The FastDay Forum

I suppose as it happens most of my friends are actually pretty fit. It's me who is facing something of a weight epidemic atm.

I do have a cousin who is defo a bit podgy but I don't consider it to be my business to interfere or comment. In some ways it's perosnal choice but I think both he and his new wife are doing themselves no favours.

I'm extremely releived that this project seems to be working but I wouildn't, as I say, dream of suggesting to another. My Mum did to me but she knows I detest carrying too much weight [I'm not heavily built and it doesn't sit well with me]. Others might (like the club I was with last night) be quite happy about it and not be looking for guidance from me.

Anyway, Miichael Moseleys progs were there for all to see. They watch far more TV than I do.

Talking about the 5:2 Fasting Diet with friends, as well as talking about politics or religion, has to be fine. I don't want friends who I can't talk to about these subjects. It's a funny taboo in Australia that you can't talk about politics or religion. I don't think it's the case in European countries. Talking about it doesn't have to mean you are trying to convert anyone. You are just sharing your ideas, your experience. Others can take it or leave it. If no one had shared with me that they were on the 5:2 diet, I wouldn't have known about it. I'm so glad they did. But with my son who doesn't approve, I don't need to raise the subject again. Hopefully he will have to change his views when he notices how much weight I have lost.

Talking about the 5:2 Fasting Diet with friends, as well as talking about politics or religion, has to be fine. I don't want friends who I can't talk to about these subjects. It's a funny taboo in Australia that you can't talk about politics or religion. I don't think it's the case in European countries. Talking about it doesn't have to mean you are trying to convert anyone. You are just sharing your ideas, your experience. Others can take it or leave it. If no one had shared with me that they were on the 5:2 diet, I wouldn't have known about it. I'm so glad they did. But with my son who doesn't approve, I don't need to raise the subject again. Hopefully he will have to change his views when he notices how much weight I have lost.

I really like your response Sallyo. You put it better than I ever could and yes, friends are for sharing thoughts and aspirations and at the moment weight loss is one of mine so they are going to hear about it whether they like it or not. Even if one of my friends was overweight I can put it in such a way not to offend. It's not a "im better than you" thing at all.

Actually this WOE is more about long term health and longevity and weight loss just happens to be coincidental.

Another thread let me to this one.. thought i would bump it as theres some interesting thoughts in here on how to handle the haters, disbelievers and anyone scathing about 5:2 or intermittent fasting in any form.

I was tell people when they ask me how I have lost 4 stone. I tell them I'm doing 5:2 and explain that it is 5 days of eating normally and two of low calorie. No mention of starvation or skipping breakfast. Although I haven't ate breakfast for years.

I was tell people when they ask me how I have lost 4 stone. I tell them I'm doing 5:2 and explain that it is 5 days of eating normally and two of low calorie. No mention of starvation or skipping breakfast. Although I haven't ate breakfast for years.

Good way to put it. The moment you say you never eat breakfast people get quite concerned.
and the word "fast" i really wish it was never part of the official title of this eating program.

Yes, I agree; I don't use the word "fast" myself, except to tell others, well, it's CALLED the Fast Diet, but I eat 500 calories on my light days (another reason I use the terms "normal" and "light"), so it's not really a fast. For those who inquire further, I might give them examples of my eating on light days, but always hasten to mention this forum and how everyone adapts it to their own needs. For me, I've evolved into not eating any calories till at least late afternoon on light days, and seldom eating breakfast on any day. In fact, I generally have only one main meal on normal days and maybe a couple of snacks. Works for me!

Wow, 4 pages worth of threads here! I haven't read them all, but my story is when I told a good friend I was doing 5:2 fasting she told me how unhealthy it is, blah, blah. Of course her having her stomach cut for weight loss surgery (or whatever it is they do), that kept her in the hospital for a few days and all the side effects that come with that surgery - well, yeah, I guess THAT'S very healthy. Go figure. I think people just don't understand 5:2, and when you mention fasting, they think you're starving yourself.

Well, I am proud to fast. The message I took away from the Horizon programme was how good it is to give the digestion a long rest and all the healing that the body can get on with in that time. I tell people I don't eat until lunchtime ( which for me is after 1).

As of today I've lost 6.5% of my bodyweight. My healthier friends have noticed and commented, and been delighted and encouraging - none are overweight themselves. I don't talk about losing weight unless someone brings up the subject. I'm sure work colleagues were concerned I might be ill at one stage - I'd noticeably lost weight despite legging it to the office kitchen whenever cake appeared! I find if someone starts a dieting conversation & I say I do 5:2 there's almost always someone else who does it, or someone who knows someone who does, including quite a few men - I think the bit about not dieting 5 days a week appeals to a lot of men!

In the last 8 months my BMI went from 39 to 29 and today I am 50 lbs less than when I started fasting. My husband just started 5:2 this week and is loving the results. He dropped weight and felt great on his run.
As a newbie... my hubby told his brother how much he loves fasting for health. His brother immediately dismissed it saying "It just isn't healthy and safe." This man is 5' 8" and over 400 lbs. and we are concerned about his health. He's on so many meds... and only 56 years old.

My point is... mainstream health in the U.S. is not even close to understanding the science behind fasting. "Fasting" is a bad word... and if someone asks I tell them I cut back on calories two days per week. IF THEY SEEM INTERESTED... then I reveal what it is all about. It is hard to keep such information from a loved one... knowing they are suffering from obesity and all the other problems that come with that. But... I won't push or offer the subject at all unless asked.

Juliana... thank you for bringing this thread back... It helps to know how other people deal with these types of situations... and brings a little peace of mind.

Yes, the friend I am staying with is over-weight, probably obese but she says her doctor has told her she shouldn't fast because she is pre-diabetic. All the more reason to fast. All the food in the fridge is 'lo fat' and there is fake butter. I said that there were other medical opinions but then I left it at that. Such a shame that people are so misinformed. Well done @Tammae

@WarriorPrincess and @Tammae big congrats on your losses! Sometimes I am surprised that this WOE is so successful, it seems too easy at times (and then there are those plateaus!)

I made the mistake of telling family members about "fasting" when I first began in October. I was so enthusiastic. My sister was horrified saying it wasn't healthy because of my Type 2 diabetes, fearing I would go into a hypoglycemic coma or something. I have yet to become hypoglycemic when fasting. My mother was equally horrified saying I should be eating breakfast although I haven't in years. I am just not hungry in the mornings, usually even on the day after fasting. Her reasoning is based on what she sees on tv. She saw one program for instance arguing that wheat is harmful and the next day one that it is perfectly fine. Her opinion changed in a minute. I haven't discussed it again with my sister. Perhaps I will lose enough to be noticed.
My friends are very supportive, though I haven't told anyone else.

For all the 'haters' and I have to say women can be truly awful to their own sex, rather than cheering us on. You would be surprised about the amount of people who are trying 5:2! I chatted to a male colleague the other day and he has been on this for a year. Fasting is centuries old, something I always say to people who dismiss it. Being positive is a great incentive.

It is but it's also far more recent.

Look at most images taken during the war years and find a fat person. I have a great image taken on one of the sea fronts about turn of the century and every one is down to body weight. During the ar years you cycles/walked 2 miles to work and were lucky if you got a couple off eggs in the evening.

To be honest the increasing obesity in my local town is quite shocking ..... the staff at the supermarket (remaining nameless) all morbidly obese. I don't why.

I have to say that i think this is predominantly a female thing. I never understood why women did not want to tell people about their diet and other things, but with experience I can kind of see why. Personally I would tell such people to F off and that would be it, but I understand that such relationships are valuable to some.

I've been a vegetarian for many years and been hated by all sorts of people during that time simply because of my diet. I've come to have the attitude that you have. I tell people to F off in slightly more polite terms but am willing to escalate to literally telling people to F off. Thing is, Saying that gets a woman even more stick in a way that wouldn't happen to a man. Even if we say it to men. Not sure why that is.

This is one of my reasons for keeping 5:2 to myself. I know it would not go over well *when* I told someone to F off or that I didn't F.ing care what they think. So I just avoid what I know will happen. LOL

If asked, I'm not dieting or IFing or doing 5:2, etc. I've made some changes to the way I eat. And will repeat as necessary.

(Note: apologies for so many references to the F-bomb. I only used it because I would literally be saying that. I have a potty mouth in real life. )

If you want them to really hate you, just say "Oh I don't know, I'm just one of those people who naturally lose weight without really trying."