The FastDay Forum

First name - Jane

Location - South Coast UK

Age - 53

Fasting method - 5:2, usually starting the day before with normal breakfast and lunch then only water until 400-500 evening meal of high protein low carbs moderate fat. Next day maybe 100 calories max in form of raw vegetables and veg stock soup and 1 strong coffee until I eat normally again in the evening. If working (nights) I eat normally until midnight on my last night. We often share cakes and biscuits when the tea trolley goes round, then just a strong coffee at 5am ish, then no calories at all until I eat normally again in the evening. I make a big effort to go as long as I can over 12 hours of no/very few calories rather than smaller snacks. I'm sure all the information shared on the forum about how your body is forced to burn abdominal fat after glycogen stores are exhausted, around 12 hours, is correct, it really makes sense to me and it keeps me going. I don't count calories at all on non-fast days, I am lucky in that I don't have a sweet tooth, I have never been an evening snacker and I am so disorganised that I hardly ever sit in the evening either, 3 things which I think have saved me from being overweight despite being a keen foodie. Very important to eat normally on non-fast days to avoid going into starvation mode and also to avoid feeling so pleased with myself that I slip off the wagon....

Where are you in your fasting journey? - False start in 2013 when the Horizon programme came out, I was 10 stone 10lb, my heaviest ever with BMI of 24.2. Tried 5:2 half-heartedly and was stunned to find I'd lost 10lb in about a month. This January still weighed 10 stone so weight still off and BMI 22.6 but waist measurement 33" so exactly half my height, so I started again. I have lost no weight whatsoever but 3" has gone from my waist ( didn't measure anywhere else but sure my thighs are thinner). Sometimes it's 4". 3 friends have joined me and they too are finding it relatively easy, the main hurdle is just to decide to make a start, I think, and to give it a good long try before deciding whether or not it is for you, at least 8 weeks, as some of the changes are so gradual, as in my case, no weight but inches lost. I plan to carry on indefinitely in the hope of reducing risks of dementia and heart disease which are well represented in the family.

Preferred exercise - nothing as such, but I do seem to be on my feet constantly, rarely sit, love to dance when I get the opportunity, if away with husband we regularly walk 25 miles a day. Planning to take up Zumba after Easter.

Life situation - married with daughter, 95 year old mother lives independently nearby, lots of very good friends, see lots my brother and 2 sisters and their families. I work nights as a midwife in a Consultant led unit.

Anything else? I am in a book group, I love live theatre, especially open air, I have recently discovered stewarding at festivals for Oxfam, off to Beautiful Days and Glastonbury in the so-called summer.

First name (if you wish): Karen
Location: Crondall in Hampshire
Age (if you wish): 47
Fasting Method: 5:2 (maybe 6:1!)
Where you are in your fasting journey: did really well to start with doing ADF suite often. Then switched to Slimming ?World. Now trying 5:2 again to get a "boost"
Preferred Exercise: walking, yoga (when able)
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): single, two dogs, Poppy and Minnie (Italian Greyhounds), out of work due to chronic illness
Hobbies: films, Rock Choir, helping at Slimming World!
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: today I managed to fast for the first time in a long, long time. It wasn't too bad!

First name (if you wish): Jessica
Location: Houston, TX USA
Age (if you wish): 38
Fasting Method: 5:2
Where you are in your fasting journey: This is my first fast day!
Preferred Exercise: Walking, Running, Cycling, Hiking
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): Single cat lady with a single cat, About to move to Los Angeles
Hobbies: Writing, Improv Comedy, Podcasting, Reading, Film
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: I was looking for what to do when I'm hungry, and found these boards. I'm so hungry right now! lol

So tell us:
First name (if you wish): Marcia
Location: Seattle
Age (if you wish): 63
Fasting Method: 16:8
Where you are in your fasting journey: I'm a beginner in practice, but I have been aware since 2011 thru Eat. Stop. Eat.
Preferred Exercise: walking
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): divorced, 1 son, 1 cat (another died recently)
Hobbies: reading, knitting, drawing (beginner)
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: I love this site, but I have been absent for awhile. It turns out I have an arterial obstruction on the retina of my right eye. Looking through my right eye is like reading text at the bottom of a swimming pool. It would be funny, except it isn't. My left eye has been compensating, so I didn't even know it, except I was having headaches. I've been keeping off the internet, saving my eyes for books. I'll be back, but don't know when, seeing specialist tomorrow. I don't think there is a pill for this, but I've been told it goes away with time.
I'll be seeing you

Hi this is really interesting.
First name: Pam
Location: Te Aroha, New Zealand
Age: 68
Fasting Method: 5:2
Where are you on your fasting journey: Not doing too well at the moment. Lost 9kg overall but would like to lose another 7kg.
Lacking motivation.
Preferred Exercise: Walking
Life situation: Married with children and grandchildren. 1 elderly dog and due to rehome a 5yr old westie in the next 2-3 weeks.
Hobbies: Cooking and reading.Community choir.
Anything else you would like to tell us about yourself: Still working. Cook for a profession. Love Norfolk Island and have been there 4 times. English by birth. Love to travel.

Any guys left? Yes, some. We had a 'men's only corner', but it's dead for years. The couple of us still here might think they are 'the only men'.
First name: Pieter-Jan
Location: Enschede, The Netherlands
Age: 55
Fasting Method: 5:2 classic style for 3 month, after that occasional fast day when needed to maintain
Where are you on your fasting journey: into maintenance after 3 months of steady losing, maintaining 2.5 years (see tracker)
Preferred Exercise: Many
Life situation: Married with 2 adult children.
Hobbies: Driving my motor cycle, snow scooter and drinking lots of beer ... Just kidding
Actually it's cycling and speedskating (just muscle power) and drinking plain water ...
And watching football and many other sports (in case you might wonder)
Anything else you would like to tell us about yourself: happy to experience the life of a 'text book' example of how effective and uncomplicated life can be once you know what fasting can bring (weight and health control without giving up preferred food)

First name (if you wish): Sandrine
Location: A small town in the center of France
Age (if you wish): 42 and 4 days
Fasting Method: 4:3 and 5:2. Tried 16:8 but just can't. I like my breakfast and I can't not to eat something, anything for dinner
Where you are in your fasting journey: I began in June 2013 after a few weeks diet of steamed vegs and microwaved chicken breasts cooked in lemon juice (awful just awful) and lost all the weight I needed to lose, and more, by the end of that year. Been maintaining since.
Preferred Exercise: I do/take dance lessons 3 hours a day 5 days a week, plus I have regular walks with my dog, Happy
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.):Nearly living with my boytoy (he's 13 years younger than me, so, technically he is my boytoy) with my 3 1/2 cats and a dog and his 5 year old kid some weekends. And I try to take care of my mother who has dementia which is spreading pretty fast and who lives in a home. I go and visit her 2 hours twice a week and I find shameful that there's no real support group for families who have a loved one with that awful sickness. I also visit my nanny (from when I was a kid, of course) who is 85 years old and kicking, once a week.
Hobbies: Gilmore Girls binge watching, everything David Bowie (and I am not kidding), looking after my furry babies.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: Trying to get pregnant, which may be a long shot, and thinking to go back in England, permanently. I lived there when I was 20 and 22 years old. My partner is British so it could be in the cards. Of course it won't be for now as I can't live my mother on her own but in a few years

First name (if you wish): Peter
Location: Hertfordshire
Age (if you wish): 56
Fasting Method: 5:2, but not as regularly as I'd like to, with some 16:8 occasionally.
Where you are in your fasting journey: Always a few kg above where I'd like to be, but lighter than when I started!
Preferred Exercise: Swimming, running, gym, walking.
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): Married, no kids.
Hobbies: Swimming, running, films, general fitness, transport, maps.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: Vegetarian for around 30 years. Trying to work up to my first ever marathon. Trying to cycle more.

Name: Claire
I live in North Norfolk, UK
Age (if you wish): 54
Fasting Method: 5:2 or 16:8
Where you are in your fasting journey: Started in February 2013 and lost 35lbs over the next year. However I have found maintaining difficult. I need to start fasting again and drop the 14lbs or so that I have put back on.
Preferred Exercise: Swimming, running, walking.
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): Married, 3 boys (24, 22 and 19). 4 cats, 1 blue and gold macaw, 1 Senegal and hundreds of budgies.
Hobbies: Running, swimming, reading, Facebook!
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: I have been a vegetarian for 30 years and I'm gradually shifting to vegan. I work in a school. I'm going to try a marathon this year; I've did a half marathon last year and have another one in May.

Pete, unsurprisingly, near Leicester, UK. 65 years young, been maintaining for nearly 3 years after 3 months 5:2. Happy to just eat when hungry and go without for long periods. Weight between 135 - 138 lbs, sometimes struggling to eat enough as exercise increased this year (gym membership). Some kind of running/biking/climbing/walking almost every day. Married 27 years, 2 adult boys (one still living with us). Used to fly gliders and will go back to it one day, fancy trying parapente since a holiday dual flight. Maybe even helicopter lessons...
Oh, also lapsed vegetarian (gave up a couple of years ago, feel better for it) and owner of a Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (18 months ago), now slightly less creaky!

First name (if you wish): fancyacuppa
Location: SW England
Age (if you wish): 32
Fasting Method: 5:2, pretty much 'by the book' - 500 cals in 2 meals on a fast day, no cal counting on non-fast days. I am starting to lean more towards 16:8 though!
Where you are in your fasting journey: Started 5:2 in Jan 2014, a year before joining this forum, with about a stone to lose. Generally I fast for 2 periods of about 4-5 months each, in the spring and autumn. I spend the rest of the time failing to achieve maintenance and regaining that which I had lost...
Preferred Exercise: I hate exercise. Pretty much all of it. Most of all I resent taking time out of my day to do it. So I'm going to go with walking as the answer to this question, because I'm quite prepared to walk as a means to an end. Fitness is the next big lifestyle change i really need to try and make!
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): Cohabiting with my lovely partner (we both do 5:2 together), plus one cheeky cat and two well-stocked tropical fish tanks.
Hobbies: Video gaming, cooking, reading (mostly no-fiction)
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: I have a biology PhD - it wasn't at all related to diet/nutrition but I still find the science (or complete lack of it) behind different ways of eating fascinating. I wish I could get more into that area of science, but post-PhD that kind of sideways move is virtually unheard of without starting again, so I think I will have to keep it as purely a personal interest.