The FastDay Forum

I started this diet 12 days ago and feel a little slimmer in my self however I haven't noticed any other benefits. I can't say that I feel great! But I have had a stinking cold for most of this time which is only just starting to leave me. This has brought me headaches, stuffy nose etc.. so if the diet made me feel good I haven't actually felt it.

I wondered what benefits you had noticed to date and when did these get introduced to your life?

Let me know your thoughts.

Personally as soon as I saw the lbs start to come off (albeit slowly) I started to feel just so much better about myself in general - that was certainly within the first couple of weeks. After a couple of months the weight was visibly noticeable and people started commenting (I had a lot to shed and so it took a while before it was noticeable !). Then my clothes started to get baggy - what a great feeling that was/is So once people started commented that put a real spring in my step. To be honest I have struggled for a while with the fasting (having a lot of headaches making some days almost unbearable) - however I've now sorted all that out and my body has definitely adjusted to the fasting and I find no difficulty with it whatsoever. OK, so my stomach grumbles around mid-afternoon, but in a strange way I find it comforting as it's a physical feeling which is actually telling me that my body is recognising what I'm doing - if that makes sense ! If you've only been doing 5:2 for a couple of weeks I would think you need to give it a go for more like a couple of months - then hopefully you'll start to feel some real benefit (as well as notice the lbs starting to come off). Hope that helps in some way - good luck, hope it works out for you

I'm sharper mentally and the house is cleaner.

It does take some adjusting and experimentation to get it right for you. I now find feed days harder than fast days, which are all ok.

Hi Mdavenport,

I'm just into week 6, so early days yet, but the best thing for me so far, is definitely my energy level. I'm not sure whether this is just down to the fasting or the fact that I'm far more aware of what I eat now, so a lot less rubbish in my diet.

In weight loss terms, it's been modest/average at just over a pound a week, so clothes wise, I'm still in the same size, but they're all feeling a lot more comfortable and as Suchard says, you feel better about yourself. Probably need to lose another 6-7 lbs to go down a size.

Found the first 2 fast days really difficult, but now I've realised that it suits me to have just protein and lots of veg, I don't get too hungry at all and feel great. I made the mistake of having soup and carbs the first week and I was ravenous the whole time. I've also found it's easier for me to keep it simple, so I miss breakfast, (just tea with milk and sweetener), then lots of water, green tea etc through the day, have a boiled egg or 1 egg omelette for lunch/ mid afternoon, then a chicken and veg stir fry for dinner.

I can't wait to feel and see the longer term effects and hopefully, once your cold has gone, you'll be able to reap the benefits too.

Evie

I found the first few weeks of fasts difficult as I suffered with headaches both on fast and non fast days, at the same time my belt went in a couple of notches, it was like the bloating out feeling went if that makes sense?? That was enough for me to persevere, my weight loss went up and down over the first few weeks but the overall trend was down which was also motivating to continue. Now on week eleven and fast days are no problem and have lost 11lbs (I have a lot to lose though), I told myself at the beginning that I would do a month without fail to really see if this worked for me, and it does! Still working on sorting out my non fast days as I think I'm still overeating, but I'm beginning to work on adjusting my mindset to food and how my own body works with food (ridiculous I was so out of touch, I'm 35!), but I have realised there was many factors to my weight problem and not being scared of hunger is really helping me adjust my thinking and I feel positive I can do this in a sustainable way! Give yourself more time and I'm sure you will find the same! Good luck

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback. Its nice and re-assuring.

Today is my 5th fast day. Normally I have 2 boiled eggs for breakfast and then nothing until 7:30pm when I have a chicken salad or chicken & veg.

However today I had for breakfast half a grapefruit and a medium banana. In some ways I wish I hadn't had the banana and had an apple instead as they are known for holding down hunger...

Does a banana and grapefruit for breakfast still sound like a good start to a fast day or is it too many carbs?

Certainly sounds like too much fruit! I can't abide grapefruit anyway but have not bothered with bananas since 5:2 - or breakfast, either, come to that! My wife has a pear on fast days, with an apple for lunch - this seems to work for her...

The first benefit I saw was an improvement in my IBS symptoms, I think 2days with minimal food has been brilliant for giving my digestive system a break.
And I'm going to agree with other people, and say that breakfast makes a fast day harder, so I always go without now. Certainly won't have anything' til at least 12, that'll be 16 hours in

Reduction in bloat around the waist, feel much more comfortable in that area. Simple but true.

Hi, after almost 7 weeks I'm loving the increase in energy and being able to move a little faster. I'm still experimenting which is fine, I would say don't worry over-much about carbs, experiment with what YOU feel good about doing on fast days.
This month I'm only doing about one fast per week, as I'm increasing daily fruit and veg, I tell you 5-a-day really does work:)

I started Monday 4th March, so today is my 4th fast. I haven't really noticed looking or feeling any different yet, but I think I'm overeating on my feed days - have to get that sorted out! I'm looking forward to feeling less bloated and having more energy

In week two, I felt terrible, I was spotty, my glands were up and I felt tired and upset. The Dr said I had a viral infection - I did mention the IF but he didn't really have any views or comments.
Since then (I have been doing IF for 6 weeks) I have noticed that I have more energy, my skin has cleared up, I have started C25K - and I don't need my inhaler for exercise! (Which is used to, stopping have way through for a blast).
I feel generally more positive, although I am having some problems at home and work, but I feel like I am generally dealing with them - don't get me wrong, I do have down moments (and down days) but I think I'm getting stronger.
I am having CBT for General Anxiety Disorder and I think that my taking up running and doing 5:2 (6:1 sometimes) is really helping my mental attitude.

Sorry, just to add to that, for the first couple of weeks I did find it hard to adjust to fasting, I felt quite sluggish and fed up (and combined with a virus, ugh!). Once I started to exercise, combined with IF, things started looking up.

I'm only just into my fifth week, so still a newbie Lost a chunk of weight and waist measurement early doors, but some of that was food poisoning (icky) Even though I've slowed right down since, I feel so much better, loads more energy- the house is the cleanest its ever been and the garden is ready planted up with a load of veggies! I've not had any new breakouts on my skin, and i'm sleeping a lot better. I do kick boxing, spin, weights and pilates regularly and can see more definition around neck and shoulders. I wish i'd taken more measurements when I started to track the change! Sorry to digress a bit there Basically, when I began this new way of eating, I did feel a bit rubbish during a couple of fasts, but by changing what I ate round to suit me, the feeling of well being has increased.
Hope this helps Mdavenport!

*edited for spelling and smiley failure