The FastDay Forum

One of my best friends is a dietitian, and she's really scathing about 5:2. She completely disagrees with it. Honestly, I don't think she's done enough reading into it, but she specialises in eating disorders so I think she puts up barriers and assumes I'm starving myself. At first I tried to show her what kind of things I was eating on fasting days, because I figured she might realise that it's not starvation, but now I just don't tell her anything. Meh.

Agreed! Dietitians seem like the staunchest critics... They seem VERY threatened (almost defensively) by anything different from what they've been advocating... I agree they should read up more..

Lately I've been vague about my fasting, but when it comes up and someone goes on a rant, I do like to see the reaction when I tell people that my physician (who is extremely good/experienced and well respected) actually cleared me to do this in advance. I DON'T have disordered eating and he ordered me to lose weight as it helps me control my blood pressure (which was borderline) and cholesterol (which was high) and WITHOUT medication. I'm losing weight in a nice slow steady way since I started, I'm feeling great, and expect to stay on this WOE. My ob gyn and physician are very pleased. There is very little anyone can say after that...even my overprotective, opinionated mother!

I've had a really postive response from everyone so far. One friend was a bit anti, but came round and is now following it herself.

The only people I dont mention it to are those who I think may have had eating disorders.

I really wish IF would take off here in the States the way it has across the pond. Here it isn't catching on too quickly, not at all really.

There tends to be a big fad diet and a few traditional camps of thought. Weight Watchers is always a popular choice. Eat whole foods, raw foods and organics are big at the moment. Paleo and paleo mixed with crossfit seems to be big among husband's fitness crazed friends. Low carb has pretty much always been frowned upon among normal, non-bodybuilder types. (But, you NEED carbs! You can't do that very long! You'll gain it all back!) Another popular line of thought here is that you must eat breakfast and/or 6 mini meals a day.

The 8 Hour Diet is starting to get some advocates here. But, I tried it and started gaining. It is like "Eating Mindfully" for me and I can "mindfully" choose junk and carbs. I can eat way too much junk in 8 hours. I think the 8 hour thing almost worked for about two weeks, then I started gaining. Then, I added the fast days back in.

Paleo is the diet advocated by Crossfit HQ so you tend to learn about it at the sessions. Works well for crossfitters as it lends itself to looking ripped.

I see it like this:
When something is popular because it is successful, then people will probably hate it because it is easier than either follow it or better it.
5:2 has proven better than any other diet. It is easy, sustainable, cheap, adaptable and one can follow it for any length of time. You can follow it, stop it (like I had to do), restart it, twitch it, combine it, lose weight, maintain, be happy.
It's not even a diet! As I said many times, it is a non-diet!

I was out with girlfriends tonight.(I have been doing 5:2 for 8 weeks now, and have gone up and down with my weight since. But this past week I feel like finally got control. I started not counting, but monitoring my calories (a tad under my tdee) and I lost 5 lbs this week). I'm so excited. This is going to be my new WOE. I can do this for the long haul. (I heard that you shouldn't tell people you're doing this because of criticism, but I was with friends (who are overweight) so I shared). Man, O man, did I get the riot act. How bad skipping breakfast was for my metabolism, and how this will bring me into starvation mode,etc., yikes. I felt like I was the subject of an intervention. I, however, have not succumbed to their ignorance. I will continue on losing weight while having a normal life. My advise, even to people you think will understand, WON'T.

#keepitquiet #donttell

What on earth made you say anything?

Its a contentious and personal subject. You were putting your neck straight in the noose by bringing it up.

I wonder about skipping breakfast, too, (I try to spread my 600 throughout the day).

The starvation mode thing is BS. I thought that once but is not so.

Lesson learned; just keep it yourself....unless someone deliberately takes a genuine interest of course.

This doesn't make sense to me at all. Bringing up personal and sometimes controversial topics of conversations is something I do with friends frequently without being hung. Are all your friends members of congress?

I agree. If you don't talk personal with your friends then whom do you talk personal with? And personal can get controversial for sure.

I think I have just inspired a friend to re try and maybe join this forum. She will recognise me if she does!

When I tell people about this WOE I get mixed responses. Critics are usually shocked into a more interested approach when I tell them that it is a new approach to eating that has grown out of research in to longevity and better health into old age. That usually leads to questions where I relate some of the basic facts I have learnt from all my reading on the subject. Of course i always add that at present research is in early stages as no one has actually lived long enough since it has been developed to know if the research translates into actuality for humans, but that I am convinced and finding that I feel a lot better.

I was out with girlfriends tonight.(I have been doing 5:2 for 8 weeks now, and have gone up and down with my weight since. But this past week I feel like finally got control. I started not counting, but monitoring my calories (a tad under my tdee) and I lost 5 lbs this week). I'm so excited. This is going to be my new WOE. I can do this for the long haul. (I heard that you shouldn't tell people you're doing this because of criticism, but I was with friends (who are overweight) so I shared). Man, O man, did I get the riot act. How bad skipping breakfast was for my metabolism, and how this will bring me into starvation mode,etc., yikes. I felt like I was the subject of an intervention. I, however, have not succumbed to their ignorance. I will continue on losing weight while having a normal life. My advise, even to people you think will understand, WON'T.

#keepitquiet #donttell

What on earth made you say anything?

Its a contentious and personal subject. You were putting your neck straight in the noose by bringing it up.

I wonder about skipping breakfast, too, (I try to spread my 600 throughout the day).

The starvation mode thing is BS. I thought that once but is not so.

Lesson learned; just keep it yourself....unless someone deliberately takes a genuine interest of course.

I don't agree. If we believe this 5:2 stuff then share it around and hope to God we can get more people doing it. We are doing everybody a favour. To keep it to yourself is wrong. We just have to be tough to cop the slack you get. And if you can arm yourself with some scientific jargon all the better.

What on earth made you say anything?

Its a contentious and personal subject. You were putting your neck straight in the noose by bringing it up.

I think it is reasonable to expect one's friends to respect one's right as a mature adult to make decisions about one's own body. Their bossy rudeness is on them, not on kfort13.

You choose but I wouldn't.

Te only place I would discuss it is here....or my Mum possibly (she suggested it)....or my sister as she's on 5;2 as well.

It's not much different to politics or religion ; a sensitive issue for most.

I was out with girlfriends tonight.(I have been doing 5:2 for 8 weeks now, and have gone up and down with my weight since. But this past week I feel like finally got control. I started not counting, but monitoring my calories (a tad under my tdee) and I lost 5 lbs this week). I'm so excited. This is going to be my new WOE. I can do this for the long haul. (I heard that you shouldn't tell people you're doing this because of criticism, but I was with friends (who are overweight) so I shared). Man, O man, did I get the riot act. How bad skipping breakfast was for my metabolism, and how this will bring me into starvation mode,etc., yikes. I felt like I was the subject of an intervention. I, however, have not succumbed to their ignorance. I will continue on losing weight while having a normal life. My advise, even to people you think will understand, WON'T.

#keepitquiet #donttell

What on earth made you say anything?

Its a contentious and personal subject. You were putting your neck straight in the noose by bringing it up.

I wonder about skipping breakfast, too, (I try to spread my 600 throughout the day).

The starvation mode thing is BS. I thought that once but is not so.

Lesson learned; just keep it yourself....unless someone deliberately takes a genuine interest of course.

This doesn't make sense to me at all. Bringing up personal and sometimes controversial topics of conversations is something I do with friends frequently without being hung. Are all your friends members of congress?

Um, I don't think it's me that brought the situation up!?

See my previous post.

I was out with girlfriends tonight.(I have been doing 5:2 for 8 weeks now, and have gone up and down with my weight since. But this past week I feel like finally got control. I started not counting, but monitoring my calories (a tad under my tdee) and I lost 5 lbs this week). I'm so excited. This is going to be my new WOE. I can do this for the long haul. (I heard that you shouldn't tell people you're doing this because of criticism, but I was with friends (who are overweight) so I shared). Man, O man, did I get the riot act. How bad skipping breakfast was for my metabolism, and how this will bring me into starvation mode,etc., yikes. I felt like I was the subject of an intervention. I, however, have not succumbed to their ignorance. I will continue on losing weight while having a normal life. My advise, even to people you think will understand, WON'T.

#keepitquiet #donttell

What on earth made you say anything?

Its a contentious and personal subject. You were putting your neck straight in the noose by bringing it up.

I wonder about skipping breakfast, too, (I try to spread my 600 throughout the day).

The starvation mode thing is BS. I thought that once but is not so.

Lesson learned; just keep it yourself....unless someone deliberately takes a genuine interest of course.

I don't agree. If we believe this 5:2 stuff then share it around and hope to God we can get more people doing it. We are doing everybody a favour. To keep it to yourself is wrong. We just have to be tough to cop the slack you get. And if you can arm yourself with some scientific jargon all the better.

Unfortunately you can't make statement like that.

You're entitled to your own opinion, yes, but others are too.

yes I agree- being on a diet is not a religious evangelical experience. I don't like it when people try and convert me on religion and I wouldn't like it if someone else tried to convert my eating habits. Surely we can just mind our own business and do our own thing? If 5:2 really is the way forward, people need to find it in their own time (like we all did presumably).

What on earth made you say anything?

Its a contentious and personal subject. You were putting your neck straight in the noose by bringing it up.

I wonder about skipping breakfast, too, (I try to spread my 600 throughout the day).

The starvation mode thing is BS. I thought that once but is not so.

Lesson learned; just keep it yourself....unless someone deliberately takes a genuine interest of course.

I don't agree. If we believe this 5:2 stuff then share it around and hope to God we can get more people doing it. We are doing everybody a favour. To keep it to yourself is wrong. We just have to be tough to cop the slack you get. And if you can arm yourself with some scientific jargon all the better.

Unfortunately you can't make statement like that.

You're entitled to your own opinion, yes, but others are too.

Yep sure David.. anything here should be considered "their opinion" i guess i didnt preface my statement in my opinion but thats implied in a forum like this of course. and definitely in my opinion i believe if we find a solution to our problems be it about a relationship, a religion, or a life saving eating plan it is our community duty to reveal. and save another life. (IN MY OPINION)

In a way it similar to a religious evangelical discussion with friends. I guess some churches are strictly enclosed and don't preach but many want to save other souls. Here we are saving people's lives in the sense that they will be living healthier happier lives and a longer life. It's just an analogy. And they will thank us for it in the future. Many overweight people are in denial. watch this from a recent Australian TV forum discussion. http://www.sbs.com.au/insight/episode/o ... dCzJZyTnIs

I guess if you feel you may be risking a friendship talking to an overweight friend or family member then don't or just wait until they see you look just divine in your new size 2 pants. But some overweight friends need to be coaxed. and you have to be cruel to be kind.

Sounds like im obsessed by this WOE and would like to have a part in spreading the word. Yep that's me ATM.