The FastDay Forum

I'm curious if people tell their friends and family members they are doing 5:2. I am finishing my my second week on the diet and so far only my husband and one close friend now. I haven't told any of my family members, not even my parents who are staying with me all weekend (got into town last night).\

I worry that if I tell my family or many other people, they will think this is too extreme and will worry about my mental and physical health. So, if you've told your friends and family, how have you explained it to them in a way that is reassuring?

I'm keeping it to myself except for having told my husband. He has some weight to lose and I'd hoped that he'd try it out with me, but no such luck. Like you I'm concerned that people will react badly. I'm already vegetarian and I'm beyond tired of explaining what I eat to curious or critical people. I'm afraid I'll start saying rude things if someone starts in on me about IF.

I told the world & his wife Never having dieted before I thought I would stick to it better the more people I told. Now people are asking if I've lost weight when they see me & when I tell them how much they say 'oh it's working then'. Then they question me '& do you eat biscuits on non fast days' I don't think it's extreme. It's just 2 days. I don't count calories or stress about what I eat on non fast days. Maybe I'm losing slower than others but I am losing rather than gaining which I've obviously done over the last few years.

Well, I think I may be overly anxious about telling my parents because my younger sister was anorexic in high school and I think they may be more sensitive to the idea of fasting because of that. I think they might immediately jump to the eating disorder conclusion without fully understanding exactly what I'm doing.

Understandable. JamieLogical

have a read of this viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1074&p=29784&hilit=undercover#p29784

- some of these closet 5:2ers might have outed themselves by now though!

I started my partner on it which makes life easier but got some criticism when I first talked about it from some people and was unsure I could do it so have not mentioned it again.....

I've been telling people, just because its easier than dealing with the Spanish inquisition at work when I say no to a piece of cake!

Most people I've told have heard about it and understand, but those that haven't start out looking at me as if I'm mad and its a ridiculous fad - but I then talk about the documentary, the fact that a qualified doctor did this himself and all about IGF1 and the long term health benefits. I always explain how once you fast once or twice you realise 'hunger' is so much a mental state, and once you know you're not going to faint/starve/die, its actually quite refreshing realising what actual hunger feels like, and that it is ok to feel hungry!

Also quickly debunk the nonsense myth of 'going into starvation mode' and hanging on to fat - not possible! You're not starving!!

[Betsysgr8]

I've told my Mom about 5:2 but only mentioned it to one of my sister's by explaining I was only skipping breakfast and lunch a couple days a week, technically true.

I told one colleague after she badgered me about my weight loss, and then she promptly told everyone in the building! In some ways it's a good thing as I've got that pressure to keep going, but I don't feel very comfortable talking about my weight and wish I didn't have so many questions and comments (but I know they are well intentioned and have heard no criticisms of 5:2).

I haven't told my partner. He thinks I'm weird enough as it is. I haven't told my 16 year old daughter as I don't want her to do this as her eating patterns are erratic enough as it is. She is like her dad who likes to eat when he's hungry. My immediate work colleagues knows cause we are doing it together. I told my sister. I'm not sure why I am not shouting it far and wide. I guess I don't want to be seen as crazy although all it is doing is cutting my eating down. I guess if I start to look really slim and people ask I might tell them. Maybe it is just the newness of the diet. I'm not normally a trend setter.

I've told a few people, some of those just that I'm on a diet. I haven't had any hostile responses yet. I have had a few 'why don't you just do ( exercise, eat sensibly, low carb, etc. ) instead. My answer is either 'I don't lose weight that way' or 'that worked for me but then I put the weight back on.' I live abroad so my family doesn't know. Hmm I'm visiting them on June. I had thought I would 5:2 when I'm there, but maybe I don't want to explain it to them.

If people start to notice the weight loss (and they do, and it feels good ) they are likely to ask how you did it. If you feel uncomfortable but don't want to lie, just say you are eating less (and exercising more, if you are doing that as well). No need to be specific if you worry that they won't understand.

Being vegan and coeliac, my work colleagues are already used to me saying no to cake etc, perhaps I am already seen as a bit weird and alternative! But its working for me slowly but surely. I have been on a bit of a plateau for the last few weeks, but just keep plugging along. There are a few people I know who are doing it and we all love it and rave about it together, so I have my own little community of fasters, as well as all the lovely people on this forum of course lol!

I tell my airline crew colleagues... they're fascinated [but there again, we're an odd bunch]

I've never been keen of folks who wax poetic about their newest diet they started two days past, so I figure I will tell people when and if they ask. When I first started it made sense but the diet wasn't proved even to me so what could I really say to my family and friends anyways? Now that I lost 1 kg in each of the first 6 weeks and am comfortable with 5:2 as a WOL it is more something I'm willing to talk about.

To one friend who asked, I put it this way: a normal diet might cut 500 cal/day, which puts a person in a 25% calorie deficit every single day, so they are eating 75% of their TDEE all the time. With 5:2 I'm eating 25% two days and 100% for 5 days, so it really isn't that different, in fact it is probably less extreme.