The FastDay Forum

Dominic, you are a little star, I've done it, homework completed, no need for stocks, lines or any other torture,

Many thanks for all your help and advice,

ballerina x

Hi Wendy Darling,

Would you be good enough to clarify the 5:2 8 hour piece again for me please? I have read the Mens Health article, but still unsure.. Have been on 5:2 for just over 2 weeks now and still getting to grips with this whole process however am on my 2nd fast day of this week and havent eaten as yet so might like to try this?

I really thought I would struggle with fasting but after reading DR MM book I have to say i now feel really liberated and have more energy. I woke this morning actually looking forward to the fast!

I have dropped 8 pounds in 2 weeks and am trying to follow a 1,200-1,300 daily calorie plan on up days. Its amazing that up until now I did not know what hunger was. But since I have been on this plan I now know what real hunger is and what is boredom hunger or thirst..this has really helped me.

Sorry for going on... just wanted to share good thoughts

Any help would be appreciated

Amanda

I'm doing just 16:8 and will throw in the odd 500 calorie day if I need to. Only been doing 16:8 for two days so far but like Wendy darling have lost a pound. For me the regularity of 16:8 is what appeals both in terms of weight loss and managing my week. We'll see!

Hi Beaubelle,

I'm sure the lovely Wendy Darling won't mind me replying to you til she gets back, I read and enjoyed the article posted and although it was in a man's publication I feel it is every bit as relevant to women. I think 5:2 is brilliant and I did very well on it but 16/8 is more suited to me and my lifestyle and I use this method for maintenance. I have a very relaxed attitude to it all and just go with how I feel on any given day. You can have your fast day 500 calories within the 8 hour window, which is what I was doing as I neared my target weight or just eat whatever you wish within your window. For me the beauty of all this is that you can mix and match as much as you like as each regime compliments the other and any move between them is seamless and painless. The only variable is your calorie intake and that depends on whether you wish to lose weight or maintain, easy!

Hope this helps you and good luck,

Ballerina x

Hi BeauBelle, Ballerina is the expert on 16:8. I just pirouette behind her, copying her every move lol

The way I see it is this....... I am only doing it by chance this week because I can't squeeze in any fast days as I am out of routine. I usually do 5:2 on a Monday and Thursday (I have my last meal at about 7pm on Sunday evening, green tea and fizzy water all day, maybe a cup of bovril at lunchtime, a -500 calorie meal in the evening chicken or fish with salad or veg) a 10 calorie jelly if I fancy it, a cup of chai during the evening and a 40 calorie hot chocolate before bed on Monday, then I'm never hungry till lunchtime on Tuesday, so in effect, like Ballerina I started doing 16:8 on 'feed' days without realising there was even such a thing.

This week I started my usual Monday fast but then fell at the family lunch hurdle at about 2pm. I remembered seeing Ballerinas 16:8 posts so I thought that instead of a fasting failure I would do 16:8 instead. Better something than nothing. Tuesday and yesterday went the same way, and I realise that I had lost 1lb so today I thought 'blow it, I'll continue on 16:8 for the rest of the week' I don't know how successful it will be for weight loss but I just thought I would give it a try. I am hoping to perhaps do 5:2 as usual in future and do 16:8 on the 'feed days'

Ballerina, you sure have started something please feel free to answer any question that comes my way. I'm still fairly new here and still finding my feet, I don't really know what I'm doing, I'm just doing what feels right and sensible x

Wendy Darling,

I'll let you into a little secret, I don't really know what I'm doing either and like you I just do what I think is right and what seems sensible and works for me. The nice thing is that it seems to work for lots of others as well, which is great. Keep twirling,

Ballerina x

Hmmmm... been reading about this 16/8. I think the 5:2 has been working for me because I only have to follow rules 2 days a week. The rest of the time I can do whatever I feel like doing, whenever I feel like it.

Curious though to see how those of you trying it do.

Good morning Foggin,

The lovely thing for me is that I do NOT follow any Rules, I never have to think about as this is how my body works naturally, so it SO easy. The trouble is, if you are like my husband and cannot face the day without food then a reduced eating window will be difficult for you and it will then seem like a chore with lots of rules. I never want to eat breakfast and I also never wish to nibble late into the evening so even a mathematician, or a dunce like me, can work out that that leaves a finite amount of hours in the day in which to eat. My own personal 'window' is nearer to between 4 and 6 hours rather than 8 but that is purely personal.

I hope you can work out whatever suits you because for me that the secret here, DO WHAT SUITS YOU!

Good luck and keep us posted,

Ballerina x

Ballerina, thank you for responding. I'm a grazer... like you, am not a breakfast eater and it's been a joy not having to worry about gagging it down like most "diets" require. I may try the 8/16 if I start slowing down weight loss on 5:2 I just so enjoy not feeling bad going downstairs at 2AM and eating a piece of toast if I feel like it without guilt.

I find it interesting that my skinny, has never been overweight in his life hubby is finished eating for the day after dinner and is an early riser breakfast eater. We've always argued about when to eat dinner. He's ready at 4PM, I'd be happy with 8PM. But then I'm hungry 2 hours after dinner... I bet if I clocked him, he's been doing 8/16 all his life.... hmmmmm food (pun intended) for thought! Karen

Hi Foggin,

I agree that your hubby has probably been a clandestine 16/8er all his life, like me he just didn't know it and never knew there was a name for it. I just wish you hadn't mentioned TOAST! You've done it now you know.....oh TOAST.....oh

Ballerina x

Hi Foggin and Ballerina, I think you have hit the nail on the head. I grew up in a household where we had 3 meals a day and nothing else except drinks. We had breakfast of cereal, a light lunch and a healthy main meal with a dessert, usually fruit (tinned or fresh with custard or icecream) or a yoghurt, between the hours of 8am and 7pm. The kitchen was only open during meal prep, eating and clearing away. Now you have made me think about it, I realise that I have been eating healthily but whenever I feel like it for probably the past 20 years or so because I could, no one has set any rules or parameters for me to stick to and I have probably been lost without them. I am sure that's why I have found the 5:2 and 16:8 easy to manage and quite enjoyable because I feel more secure having 'rules' such as they are. Does that make sense?

Wendy, your childhood mealtimes routine is really interesting. So three square meals a day and no snacks in between. Were you and the rest of your family at a healthy weight back then?

Yes, we all were, only child so just the 3 of us. We always only had healthy food in the house and never snacked. We had one packet of biscuits a week and never any crisps except as part of a buffet tea when we had visitors (in fact I don't really like crisps now) and I was absolutely tiny. That's why I want to lose a bit of weight. Some would say I don't need to, but I can't stand the muffin top etc that is going on, it just doesn't look or feel like me. I didn't know how to diet, never really having known anyone that has so I just bumbled on, thinking that that was my lot until I found you lot!! my target is 9st and I am currently 9st 12lb after having been on the wrong side of 10st for years but I would happily go to less than that if I think I need to. I was no bigger than 8st for most of my life.

I don't want you to think I was hard done by though!! I didn't know that some families constantly snacked. In fact, some of the things I have read on the forum have really opened my eyes. I have only just realised today how things were for me growing up, maybe unusual even. I just thought it was normal and never gave it another thought until today. However, that has made me realise how fortunate I was to grow up in a house where we only ate when we were hungry (and I do remember being hungry as a teenager and being told to wait, as dinner would only be an hour away)

I hope this doesn't make me sound pious and I hope I haven't bored or offended anyone It's just an observation that has come to me today. That Ballerina has a lot to answer for!!!!

My childhood was also quite strict in terms of mealtimes and like Wendy Darling it consisted of 3 meals a day with no constant snacking. I think the big difference then was everyone was more active because we had to be. No cars to drive around, or be driven in, little or no labour saving devices in the home, walking miles to and from school or work and a lot of people had jobs where they were on their feet most of the time. My mother had to walk to the shops and carry all the food home again and as we had no fridge, she had to do this regularly throughout the week and all food was fresh, they had yet to invent 'convenience' foods. No one ever drank alcohol at home just because they felt like it, it was for visitors or special occassions. Running to catch busses was a regular thing. No wonder we were all slim and healthy back then. By the time I retired I drove to work, sat all day, came home to a house that someone else had very kindly cleaned, for a handsome renumeration, and sat down with a big glass of wine and some chocolate every night because I thought 'I was worth it'!. And I wonder WHY I put on weight!!!

Ballerina x

Yes, yes and yes. As usual you are more articulate than me (I) ?!!