The FastDay Forum

Why are you all doing this? Can someone please explain? Isn't the point of 5:2 that it's do-able? Fasting for 36 hours would kill me! And if I did manage to do it once I know I'd never be able to do it again.

[Moogie]

It's still 5:2, we're just not eating our full calorie budget Remember, it's 'up to 500', which means you can have as little or as many as you want up to that amount.

I actually don't find it difficult, as I'd usually have 0 cals for the first 24 hours of my fast anyway (from after dinner the day before until my fasting day dinner), this just means skipping the fasting dinner. It's the same amount of time as for normal 5:2, just with less cals

I've done it twice now, and find it no harder than how I normally fast. I wouldn't do it twice a week forever, but once in a while it's nice to have that entire day without I wouldn't do it on days it didn't feel 'doable'!

Beautiful sunshine here now - hunger pangs kicked in at lunchtime, but I ignored them Nice afternoon being really lazy with my nose in a book this afternoon - great relaxation. Not able to have a tipple as the sun hits the yardarm - so a cup of veg stock drink instead me thinks. Hope everyone's going OK - well done Moogie for avoiding the biccies, they'll keep nicely for you for tomorrow.

Jem - the point of this is to really kick in the repair mode of our bodies (that's the theory anyway). I never, ever dreamt I'd be able to do it either - but once I'd mastered 5:2 and eating 500 cals in the evening only, then going the next stage to 36 hours was really easy. And that comes from one of the many who thought that they'd faint from starvation and fade away completely - wrong - I'm still here and feeling even better for it - mentally and physically.

I've done it a few times. I didn't find it that hard but missed something to eat in the evening. Maybe because I'm quite active and run 5kms every morning, walk in the afternoon, and my run the day after a liquid only day before breakfast was pretty hard. But I'm sure it is just me, it certainly seems to work for a lot of other people.

[wildmissus]

I'm here. Well sort of. I'm in Worcestershire having just spent the afternoon with carorees and AbbieTaylor sitting outside in a pub garden in the sunshine. I was a lovely afternoon blethering about 5:2 and the rest. I'm not 36ing today but will definitely be doing it tomorrow and Thursday as I've eaten rather well this weekend . Good to see the usual people still here today (or tomorrow) and Ballerina it is good to have your support so keep coming in.

Hello all. I'm in for Thursday. I take it this thread is for any day this week...?

I don't think I get it still. This thread is called 'liquid fasting'. And 36 hours. So what do you eat and when do you eat it? I'm nearly dead by 8 on a normal fast day evening and that's AFTER I've eaten my cals. Do you go to bed on an empty stomach? Emptier even than mine, I mean?

Hi all, I ended up fasting yesterday by accident! Wasn't sure if I'd go for a meal or not in the evening, but surprisingly I didn't need to, think my body has adapted and I definitely prefer not having the meal. Even went to bed later than usual on a fast day and no rumbly tum! Meant I've enjoyed the bank holiday and feel all virtuous having got one fast done. Might do a half fast tomorrow and a full 36hrs on thurs.
I too used to think I'd never manage for 24hrs on no food let alone 36hrs, but turns out I was wrong. It actually doesn't seem too much of a step on from the one meal, but when recommending 5:2 I always talk of the 500 cals and would recommend people start with that before having some time to adapt their thinking and learn more about their body and hunger. Don't think this way of fasting is for everyone, but it is for me.
Keep up the repair everyone and see you all Thursday :0)

I don't think I get it still. This thread is called 'liquid fasting'. And 36 hours. So what do you eat and when do you eat it? I'm nearly dead by 8 on a normal fast day evening and that's AFTER I've eaten my cals. Do you go to bed on an empty stomach? Emptier even than mine, I mean?

Hi Jem

Can't blame you for being a bit puzzled!

The thing is, it creeps up on you - well it did in my case. I was eating three small meals a day, but I read that guys like Brad Pilon, and the scientists in the Horizon programme were saying that a 24 hour period without food is better, if you can manage it, than eating your calories through the day. So, one day, I just decided I wouldn't eat until I felt hungry - and, I never did! Not even when I joined my wife for an evening meal - in my case of <600 cals.

I've been doing this for about 6 months, now, and it is definitely easier than three small meals, simply because you don't stimulate the appetite - the hunger switch isn't flicked on. I've done one longer fast of 48 hours, and still didn't feel any hunger. As has been said, you're still consuming <5/600 calories - in this case zero.

My wife isn't keen on longer fasting, so, to accommodate her, I have my dinner in the evening. However, I reduce the calories right down as far as possible - last week 87 calories, and tonight, 71 calories. This was basically a veg curry consisting of just a tiny bit of onion and loads of celery and mushrooms. It was very filling.

Tomorrow I'll see how I feel - I might eat breakfast, or I may go through until dinner, when I'll make darn sure I don't eat too much!

Bear in mind that a year ago I was convinced something terrible would happen if I skipped a meal!

Cheers, B&W

I'm just having liquids today too this is my second ever 36 hours without eating. The first one was pretty much an accident - I reached 8pm before I got hungry so I decided to just keep going until breakfast.

Today, however, I *chose* to go without food from the off I have consumed 99 calories - various teas, a diet coke (don't hate me! - I know it's bad for me but a 'sugary' drink really helps me through a fast day) and a hot chocolate this evening.

Miraculously I really haven't felt hungry at all. I can feel my stomach rumbling but, bizarrely, it isn't accompanied by feelings of hunger. It's just being noisy.

I'll definitely consider doing this each week or perhaps each few weeks. Maybe even each fast, but we'll see how I feel about that on Wednesday!

H x

Hi folks,

I'm doing the liquid only fast today too, with lots of water, peppermint teas and a black coffee earlier.

I started this WOE on 23rd April and its going great so far.
Was feeling very motivated that first week so decided to give myself a kickstart by doing 3 fasts. I did 500 cal evening meal on my first fast day that week (Tue), then I spread out my 500cal through the day for my 2nd fast (Wed). And then did a 36hr liquid fast for the 3rd one (Thu). I lost 7lb at my weigh-in last Tue, but that was including Monday's fast too!
Last week I did 3 fasts again - Mon(liquid), Wed (500 calorie evening meal) and Fri (36hr liquid)

Now onto my 3rd week of fasts and plan to do Mon, Wed and Fri again. Will do liquid fast again on Wed, but will have a 500 calorie dinner on Friday. Will be weighing in for 2nd time tomorrow, but not expecting anywhere near as much weight loss this time - think a lot of that was water weight in the first week.

Anyway, today has been fine. We took dog for a walk on the beach so been out most of the day. Got home and made a big pan of veg soup to have on hand for the rest of the week. I find dinner time the hardest with all the smells of food cooking. Going to head to bed soon and looking forward to my breakfast in the morning!!

Hi Jem,

I think a lot of us have ended up doing 24/36 hour fasts by accident. I never planned mine but once you have got used to the 5:2 way if life it s such a small step to extend and the feeling of personal achievement is worth the effort, not that it is much of an effort. Like you, I used to be totally unable to sleep if I had an empty stomach, I have been known to get up at 3 am to eat as it was just impossible, but after getting used to this it no longer bothers me, can't believe I just typed that but I did!

So, don't worry if you never want or need to do this, it makes no odds, just enjoy what you do and keep posting, We are all individual, such is the beauty of 5:2

Ballerina x

Breaking my fast with a cup of tea (with milk) while deciding on what to have for brekkie. That was my third o fourth with no food at all in th 36 hours, and it's feeling as easy to do as when I was having the up to 500 calories. In some ways, even easier in the evenings, because my hunger isn't getting switched on by eating something small. I think part of it is because its been a gradual build up,

Well that's it for me - KataMac round the other side of the world planning her breakfast - how good is that - and us in the UK heading off to bed. Glad to be a part of this group of 36ers - great support - thanks everyone x

Morning all

Bank Hol has created havoc with my sense of order this week, and boys are in midst of exam stress. So feel a bit out of control. Looking forward to fast today to feel I'm doing something constructive for myself. Big acheivement of the weekend was my 20 minute run - I've made it to end of wk5 on C25K.

Beautiful sunshine pouring in through train window - good luck to everyone today.