The FastDay Forum

I'm new to the forum, and am on my 2nd week (just had my 4th fast day yesterday). My partner started the plan straight after watching the Horizon program and I've watched him lose weight and lean-up while supporting him by ensuring that our evening meal on Tue and Thur is between 400 and 500 kcal as requested (usually more like 400kcal. In the meanwhile I continued doing regular exercise (ie at LEAST 5 classes a week, often more, and cycling to and from work 30 mins daily)and returned to Slimming World (which in the past has served me well). I even had a completely alcohol free January. I lost a couple of pounds the got stuck at around 10st 4lb. This week, after 2 weeks on 5:2 I slipped back into the 9st band (just!) at 9st 13lb. I just hope this continues.

Anyway - so glad I finally gave it a go. (Just wish OH hadn't been so much of a nag about me trying it and I might have done it sooner.) I think it's really suiting me at the moment, and my worries about it interfering with higher-intensity workouts have proved unfounded. I think the decision to fast really needs to be your own though - any pressure to fast from elsewhere is depressing and annoying and not good at all. I MUST remember not to get all preachey about it to other people myself! lol. Might be hard though if this weight-loss continues!

Welcome to the forum Lucky7, I enjoyed your post! Feel a bit sorry though for your OH who gets blamed for encouraging you to try 5:2.

I agree about needing to make a personal decision. With anything that involves some investment for the future (giving up present good for future good) you either need to be obedient or personally committed, or it won't last. Most of us these days aren't the former!

Your weight loss on 5:2 so far is really impressive and I think that must be partly down to combining it with all your exercise.

So, now you are on board the 5:2 bus, how would you encourage others to jump on? Without annoying them, that is...

Well, the friend I go to the gym with was a bit 'eye-brow-raisey' about the fasting initially. BUT, she knows my OH and that it's worked for him, and now she's seen that I can still keep up with Tuesday's aerobics class and Thursday's Body Combat better than ever. She's asking questions, which I'm answering and leaving it at that. I know when I tried to stop smoking because others wanted me to I could never succeed. Like you say. Personal decision every time. If people ask I'm happy to tell them, but otherwise will keep my mouth shut. Anyway - I'm yet to see if it work for me long term as yet so don't want to have to eat my words, do I!! lol

Quick update... just weighed (the day after fast number 9) and am seeing loss of half a stone (in just over a month). I know that doesn't seem much, but as that leaves me with another half to lose before I'm at my 'preferred' weight, I'm feeling quite chuffed. Nothing else what shedding the pounds, so finally something has worked. YAY!! I'd love to lose the other half (and get to 9 st 2 lb) by the end of April.

Quicker than average. You should give yourself a pat on the back and a treat.

Good result! glad it is working for you.

Your post finally made me join rather than lurk in the background reading since your experience mimics mine to quite an extent.

My mother though was the one who 'hinted' quite strongly after doing 5:2 since the Horizons programme. She lost over a stone and got some great cholesterol readings which has allowed her to come off statins - and got her doctor trying 5:2!

I think I started fasting at a similar time to you (looking at your original post date) and I'm about 7lbs down too now. I cycle 30 minutes each way to/from work and fit in 4-5 classes including Combat... are you a long lost twin?!?!

I complete agree that an individual needs to try it - although I may be persuasive since I've mentioned it to three people and all three have decided to give it a go! They all asked the questions though rather than me pushing them to do it.

Personally, I feel that moving to a one meal on a fast day... combined with the cycle is what is shifting the weight so quickly. I'm pretty convinced that my morning cycle in burns up enough glycogen that it helps push me into fat-burning and that my ride home again is purely fat-burning. The 500 cals replenishes just enough... and then the next morning burns some more.

Cycling home after a fast feels surprisingly good; I'm sure I'm going faster on my fast! But I haven't yet tried my Pump/Combat/cycle home combination... perhaps next time I need a boost, I'll try one class and a ride home on a fast day.

Hi - thanks Applespider for you lovely long response. I only just saw it! Sorry. Twins indeed!

Just another quick update - today I weighed in at just a smidgeon over 9st 7lb. Woo hoo. Doesn't seem long ago that I was chuffed at the idea of getting under the 10st mark.

I set my target at 9st 7lb when I started. However, that technically puts me at only just in the healthy BMI range, so I think I will keep going and see what happens. I'm prepared for losses to slow down, but I feel very healthy with this WOE, and actually enjoy my fast days now so it's no hardship to continue. Besides, it's the only thing that's worked for me for ages (although Slimming World was good for me at one time, so I'm not saying it wasn't any good. Just that for some reason it stopped working for me).

Anyway - just thought I'd give other newbies a bit of an idea of how they might be feeling in a couple of months.