The FastDay Forum

Ah, my sleep quality is bad so I feel for you! Hope it goes well, do keep us updated please.

Good luck Dhana and really I can say try Magnesium for sleep - works wonders for me (when I remember to take it!) - relaxant and I sleep so well after all that hideous insomnia I had for a long time...end of tether stuff. No harm in trying it

Just an update to let you know how the break is going. I've been doing 6.1 since the middle of the month and also changed my eating pattern on the fast day to having a small amount of protein (a la Dr.M.M.) in the morning and then something protein based not more than 8 hours later. On 5.2 I ate only once in the evening. I also adopted an 8 hour time frame for the rest of the week too,( inspired by our very own Ballerina!). I read so many posts about magnesium that I have been taking that faithfully too (thanks particularly to GMH!) and I blacked out my bedroom window and I am thrilled to say that I am sleeping better. An excellent bonus is that my weight has actually dropped another 2 pounds. I was going to resume 5.2 again next week, but I have decided to stay on this 6.1/16.8 routine unless I start gaining. Don't mind a bit of a plateau now and again...looks like a change is as good as a rest - no more

Hi Dhana,

Wow, that is great news, sleep is such an important part of our lives that I am considering magnesium myself since I am such a bad sleeper.

Fantastic news about your weight, hope this trend continues for you, I agree that sometimes we need a shake up in our routine to get things going again but whatever you do and however you do it, you MUST enjoy it,

Ballerina x

Yoga is excellent for toning but can also be a great sleeping aid!
There are specific asanas (postures/moves) that works like a charm for me. I sleep better than I have before in my whole life.

I'm still on 5:2 but is also considering to switch to 6:1 to slow down my weight loss. Almost 10 kilos in 8 weeks and I also feel that I have to focus on building muscle instead of losing more at the moment. So I've changed my daily yoga routine to be a bit more challenging and also added a few pilates classes at the gym.

Very interesting to hear how you have adapted your diet and improved your sleep!

Nadiaj - do you know the names of the asanas that help with sleep? My sleep has improved a lot but anything else I can add to the mix would be very welcome. Thank you!

We just had a 2 week break as we went on holidays and it seemed like we would be setting ourselves up for failure by trying to stick at 5:2. I had my head in the feed trough constantly on holidays and more or less had an intravenous drip for red wine. No exercise to speak of unless you call shopping exercise.

I was dreading getting back on the scales but after 1 fast day and 5 days home I was surprised last Sunday to find I was only 1 pound heavier. All around about way of saying that a break was good for us as we are back refreshed and not much damage done.

On exercise I would add yoga which I find good for the mind as well as body.

I wish I had an answer to the sleeping issue. For me it is partly because I get very cold on fast nights. Strangely I seem to wake up with a lot of energy and do not feel tired so perhaps it is not something to worry about if you feel fine.

Interrupted sleep patterns is related to weight gain so I have heard. So if you have had sleep problems and still lost weight, well done. Maybe this rest period will not only make you feel better but make your weight continue to trend downwards. I am sure your eating patterns have changed for the better so you shouldn't gain. Stay strong and sleep well.

This is a video I recommend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKm7Br6P ... C533532749

Generally I would say Childs pose, downward facing dog, side twist and corpse pose are good to go through before going to bed.