The FastDay Forum

Hi,

Am hoping to hear from anyone else doing 5:2 who is in a similar position to me. I'm a full time stay at home mum with a just-about-to-turn 3 boy. He's recently dropped daytime naps, we're currently potty training, we have 2 dogs and no garden so need to get out and walk the dogs 2-3 times a day (depending on Hubby's work schedule), on top of all the other stuff involved in looking after a toddler/running a home so it's fair to say my day is pretty full on.

I started the fasting at the end of April but after about 5 weeks I stopped. I was finding that I was getting really irritable. Now, having stopped for about 3 weeks I'm finding that I'm still irritable! So am wondering if it's more to do with the fact that I get no time/head space at all since he stopped his naps, rather than because of the fasting.

Anyway, after a hiatus of about 3 weeks (and surprise surprise no weight loss - boo!) I am going to try again this week. So my question to anyone who is similarly active, do you have any tips to manage your fasting to control your irritability? I was trying to have 3 small meals a day rather than one meal in the evening for instance, as I thought it might help even out my blood sugars more. I'm now thinking of having a full on fast until around 8pm when I can eat in peace!

Thanks for listening & for any hints/tips.

Hello
My youngest is now 10 years old but I do remember those days well. It does get better, I promise! And fasting really does get easier too.

I found that not eating anything for breakfast or lunch was easier for me, and I just have one evening meal. There are some very interesting posts on here about it helping by not 'switching on your hunger switch'. It works for me, but others find having smaller snacks at breakfast and lunch is better. We're all different and it's a case of trying it out.

Lots of luck with the potty training. My son (who is now a 19 year old undergraduate) seemed to potty train for ages, and then suddenly it 'clicked' and he never had an accident again. Hope your son 'clicks' soon!

Thinking of you
x

I am a mum and been fasting since Jan, I was on maternity leave until April and found that because I was forever dealing with food it was easier when I didn't eat at all until the evening, that way I couldn't pick and didn't find myself obsessing over when I'd eat and what I'd eat, I also stuck to the same food every fast day to save me having to plan or worry about what I'd eat when the evening came. You could just try it for a week as atrial?
Also, if he's not napping anymore make sure you have a quiet time planned into the day (for yourown mental health) snuggle him up in a bblanket with the telly on for an hour so you get some time to yourself or have him learn to play in his room for half an hour/an hour so you get a break. Be nice to yourself and if all else fails remember in September he'll be at nurseryand life will gget a little easier!
Good luck :0)

Thank you so much.

Doodle - your words of encouragement on the potty training are priceless. We've been doing the low-level training for some time, and he's great at home using the potty because he's been running around in no pants. We've gone for the no nappies at all approach in the past week and he's not yet asking or telling so we're having a few mishaps! I realised today that I've not told him what to say when he needs to go. I know it seems like he should know already (being a good talker) but some things still need to be pointed out I suppose.

Mariposa - I really appreciate your tips on quiet times. I hadn't thought to do that. We've kind of gone from 2 hour daily naps to nothing overnight (it coincided with us changing his cot to a bed). He struggles without the nap at times (think wild hysteria!) so the blanket or play in his room is a godsend of an idea! I've safety-proofed everything in his room so he'll be ok in there. It might give me a bit of sanity in the day. (And if not, I might just have a lie down in his playhouse! ).

I'm definitely going try to save the 500cals for an evening meal tomorrow. I think I might manage better that way.

Thank you both. xx

Good luck with tomorrow, I remember when my daughter stopped napping and the days were so long! Let us know how you get on!

I second the quiet time, I have an active 4 year old who does not nap and an 18 month old who does, and I always make my big boy have a quiet time either playing in his room or sometimes watching a dvd if I think he needs a nap, it's amazing how often he falls asleep in front of a film even after he says that he is not tired. That way if I need it I take a quick nap or just get a bit of quiet time of my own, which makes a big difference!
Good luck tomorrow!

Hi Fasting Annie,
I agree with Mariposa and Nicky. I am a Mum of 3 kids now teenagers but when they were. under 5 God forbid if anyone would try to phone me between 12 and 2. That was rest time. Even when I knew the oldest one didn't need a sleep we all still had rest time for my sanity. You definitely do need that 'head' space. I'm also a preschool teacher and see how much children like routine to their day so I'm sure your son will get used to what you decide. There's nothing wrong with a DVD as long as you approve of the content. Good luck!

Reading to mine gave me a lot of peace. I am old enough for TV DVD etc not to have been a viable option!

Hi Fasting Annie,

I'm in similar position, a 16 month old and a 3.5 year old. I work 4 mornings from home & they head off to the childminder, which gives me a bit of head space, but it also means I'm thinking and sometimes trying to work when they're here in the afternoon!!

I'm just starting week 3 so still new to this, but I find the endless preparing of food or snacks for kids is really difficult on fast days. Being a veggie I find if I give them meat or food that I really am not keen on, I dont pick. I've also been trying to cook something for all of us, that I can just add pasta or rice to for them, bit tricky though and requires a bit of fore thought.

You definitely need to get some quiet time, my daughter dropped her nap about 6 months ago, it drove me crazy because I loved that hour of 'me' time in the afternoon, but am now quite used to it! So now when her brother goes down for his nap she knows its 'playtime' by herself, she plays with her dolls or similar for around 30 mins. Then we get the lego out or jigsaw puzzles - things that need a little help to start off, but she then plays solo for a while. I find this playing by herself has really developed her fantasy and make believe skills. Most days I turn TV on at 5pm for both of them while I get evening meal ready.

Good luck with your fasting this week.

Thanks everyone for your additional comments and suggestions. The day went really well, and we even survived his first major tantrum, and it was in public!

I decided to fast all day and save my 500cals for this evening (like Doodle mentioned above, there are suggestions about having breakfast triggering hunger, and I think that is the case for me). It was easy to skip breakfast, and if I had hunger pangs later I just had a drink.

We had a quiet morning, skyping grandparents and watching Peter Pan, as I'd promised to take DS to the petting farm. We had a lovely afternoon there, and both had a Minimilk ice lolly. (Ok, I didn't save them ALL for this evening, but they are only 30cals! ).

Things took a slight turn for the worse when DS took a 10 min nap on the way back home. He was a little mardy when I took him out of the car. I waited until he was fine before we set off on our afternoon dog walk. He likes to run round the park, which is fine if he stays close but he wouldn't come back when I called him. I stayed calm, (I've not felt irritable today ) and he knows the consequence of running off is that he has to walk all the way round holding my hand. Anyway, initially it was just tears, then it was more of a strop, then he stopped walking!! His feet dragged so his sandal came off. I had to just stop because otherwise I'd have been dragging him all the way round. Anyway, I sat on a nearby bench and let him cry it out. He cried outloud for over 5 mins. I just told him I was there for when he'd finished. He took both sandals off midway through the crying fit and threw them away, but eventually I think he bored himself! He came over with his sandals and said they'd been taken off (as if by magic). He was a bit sheepish and nice as pie after that. I'm just so glad I didn't get frustrated.

After my recent bout of irritability, I feel I've lost my patience and been snappy with DS too much. Then coinciding with his full on potty training he's been less well behaved (don't normally have any problems with behaviour) so for the past week I've been working on positive discipline.

Anyway, all in all a good day. I've just had a Quorn cottage pie (around 370 cals) and will have an Alpen light (70cals) later with a decaf coffee. I will DEFINITELY be saving the cals again on my next fast, probably Thursday.

xx

My saviour is really good coffee. Not instant. The real stuff and an apple at 4 pm.
I have two primary aged kids hence the apple at their tea time haha.

Oh yes. I love a good coffee too. I think we'll have to get a Nespresso machine because the instant just doesn't cut it!

Love your name Madeyemoodysmum!

Yes. We have nespresso. It's really saved me from cracking on several occasions.

Thanks big hp fan. ;0)

Sounds like you are on the road to success... But just to add another big vote for the quiet time to replace nap time. When my son dropped his nap we would snuggle up on the sofa with a DVD or a book instead.

As for the fasting, it does get easier, although I must say I have days when I struggle more than others. I just try not to beat myself up too much about it. Fizzy water is a godsend for me too, definitely give that a try to help deal with it if you are starting to get edgy about not eating!

FastingAnnie, let me just say I remember. Listen, I had six children all one year apart. I do not think your grouchy due to fast as much as focusing constant attention on your toddler. It is exhausting! And I do think one child is harder than a soccer team. You need a little quiet time. How about a young teen to take him to the park for an hour in the afternoon, or team up with another Mom and trade off a few hours for each other, or Grandma's house, nursery one morning a week? One good thing is you can both eat little meals together.