The FastDay Forum

I thought of another positive side effect. When I do feel hungry on a fast day, I find that keeping busy is much better than being sedentary. I always do one fast day on the weekend. My house has never been tidier!

The positive effects for me of being on the 5:2 diet are weight loss, more energy,feeling better about myself and life generally, reduced appetite on my feasting days,having to treat myself to some new clothes because I'm thinner and feeling that finally I've succeeded at something!

Lots of things- as you all have mentioned. For me an improvement in my psoriasis, a more healthy attitude to my body and food, not being scared of being hungry but just accepting it as another feeling, not to mention the weight loss! I am due to have some blood tests in next few weeks for cholesterol, liver function, blood pressure etc etc so will let you know if there is improvement, I last had these done about a month before I started 5:2.
ALSO - using up those packets of various teas which were gathering dust at the back of my cupboard

IBS ....... What IBS?? no more looking like I'm 6 months pregnant with an IBS flare up. From the very start of this WOE I've had no IBS symptoms at all.
Also, I used to hold water quite a lot which resulted in puffy hands/fingers and sometimes ankles. That has gone too
I too have the odd 'I could kill for a mars bar' crave on a fast day but just telling myself I can have one tomorrow works. And no, I don't want one the day after. Today I have put two pairs of jeans out for recycling.....the weight loss is great!
The sun is out and it is usually this time of year I get a panic on thinking of trying on my last years summer clothes and showing some flesh in the (hopefully!!) warmer weather. I feel so much more confident and will embrace the warmer weather feeling much better about myself (even tho i still have a hellava lot more to lose!) and loving the new found energy!!

I've just finished my fourth fast and so far there are three major things that I've noticed: best one is that my mood and anxiety have improved massively in just two weeks, my skin looks a lot better, and lastly, I pee loads when I'm fasting!
I love it so far nothing too bad yet!:)

I've just completed my first week on the 5:2. Tuesday and Thursday were my fast days ( will be Monday but only watched doco Monday night)

I'm not overweight though i do have some body fat to get rid of and I exercise a lot but I was really taken with the idea of associated health benefits. I recently had a colonoscopy and a gastroscopy as I've been suffering from IBS type symptoms and coincidentally they took out a precancerous polyp.

Some days I feel like I've eaten a bag of rusty nails ... others I'm waiting for someone to ask me when its due. All this even though i eat healthily and I'm a runner .... just ran Canberra marathon ... and go to the gym regularly ... which of course makes me think too much about food and spend most days managing what I eat.... and generally feeling bad about treats. BUT ....there is a point ... even after a week I can feel the bloating is down ... I haven't gorged on fast days but found a real freedom in just not worrying too much about it either .... in fact I was less hungry when I woke up today than early evening on my fast day. I can really see the potential benefit to my relationship with food ... and just giving my digestive system a rest a couple of days a week. I'm learning not to be afraid of hunger and of the pleasure to be had from delayed gratification...whatever my craving, there's always tomorrow

Fasting is tough and on both days this week I still exercised but it was OK. So far its all positive for me. Week two coming up ... next fast day seems ages away:-)

4 weeks in, and feeling good! I've realised that a positive side effect is to make it easy to take a break from alcohol twice a week, which I'm told is a good idea. I like my glass of wine... Each fast day for me is actually 48hrs without alcohol - how good is that!

Well, today is a non-fasting work day. This means that I don't eat till I get home, but I don't' limit once home, just eat when hungry.

Well there were some bite sized goodies from a conference this afternoon, so I had 2 small scones and I am stuffed.

[Betsysgr8]

Increased libido, unexpected side effect and nice to have back.

I'm about to start my 4th week on 5:2 and yet, I don't feel as if I have any restrictions! Sometimes I start a fast day, only to eat something that will go over the 500 calorie count for the day, so I fast the following day instead! I feel much more alert and outgoing and apart from my husband no one else knows I am 5:2ing. One more week of counting calories every day and then no more calorie counting (unless it is a new food item then it's back to MFP to check)

I am up to my third week and am loving the way I feel. Food is tasting so much nicer after my fast days. I'm not over eating on feed days at all because I don't feel like it. I'm fuller much quicker with less food. This WOE doesn't feel like I'm depriving myself at all and for me that is the best positive side effect.

Third week fasting here too, todays my 5th fast. My skin & hair both seem to be much clearer, my thought processes are a lot smoother too if that makes any sense.

Weight loss hasn't been particularly interesting, I lost 4lbs during the first week but gained 2lbs of that back during the second week despite not over eating, suspect it was mostly water as I lost inches still.

Hunger pangs on Fast Days are still evident though I can deal with them better than when I first started, light headedness is also less, though comes on occasionally

I have noticed that my skin has been really clear (maybe it is all the water). Normally I get the monthly break out but since starting the plan my skin looks great.

I often get at least one angry zit (spot) on my face just before the TOTM, not this time though.

I'm also spending a lot less on takeout food (I fast on days when I work in the City, where I would buy breakfast and lunch, at a cost of more than £10).

The reduced alcohol consumption must also be a good thing.

One of the major reasons I wanted to lose weight is because I like running and it has gotten too hard on my knees. I ice my knees after ever run, but they can still really ache. I run 10k races now, and I'd really love to do a half-marathon. I don't care how fast I am; I just like the personal challenge.

Anyway, to my point: after about 5 weeks on this diet, my knees don't seem to be sore after running. Does it seem possible that after such a short time I've either lost enough weight (about 10lbs) to put less stress on my knees or IF has already reduced inflammation to the extent that I don't ache as much or both? It isn't so long ago (I'm not sure how many pounds ago) that running didn't bother my knees, so maybe weight loss alone has been enough. hmmm