The FastDay Forum

Second fast day I feel lightheaded and tired I need food and thinking of going back to slimming world......

Just eat something...

Come on! you can do this! i feel light headed and mixing my words up but another few hours and the day is over! i am keeping the dress i want to wear on saturday in my mind to keep me going. Slimming world costs money to go to and for me personally did not work. have something little and see how you feel after.

Claire,

It gets easier. If I can do it, you can. When I get real lightheaded, I have a hard boiled egg or two, and that usually helps. This too shall pass. You'll feel better about it all in the morning. Stick with it.

Yep, what TML13 said, just eat something, it'll help. But don't give up just yet, give it three or four weeks

I originally set out to gave this WOE a month to see how I got on, and the first few fasts were tricky, but by the fourth fast I was happily settling in to it - hopefully you will too.

Good luck

[carorees]

The first few fasts are hard. It does get much easier. Why not increase the allowance calorie-wise to 800 for today and then next time try 750, then 700 and work your way down to the 500. That way your body will adjust but it will be less painful.

Of course, SW is an option. It works for weightloss. I'm not so sure about whether it works for keeping the weight off. You may have read on other threads about how our bodies conspire to put the weight back on and the need to keep on some form of diet possibly forever but certainly for around 5 years. Do you think you can keep going to SW for another 5 years? The benefit of 5:2 once your body has adapted is that it gives you a great tool for controlling your weight not only now but forever. It's flexibility means you can include social occasions, holidays etc in your life and know that your weight won't suffer as a result.

Do you think you could manage to give this WOL 6 weeks before deciding? I felt like you on the first two fasts and thought well if it's going to be like this every time I can't keep it up. But of course, it wasn't like that, in fact fast days soon felt pretty normal apart from being a bit hungry. The tiredness and headaches go as soon as your body learns to rely on fat not sugar for energy. Having a body that can burn fat is very useful! Not being afraid of hunger is very liberating. Feeling full after small helpings of food is marvellous too. It just takes time for your body to adjust. Can you spare two days a week for this for the next 5 weeks?

As the others have said, eat something low cal and have a filling dinner and plenty of fluids and you'll feel much better and tomorrow you can eat whatever you like!

Thanks so much everyone I text hubby in a panic too and he text me back saying he is doing it and to pull myself together! With that and all these posts I am more much chilled on my break and having an orange and lotus flower green tea.

I imagine its normal to go up and down during a fast one hour I'm ok then the next I'm like help!!! Keep thinking about my bacon sarnie in the morning and all the clothes that don't fit me!

Claire,

Our bodies are extremely well adapted to fasting. As you stick with it, you will start to see patterns in hunger pangs. Oh, I usually eat breakfast at this hour -- Feed Me!! If you sit it out, the pangs go away. If you fast long enough, they disappear completely. But is usually that first day of fasting that is the hardest. Plus, I think we are socially programmed to panic when we stop eating. Omg, what is happening? I am going to starve! Ride the waves of hunger, panic, and fear, and you will be fine.

In my case, I was picking up a pattern of going grocery shopping on fast days and buying all kinds of crazy food for "feast" days. (As I've learned, they are not feast days, but feed days... ) I was stockpiling food and binging. I'm still learning how to work all this out myself.

I'm only on my fourth fast day (Mon/Tues) and last week I felt exactly like you did on the second day. I was irritable, headachey, light headed. I also thought 'this isn't right, I must be doing damage'.

I took some time to research it, and there are so many sources which say that you can go for significant periods with NO food, let alone the 5/600 calories we allow ourselves.

I also found that doing the research took my mind off eating!

That said your body is suddenly adapting to a slightly different lifestyle, so you need to realise there will be 'complaints' from it. Now, on the second week, cravings are largely all I have and I need to fight the desire to just eat for the sake of eating.

I don't know if, like me you're doing two days consecutively but if so, try splitting them. I'm managing so far, but will do that if I need to.

Keep at it, at least for a month as has been said. That's my aim as I'm hoping to be all over it by then

I've done only five but each one has gotten easier. My best tip is to drink tea will browsing the inspirational stories here, or leaf through the book. Takes your mind of the hunger and is very motivating! Good luck, to you, me and every one else fasting for life. /Nickis

I always find a cup of tea works wonders with tiny bit of milk. Tomorrow you can eat what you like - it's only one day. It's good to come on this forum when you're hungry as it gives you motivation as you've found out.

Ha Ha! Person above said virtually same as me as I submitted.

Everybody has already said it all, but I will reiterate. It is only one day! You can do this. You won't die of starvation in one day. Think of all the various religions which incorporate fasting regularly as a way of life. I'm not religious but if they can do it, I can do it. Find something to read. I like to search the internet for 5:2 fast day recipes to use for menu planning. I have found a ton. Pinterest is great too. Just keep busy, that's the key. I drink a lot of coffee with milk that I have pre measured at the beginning of the day. Yesterday I stayed around 400 calories and yes, I was hungry, but my dinner filled me up and then it was bedtime. One day at a time . . . you can do this.

I've just started this diet yesterday, my first fasting day was today. I last eate at 7.15 last night. I spent all last night dreaming of food. Woke up this morning and had about 4 large black coffees which is my norm as don't do breakfast. I've been ok all day apart from around 3pm when I felt a bit vacant, moody and Hungary. I had 3 large fruit teas and thankfully the hunger and weird feelings passed. I'm now so excited about having my 500 calorie dinner at 7pm and excited that I will fast again on Thursday and then I have till Tuesday again to eat normally. I've just given up weight watchers which I was really struggling with so really want this to work. Think positive and ride out the weird feelings. Like everyone has said, read the articles or come on here for some moral support from all the friendly folk who are succeeding xx

Put the money you would have spent at SW in a pot and when you have done your first month buy yourself a treat with it. Why should they have it, you have got 5:2 and us lot for free. What you are feeling is normal, ride it out and give it a good go. I had a blip yesterday, a public one too on here, but there is always someone to help or have a laugh about it with you.
Chris x

I like your idea Chriso57 of putting money that you would have spent on a slimming club into a pot to buy yourself a treat.
I've been doing 5:2 since the end of January and I've nearly lost a stone. I've had to get all my smaller clothes out which is brilliant and the fasting is so much easier now, in fact I sometimes have to remind myself that I can eat on the next feed day.
As others have said the support on the forum is brilliant and so helpful.