5:2, in a way that's made losing weight quite straightforward for me, has been to fast Mondays and Thursdays, eat below normal on weekday non-fast days then eat whatever and however much I want on the weekends.

yeah, I reckon part of my problem is just that my schedule has been so messed up for a couple of weeks, making it a difficult time to switch to 5:2. I think also there was the fear that 5:2 would be less effective for me. I'm happy with my weight loss so far, and don't want it to slow down too much.

As for evidence about whether 4:3 works better than 5:2 for weight loss: I don't think a proper study has been done yet. It's hard to imagine that with the bigger calorie deficit you wouldn't lose weight faster on 4:3. I think people who have come to the conclusion that 4:3 isn't any better are basing it on a small number of 4:3ers here compared to 5:2 in an uncontrolled study (which the people reporting the stats here have fully admitted). Ultimately, though, people should do what works for them and is most likely to be sustainable.

[As for evidence about whether 4:3 works better than 5:2 for weight loss: I don't think a proper study has been done yet. It's hard to imagine that with the bigger calorie deficit you wouldn't lose weight faster on 4:3. I think people who have come to the conclusion that 4:3 isn't any better are basing it on a small number of 4:3ers here compared to 5:2 in an uncontrolled study (which the people reporting the stats here have fully admitted). Ultimately, though, people should do what works for them and is most likely to be sustainable.

I agree with this. I have done the 4:3 from the start and had very great success.

I had been doing 7:0 for the last ~15 years and put on 50 lbs despite my best efforts. Obviously at 58 that was not working. Then I tried really hard for the first 3 months of this year and managed to lose 7 lbs but making decisions about food every few hours every day of the week was not easy. Then I saw Dr Ms program on PBS here in the USA on the 4th of April and started 5:2 on the 8th of April. I have lost another 7 lbs in 3 weeks - not sure I could do better than that with 4:3 or 3:4 or any other combination. So far all the data says this works and it is relatively simple so I am planning to stick with this for the foreseeable future:)

I don't see this as a sprint to lose weight quickly, so I see no need to try 4:3. I've lost weight steadily each week on 5:2, and as long as I get to my goal weight in the end, I don't mind if it happens to be a little later. I'd rather have the flexibility that 5:2 offers than try to speed along with 4:3 at the expense of my social life.

This is my second week and I have decided to to do 4:3 from now on. I did 5:2 my first week and did great, but felt I ate a little too much on my feed days. So my fast days are going to be a 24 hr fast on Wed, and 36 hr fast on Fri and Sat. I've lost almost 2lbs the first week, I will weigh my self On Mon to see how the 4:3 went.

I do 4:3 occasionally if I have really eaten way over my TDEE on a non fast day, or if I have a particularly calorie filled occasion coming up.
I feel it can help to balance the calories out over the week.

Just read this thread as I am considering doing 4:3 to loose faster but it seems that there is not much difference between 5:2and4:3 for weight loss.
I fasted on Monday and Wednesday this week....first time and am a bit afraid of all the eating over the weekend.i am a serial dieter so not dieting for 5 days worries me.would love some feedback.

oh man. I forgot about the downside of 4:3--the last fast day before the 2 day break is HELL. I had the worst fast day EVER yesterday. I kept having dizzy spells. Even the miso soup didn't save me. But I'm stubborn and didn't give in, and was rewarded with a 1.2 kg loss for the week. I think I'm going to try again to switch to 5:2. I don't think it's necessarily a good thing to lose that fast on a regular basis. I think I'll keep 4:3 as a kick starter if I stop losing, or after a bad week with a bunch of parties/overeating.

Hi Mary Ann,
I agree - 4:3 feels more comforting than 5:2 for me too. In fact, if life allows I actually prefer to do ADF... but the IF is a big factor. I have just done 6 days without a fast because life just didn't allow for it, celebrations between visitors - no can do and that's where the biggest bonus of 5:2 comes in, it is more achievable. So I basically do a mixture of ADF, 4:3 and 5:2 where I can. I know the stats say that 4:3ers do not lose more than 5:2ers but for me, its not all about weightloss. There are a lot of other bonuses to fasting and if it suits you then I'd say carry on doing what you like.

I started out doing 4:3 for about a month with the plan to switch to 5:2. I'm finding 5:2 difficult. It might be that I've timed it badly: my first 5:2 week was a hectic week with lots of parties, people staying at my house, etc. But, there was something simple and habit forming about 4:3--fast every other day and then have a nice two day treat. I went back to 4:3 this week because all the alcohol at all the parties. Maybe I'll stay on it a while longer...

Any thoughts on this? Any other 4:3ers find this?

How did your weight loss on 4:3 compare to your weight loss on 5:2?