The FastDay Forum

When I first heard about intermittent fasting on a news show, I knew instinctively it was for me, so I researched it. I almost ordered a book from the UK (soon to be available in the US) called the 2 Day Diet by Dr. Harvie. But I soon found out they were very different. On The Fastdiet we just limit our calories for two days a week and then eat sensibly the other five. The 2 Day Diet is advertised as being the same, but it really isn't. You eat low carb for two days week, but then on the other five you follow a Mediterranean Diet, controlling your portions from a list of food exchanges (at least that's what they're called here in the US; I think the UK term is Reckonings?)...that reminds me too much of the old Weight Watchers food exchange plan, where you pick from a list of foods and eat the recommended portions.

Too much like dieting for me! I'll take the FastDiet (5:2) any day.

Which form are you doing?

FastDiet. I have avoided diets over the years because everything I read (and saw) pointed out that after the diet was "over" or stopped, people would just gain the weight back, sometimes more. This is how it was for my parents, dad in particular. There was no learning how to eat longterm, i.e. for the rest of your life. My method was to cut stuff out of my diet, reduce portions (by guess) and hope for the best. But, along with age and bad habits (helped by a broken leg), the weight was creeping on. 5:2 came at the perfect time and so far has worked wonderfully. I am learning to eat more healthfully and thoughtfully, I am gaining energy to be active, and it is not cutting all of one type of food (especially my fave - dark chocolate!). I feel this is a WOL I CAN continue for the rest of my life.

Funny thing about the dark chocolate - my intake of that has drastically been reduced - by choice! I don't crave it as much.

Fast Diet. I have the 2 Day Diet book and the Alternate Day Diet as well as the Fast Diet book and although the other books have some interesting stuff in them the Fast Diet is the one I have started The 2 Day Diet as rainbow53 says is too much like the usual diet with restrictions on every day of the week e.g. for my age and weight I could have max 8 servings of carbs, max 11 of protein min 9 of protein and max 5 of fat on the "unrestricted" days and on the restricted days min 4 and max 12 of protein and max 5 of fat and no carbs - there are also recommendations for dairy, veg and fruit. Then it allows 3 treats a week like crisps and 7 units of alcohol a week. This diet may suit some people who want it all spelled out for them and like rules - there are some good exercise chapters in it and if you stuck to it you would probably lost weight faster than on the Fast Diet but I know that I would not be able to count the various portions every day and stick to the alcohol limits. Whereas the Fast Diet I can do the two days on 500 calories - I just set my mind to it on Mondays and Thursdays and find I can do that. I then eat what I like on the other days and in three weeks have lost 4 pounds - not a lot but this WOL is something I can do unlike restricted diets.

Hello, I have to agree with the previous post. I can count calories a couple of days a week and like the freedom that the fast diet allows me the rest of the week. For me it seems more sustainable in the long term. I don't have to worry about daily or weekly limits but because of the fast day your appetite is naturally curbed.

The FastDiet for me - the Two Day Diet sounds far too complicated and having to count portions and be careful of what you eat and when you eat it makes the food in control. This is my first week not counting calories (I did every day for 4 weeks just to get a more accurate idea of portion sizes and calorie content) and I feel so liberated.

Yes, me too. I read the 2 Day book as my main reason for following this WOE is the hope of health benefits with weight loss as a bonus but as soon as I got to the actual plan I knew it wasn't for me. As rainbow53 said, its too much like the old style WW plan with units of carbs and protein etc. I love the freedom of 5:2. I did a family lunch today with it being Bank Holiday and made a chocolate pudding. I thought a load of gardening and maybe a 4:3 week would off set it but actually I couldn't finish it! Its an absolute first for me to leave half a dessert!