The FastDay Forum

I am getting rather concerned as recent posts give me the impression that some people are using the fast days as a tool to compensate for when they overeat on feast days and also not making much attempt to eat healthily on feast days or within a TDEE that will aid overall weight loss.

'It's OK if I overindulge, because the fast days will compensate for the extra food/ drink I consume because of celebrations, Christmas, it's winter etc'.

I see 5:2 as being a sustainable means of keeping my weight under control and improving my general health as I approach old age, but for me it means working at it all year round or it may become yet another form of Yo-Yo dieting.

I think I slightly disagree with you. For me what makes 5:2 sustainable is the fact that if a celebration comes along you can join in and not be a 'party pooper'. It may mean a smaller or no weight loss or even a small rise but that can be corrected by continuing with the plan. I don't consider that to be yo yo dieting - it is just how naturally slim people maintain their weight.

[Tracieknits]

I think she's addressing *overeating*

Naturally slim people don't overeat. They go to parties, they have a cookie, maybe two -- but certainly not six. They know when to stop before indulging turns into overindulging. They enjoy things with moderation.

I have to say, that's something I didn't do before 5:2. I know my weight loss has been sooooooo frustratingly slow, but I have thyroid issues and frankly with the four low thyroid blood tests I've had this year, I'm so incredibly grateful for 11 pounds lost when without 5:2 it probably would have been 20 pounds gained!

Yes, I overindulged my first couple of weeks learning how to do 5:2. I think that's fairly standard. But then I found I wasn't going to starve if I go a few hours without a meal. I learned what hunger really is. I learned how to listen to my body, and I learned a lot more about moderation! Fasting has also decreased my appetite on some of my non-fast days. I definitely am less hungry on the day after a fast.

I think it's very important, if we want to become healthy, naturally slim people, that we learn moderation in our diet. This is one reason that I no longer use the term "feast day" - as I think it's a term that is too easily abused. I call them "feed days".

Are you going out with friends? Have a glass of wine or two - but have a glass of water in between. Are they ordering dessert? order one, but that doesn't mean you have to finish it. Yes, the first four bites are divine - but the last half of the dessert tastes no better and may make you feel overstuffed. Listen to your body and check in after each bite. Do you need more? or are you happy with half of a dessert?

[Moogie]

I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing that people see fast days as a way to compensate for over indulging, as long as it's not like that all the time. We all have weeks where social events etc make it difficult to keep within TDEE (yes, we could choose to just have one course instead of three... but life's for living and we do like food afterall) and if we can manage to maintain that week via 5:2 rather than gaining as we would have without 5:2, then that to me is a good thing.

But, I agree this shouldn't be a lifestyle of indulging 5 days a week and fasting for 2 just to balance it out, that's hardly a healthy way of living and shouldn't be encouraged. I know I've had a few weeks in a row once or twice when there has been so much going on that I've been glad to have 5:2 just to balance things out and maintain. I wouldn't want - or advise people - to eat like that all the time though!

I really found The Men Who Made Us Fat documentary an eye opener, and a key point I took away from it was about balancing our intakes. If you overeat one day you should balance it out the next day (or thereabouts). Unfortunately in modern life a lot of the 'overeat' calories are unfilling things like crisps and chocolate, whereas in the past an overeat would likely have been protein or veg. So, these days we don't still feel full from the overeat the next day and continue to eat as normal - having therefore to make the choice of whether or not to cut back the next day and upholding that choice ourselves.

So, I do try to balance out my intake. I may have a few more 'treats' at the weekend, but during the week I try not to. This allows me to continue to enjoy my healthy food, my treats and my fast days - and continue to see the scales going down

Food for thought @Tracieknits. I feel that when I am out I can now order what I want from the menu rather than looking for the lowest calorie options. However I do find myself going for lighter things as I know I will get full up if I go for a richer option on each course. AND I do leave stuff on my plate if I am full (even if I have paid a lot for it!) Unfortunately my wine/water strategy is still dodgy. I always ask for water but the 1st glass is often still there at the end of the meal.
I call my non fast days normal days.

Mine is one of the posts you probably spotted Navwoman but although I made the point that fasting is a useful tool for overeating I don't eat rubbish or any snacks on my eating days. I agree with Moogie that we should still be able to enjoy life & that for me this week has been extra wine & celebratory meals out including Sunday lunch with a cheesecake pudding, a Japanese meal cooked by my son with more protein than I usually eat & lemon tart, & last night a Chinese meal with rather sinful banana fritters & ice cream, oh & two glasses of wine. So I have fitted in an extra fast day today to help balance eating well over my TDEE for three or four days. that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

Sorry - I'm repeating what I said in the other thread...

I guess it particularly gets to me as this is essentially what I'll be doing once on maintenance because, yes, I intend to continue with my 4.5 : 2.5 along with low-carbing for the health benefits - in particular 'anti-dementia'. Thus I'll be munching well above my caloric requirements some days (call it binging if you must) in order that I can repair (i.e. very low calorie intake) on others without turning into a skeleton. Are you really suggesting that such a WoE is an eating disorder?

Anorexia and bulimia are mental illnesses manifested in disordered eating. Pragmatically managing one's caloric intake and looking after ones health don't strike me as being evidence of mental illness *at all*.

I think it's probably an exception rather than the rule. I also think that we are are becoming more conscious of what we Put into our mouths as this WOE tends to re-educate eating patterns. From my pov, it allows me to go out and enjoy myself guilt free without others analysing and judging my food choices into the equation. I can count on one hand the times I have gone slightly overboard in the last 90 days and my body always sighs with relief when I follow with a fast day.

I have found to my surprise that this whole 5:2 journey has really impacted upon my whole approach to food, eating and it has been for me a good thing. I used to pride myself that I had a really healthy diet. But my gut was not happy but it is smiling now.

Sure when I have done my 5:2 days each week some days I am famished and I eat. I don't worry too much as I go with the view my body is indicating a need and as my pantry is stocked with mostly healthy items what I graze on is usually healthy.

I did MFP for months and found even on the days where I thought I had really blown out it really wasn't as many calories as I had thought. So I see the days when I am wanting to graze as replenishing and I just listen to my body and try and make healthy choices. Sure there is the chocolate and cheese but chromium and calcium might be what is being called for.

It is a WOL, If I am to keep at this long haul I am the one who needs to balance it all out.

I've already admitted that I will be returning to fasting before Christmas so that I can enjoy some of the splendid fayre of the festive season but it only happens once a year so I'm not going to feel guilty for allowing a little of what I fancy when the days are cold, damp and short!

I don't fast any more at the moment as I find that a couple of 16:8 days are all I need to do to help maintain my weight and I'm led to believe that these shorter fasts have similar health benefits to the full 24-hour monty.....

I overindulged my first couple of weeks learning how to do 5:2. I think that's fairly standard. But then I found I wasn't going to starve if I go a few hours without a meal. I learned what hunger really is. I learned how to listen to my body, and I learned a lot more about moderation! Fasting has also decreased my appetite on some of my non-fast days. I definitely am less hungry on the day after a fast.

This speaks to my condition! I love the 5:2 fasting diet exactly because for 5 days of the week I can eat what I like and not worry about it. But I have certainly found that I eat less, leave food on my plate, don't mindlessly put things in my mouth and have smaller serves. What a wonderful discovery!

It is probably true and untrue. There are many people who follow 5:2. For myself I started a more healthy eating routine back in January and added 5:2 to the mix in August so I find non fast days easy to stay on track my key word is Moderation

I've already admitted that I will be returning to fasting before Christmas so that I can enjoy some of the splendid fayre of the festive season but it only happens once a year so I'm not going to feel guilty for allowing a little of what I fancy when the days are cold, damp and short!

I don't fast any more at the moment as I find that a couple of 16:8 days are all I need to do to help maintain my weight and I'm led to believe that these shorter fasts have similar health benefits to the full 24-hour monty.....

That's my philosophy too @Domane, as long as my weight remains fairly stable I will enjoy my food and not bother counting calories. Missing breakfast suits me so it's no hardship but if I'm on holiday and someone else is cooking it for me I will eat it without any guilt. I tend to go by my waistband and if I've over indulged for a few days and it feels tighter then I will cut back to repair the damage. Simples!

Some excellent reminders why I am doing 5:2. I feel that it has reset my body; what it needs, what it wants and in what quantity. I will look back at 2013 as the year I took control again.