The FastDay Forum

Hi all!
I was curious about this: I have told a couple of friends about my 5.2 mission and, after a moment of worry, explaining always helps!

However, what do you do if you're in an environment when lots of people have lunch at the same time, and would notice you not having lunch?
For example, the common room at my drama school is full of people eating and fighting over the kettle and microwave, so if I get out a stock cube and have that for my lunch, I might feel a bit embarrassed/have to explain to people something which I'd rather keep private! I feel it's particularly difficult because I know some people there do struggle with eating disorders and I don't want to give off the wrong idea.
Does anyone else feel anxious about this? Do you keep your diet life private or explain it? Any cunning ideas on how I could make my Oxo in peace? lol xx

[Betsysgr8]

Would they really notice? If you don't want to explain, just say you aren't really that hungry or that you are just cutting out some calories because you will be having a big dinner? Or say you are having a low calorie day (which is true). You can also just avoid the whole lunch room and go for a walk.

Most people know about it where I work and one or two of them have dabbled. My problem is avoiding the biscuits/cakes as I work in a school and we survive by having a staff room full of them! When I was on a course in a fab vegetarian restaurant on a fast day I went for a walk at lunch time. It was a 2 day course so luckily I just said to myself that I could eat it tomorrow and I did I think @Betsysgr8 is right, most people probably won't notice and you can just say that you aren't very hungry.

hi Tinamacarina

I can relate to your issue because where I work its one big mess room where everyone has their meals, and also fight for microwave lol!!
I have told my colleagues now, they are mostly ok with it after a little explanation and I always emphasise on the health benefits so that I don't get the usual look of alarm/horror/shock all over their faces!!!!!!!!!! what I try to do is like Betsy said and avoid the canteen and go eat somewhere else, maybe eat a banana or something that does not require heating? you'll find a way am sure, and you never know you might even get a few recruits lol!!
good luck

Hi @tinamacarina Well for me as I'm retired I don't have the same difficulties as you but I dont explain anything to anyone but I have said to many people that I'm calorie counting which is true for 3 days a week then obviously swap+ change fastdays to fit into my eating out which I do a lot of so people only see me eat full meal lunch or Indian meal out sometimes buffet, there is still a lot oh hostility towards fasting so I rarely use the F/word. When asked by family members i cop out, I've been asked more recently how I've lost my weight and to people in everyday life I tell them the truth.especially if its someone who I think would benefit from 5:2. Funnily enough after all my weightloss not many people actually ask How have I done it strange that.

I tend to keep my diet life private and just avoid those kinds of situations by going out and not being in the place where prople are having lunch, then coming back later and having a drink etc. Are you in a place where you could go somewhere else instead? I'm lucky as I mostly work from home but when I am out I go to an exercise class or go shopping in my lunch break on a fast day so I don't have to explain myself. That said I would probably tell close colleagues, in my case I rarely see the same people twice so explaining myself would be a bit strange!

I think you'll find that at New Year many people are on some form of healthy eating regime to compensate for the excesses over the festive period so I can't see it causing much comment if they see you just having a low calorie soup for instance. They're probably too concerned with their own lunches to be honest so don't worry about it!

:heart: Hi @tinamacarina ... there is still a lot oh hostility towards fasting so I rarely use the F/word. t.

I found this out the hard way when I was talking to a what I considered was a good friend of mine. I was stunned by her response, more so since she had struggled with her weight and ended up losing quite a bit with WW not too long ago. I had expected that she, of all people would understand

Since that. Reaction, I don't tell anyone at work unless they insist we go for dinner when we're at a conference/meeting which happened recently. I just wish people didn't impose their views on me and that there isn't this belief that socializing revolved purely around eating

[carieoates]

A good question... The word fast tends to make people react, so I say I'm having a light day. My kids, and hubs know I'm on 5.2 especially as my ipad is usually on the forum page permanently. Normally at work in a school we share our dieting times, but this time I decided to keep it private. I think I was fed up with people saying how are you getting on and how much weight have you lost. I suppose it's because I had always been on some sort or another.

It's harder doing it when you're at home. Hats off to all you home workers and retired peeps.

Is your drama school located near a town? If so, would it be possible to go for a walk around town at lunchtime on the premise that you need to go to the supermarket/chemist/bank? When you come back you can have your stock cube and say you had your lunch "out". Not sure how practical this would be twice a week but maybe it's worth a shot.

Thanks everyone, all brill advice I agree it's just nice to keep it quiet so there's no expectation that you'll walk in thinner one day, or for people to assume it's dangerous and unhealthy (the way I feel alone shows it's not!!! lol). Going for a walk sounds smart to me. Maybe i'll also get a flask or something so it looks like I could be drinking tea!

I tell anybody who asks that there is science behind intermittent fasting and that it is the latest thing and that Michael Mosley did a Horizon program about it a year ago and thousands of people on this forum have been reporting great results!

Occasionally someone (usually plump) will say 'I can't go without my breakfast, I have a strenuous job' or similar and we just have to sympathise and move on. This happened only an hour ago when an old acquaintance thought I was walking out with a new woman when actually it was just a thin version of my old one... Despite the evidence in front of her, and her stated wish that she could lose some weight, the thought of fasting was anathema to her. Her loss, I'm afraid, but most people I speak to are interested and supportive.

I don't use the F word either, its a low cal day for me, I have been at it a while now so people at work are used to seeing me with a bottle of water or a drop of Almond milk in my shaker at lunch. Also I haven't much patience to explain how it works just to have people who haven't tried it start with negative comments. My mate who I lunch with knows and family but I don't generally mention it. Not a good ambassador am I.
Good Luck with your 5:2ing

Chris x

I had this recently at a family gathering, where I just couldn't (to the point of being sick) eat any more carbs.l
I said my body had adjusted to my healthy way of eating, asked them if they wanted to see me fat again, or sick (no, no, no) and, at the risk of being very rude, cooked myself a veg curry.
I wouldn't beat about the bush; tell 'em, then watch their faces as you lose weight the healthy way.

I talk about it blatantly. In fact I was talking to the butcher at my Morrisons supermarket today and commented that I need to up my protein blah, blah, blah. Then he said his wife wanted to lose some weight, so I asked what she was doing. His reply of 'anything that will work' got me into full on 5:2 advocate flow. He had his pen and notebook out immediately and was jotting down information and the website address there and then. 20 minutes later i was talking to the cashier about it as well. I think it helps me that I have 10 months behind me now, I look as healthy as a horse and on good days I don't look my age, so its obviously not a fad or bad for me.

I was exactly the same when I was breast feeding my kids. Anyone who tried to get me to cover up up or move into the bathroom to feed was given short shrift and this was 20 years ago when you were tut tutted at for breast feeding.

it WILL become the norm. You will get Weight watchers starting a new program called the 'Fast Start' which will be their version of fasting (only their shakes etc to make sure you get all the nutrients you would be missing out on) and the usual crippling restrictions on the rest of the week. Yet still with their blame the customer culture.

In 40 years time someone will come up with the revamped daily calorie cutting that "allows you to lose weight without having to fast twice a week, especially useful for those with strenuous lifestyles".

Nearly everyone who has dieted or want to lose weight or is married to someone who wants to lose weight, will have heard about Fasting. There isn't even much in the way of bad press about it, because there isn't any bad press to be had. We are the forerunners, we have to face the negativity, but prove by our success that it works. The best of it is that this diet is free.