The FastDay Forum

I have recently noticed posts from people that stopped 5:2, but are now returning.

It would be beneficial (inspirational) to know both why you stopped, and why you returned.

Is there anyone out there willing to share?

Thank you!

I started with the best of intentions when Dr M's programme was first aired and lasted maybe a month. I can't really remember if there was a good reason I stopped, my good intentions just seemed to fizzle out. However, I started again at Christmas and have only missed maybe 5 fast days in total (holidays etc) and it rarely feels like an effort now.

I stopped mostly by accident, as I wasn't paying attention. I kept meaning to have a fast day, but then 'forgetting' or over eating.

I'm back because I need to do this, and the only person who can change how I look in the mirror is me.

Well, I did it for three months solid, and lost 6lb though two go back on the minute I get back to a non-fast day (must be water or something).

I went on holiday for two weeks, so no 5:2 - it's tricky when you are doing loads of extra exercise and are at the mercy of other people's cooking!

Anyway, this week I was going to get back into it, and did Tuesday OK. I just could not be fussed with the diet today. I think the post-holiday lack of vitamin D, decent exercise and fresh air is getting me down...

To be honest, as it proved such a struggle to lose even the little I did, and I have managed to stay at 61kg despite a two week break, I think I am better off not trying to lose any more. I might back off to 6:1 for a bit.

Two more things - which seem contradictory but are there nevertheless - are happening.

The first is that I do the fast one day, then the next I go swimming or do some other exercise and feel as if being a non-fast day I deserve to eat what I feel I need, being hungry. I am not totally pigging out, but afterwards I feel as if I have undone the fast the day before. (I haven't - the scales have just flatlined again at one weight.)

The second sensation I get is that on a non-fast day I feel as if I ought to not eat, and I think that this is probably not a healthy feeling. If I follow that line of thought I will end up on a more constant diet of very low calorie intake, and while I might get super thin, I have been there before.

There were at least two days while on holiday that I was in the middle of eating a meal I was hungry for but felt bad for eating it. I need to sort out my head as much as anything else, I think.

Hi Esmecat,
Agree that it is very much a head thing - one that works for my particular head. The psychology is simple but clever and I have a feeling it clicks with some people right away, and it takes a bit longer for others. Your point about swimming and eating is very much in the traditional diet mindset of deserving a reward for being good , having fasted and exercised. It is the downfall of many an eating plan - is it possible for you to do the exercise on a fasting day, lots do and most report that it is not any more difficult?
Hopefully that way you could eat without obsessing and feeling guilty on your eating days and enjoy it more.

I was doing pretty well on the 5:2 for a few weeks, and lost nine lbs I didn't really have any problems with the plan, and my head was in the right place; I felt very focused. My hubby is very supportive, and I found 5:2 easy to manage around my two eight year old daughters. By which I mean that they had no idea that I wasn't eating certain meals. So far, so good. I'd even started exercising again, having stopped last year when I had an op.

Then, a whole lot of stress and emotional trauma hit me and mine, the household descended into chaos, and I just couldn't manage planning my fasting day meals. So it all went wrong. Ok, I thought, give yourself a break here. What matters is clean school uniform etc. Things have for the most part improved, and I spent a lot of time and energy getting the house, paperwork and family back on track. Time for me to focus on my weight again in due course I thought. The dreary weather encouraged this 'do it later' mindset as I was still wearing heavier clothing in jersey fabrics instead of fitted summer frocks.

A few things have pushed me back here again today: the realisation yesterday that a favourite summer dress I was wearing a few weeks ago is now too tight again Also, my energy levels recently have been really low, and I know that a lot of that is caused by poor diet. This was underlined by the third thing, which is that two days ago I had a clear out of the fridge, and chucked out basically a veg box worth of rotting produce This would NEVER normally happen in this house - I'm one of those people so makes soup from scraps and boils bones for stock. I hate food waste and of course it's money down the drain.

All in all, I have acknowledged that 'later' needs to be swapped for 'now', and ironically, one of the first posts I read this morning quoted the line "a year from now, you'll wish you started today"... Well it was ME who posted that on here!

Welcome back Winsome I know you won't need telling how much support you'll get on here

All in all, I have acknowledged that 'later' needs to be swapped for 'now', and ironically, one of the first posts I read this morning quoted the line "a year from now, you'll wish you started today"... Well it was ME who posted that on here!

Thank you for the line. It is one of my favorites!!

Welcome back.

I'm a stopper and starter... Back here after not having success when I first tried 5:2. Think my problem was overcompensating on non fast days, which cancelled out any good I was doing on fast days. Problem with me is that throughout my life I've been trying to lose weight: sometimes getting too thin and other times the opposite. I also have an underactive thyroid and take medication, so think things are a bit slower for me. I need to be far more careful of what I eat on non fast days, and so far haven't reached the point that mimi spencer spoke about in her book, that she now doesn't eat cheesecake because she doesn't feel like it... I just can't imagine that ever happening!!

I was fasting late summer and was doing well. Then winter came overnight and I got into hibernation mode. Then it was the new year and all hell broke loose so to say and I went into survival mode. Then I got to travel home and let my mum spoil me and lots of good friends. I did not gain a single thing when I was back home in Singapore due to me skipping meals that are not neccessary. I came home with a cold that turned into a walking pneumonia. When I was finally well I decided it was time to take time to take care of me and my body amd mind. So it began my fasting. I am taking a week break as its my anual leave and we have been travelling.

I found out that I no longer eat the amount I eat which was a lot and I can go on being hungry for a very long time before I need to do anything about it. I am looking forward to going back to work and my fasts!!

I've stopped completely now. The worry over what I'm eating all the time (the diet promises are not true on that score!) are causing me to have anorexic thoughts. Either wanting to throw up a meal I had every right to eat and enjoy, or wanting to not eat even when I need to, or trying to walk off things - I feel fat all the time, which is silly with a healthy range BMI. Knowing it is silly doesn't stop it, which makes the whole thing worse. I think Mimi is basically anorexic, from her attitude to food and her aim to take her BMI to absolutely the lowest she can go. No wonder people are feeling as if they are doing badly!

[janeg]

Esmecat- (hug)
Sounds as though you're doing the right thing for you.
Look after yourself
another hug
(and you don;t get that from me very often at all...)

Hi Esmecat,
Agree that it is very much a head thing - one that works for my particular head. The psychology is simple but clever and I have a feeling it clicks with some people right away, and it takes a bit longer for others. Your point about swimming and eating is very much in the traditional diet mindset of deserving a reward for being good , having fasted and exercised. It is the downfall of many an eating plan - is it possible for you to do the exercise on a fasting day, lots do and most report that it is not any more difficult?
Hopefully that way you could eat without obsessing and feeling guilty on your eating days and enjoy it more.

Hi Esmecat
I did a mountain hike on Friday, my fast day. We were out all morning. The truth is it really helped as I was busy all morning. I find I couldnt do a fast day without exercise, it just seems to boost me. I would give that a go if I were you. You may find you love it!! PS before doing this woe I hadnt exercised for years!!!!!

Esmecat, I'm sorry that 5:2 didn't work for you. But I don't think Mimi Spencer is anorexic (she has put on weight since she initially did the diet and now has a BMI of around 19,5). I used 5:2 to get to a lower BMI because I'm small framed and am chunky at a BMI of over 21, but I definitely wouldn't lose any more weight now. I now feel happy in a bikini at the pool and on the beach for the first time in a long time! I think any diet can lead to eating problems if you get obsessive about it, not just 5:2.

I'm not sure if it counts as stopping because I was neither planning to nor wanting to but I did a 3 weeks -or so- break because I wasn't ever at home and I was very stressed to pay attention to what I was eating.
I'm almost back on track, since it's this time of the month and I haven't yet succeeded a fast this week.
Edit to say: I started again since I wasn't planning to stop at all. I love 5:2 and I adore my edition of it (3:2:2) which I plan to do next week.