The FastDay Forum

Well, I doubt I will have another baby as I am 41, but with age, female hormones decline anyways. I don't want to hasten that process bc A. When menopause starts, I want to know it isn't my diet bc I have always been regular and I don't want to get any male effects the way pcos does. I was also concerned about the stress increase. I am thinking a less extreme fast of an eating window might be safer, but I cannot find any info on how many calories to eat.

Well, I doubt I will have another baby as I am 41, but with age, female hormones decline anyways. I don't want to hasten that process bc A. When menopause starts, I want to know it isn't my diet bc I have always been regular and I don't want to get any male effects the way pcos does. I was also concerned about the stress increase. I am thinking a less extreme fast of an eating window might be safer, but I cannot find any info on how many calories to eat.

If you are afraid of anything, you should quit 5:2.

[Tracieknits]

I replied on the other thread where you mentioned this as follows:

Interesting link, thanks. my feeling is that the article mainly talks about ADF or daily fasting with an eating window. Twice a week fasting is a lot less severe. Also, the rat studies must be considered in the light of the higher metabolic rate of rats such that a 24 hour fast for a rat is like us fasting for several days, so one can't really extrapolate to humans. However, the advice to listen to our bodies and not to overdo fasting is very sound.

I would listen to Carorees.

milfrie you will get so called 'male effects' i.e. hairy chin etc. It's perfectly normal and not to be afraid of. I don't think it can be hastened by following the 5:2 diet. x

I think that the advantages of the diet outweigh any disadvantages, just see drilakila's post earlier today, as well as others' recent experience. I think it's better to take into account these anecdotal accounts rather than research which may or may not apply. And as people have said, the changes older women go through anyway unfortunately do result in said 'male effects' ... and you will be no exception! And surely it's better to be a slimmer, healthier, older woman (with a few extra hairs here n there) than an overweight one. It is far more difficult to get rid of excess weight post-menopause anyway, so you are doing it the right way tackling it now rather than later. There are many posts here from older women who say they wish 5:2 had been around 20 years ago, when they were in their 40s ... Well you have that chance, so if I were you I'd seize it with both hands!

Fasting has not given me any masculine traits but NOT fasting has definitely given hubs some feminine traits like, big breasts and a pregnant looking stomach, I'd say that was a very feminine look!

Ballerina x

After Easter brunch/lunch/early dinner, I always look pregnant. I sit back on the chair, rub my tummy and tell my family that I will soon give birth to a baby lamb (because that's what we eat here on Easter day).

milfrie you will get so called 'male effects' i.e. hairy chin etc. It's perfectly normal and not to be afraid of. I don't think it can be hastened by following the 5:2 diet. x

Not everybody gets that. I don't know a single woman who got a hairy chin after menopause.

Perhaps they are very good at getting rid of the hairs lol x

..... Epilators have, I think, been mentioned in the forums before!!!!!

Some time ago I posted a Would I recommend 5.2 for my daughters, (post title) in May. (Sorry, don't know how to do the link), because I had some reservations about fasting for younger women of childbearing age, particularly those without a lot of weight to lose.
I do think that younger women should not go overboard with too many fasts, particularly of longer than 24 hours duration, if their priority is to conceive, even more so if they are near their healthy BMI. Until more research and studies have been published, on younger women fasters, it makes sense to fast within the limits outlined by 5.2 I think. I identify very strongly with the alert wakefulness experienced, brought about by fasting, and for me this is the biggest challenge of 5.2 - or should I say 6.1. I am not at goal weight, but I am doing 6.1 now because should hopefully still lose, albeit slowly, and I sleep better this way!

An interesting discussion on this thread. IMO if you are an overweight or obese woman who is fertile, you will benefit by calorie restriction and intermittent fasting which is not too extreme is a good way to do it. It MIGHT affect your fertility, but conceiving while obese or very overweight is not good either. So conquer the weight first then worry about conceiving, if that is your aim.

I'm an older woman and as someone else has already said, I wish I'd tried 5:2 years ago. Menopause was my worst time weight wise, and I have been able to lose weight since, most effectively recently by fasting 2 days a week, and eating normally the other five. I haven't noticed any more than the usual hairs on my chin, which I periodically attack with a pair of tweezers. Generally since starting 5:2 I feel my skin and general health is improving and that I look and feel more feminine than I have in decades.

TML wrote................

" I don't know a single woman who got a hairy chin after menopause."

Is that because you have to be married to grow facial hair? lol:

Ballerina x

It does not scare me especially because much more research would need to be done to convince me that ladies in particular are not suited to Fasting. True though , to love ourselves and listen to our bodies!

TML wrote................

" I don't know a single woman who got a hairy chin after menopause."

Is that because you have to be married to grow facial hair? lol:

Ballerina x

haaaaaaaaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa good one!

No seriously, my mum, my grandma, my great aunt, none of them have/had any sort of excess facial hair problem.

then your female relatives are very lucky! Some of us are not so lucky. I am not married any more Ballerina lol but I have facial hair and always have had. It will be interesting to see if fasting has any affect on my hairsuit abilities x