The FastDay Forum

Has anyone else noticed a change in their desire for certain foods or the quantity of food since starting 5:2?
I was out for a meal last night (non fast day) and found that I just didn't fancy eating half the chips or indeed clearing all my plate in general. This is not me!!! I don't do this , not without conscious effort (as in the old calorie/point counting days). I even looked at the dessert menu and though, "no thanks I really don't fancy one today". I wonder if it's because nothing is forbidden on feed days, there is no working out if you can 'afford' a certain food, and therefore it's no longer so desirable. Also I've barely eaten a piece of chocolate since starting 5:2. On every other diet I was always trying to work out how to squeeze some in. What are others noticing?

Yes, agree totally. A shift certainly takes place and for most of us we eat a bit, in some cases a LOT, healthier and portion sizes decrease. I have found the two fast days helped me really cut down on alcohol, because wine had become a daily (or should I say nightly? ) habit. Somehow going without the vino for the two nights extended to a couple of others and now I rarely drink my beloved wine except at the weekend - the only downside being I now tend to spend more money on the more expensive stuff as my taste has improved! The forum is so informative too, and I think that sugar and processed carbs consumption decreases too, as we are now so aware of the effects these have on our health and bodies, thanks to the excellent and informative posts and links provided here. Special thanks to the "nerds" . I have also lost my fear of fats and now eat coconut oil, lots of nuts etc. and am confident that I can enjoy food and still lose weight.

It has definitely helped me curb my drinking habits. I dont desire alcohol at all and find I naturally choose sparkling or still water to drink with meals. And if I'm honest I dont enjoy the taste of wine like I used to which has to be a bonus.

Yep, the chippies have become most uninteresting and I mentioned in passing in another thread that I've been working my way through my favourite treats since they're not "forbidden" and finding that chocolate eclairs had lost their allure. I suppose that's a good thing? Not sure what to replace such things with though there is always.... SHOES!!!

Yes, absolutely agree! I was amazed at this change happening right away, a reduction in desire to snack throughout the day, crisps have lost much of their appeal, and I just don't want to eat unless I'm properly hungry. Partly I guess it's not wanting to "waste" the good fasting effort. I think that once we've lived through hours and hours of true deep hunger, a little pang is nothing to be afraid of and we know how much better food tastes when actually hungry for it!

I don't crave chocolate so much anymore. At TTOM I crave it a little but I don't always have to eat it I can have a glass of water and often the craving goes away. Not so long ago I cleaned out my pantry and I found a pack of chocolate biscuits that had expired pre 5:2 that *never* would have happened.

My stomach has shrunk bigtime. Once a week we have a family dinner when everyone gets together and that meal is my "no limits" meal of the week where I can have whatever I want in whatever quantity I want. I have found that I can only have a normal dinner plate serving of various foods and then if I have dessert as well I feel stuffed so in order to be able to have room for dessert I am finding that I am eating less for dinner. I think that I am starting to think and eat more like a skinny person.

I've definitely become more mindful about eating. Eg At a beach BBQ last night, instead of eating things on automatic pilot, I didn't want bread, so just had salad with the first sausage. Later I only wanted half a sausage, so shared it. Unheard of in the past!
And not a drop of alcohol, just fuzzy water. What's that about?! It's probably not good for DBH that I keep insisting on being the designated driver!
Mind you, the tasty chorizo and scallop kebabs that a friend made afterwards were so delish, I wished I'd not bothered with sausages at all!

I have noticed a big change with alcohol. The fast days are easy no-booze days and that has unconsciously extended to other days. My alcohol intake has decreased drastically and I don't miss it!

I do have the odd day after a fast when I eat like a hobbit though (today was one). I will have breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner, and still feel hungry in between! That said, I don't worry about it, I just go with it.

Yes, I have only been going a week, but I had a biscuit at work on a non fast day. In the past that would have been the start of a downward spral of of biscuits, chocoate and cake from the vending machine, but this time, just the biscuit was enough. Hope that ths continues, it will make life easier.

I walked past some delicious looking cream cakes to find fresh strawberries today, mind you the fact that they were£3.50 each helped!

Thanks guys for all the replies. I find this so encouraging, a real departure from any diet experience that I've ever had before,I really hope that this is the start of a whole new way of life/eating. It's great to know others are experiencing it too. I feel like I've swallowed a magic diet pill. On a traditional healthy eating plan I usually start loosing the plot about three months in, and maintenance is the best I can hope for. It will be interesting for me to see what happens at the three month mark.

Baked beans, UK ones. I can't stand them anymore. Beans on toast or a baked potato with beans has always been a staple of any other diet I've been on. But now I can't stand the taste of them.

Lily, I was always the same, after 3 months of any previous diet I 'lost the plot' and soon after the weight started creeping on, and on and on till 3 months work was reversed in 1 month of eating. I am at the 5 month mark now and enjoying it.

I do hope that this happens to me over time.

Today I have eaten for Australia!!! I have found it so easy to just keep munching, all day.

I feel quite guilty about it as it is not something I've really allowed myself to do for a while without a plan of how to balance it.

Did anyone else find that their first days of 'feeding' were excessive? I thought I'd learned better habits while I was losing the weight I've lost but I just went into binge mode today.

Eggs! Even thinking about them makes me feel sick, I went right off them soon after starting 5:2 and now I just eat vegan foods.

The one thing that did surprise me was not wanting chocolate biscuits any more, I do get the occasional craving for them but just one bite is enough.

I do not overeat anymore. And I tend to go for more healthy choices. I still enjoy the chocolate, pizza, and pasta but at a much more acceptable rate!