The FastDay Forum

Morning Everyone,

I've had the Michael Mosley book for a week now and after reading it a couple of times to make sure I understand it, and lurking on the boards for a few days I'm starting the plan today.

I'm 54 and have been dieting for most of my adult life but I've put on a couple of stone since my mid forties and can't seem to shift it. I've done ww and slimming world but can't be doing with all the faffing around weighing and converting to points etc and doing without certain foods. I'm a member of Nutracheck - a calorie counting site, and lost a stone last year, eating healthily and sticking to about 1400 cals a day, but have put half back on over Christmas and just cant seem to get motivated. There are several members on there who are also trying the 5:2 so hopefully you may see them on here as well

I wear a fitbit, which if you don't know is like a pedometer which also calculates your daily calorie expenditure. According to that I'm burning just over 2,000 a day but I must be eating that many calories daily as my weight is stable at 11st 12lb and has been for weeks. I reckon if I eat no more that 1600-1800 calories on my non-fasting days the weight should come off ??

I've been up since 4.30am - we are puppy walking a dog for the police and he gets me up early to go out to do his 'business'............its going to be a long day

I'm aiming to hold out and just have one main meal but that might have to change as I've been up so early.

Debbie x

Good luck Dietingdebbie ! It won't be nearly as difficult as you think - just remember it is only one day at a time, it's not like that awful sinking feeling of starting a weight loss regime and knowing you are going to feel resentful and trapped (and so negative and guilty for 'cheating' ) ... If you get it wrong today for any reason, just do it tomorrow, and do not beat yourself up. Read the success stories on this forum, look at the progress charts, drink lots of liquid (marigold bouillon made into hot drink makes a good stopgap if you desperate for quick feeling of having sone food and only about 17 cal I think) . This time tomorrow you are going to feel so good - you will have completed first fast and can look forwArd to a day of normal eating....

Welcome Debbie, lots are the same as you. I was on weight watchers for years. Stick with it, it can take a few weeks to really get going but it does work

Good luck with the journey Dietingdebbie, I have been dieting on and off since i was 15, I am now 55. Been there and done it all. I got to the stage where I could manage one day on a "diet " - then think "do you know what I just can't do this anymore - point counting sins shakes bars or soups. My life is worth more than that. I did watch the programme back in August but thought it wasn't for me. A skinny minny friend had the book at the end of January and I bought too. It was a revelation to me. Here I am 12 lbs lighter and feeling more positive than I have for years. Why? because there is sense in it and it is something that is not a 7 day 52 week slog. It is do -able !!! I even make healthy choices on my non fasting days because I want to and find I don't want the all the rubbish I ate before. if I do have something that in the old days was " naughty " I would think Oh Hell its gone wrong again and the diet was finished yet again. It just doesn't happen now. Good luck with it all.

Well it all started so well Had last Monday the 11th as my first fasting day with the intention of another on Thursday. Unfortunately getting up with the puppy so early (4am some mornings) means it's a really long day, so on normal days I was eating up to 2000 calories and the Thursday fast never happened

But I weighed yesterday before starting my 2nd fast and I had lost ONE pound, so I was motivated to do another fast yesterday which went well. As long as I can keep my calories under the 2000 mark and do another fast day on Thursday another pound off next week could be do-able.

Debbie

Well done, Debbie! A pound's a pound! And I really don't think you should feel bad that you did a 6:1 last week. Good luck for this week.

Well done Debbie - just keep going, it will get easier! I am 60 and have had a love-hate relationship with food for nearly 30 years since I had first child and not only never lost the baby weight but piled more on..... The thing with intermittent fasting is that it really does get easier and - I never ever thought I would say this - I sort of look forward to the fast days now. Am guessing this is because for every other day of the last 30 years I have had feelings of guilt every time I had food I didn't 'need' and would go out of control bingeing on unnecessary bread etc. even when not hungry. On the fast days I suppose it gives that feeling of quiet control BUT knowing it is only for a day makes it do-able and you get used to the rather lovely feeling of lack of bloating and increse in energy. I am keeping an eye on my habits on the non-fast days and I will admit to slightly over-compensating and perhaps having more 'treats', but - despite this - I have continued to lose approx one pound per week and 1.5" from waist, so please be encouraged and persevere! We all have different coping strategies, but this forum has been a great help - in particular I noticed the number of people who switched from splitting the fast day calories over 2/3 meals to just having one in the evening. It seems alarming, but I can thoroughly recommend this - it gives a much longer fast (which is good for weight loss etc) and a more substantial meal to look forward to in the evening. Thank goodness for Marigold vegetable stock which is what I use as a hot drink when I get food withdrawal symptons - it is so comforting and another bit of great advice picked up here on the forum.
Good luck!