The FastDay Forum

I've been on 5:2 since September and at last it's suddenly got a whole lot easier ! I can understand now how it's possible to completely fast an entire day. I go without breakfast as well on feat days and barely notice it.

I am noticing heartburn and indigestion on non fast days after eating any meal whatever the size, but nothing on fast days! It's putting me off eating . I also get headaches but those seem to be getting better.

The only negative side effect that I seem to have had is that I get a runny nose in the cold much more readily than I did previously. I started out about a year ago doing occassional full fasts and experimenting with what I was learning about fasting, then switched to 5:2 after the Horizon programme, thinking that low cal a couple of times a week looked much easier. At this time I didn't notice a runny nose, so it may be a weight loss side effect rather than a fasting side effect.
I'd never noticed that I had a "fat nose" previously though and wasn't particularly overweight to begin with. I don't have a cold or anything (in fact I've not even had a sniffle since starting the fasting/low cal malarky). Is anyone else's nose a lot runnier?

Re feeling cold on a fast day, I have been doing 5:2 since last September (now sometimes 6:1) and I experienced these shivers a lot for maybe the first 4-5 months but not more recently.

My rationalisation is that my body wasn't used to switching from glycogen-burning to direct fat-burning and so it tried to avoid having to burn fat by turning the body temperature down (to use less energy). As my body got used to fasting (especially as I was reserving all my calories for the evening) it had to get used to direct fat-burning and it now switches to that quite easily and so it maintains my energy and heat levels.

A more conventional explanation is that when fasting your body isn't generating heat from processing food in the gut, hence you feel colder, but in that case why do I no longer feel cold on fast days?

Does anyone feel as if they aren't giving their boss their absolute BEST work on a fast day? Don't get me wrong - I love this WOE and wouldn't trade it for the world! And in many ways I think I'm more productive on my fast days (keeping myself super busy and skipping lunch), but there are moments in the day...when my "absentmindedness" is actually quite comical (usually harmless). I'm not saying I'm sharp as a tack every moment of every other (non fast) day.. I mean...who hasn't felt sluggish and useless after a HUGE lunch, but does anyone else experience those quintessential "fast" moments while at work, or is this just me? This isn't an all day issue for me; I'm usually happy fasting...albeit a bit spacy at times...

I have to say, I have not noticed any negative side effects generally, and I have been doing this since January with 39lbs off. Some fast days are more difficult that others, but I generally find that my energy is increased and it is easier to focus. I can't see me not doing this in the future. Fine the holidays are coming up, and I intend to enjoy the nice food and beer in Belgium but certainly I don't experience anything negative at all - although I did go through a couple of weeks with cravings.

The only negative side effect that I seem to have had is that I get a runny nose in the cold much more readily than I did previously. I started out about a year ago doing occassional full fasts and experimenting with what I was learning about fasting, then switched to 5:2 after the Horizon programme, thinking that low cal a couple of times a week looked much easier. At this time I didn't notice a runny nose, so it may be a weight loss side effect rather than a fasting side effect.
I'd never noticed that I had a "fat nose" previously though and wasn't particularly overweight to begin with. I don't have a cold or anything (in fact I've not even had a sniffle since starting the fasting/low cal malarky). Is anyone else's nose a lot runnier?

I have that too! Didn't connect it to fasting but it makes sense now. Really annoying and I always keep tissues in all my pockets. No cold here either - just a runny, runny nose. Could it be some kind of cleanse for the body?

Me too alymoosh and nadiaj. I've also noticed it more on a Monday than a Thursday, my other fast day. I did wonder if its because the work building was colder after a weekend as its so much more noticeable on a Monday. I also have little vague moments, though fortunately every one just pats me on the head and leaves me to get on with it!

[quote="nadiajI have that too! Didn't connect it to fasting but it makes sense now. Really annoying and I always keep tissues in all my pockets. No cold here either - just a runny, runny nose. Could it be some kind of cleanse for the body?[/quote]

I'm not alone with my runny nose! I forget that I have it then go out into the cold without a hanky!
I hadn't thought about it being part of the detox, that could well be a contributing factor.
It may just be that the extremities are a bit colder with less fat, so the blood vessels contract a bit more. You then get more blood to the nose which creates a bit more runniness in response!
It is most annoying.... especially when you forget your tissue

The runny nose seems to have manifested itself. Have not had that before, and have been doing this since January this year. Probably tmi, but went through a period of peeing a lot, and now that has settled down I am finding my nose running quite a bit - can't say it's negative but it is noticeable

Yes, me too, with the runny nose.

Been doing it only about 2 weeks.

Yes there is another negative side and one perhaps I should relay.

I started this a few weeks ago when the weather was really warm. During my (fasting) day off I didn't feel like doing much, under the circumstances not surprisingly, and decided to get the "weed wand" out. That is, a gas powered burner for burning off weeds in drives etc etc.

To cut along story short I was little careless in operation and I'm now less one trailer wheel+mud guard and there is a big scorch mark in my laurel bush.

The moral of the tale is that I was running on empty......do please be careful if you know your tummy isn't properly connected to your head.

I got away with that incredibly lightly .......but my van was only a few feet away. I had I gone round the back to do something it would have been different.

I have the strange feeling when I wake up the morning after a fast day too. Very similar to the day after a tummy bug and a bit of a headache. The other main side effect for me is that I am very cold on a fast day.

[carorees]

Yes I had that tummy bug feeling for weeks. I don't get it now though. Not sure when it went away!

Until now I only have 2 noticables negatives side effects. On fast days I feel freezing cold andthe other thing is my skin is even dryier than usual. I have a crocodile skin in some strange areas like my boobs for example. The strange thing is that, on the other hand, the skin of my face is softer than usual.

For now I'll try to put some olive oil on my skin just after my shower, it usually works (I would rather put baby oil but can't find some where I live)