The FastDay Forum

I'm in this for the long haul and have a large amount of weight to loose.
I'm wondering what members thoughts are for a "best strategy" for this?

Is it to just be patient and give 5:2 a chance?
Is it to start off 4:3, then move to 5:2 and ultimately 6:1?
or 6:1 > 5:2 > 4:3?
Is it to add Cals counting on the feed-days?

Currently I need a minimum of 6 months and perhaps a lot longer, so I guess the most important aspect is "sustainability".

Would welcome thoughts, advice and experience.

I think it is to do whatever suits you and your lifestyle, circumstances, etc. I think the beauty of this is that it is a WOE and is not too prescriptive. I know lots of people are doing 4:3 or even intermittent fasting but I don't see how that would work for me so I am going to stick to 5:2 with the plan that when I have reached a healthy weight then I will change to 6:1 for maintenance, with the option of going back to 5:2 after things like holidays and Christmas etc.

I am only 3 weeks into this WOE so far but I feel energised by it and it fills me with optimism.

Good Luck!

[carorees]

I know how you feel LastChance, there are so few who have trodden this path before us. There are a few such people on the forum and hopefully they will be along to offer advice soon.

For me, I am sticking to 5:2 for as long as possible before considering going to 4:3. My reasoning is that the first lot of weight is the easiest to lose so to start on 4:3 would probably mean not being able to cut back to 5:2 without seeing a drastic slow down. I would rather feel I had 4:3 'up my sleeve' to bring out sometime in the future!

My reading of the scientific literature shows that there tends to be a plateau at around 10% of body weight lost, which is where I am now. I didn't see any weight loss last week, but I am not going to panic, I will give it at least a month with no weight loss before considering 4:3. I believe Moogie has said that she had experienced several plateaus but the weight always started coming off again.

I do count cals but not restrict them on feed days just out of interest (I suppose it may act as a bit of a brake but I haven't felt that I have denied myself anything I really wanted). By counting cals both feed and fast days I get an average for the week which works out at around 1500 cals per day which I think should be low enough for the weight to come off at least until I have dropped quite a bit more.

As you say, sustainability is key and I think that 5:2 is very sustainable. 4:3 perhaps less so.

Patience is a virtue they say

Many thanks for your thoughts Anne & Caroline.

Caroline, I like the idea of keeping 4:3 "up your sleave" and also to ride out the plateaus....

I'll take the 'patience is a virtue' option for now