The FastDay Forum

Hi everyone, i'm new to IF and only hope i am doing it correctly - everyone has a different approach so i have tried to choose the best option for me.

I started the 5:2 IF diet on Monday 14th January. I only need to lose about 8lb - 10lb but wanted to experiment with this WOE to see if it worked/if it suited me. I am not weighing myself until the 11th February (after 4 weeks) so will keep going until then to see how much i can lose in this time.

I fast for 18 hours twice a week. I try and stop eating between 6pm-7pm one day and break the fast at 12noon-1pm the following day.

I have 1500 - 1600 calories on my feasting days and 500 - 600 calories on my fasting days over two meals. Although i will try and aim for 500, 600 seems more realistic at the moment whilst i adjust.

I don't cope with hunger at all well, i get the shakes, light headed and get very ratty (my husband dreads my fasting days)!

Today has been my third fasting day and i'm finding it very hard indeed. I'm guessing this will eventually get much easier - i really hope it does anyway. I have 2 x coffees with one sweetener and a dash of skimmed milk in the mornings on my fasting days plus lots of water.

I will be exercising on my feasting days as i lack energy on my fasting days at the moment. I usually do 30 mins of cardio three times a week plus arm toning weights.

My understanding is that 18 hours is an adequate amount of time to fast. My TDEE says i can consume 1800 calories on my feasting days however that makes me nervous as i don't think i'll lose weight if i do?! Also how does having 600 calories instead of 500 calories affect the fast and SIRT1?

Any advice will be greatly welcomed, thank you in advance...

[Moogie]

Hi & welcome

Don't worry about your calories on your feeding days, just eat as your normally would (ie, how you have been eating before starting 5:2 - or have you being seriously calorie restricting prior to this?) - and don't feel guilty about anything! You'll find that as you get into your fasting, you'll naturally change your eating habits on feed days, wanting healthier foods, smaller portions and realising you don't need to eat just because it's 'mealtime', you should eat if you're genuinely hungry. You'll see

Some people have 2x12 hour fasts (dinner through to fast day breakfast, then 12 hours (ish) until fast day dinner; some go 24 hours (dinner the day before until fast day dinner) and some graze throughout the day. It's really whatever works for you, so if you can go the 18 hours, that's great, but if not don't worry. The main thing is to wake up, consume no more than 500 cals and then go to bed (knowing you can eat normally tomorrow!).

I don't know if you'll get the same health benefits on 600 cals, but you would still lose weight - albeit not quite so much probably as if you did 500 cals. Just be careful how you spend your cals and you'll be surprised just how full you can be from 500!

Hi & welcome

Don't worry about your calories on your feeding days, just eat as your normally would (ie, how you have been eating before starting 5:2 - or have you being seriously calorie restricting prior to this?) - and don't feel guilty about anything! You'll find that as you get into your fasting, you'll naturally change your eating habits on feed days, wanting healthier foods, smaller portions and realising you don't need to eat just because it's 'mealtime', you should eat if you're genuinely hungry. You'll see

Some people have 2x12 hour fasts (dinner through to fast day breakfast, then 12 hours (ish) until fast day dinner; some go 24 hours (dinner the day before until fast day dinner) and some graze throughout the day. It's really whatever works for you, so if you can go the 18 hours, that's great, but if not don't worry. The main thing is to wake up, consume no more than 500 cals and then go to bed (knowing you can eat normally tomorrow!).

I don't know if you'll get the same health benefits on 600 cals, but you would still lose weight - albeit not quite so much probably as if you did 500 cals. Just be careful how you spend your cals and you'll be surprised just how full you can be from 500!

Great, thanks for the advice.

I survived my fast day yesterday and woke up thinking 'hmm i can have anything i want now' i ended up having porridge - definitely the healthier option.

I will persevere for a few more weeks, i'm sure the fasting days will get a little easier. What kind of things do you have to the value of 500 calories on a fasting day?