The FastDay Forum

Hi all. Not posted for a while as been sooo busy with study. Took the evening off and have been reflecting on my journey so far.
Doing 5:2 with very little exercise (some dog walking and started swimming twice a week, this week) as studies and family take up lots of time.
My start weight at the beginning of Jan was 12.9 and my waist 102cm. The fast days have varied (was quite poorly for a few weeks so took a break) but overall I feel the fasts have gone mostly ok. As a result I know I'm consuming less junk on non fast days and feeling good.
Don't get me wrong on occasion I will have a small binge (in the past I think I binged everyday) and feel good about having some form of control over food now.
I now weigh in at 11st 10. so I'm definitely going the right way. I feel disappointed that it's not all happening a bit faster (for 2 weeks I weighed in the same, this happened twice) , however I'm currently the lightest I have been since being diagnosed with underactive thyroid. My waist is now 96.5 cm which is great so now my clothes fit nicely now.
Although this seems to be a long slow slog..I think I'm doing ok and it is working but very slowly.
My plan is to keep going until until my back pain is less crippling, I can already feel that it has eased off somewhat and my goal is to weigh 10stone 6 ish..
Although I don't post often I do read others posts a lot and find replies to these very helpful and inspiring so I would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone on the forum..you have been a great lifeline for those 'not so good' fast days.
I just hope I can continue for the long haul.

Hi again @newlifestartshere Well done on your weightloss that's absolutely brilliant this WOL is a great way for us to discipline ourselves with our eating habits it does retrain the mind which is good for me because I've a very long way to go but for the first time in my life I now know I will make it to my goal simply because nothing is off limits.
Good luck and keep up the good work but do pop back more often we love hearing how everyone is doing.

That's a fantastic result and the feeling of not being controlled by food is amazing - just keep going and you'll be where you want to be before you know it!

[carieoates]

Well done, I love your positivity. Keep it up and let us know us know how you're getting on.

Congrats - this really isn't a quick way of weight loss, but it seems to me that it's one that is sustainable and the more I think about it, the more important I think that is because it means you/we stand a better chance of keeping the weight off if it's not done in a way that is really hard to maintain. I work as a nurse in a GP surgery and a lady came a few weeks ago wanting to lose weight - so we talked about the best ways to do that (I don't really mention 5 2 to patients except if they ask me how I've lost so much weight). Anyhow I felt quite encouraged because she seemed to get the idea about reducing refined carbs and that sort of thing and she seemed really determined - next time she came back she told me she was doing some sort of diet where you drink 'protein shakes' or something. I was really disappointed because how is that going to be a long term strategy for losing weight?? And I think this is so what I am trying to say in a rambly way is that 5 2 may not be quick, but it IS effective and sustainable (and I have struggled with my weight all my life). Anyhow, congrats again!

Hello @newlifestartshere!

I can relate to so much that you have said. Well done on your progress so far - it is great to hear that your clothes are looser & more comfy!

I believe that 5:2 has a kind of magic element to it! As a lifelong comfort eater myself, I have suddenly found I can exercise a little power over my food choices on non-fast days - something I never did previously. Little by little, I am learning so much and I can only echo what everyone else is telling you about how very sustainable this WoE is. True, it might not be the fastest way to lose weight....but it is the most comfortable and long-lasting way.

I have shed loads of weight still to lose.....but I am getting there....and enjoying the process. Never said that about any previous diet I have been on.......

This could be the last time I am overweight! Don't even start me on the internal health benefits we are all reaping....

Stay with us.....however long the journey, because you can do it.....and we are here to support you all the way!

Good luck xx

That's great, it shows that this way of eating is sustainable whatever life is throwing at you. Yes, there are ups and downs, but the flexibility of the WoE means that we are not failing just because the weight isn't falling off as fast as we would like.
Good luck for the next stage...

Well done! you are doing great and obviously find this a sustainable WOL now. Keep up the good work and you'll soon reach your target.

I think 13 pounds in less than 3 months is great! I've only lost about 8 in that same timeframe and have fasted faithfully 2X a week! But, I'm happy with my loss so far. It is the best weight loss I've had in a long time. I do hope that it's starting to move a little quicker, but as long as I'm headed in the right direction I'll take it!

Well done @newlifestartshere - you've done great!

Good luck with the rest of your journey

Thnak you for all your kind words,@Sue.Q I think your right that this WOE retrains the mind as I have started to use this little psychological trick when tempted to eat the whole cake and not just a small piece, I look at it and re-live the chronic back pain I have had for years and that seems to stop me in my tracks. I learnt this little trick via Paul Mckennas WOE 'I can make you thin' which I have tried in the past but didn't stick with as I did not understand the logic of eating junk food until you were full as being a healthy WOE. I have tried different diets/WOE all to no avail, however I use my negative experiences as tools to help me through 5:2 i.e via weight watchers I learnt that fruit and veg are never a bad thing and too many refined carbs sometimes are.
@cblaszyou are so right when you say that as long as your going the right way then you are happy. It maybe slow going but at at the end of the day now that we are going to live much longer, we have all the time in the world.

Totally relate to yr topic title..
Me too... Still going coz doing at least two fasts a week
BUT eating too much on feed days...putting on and losing the same few pounds from Jan to March
Its got to change in April
40 weeks left in 2014 and i want to lose 40 pounds in that time...but my prob is and its the reason i dont do the Progress Tracker...if i give myself "losing weight " challenges, they stress me too much coz i try to do it perfectly. Have failed for years coz its been " all or nothing"
If i dont challenge self and take it day by day, it works better for me... weird but true

@CandiceMarieyou don't have to put a target in the progress tracker- I removed mine 'cos it was not based on anything remotely logical.

@newlifestartshere You've done very well indeed so give yourself a pat on the back right now, and although you've not posted much you're still lurking and more importantly still here plodding on with the rest if us which is good, Well done and as you say we're moving in the right direction. Sue