The FastDay Forum

As I'm sure you've all noticed it's pretty quiet around these parts lately. I thought maybe it'd be fun to see who is here and get to know each other a little better.

So tell us:
First name (if you wish):
Location:
Age (if you wish):
Fasting Method:
Where you are in your fasting journey:
Preferred Exercise:
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.):
Hobbies:
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!:

Looking forward to "meeting" everyone!

I will start us off!
First name (if you wish): Chris
Location: Connecticut USA
Age (if you wish): less than a week away from 46.
Fasting Method: Currently 16:8
Where you are in your fasting journey: I did 5:2 a while ago and did fairly well on it. Then my life got crazy, lost 20 lbs on the "death in the family" diet (fasting, but not purposely) and recently have started up with 16:8 and just starting to see some results. Trying to eat healthier and lower carbs a bit.
Preferred Exercise: walking, running (training for 5K), hiking, swimming, rollerblading. Going to try biking this spring. (basically anything outdoors!
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): Single, no kids, currently no pets. But, nieces/nephews that I adore!
Hobbies: Spending time with friends and family, going out to eat, reading.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself! I am a computer teacher for kids grades K-8 and I also am an adjunct professor at a college.

First name: Ann
Location: Western Maine, USA
Age : 69
Fasting Method: 5:2
Where you are in your fasting journey: goal of 144lbs., started at 229 10 weeks ago, suffering Girl-Scout Cookies set-back
Preferred Exercise: walking puppy, chasing pup to retrieve my socks, etc.
Life situation: partner, adult kids elsewhere, caring for elderly aunt with dementia
Hobbies: reading, gardening, drawing, talking with friends - used to travel and camp, to be physically very active, and much thinner.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: retired teacher, wish I could travel more again.

First name : Cathy
Location: Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Age (if you wish): 50
Fasting Method: 5-2 and occasional 4-3
Where you are in your fasting journey: I started my journey after a shock with some work trousers I bought for a new job....same size I would normally get and believe me they fit where they touched, I was away in Kent on a training week so had to squeaked for a few days.
I came home and watched a diets program and they tried the 5-2...so here I am....11lbs lighter:-) and still enjoying it (esp the day after feeling)
Preferred Exercise: Walking, love dancing (Northern Soul, but anything with rhythm.
Life situation: Married with 4 grown up lads and one daft Rotski and 4 grandchildren
Hobbies: Absolutely adour football and a massive Leeds United fan
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: I currently work for CRS a railway recruitment company.

First name: Mary
Location: Scotland
Age (if you wish): 32
Fasting Method: 5:2
Where you are in your fasting journey: first serious attempt at fasting after many failed diet attempts. I am on my second fast of the week today.
Preferred Exercise: walking, dancing
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): married with one child
Hobbies: baking, arts and crafts, knitting, sewing, socialising.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: looking to break the diet/binge cycle and find a way to eat forever and never diet again!

First name (if you wish): Kat
Location: Seattle, WA (USA)
Age (if you wish): 60
Fasting Method: 5.2, Mon & Thurs
Where you are in your fasting journey: almost 2 years in, have lost 32lbs, plateaued; have never missed a "light" day
Preferred Exercise: dancing, inline skating, walking
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): Single, 2 cats, 26-year-old son
Hobbies: Inline skating, reading, watching TV (let's be honest)--mostly sci-fi
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: Self-development, spirituality, changing from regular work to something better... Interested in animal rights (vegetarian).

[wildmissus]

First name (if you wish): Julia
Location: Near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands
Age (if you wish): 48
Fasting Method: 5:2
Where you are in your fasting journey: I'm currently struggling to 5:2 but keep trying
Preferred Exercise: pilates, gym twice a week and walking
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): married, 2 teenage daughters and a cat called Kirri
Hobbies: crafting, at the moment I am into card making Barbara Gray style where she encourages you to create art
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: I currently work for Sainsbury's supermarket in their clothing department which I thoroughly enjoy especially as it links in with my crafting/creativity as I love the fabrics, the colour and textures. When I retire I think I'll become a mad cat lady who crafts all the time.

First name (if you wish): Julia - just like @Wildmissus
Location: Sydney, Australia
Age (if you wish): 55
Fasting Method:5:2
Where you are in your fasting journey:started this 3 years ago and had a lot of success. stopped doing it and the weight has crept back over time. Been back since January 2016 with a vengeance and am currently tracking well towards my goal. Looking forward to joining a Maintaining tent by my birthday in July
Preferred Exercise: Walking (every day - at least 13,200 steps on fitbit) step class once a week, aqua aerobics once a week plus pilates when I can manage to fit it in.
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): married, 2 grown up children, first grandchild on the way
Hobbies: cooking, travelling, walking (Sydney has beautiful walks) socialising, theatre, knitting, reading
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: Originally from south of England, have lived all over the world before settling in Sydney 20 years ago. Work as an event manager.

First name (if you wish): Wolfie (Ylva, but no non Swedish speaking person can pronounce it)
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Age (if you wish): so far 59
Fasting Method:5:2
Where you are in your fasting journey: back to square one, stepped on the scale yesterday and cried. I do like to dress nicely/classic but can hardly fit into my clothes without all the flab round the middle having out.
Preferred Exercise: Walking and if I can make myself do it, some work out in a gym
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): Married, two kids (one has left home) and my two beloved dogs.
Hobbies: Quilting, cooking (my new toys is a slow cooker), reading (mostly in English)
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: Normally I'm a nice person, but thanks to all that has ailed me the last 6 months I'm grumpy and a sourpuss. I did manage to loose 17kg in the first round and all that is forfeit. Will start over on Monday and this time I just have to keep my promise to myself.

[carorees]

Here Miss!
First name (if you wish): Caro
Location: Worcester, UK
Age (if you wish): 56.
Fasting Method: Between 16:8 and 19:5 depending on circumstances: varies daily.
Where you are in your fasting journey: Maintaining for nearly 2 years so far. See link in my signature for more info.
Preferred Exercise: Swimming, shopping (don't knock it, there's a lot of walking involved )
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): Married, 1 teenage son (apparently...I rarely see him as he is holed up in his room or at school, coming out to feed occasionally), very affectionate cat who makes up for the invisible teenager
Hobbies: Spending time with friends and family, going out to eat, reading everything I can get my hands on about fasting, weightloss, nutrition etc with a side interest in Ancient Rome and Scandi crime novels.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself! I was a freelance medical writer, and now employed at Ways of Eating coaching people in fasting and nutrition and writing content for the Ways of Eating programs.

[carieoates]

hiya, back in the day we had a version of this instigated by Moogie

So tell us:
First name (if you wish): Caroline
Location: Cambridgeshire
Age (if you wish): 47
Fasting Method: 5:2 with 16:8 mostly and eating mindfully I've when hungry and the right thing for me at that time.
Where you are in your fasting journey: approaching goal (seems to have been forever at this stage )
Preferred Exercise: aerobics, running and walking the puppy
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): married pets several ( 2 cats, fishes and a four month old puppy) oh and two kids 14 and 19
Hobbies: social media exercise, cooking and having some fun in between the chores
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: ran the Great North Run last year, biggest personal achievement of my life so far raisng £500 for my friends chosen charity .....long story her son unfortunately took his own life so I ran to raise money for the charity in his name.

Looking forward to "meeting" everyone!

First name (if you wish): MaryAnn
Location: NYC
Age (if you wish): 51
Fasting Method: 4:3. Proper 400-500 calorie fasts while I was losing weight; Less strict fasting now (600-700 cals). When I'm being good I only have a soft boiled egg for brekkie, even on non-fast days
Where you are in your fasting journey: I lost about 50 lbs and have kept it off for over 2 years (goal reached Dec. 2013)
Preferred Exercise: running when my PF isn't acting up. I do a mix of weight lifting, running, and HIT on the elliptical when I make it to the gym (which is shockingly infrequently lately)
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): two cats, the lovely Mimei and Sumi in my avatar
Hobbies: playing piano, reading, hanging out in parks, museums, etc., catching the occasional Broadway show, drinking wine
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: I just moved to NYC from Okinawa, Japan. Before that I lived in Sheffield, UK. I don't like to sit still for too long

First name (if you wish): Lili
Location: Loughborough, East Midlands, UK
Age (if you wish):64
Fasting Method:5:2
Where you are in your fasting journey: My first fasting day was 12/11/2012. Except for high days and holidays I have always fasted 2 days a week since then.Being able to eat normally within reason and have a few drinks and sweeties the rest of the time is what makes this doable for me. I now try and stick to 400 kcals on a fasting day mostly as one evening meal. When I am on plan I think I still lose weight however my weight loss is now very slow so talking into account holidays etc I seem to be more or less maintaining. I still have hopes of reaching 10 1/2 stone or maybe 10 stone. I'd like to think that one day I might be able to increase my fasting day calories a little but after a lifetime of struggling with my weight I am in this for the long term.
Preferred Exercise: Aqua aerobics and aquajog. gentle walking. Gardening
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): Married. 3 adult children, no longer at home. No pets - I'm allergic to cats and hubby is a bit phobic about dogs.
Hobbies: Reading, gardening, cooking, steeping ( sloe gin etc...) Recently acquired a ukulele.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: Recently became fully retired and exploring new things in life. Would like to travel more but hubby resolutely refuses to stop working. Would like to meet up with others from the forum.

First name (if you wish): Wendy
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Age (if you wish): 49
Fasting Method: 5.5:1.5 - I did proper 500 calorie fasts twice a week while I was losing weight, then moved to 6:1 and sometimes didn't need to fast due to weight remaining in maintenance range. Now I do a 600-700 calorie fast on Mondays and eat no food till dinner on Thursday (not counting calories that night but relatively low carbs/no wine). I think lately I've been eating too much on the other five days.
Where you are in your fasting journey: Lost 8-9 kilos during first six months (reached goal BMI) and have been maintaining from Dec 2013 - Dec 2015. Since start of 2016 I have a pesky 2-2.5kg that I can't get rid off.
Preferred Exercise: Once a week I have a personal trainer and do the same kind of routine (HIT/weights) on two other mornings before work, I walk our dog about 4km four times a week and cycle to work four times a week (less than 3km each way).
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): de facto partner, one teenage daughter, 2-yr old Staffy X
Hobbies: collecting and drinking wine, baking, beach walks and reading.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: sit too much in front of my computer at work but good work/life balance otherwise. Dutch/Australian

First name (if you wish): Liz
Location: New Forest, UK
Age (if you wish): 52
Fasting Method: 4:3 Mon, Wed, Fri (Plus, no alcohol in the work week)
Where you are in your fasting journey: Week 13, Started on Jan 4th 2016, 30lbs lost (Avg 2.5lbs per week).
Preferred Exercise: Walking every day, with a very little Running at the weekends.
Life situation (married, kids, pets, etc.): Married, 2 grown kids.
Hobbies: Walking, Swimming, Sailing, Reading
Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself!: Have enjoyed reading everyone else's posts to stay motivated. My goal is to reach 140lbs, but I'm really enjoying this and feel that I can continue for the long term. I already find I look forward to Monday's fast to recover from the weekend.