The FastDay Forum

Hi, I tried fasting a couple of years ago, and I got side tracked, now I'm starting again with the hope that it works for me this time. I have so much weight to lose its daunting to think about it, but I need to do it to improve my health and life, fingers crossed it works for me. I hope you are all having success with it

Hi there! I wish you luck on your journey, I have found that it really works. I didn't have a huge amount of weight to lose in the first place but I was the heaviest I have ever been, including pregnancies, when I first started in 2013, and I am now the same weight as when I was 16, BMI 22. It hasn't been difficult. I think, for me, it was just a case of admitting that, having been relatively slim all my life without too much thought (although I have always eaten healthily) I was sliding slowly towards a fat middle age. I am not the best person to appreciate how daunting it must be to have a large amount of body weight to shift, but I know that many others on this site have had amazing transformations. ...its just that it will be slow but sure, rather than headline-grabbing "Get beach ready in 4 weeks!" ....All the best

Good luck from me too. I had very slow weight loss when I tried fasting a couple of years ago and gave up but I've returned too and am having more success this time around.
I fast 2 days a week, eating one meal in the evening. For the other days I am trying to be low carb and track what I eat on MFP. I didn't do this last time and think I was eating too much on feed days. MFP has helped me to get a better handle on portion size.
I need to lose another 21lbs (at least)!!!!

EVEN SAME WITH ME , RESTARTING 5:2 AFTER A 2 YEARS GAP

Well hello Restarters!! And a very big welcome to you both!

First things first - I know just how you feel - this is my third time around. The first time, back in late 2013 was when I started with 5:2 and it all went brilliantly...I lost very nearly 4 stone up until mid July 2015. As a classic comfort eater, coupled with depressive tendencies, I unfortunately stopped fasting...and yes, you've guessed it, ultimately put nearly all the weight back on.

My return to fasting was a very short-lived affair - head wasn't in the right place...and without that, I am useless.

In my humble opinion - it matters not how much weight you need or want to lose. All that matters is your determination. If you have the determination, you can achieve anything - end of. It all boils down to how much you want it. Do you want to lose weight more than you want that piece of cake (or whatever your particular downfall is)? That's the only question you really have to ask yourself. No point in being half-hearted either....either get on with it... or don't. Whatever you do, don't have a bit of a go some days and not the others. This might sound harsh perhaps - it's not meant to, it's really just my current take on losing weight....

Going back to the issue of having a mountain to climb - i.e. shedloads of weight to lose - it can help to tell yourself that you'll never be this weight again. Yes, it might be quite sobering when you step on the scales to see the damage (definitely been there...many times!) as a start point...but hopefully, by next week the numbers will be going down. We also like to remind people on this forum to make friends with your tape measure! Measure absolutely everywhere...but don't necessarily expect to see changes week on week - I measure fortnightly or monthly (if I forget fortnightly!). As well as the trusty tape measure, there's always favourite clothes we no longer fit into..that can be used to gauge how we're getting on. It's very joyous when you discover you can fit back into something...

I'm now on my third visit to this wonderful forum - have a read of the thread I started back in May, when I tried out the 8 week blood sugar diet....

Very well done for coming back and good luck too! There's lots of advice and support always available on this forum, so throw yourselves right in...so we can get to know you better!

Thank you all for your encouragement, it means a lot, I know this works when I do it, I just need to believe in myself this time round and not let other people put me off. Good luck to you all with your journeys, I hope it goes well for you too.

Ha! Other people. .....I have had many negative comments when I have mentioned I am fasting, so many people really believe that 3 meals a day is the gold standard for eating, especially breakfast. .probably last true in the UK during WW2 when everyone was thin and digging for victory. Now that it's so very easy to buy and eat what we feel like 24 hours a day, with millions of processed options which didn't exist 60 years ago we need a new approach and I really believe intermittent fasting is it - especially as this is how our ancient hunter gatherer ancestors must have lived. I know from friends and relatives who have slimmed down from being morbidly obese that "other people" also tend to ramp up the comments when they have approached their goal - lots of "don't lose any more" and "you're beginning to look very drawn" when they weren't, largely envy I think, and also that some people really love to have a fat friend - who stays fat. ....