The FastDay Forum

according to my scales i've lost 3kg in 10 days!
im doing ADF with max 1200 cals on my feed days.
i have got a lot to loose so i know it comes off quick when theres more to go!
has anyone else had these kind of fantastic weight losses in the first week or so?
i know most of it will probs be water weight! but im very pleased!

(i have posted this in my journal but thought i might get more replies in here)

Always believe them when they are saying nice things. When they are being mean they are a useless waste of money/need new batteries/ don't work properly on carpet*
*delete as appropriate

Well done

Hi jodieemily24 - well done. Fasting can make weight come off quickly, even if you don't have much to lose.

I don't usually do this, but I've just completed a liquid-only, 36-hour fast, and lost 1.2 kgs since yesterday morning.

My BMI is about 19.6, so it obviously doesn't make any difference how heavy we are, as regards how quickly we will lose weight.

Great loss and I don't want to rain on your parade, BUT, For the life of me I just don't get why you are being so restrictive. If you are also doing ADF into the bargain you are also possibly depriving yourself of things your body needs. It is not a race and the danger you will face is your metabolism will slow down and it will be difficult and probably unsustainable. Just another failed diet. If you have a lot to lose I can understand the impatience but eating up to or slightly over or slightly under your TDEE will work too, and it is much more enjoyable and for most of us liberating!

Um, whilst this may be a "good thing" in the short-term, you're averaging 800 cals per day per week on the 4-fast weeks and only slightly more on the 3-fast days.. You're going to lose weight, you're also going to lose muscle and water as your body will start to break up to ensure your brain isn't suffering as you starve yourself.

Do one diet or the other, don't calorie restrict heavily and fast, at least not until you're very fat-adapted and actually have some fat to use.

I started off on ADF and managed to lose a pound a week, so I'll leave it to your imagination how much I ate on feed days.

Well done Jodieemily on starting on your weight loss journey but you have mentioned you have a lot of weight to lose & starving yourself is not the best way to do it. I understand your need to see quick results, I get impatient as well, but 5:2ing is supposed to be a sustainable way of eating for long term good health. I know you are doing ADF but you need to look at your averaged daily calories & work to your TDEE over the week. I know this will slow your weekly weight loss & take a longer time but it will enable your body to be healthier & not lose muscle. Please work out your TDEE & eat more.

Well done. I just joined last week as well and like you I also have loads to loose. So far I've lost 4.7kg which is a nice start. Not sure about the ADF and restrictions.
I do 5:2 Monday and Wednesday and found that I know am a lot more aware of what I eat the rest of the week. I am not restricting myself as this has to work long term for me.

What I like about this is that it's not one size fits all so if you are happy with what you are doing then I would keep doing it.

Hi all! thank you for all your replies!
i hadnt really thought about it as starving myself as im never really hungry!
i'm happy at the fast weight loss but any loss is a positive so im not really doing it for the speed!
i suppose i've just read so many people who dont understand the concept of 5-2 slating it by saying people are just literally eating whatever they want on the feed days.

i see the adf as retraining my thought process regarding food as before i could just binge all the time! and eat so much chocolate and cheese and bad food!
i've cut down dramatically on my alcohol intake going from a few drinks to just a glass of wine at the weekend!
I dont intend on doing ADF for all my weightloss but i think it is working as a good kick start to get me mentally prepared for eating more normal portions.

also my TDEE according to the progress tracker on here is just ridiculously high! over 2000 cals! is this right?
i put myself down as doing light activity as im a nurse so on my feet a lot at work.

Less doesn't = more weight off. It will in the short-term but as you have less fat to lose, your brain will start to rebel.

The 3 or 4 fast days give you the calorie restriction so it's not 2000 per day, it's an average over the week of TDEE days and fast days. 5:2 averages out to 1500 ish cals per day for example.

I loved doing ADF and didn't find it hard, I still do 4:3, just wanted the weekends off.

I've found my feed days harder to manage and it's a bit of balancing act to get the intake ok. Even a wee bit more will be sustainable in the longer-term. A lot of people eat more over the weekends and less through the week, as well as their fast days.

It's very seducing to want to get the weight off as fast as possible but this is more a way of life and getting it sustainable is the key here. I've done all the diets and lost 2/3 stone only to put 3/4 stone back on so I know the pitfalls of not being able to stay on the wagon.

Hi jodieemily24

If you are heavy, it takes a lot of energy for you to move around. 2000 kcal sounds very reasonable to me as a TDEE.

I'm doing 4:3, to boost my weight-loss after having to take a break from fasting for a while. In my opinion doing ADF for 10 days while also restricting calories on your feed days is okay, but it would be a bad idea to do it any longer. Take a break from it with regular ADF or 4:3 for a good while, before you try for another hardcore boost again.

When you fast intensively the body releases all sorts of chemicals to give you the energy and drive to go seek out food, and it is like being on speed. You feel great, but it is addictive, and it is dangerous in the long run.

Thanks everyone! I think ill probs do adf with less restriction on my feed days from now then n just the odd strict 10 day burst
off out for a meal today planning on having a nice chicken salad! I think I'm one of those people that absolutely has to watch what they eat or I just over indulge I either have no will power or full on determination can't find a happy medium! I think 5/2 or 6/1 will be good to keep me in check when I eventually get to maintenance

You'll find you naturally will have to say no, you get a virtual gastric band with ADF!!

Good luck. I felt bad pissing on your parade but it'll work out better this way. There are people who get a stall going by eating more, peps the metabolism up, sorts the hormones and the brain lets the fat go so don't be too strict, just observant.

Lol I understand don't worry! I know its not something i would be able to keep up long term! As long as I keep loosing I don't mind if its gradual!

ADF is only one day more than 4:3 in a two week period - a difference of 6% of total calorie intake. No possibility for a potential health threat as I see it.

Much of the initial weight loss is due to water and content reduction in the gastric tract. But it still counts.

As much as I hate the phrase "Listen to your body", it is appropriate here. As long as you feel good and can use ADF, go for it. After all, we're all going to taper down to 6:1 as we progress.