The FastDay Forum

Hi, I have been on this eating plan 2 weeks now (cannot call it a diet!!!). I usually can only manage a week on 'diets' but so far so good!! The thing that I am finding difficult is on my Fast Day's I get hungry late evening and want to pick at any rubbish I can find. Does anyone else have evening cravings?? How do you overcome these?? I have managed to lose 4lb in 2 weeks so I must be doing something right.

Good luck to anyone else on this eating plan.

[Tracieknits]

Welcome @MelGib!! Well we ALL have that problem with evenings
What I've always done is save all of my calories for as late in the day as possible. Ideally, I would have about 350 calories at about 6pm for dinner, and then the last 150 calories at 8 or 9pm. I hate hate hate going to bed hungry.

Avoiding carbs also helps a lot on fast days, including any sort of sugar or fake sugar. Although some people swear by things like sugar free jello or sugar free hot chocolate to get them through the evening. Sometimes chamomile tea would work for me.

Good luck and congratulations on making it further than you usually do!!!

Hello @MelGib and welcome to the forum and to this way of life (WOL). Well done so far, you're of to a great start. As for the evening cravings, at the beginning it can be difficult. Try to push through it and tell yourself you can have it tomorrow. That can be easier said than done but your eating habits will change before you know it, without you even really trying. Try to eat you evening meal as late a possible, so you feel fuller later in the day. Most of us only eat evening meal so we get a good meal for our cals and eating nothing all day seems to keep hunger at bay. You will find what works best for you over the next few weeks. Check into the forum anytime for support, most of us have experienced most things you may go through on 5:2 and are happy to help when we can. Good luck as you continue

Hello@melgib and a big welcome from me!

Two words re your evening predicament:- the kettle! It's my answer to everything....in my house it's on all day and helps to take my mind off being hungry.

First things first though - very well done on being 4 pounds down....or should I say 8 packs of butter (my preferred image!). Also, congrats on sticking at it so far! There are lots of people on this forum who can attest to how successful 5:2 is as a WOL....and many of them are in the maintenance tent, which means we don't hear too much from them on other topics these days. But they've been through it all and out the other side....ditched the weight and started living the maintenance life - something the rest of us can only dream of!

If I've learned anything from attempting to lose weight countless times in the past 30-odd years...it's that much of the battle is in my mind. I am overweight right now because of what I've chosen to stuff down my throat (am a classic comfort eater). Only I can do anything about it. All I need to decide is whether I am willing to pay the price to lose weight. That price is abstinence. Going without. 5:2 is absolutely brilliant because it's not all about constant abstinence - it's limited abstinence. In the scheme of things, is it really asking so much to take absolute control of what you are eating 2 days out of 7? Absolutely not! But it is an adjustment. Traditionally, we don't like hunger pangs - they scare us and are uncomfortable. Or so I thought before I started 5:2 back at the end of 2013. What I learned then is that they don't ramp up and up - instead they come in waves....and then disappear! Who knew???? It's also useful to adopt the following approach: "yep, there are the hunger pangs, they're nothing to worry about, why don't I have a drink and carry on with what I'm doing. I'm expecting to feel a bit hungry at first before my body adjusts to this WOL - but it's nothing to panic about. I will be just fine, because I'm in control". Does that make sense?

You'll get lots of useful advice on here and suggestions of what to do to survive the evening munchies. We're all different, so it's great to get so many perspectives!

I'm going to sign off now before I bore you to tears! Best of luck with 5:2 - you'll do great! Will look forward to hearing how you get on as the weeks progress....