The FastDay Forum

Wow, I didn't know there WERE side effects, but I guess it's different for everyone. So sorry you're experiencing the nightmares, coldness, hunger, sleeplessness, etc.

We've been on this WOE (way of eating) for three weeks and look forward to our Mondays and Wednesday with no problem.

I eat my breakfast at 11:30 a.m. of shredded wheat and almond milk and a cup of coffee (sometimes coffee) and I'm fine until it's dinner time, around 7 or 8. We drink sparkling water the rest of the night. Actually, we love water through our soda stream machine. My husband is down 10 lbs. and I'm down and I'm down 8 lbs.

I've tried, like many others, numerous diets and the latest gimmick "Sensa" which did not work for us. I sure hope this is the sure thing for us.

Good luck to you all.

I also feel the cold more on fast days and do tend to overcompensate with carbs the day after. I never had a sweet tooth before doing the 5:2 but now crave sweets more. I'm OK with it as my weight is still going down despite the increase in carbs. Maybe when winter is over, I'll feel less like restocking on the sweet stuff. Also, am not eating at all till dinner on fast days as I too feel far more hungry after eating any amount of food so would rather wait and have the one 350 cal meal later in the day.

I've just completed my 3rd fast day. Negative things I have noticed so far:

I feel cold, especially my hands and feet. I've got a wheat bag I heat and keep on my lap while working to warm my hands and wooly socks help too. I figure it's just my metabolic rate slowing. It helps to take a walk or move around more. I also drink several cups of tea during the day which seems to help.

Felt a bit odd the morning after the first 2 fast days. Sort of strange, as if I were getting over a gastro illness. Lasted until about 3-60 minutes after eating breakfast.

Also having some looser stools the day after the fast. Not actually diarrhea, but looser than normal. No constipation here.

Difficulty sleeping on nights following fast days. I wake up very early and have trouble settling back to sleep. Doesn't seem to be due to hunger though. Had some vivid dreams as well which is unusual for me.

That's all I have noticed so far.

Wow this thread is getting really long now. I haven't read it all, but it looks like most of the negative side effects are being reported by people who are still relatively new to the diet - in the first month or so.

I certainly left behind any and all negative side effects (see my blog entry) after about 4 weeks.

I wonder if carorees or someone might do a bit of collation to track side effects against length of time on the diet so see if it is just in the initial stages. Or if there are any that crop up after a number of months.

I'd still advise everyone to stick at it for 4-6 weeks before giving up.

First post!
I've been doing this for around six weeks (with a one week lapse in the middle - actually because I was staying with family and didn't really want them to know I was 'dieting' since I am already a healthy weight). I generally start the fast day with a black coffee w/ one sugar, go as long as I can until around lunchtime when I eat ~200 cals (carb-heavy). I quite often go to gym after work and then eat a 300 cal dinner, typically involving a very small piece of bread, some egg &/or ham plus vegies, and maybe the tiniest bit of olive oil or butter. I think I probably end up on about 550 most days, TBH. I've lost about 2 - 2.5 kilos but this was over the same period I resumed working out fairly intensely three times a week. In the past, though, exercise has made very little difference to my weight so I don't actually think that's much of a contributor.
I've had quite a few negative side effects but since they are all mild it doesn't bother me.
1. Burping more than usual
2. Slight bad breath on fast days
3. Cramps while exercising on some (not all) fast days. (Although the exercise itself is surprisingly easy)
4. Psychological hunger - thinking a wee bit obsessively about food for parts of the day (maybe 1-2 hours total)
5. Trouble sleeping, but only if I stay up long enough after the evening meal to start feeling hungry
6. Some lightheadedness/trouble concentrating on difficult intellectual work.
7. Eating sweet stuff on the next day - I don't go *crazy*, but for general health I would prefer if I had a chocolate bar once or twice a fortnight, rather than having it a few days a week.

I also feel the cold more on fast days and do tend to overcompensate with carbs the day after. I never had a sweet tooth before doing the 5:2 but now crave sweets more. I'm OK with it as my weight is still going down despite the increase in carbs. Maybe when winter is over, I'll feel less like restocking on the sweet stuff. Also, am not eating at all till dinner on fast days as I too feel far more hungry after eating any amount of food so would rather wait and have the one 350 cal meal later in the day.

If you are only eating one meal, it should be 500 calories, not 350!

Thank you thank you for this thread. There has been so much wonderful stuff written about how easy this is and I felt like a freak!
Irritability before evening meal on a fast day.
Slight headache but not always
'Out of sorts' the day after.
Not settled into a pattern yet but definitely 2 days between fast days.

Have another cold sore that's 2 in a month and before that not had any for years

I am CRAZY irritable before eating my single meal in the evening - anything that delays it makes me psycho. My poor DH.

Definitely feel the cold more.

Breath really stinky during the day.

When I was doing this last year, I found I did sleep better on my "fast" nights, but concluded that must be because I wasn't drinking wine on those nights.

I also found back then (though haven't really noticed it now) that while I was relaxed about when I had breakfast after "breaking my fast" I was desperate for lunch fairly quickly after that. There have been other posts on why this is the case.

No headaches really - I haven't altered my caffeine intake.

I haven't had any major side effects I am just really irritable around evening meal time on fast day. I found last night I made my salad I was having before making family dinner which help I pick at my salad while cooking their dinner (im a terrible picker while cooking type person). It helped a bit as I had already accounted for what I was eating but if any child or DH crossed my path they were a very brave indeed. Its good to hear other experience's make me feel like I'm not a crazy person.

Mouth ulcers (canker sores) anyone? I'm in agony!

I'm finding that I get a massive headache as the day progresses- certainly not dehydrated as I drink far more ( non caffeinated) drinks on a fast day. I generally go to bed with it - assuming its hypoglycaemia?

[carorees]

Mummybunny: I've not heard of that before. Hopefully it will resolve with time.

Luliepoolie: the headaches will disappear eventually as your body learns to burn fat!

I hope it doesn't become a regular thing, but I've had an upset stomach after meals the day after fasting.

Also, someone mentioned being out of sorts the day after a fast. I definitely experienced this more early on. My body (and brain) were a bit confused about whether or not they would or should be eating.

Re: mouth ulcers. Any chance you are dehydrated?

Yes mummybunny2005 I have a breakout mouth ulcers too I feel your pain. I have been drinking lots so I don't think dehydration is the reason for me.
I also have been feeling cold on both fast and non fast days. I live in a very nice warm part of Australia so been getting funny look going out with a jumper on when my DH is in t-shirt and shorts.
Thanks for everyone sharing their experience's make me feel a lot better and being new I hopefully everything will settle in due course.