The FastDay Forum

I have never been a breakfast eater, so naturally ate in an 8-hour window. I switched to a 5-hour window in 2007 and lost 20lbs...it was when my window started stretching to 6 or 7 hours that the weight started creeping back. Now I need to lose 10 more ponds to get back to goal. I'm using both a daily 5-hour window and 5:2. I think the 8 hour Diet might work for those who are used to eating breakfast. The diet allows you to eat whatever, an I feel I could easily go over my TDEE in eight hours. There is no one diet that will work for everyone. We have to find a WOE that we can live with.

Hi everyone,

I have been doing an 8 hour feeding window now for some time. I didn't set out to do it, it just sort of evolved. I was never a fan of breakfasts and when I first was doing 5:2 it was the easiest meal to skip. By the time I started maintenance I was well entrenched in the 16:8 way of life. My weight has never been more stable, I NEVER count calories, which for me is absolute bliss, and I can see me live like this indefinitely.

It is SO easy, just miss breakfast and don't nibble late in the evening, job done!

Caroline, go for it, it's what I shall do on holiday and I'm confident that I will not gain any weight, and neither should you, good luck,

Ballerina x

Hey Ballerina, I am interested in this for maintenance. When you say you don't count calories do you kind of know where you are up to? Do you do it everyday?? Be interested to hear.

Ballerine, I think I've asked you before but I don't remember if you replied. What do you do if you go out at night?

Update: I started the fasting diet a few weeks ago, initially on a daily basis which produced favourable results but shortly afterwards opted to attempt the 5:2 fast and regrettably the results have been disappointing. Last week I was on holiday which was the first occasion I failed to shed a stone prior to holidaying (previous dieting was the Atkin's diet). Today my weight has returned to the pre-fasting stage so I am currently reviewing the situation and will be returning to fasting and probably to the daily routine rather than the 5:2. The above comments from others are interesting.

Hi Caro,
I do it everyday and I never count calories. It varies in that if I have a late, large lunch out on a Friday (we do this most Fridays with friends)I will break my fast around 3p.m. In one restaurant we were in, all the meals had calorie values on the menu so I knew I had way in excess of 2000 cals plus wine but I didn't eat again til the following lunchtime giving me an almost 24 hour fast. Most days are two meals between 1 and 6 p.m. so although I call it an 8 hour window the reality is more like 4-6 hours.

Hi TML,
evenings out are no problem. I've been to two evening do's this week so I just start with a very light something about 2.p.m. which gives me until 10p.m. that night, and I would never eat that late, party or no party. Living in a warmer country may be different as I believe your evenings out tend to go on far later into the night but it should still be do able.

Hope all this helps you both, it is SO easy that I can't imagine never living like this or ever putting on the weight again

Ballerina x

Hi Ballerina,

I am new to the forum and have been doing the 8 hour diet for four days now. I wondered how your weight loss went in the early days?? I have not lost anything as yet but I am being very impatient I realise. I have 15kg to lose and I have to be honest I find the 8/16 suits me to a T as I never enjoyed breakfast until around 10am most days. Now I start eating at around 12.

Any tips or hints would really be appreciated.

All the best,

T

It is difficult to advise others based on one's experience as we each differ considerably on how to best manage this 'fasting diet'. I too am not a breakfast eater and when not dieting prefer to have my traditional fry at lunch. When fasting I find it easy to go beyond this time without eating but sometime during the afternoon the pangs of hunger arise; fortunately, if one persists, they pass after a short spell when I can then go through to five o'clock and beyond, often having the first meal of the day at seven o'clock and not a large meal either. About ten o'clock I have a light supper but the problem I encounter is feeling tired and lethargic which continues until I return to normal eating. There has been the odd occasion when I have felt remarkably well but only when on a the fast on a daily basis and which occurs around the fourth day but most days when fasting I do not feel good. While the research results are interesting it might be that they are not culled from a sufficiently broad foundation.

Brilliant! The bank holiday got in the way of my usual fast today, however, I was undecided until 2pm when I had lunch with the family. That means that as long as I stop eating by 10pm I will be doing 16:8. That should be doable!! Have had lunch and dinner (chicken salad with nikkiNs gorgeous coleslaw) Thank you to everyone for making me realise that today wasn't a dead loss fast wise after all. Especially to Ballerina who is always shares her experiences so generously and articulately x

I won't be able to fast tomorrow so will try for another 16:8 and maybe see if I can fit 2 x 36 hour fasts in on Wednesday and Thursday. Never done 2 consecutive days, so lets see. Will try for 16:8 on Friday too. You never know, changing routine may just be the thing to knock me off my plateau.

Great thread lots of good info. Thanks to everyone's interesting contributions

HI Angelabbie,

The trick is to experiment til you find a way that suits your requirements and that you are happy with. In the initial stages it might be useful to be mindful of your calorie intake and perhaps have a couple of light calorie days, say 1200 or so, rather than 500 as you are still trying to lose weight, not maintain. My 'window' is usually around the 4-5 hours which gives me a longer fasting time. There are no hard and fast rules here, go with what you think will work and good luck,

Ballerina x

Hi Bellerina,

Thanks for the advice. I am only doing the 8 hour and not the 5/2. I stick to two meals trying to incorporate the 8 health and power foods and know I am eating far less than I was before so I am surprised I have not lost. It may be that my body will take a while to adjust to this way of eating. I am giving it a month and will see what happens.
T
x