The FastDay Forum

'I think he could do with putting on a few lbs - he does a shedload of exercise and stresses a lot, and the weight just falls off him'

'He is only driven to eat for sustenance so weight isn't an issue with him.'

These quotes exactly sums up my husband - eating for sustenance. He just eats when he is hungry (although always has breakfast) and can go for hours and hours without thinking about food, but then he wants LOTS OF FOOD NOW! His approach to food infuriates me but I also wish I was like him and didn't daydream about it!

I'm working on a list of observations I have noticed from watching how he eats. So many little things that surely all contribute to his slender frame (apart from having a galloping metabolism!)

I am starting tomorrow, I've told hubby what it is and he'll be supportive of me to an extent but won't join in. He does need to lose weight and has done other diets with me before but he never sticks at them for long. I know he wouldn't even consider this one as he'd find 600 calories on fast days far too restrictive. We often eat separately due to our work patterns anyway though, so I don't see it being an issue.

My husband is very supportive despite that fact that he's seen me thru MANY diets. He finally sees one that is working for me

Same here! My hubby has never been fussed about my size (good job, since I was a whale when carrying twins ) but he knows how much better I feel when I am under a certain weight - mentally and physically better. So, he is very encouraging and supportive, and never, ever critical when I'm not doing well.

Since he is naturally very slim, I've had all our life together (13 years) to get over the fact that he can eat so much more than me and there's no point in resenting it. Believe me, that took some time! That said, he is finding his trousers tightening for the first time ever in his life. A big change from an active job to a sedentary one, being away from home and eating erratically and of course not wholesome home cooked food, too many milky sugary coffees in a day to keep him going through very long hours, not enough sleep, and getting towards 43.... It is all taking its toll. He has never varied from a 32/32 trouser and he's determined to stay that size, so he is considering doing the odd fast day, and certainly is trying to curb his snacking habits.

My children are only young, but it doesn't worry me to cook for them when fasting. I have habitually eaten breakfast after the school run anyway, and of course they are at school at lunch time during the week. That makes it easy to disguise the skipped meals.

I certainly am, over the years OH has struggled to maintain any diet and I started to float the idea (a good friend started last year) and now we do fasting days together.

So far, 14 weeks, we’ve found it a lot of fun, particularly as now we understand how easy it is to tweak recipes and I never believed I’d be weighing stuff and checking calories as much as we do.

Generally speaking we don’t worry if we go over or under and as OH is, erm, a tad heavier than me I’m happy to aim for her 500 rather than insisting on my full 600 - after all I doubt whether I eat 2000 calories a day.

Equally, we are flexible about moving the days (Tuesday and Saturday), holidays and fitting in with a social life. We’re both retired so there’s time to shop daily if necessary and our small town does have a greengrocer, a butcher and we can get fish from our corner shop - Waitrose.

OH was convinced she couldn’t give up breakfast but now does it easily. She’s thrilled with her weight loss and now finds it easy to reject her favourite chocolate bars because she knows there’s always tomorrow.

I told my OH and although he can be supportive in terms of my confidence (he thinks I look wonderful) he doesn't join in with my diets. He often tells me how hungry he is when I am fasting and he isn't which I find frustrating. He claims that he is on the diets with me despite not monitoring what he eats and always wanting sweets. He also thinks fasting is unhealthy for me and if i have a headache/feel tired will blame that on 5:2. I think deep down he doesn't really want me to lose weight. Won't stop me though.

Mine's a string bean who can eat and eat because he took up a very physical outdoor job in retirement. He's one of those people who is always encouraging but the 'well you're in top form' comments are spontaneous these days and my legs are being complimented- a first in my life!