The FastDay Forum

Hi everyone,

I've just logged back on and I'm staggered by the support and advice my post has received, so first of all a big THANK YOU to everyone.

I've done my total daily energy expenditure and it comes in at 3431 (150kg, 5'11", no exercise, 24yo), which seems very high, especially as I must be eating more than that to be gaining weight. So that would mean 25% of my TDEE would be 857 calories.

I have to admit I failed again today, I've ended up eating about 1500 calories. I think I'll try for 857 next time (Wednesday probably) and over a week or two try to reduce it to a sustainable 600.

Thanks for everyone's advice on how to handle hunger on fast days, I think I'll try to have one large meal of 800ish calories on my next (first I guess) fast day and see how it goes. I'll probably try to remind myself throughout the day that if I eat now I'll have to have a smaller meal later on.

Thank you again everyone for your help and support, this site is fantastic!

I'm curious as to whether people think that they'll be able to keep up this 'diet' for the rest of their lives?

Kronic

[Tracieknits]

I am a foodie. I love not just food, but really really good food. I love a baguette with french butter on it. I love pastries. I love going out to eat.

This is the only diet where I can still do that. I only feel like I'm dieting two days a week. And it's really only one day at a time that I have to get through. I think "I can eat that tomorrow" - and then I do! That's why I think I could stick with it for life.

Today is a fast day, and it's 7:50 pm. I didn't eat anything until 6pm, and I reckon I ate about 450 calories. Ok, yes, maybe I would like to go share the pudding my son is eating in the other room, but I'm not going to. Because this diet is working for me, and I know I can eat the pudding tomorrow.

Now I have to ask you - why do you think 1500 calories is a failure? You ate less than half of your TDEE. You have almost 2000 calories you didn't eat, which is over a half pound of fat you probably lost today. How is that a failure?!? You reduced your total calorie intake by more than I did today!

Try to look at the positive side of it. Try to see the good job you did do - and I swear it makes it easier to stick with it.

Baby steps! we didn't get obese overnight. It's not going to change overnight either

[Tracieknits]

I also wouldn't reduce it to 600calories on a fast day until you lose a substantial amount of weight! Set yourself a goal of recalculating your TDEE every time you lose 10 or 20 kilos. That way you have smaller, interim goals and you are whittling it down more gradually

Hi Sonic, good on you man!

I agree that it is easier for me to save up calories.

What about Soup? Some of the Fresh Soups in the Isles are like 200 cals for 1ltr. Warm a tub of that up and eat with a T spoon, it'll take 40 minutes. Have a plate of Salad (I like lots of Rocket) next to it with lots of pickled Red Cabbage and Gherkins, and you get a massive difference in tastes and textures.

If you start this at 7, finish by 8, Long Bath and go to sleep at 9, that way the morning is soon with you and you can have breakfast??

If you are hungry during the day really focus on massive water consumption, try 2 ltrs in an hour, I find if it's hard that helps.

The other thing I think is really good about this WOE is that you do very naturally start to miss lunch especially on Feast days, just 3 out of the 5 feast days with lunch missed is 1/2 lb fat in the Bag!

Best of luck man, hope it goes well.

Yay way to go and yes I do feel that this is going to be the one I will stick to, I feel no pressure whatsoever.

Hi sonic, remember 1500 cals is a LOT less than you have been having so I am sure you will start to see some weight changes, then with time I am sure you will eventually get down to the 600 cals/day. Give your self time for the ole brain (& stomach) to adjust.
Somebody has mentioned massive water consumption but you shouldn't be drinking more than a couple to 3 litres a day unless you are severely dehydrated or exercising/sweating a lot, it is dangerous. Just a quick article below. The stories of people on VLCD (very low cal diets) that have become very unwell is due to drinking too much On the flip side having a drink or two when the hunger pangs hit is a good thing.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=strange-but-true-drinking-too-much-water-can-kill

Good luck, don't be hard on yourself I think 1500 cals as a start is great, it IS a huge change

Hi there and welcome to the forums!

I'm 30, and last September I peaked at 18 stone. Up to Christmas I managed to lose about 20lb via standard calorie reduced diet, but blimey was it boring! I am unable to aid my weight loss with exercise due to being ill and requiring crutches or wheelchair to go anywhere.

I started 5:2 three weeks ago. My first fast day I was very hungry, just sipping water, ultimately ate about 1000cals, which is more than the reccomended, but less than my standard daily. My second fast day went ok to start with, then mid-afternoon I suddenly got weak feeling and all weepy whiny (this is a good thing because it meant my body was out of blood sugar and was hitting the fat burning switch). So I ate early and had about 800cals, and immediately felt better.

Now I'm into my fourth week of 5:2 and the fast days are easier to manage. I still get hunger pangs, but it's easier to cope with now. I sip water through the day and save all my cals for an evening meal. I have also found that on feed days I don't feel like eating as much either. And I don't crave fizzy pop as much (it's my big downfall), although this week I have had a weird craving for McDonalds strawberry milkshake.

Keep persevering, it will get easier. Even if you eat more than the reccomended allowance, it's still less than your standard allowance, it's still progress. Your body will adjust, just keep at it.

Hi I don't fit the MO category but I do find fast days easier if I eat in the evening & until then just drink fruit tea, water or oxo & maybe an apple only to eat, the earlier I eat the more difficult I find the rest of the fast day. I also agree with other posts that 600 cals might be too low if you've been used to eating many more. Hope you do well x

Hi everyone,

Thanks again for all of the messages, and it's quite encouraging to see that there are others in my situation and I'm not the only one struggling.

Today I do feel worse for not sticking to a lower number of calories, tomorrow I'm planning on having a fast day. I've set a goal of 850 calories, which is 25% of my TDEE.

What are peoples experiences of exercising on fast days? Bearing in mind that exercise for me is walking for 1.5 miles, which gets me exhausted. When I usually get in from my walks I don't feel hungry at all, but I'm concerned that given an hour or two I'll be craving food.

Thanks again for everyone's excellent advice and support!

[Tracieknits]

My husband likes to exercise on fast days. He is obese, but not morbidly so. He runs.

I don't see how he can do it. The most I'll do is a mile of walking on a fast day, but to be honest, I just find it usually makes me hungrier. So most of the time I don't exercise on fast days.

[carorees]

Hi again! I think 850 sounds like a good target but don't worry if you go a bit over (or under).

Exercise is good on fast days and helps with fat burning. Have you considered a HIIT session as well as a bit of walking? Dr M did a Horizon programme about it (link in resources board). It has been shown that short high intensity bursts of exercise can be as beneficial as prolonged running on a treadmill. I do 20 secs flat out biking on an exercise bike, then wait about 2 mins and repeat twice more. If you don't have access to an exercise bike, running on the spot or stepping up and down the bottom step of the stairs will do instead. I find it takes away hunger pangs.

Good luck!

I always do n hour Zumba class on fast days. I feel totally energized afterwards, and not hungry.

I don't do exercise as such, but what I say is any movement is better than none

Hello!
I have also heard that 1/4 of your daily calories should be what you aim for, but these are your maintenance calories (ie. what you would have to eat to stay at your current weight) so it may be that this amounts to more than 600cal in your case? You can use an online calculator to find out roughly what this would be for you: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
Also, and I hope this is not too personal, but if you think you are an emotional eater have you tried addressing this through eg. councilling? This + 5:2 can really help to break habits once and for all if you are a creature of habit!
Good luck with today!

Sorry sent that message before I saw the new posts, I'm a slow typer!