The FastDay Forum

My girlfriend and I started this diet 2 1/2 weeks ago, and have reacted a bit differently to it.


She finds fast days to be hard. She suffers from hunger and feeling weak. I feel hunger, but it doesn't bother me. I imagine I could almost just as well not eat at all. I make a lot of effort preparing her meals for the day to keep her reasonably happy (not that she's even thinking of quitting, but actually suffering two days a week for the rest of your life, hmm..)

Maybe this difference has something to do with the fact that I happened to start running a couple of weeks before I started with, or even heard of this diet?

I've been up at 5 or 6 a.m 3-4 times a week, running from 5 to 15 km, could it be that my body was already more adapted for fat burning, so I suffer less from having low blood sugar?


None of us were very overweight, BMI about 25-26, I've been losing weight faster than she does, at least until I hurt my foot last week.

So.., if you're thinking of this diet, and don't mind having some exercise, maybe it's a good idea to start out with some endurance training, preferably early in the morning?

Yes, I think that's probably it. I was also used to running before breakfast, and my first fast didn't bother me.

Maybe your girlfriend should ease into the running. Wait few fasts until her body adjusts to the fasting, then add only 1 mile and build up. The first time I did hard exercise on a fast day my stomach hurt I was so hungry. But after a few times I was 'fine'. Also, if she doesn't have much weight to lose, it could be that she really does need the extra calories on the days she runs. But I'd encourage her to try for 2 months, just slow it down a little with the intensity.

Maybe this difference has something to do with the fact that I happened to start running a couple of weeks before I started with, or even heard of this diet?

Yes that sounds reasonable to me. Either way though, our bodies have to learn to switch to fat-burning. Endurance running does it, so does fasting.

So as you say, if you enjoy distance running, getting yourself into a running routine might make fasting (not on the same days as the running!) much easier to get into. On top of that, exercise polishes your genes, we now hear!

Non-runner newbies don't despair, 5:2 can work fine without exercise, but if you are not pounding the grit you may need some in your soul...