The FastDay Forum

I have not been a great 5:2er the last month or so....but am recommitted as of today. I kept sabotaging myself on the "feed" days usually by overeating and overindulging in wine in the evenings. Then I would wake up starving and give up my fast, then try to pack two days back to back and I'd always give up the second day. So I am determined to keep going. I think I've more or less maintained, within a pound or so (my weight fluctuates by 2-3 pounds a lot of times anyway so my weigh in this morning could be off either way!) But here's my advice to myself and anyone else who might need some:

1. Limit alcohol to <2 drinks the night before a fast and stop eating by 8 pm the night before a fast (I wake up hungry if I've eaten close to bed time and even having a slight dehydration/hangover makes me want to chuck it and eat whatever I want)
2. If you can't find 2 non-consecutive fast days in a week (for me it's always because of an evening obligation involving >500 calories!), just fast for one day hard core (500 calories) and try to make the other day a fast all day except dinner.
3. No consecutive day fasting (I can do it, but psychologically it makes the "diet" so much harder and makes me want to give it up all together)

Will update on Thursday with my true weigh-in for the week but think I will be maintained

Sounds like a plan!
Alcohol is a big diet buster for me so I restrict it to weekends and and Fast on days when I won't have a hangover.

I found early on that having a drink the night before fast day made it harder so now I don't drink 4days a week, the two fast days and the evenings before. I t means I enjoy it more when I have it.

I've tended to avoid alcohol before fast days too, and I've really cut down, only having a drink with friends on a weekend night. Sure that's much better for me overall, and like you, if I'm feeling seedy, I want to eat, preferably sugary or salty food.
I've never done 2 consecutive days, and think I'd find it really hard, particularly because I water fast.

[Tracieknits]

My husband once calculated that you could do three days at 1000 calories for the same loss as two days at 500 calories.

His theory, on a particularly difficult week we were facing, was that if we fasted all day until dinner, and then kept dinner to 1000 calories or less, it would be the same as two fast days, and possibly better.

We did it that one week, but never went back. It seems silly to us to fast an extra day. But perhaps when you're having a difficult week, that tack might work for you?

Our fast days consist of not eating anything with calories until our 6pm dinner. So black coffee, water, black or herbal tea.

Have to admit to laying off the wine too a day before a fast - to be honest I save it for weekends - couple of glasses on maybe a Friday and/or Saturday night and that's fine for me. Finding I feel the effects of the alcohol a lot quicker these days - making me cheap when I'm drinking at the pub (if you get my drift!)