The FastDay Forum

Having been overwhelmed by a friend's enthusiasm I am starting my new way of life on 5:2. I am doing my first fast day tomorrow. I SO hope this way of eating will work for me. I live in S.W. France and am, as you can imagine, surrounded by lovely foods...and hot baguettes. Over the years here I have tried other diets, but it's hard to restrict yourself every day...so this way of eating seems perfect. One question, if I may...can you really eat freely on the non-fast days, it's a difficult concept to get my head round! Will I lose faster if I calorie count on my non fast days. TIA to anyone who answers...merci beaucoup

No not if you mean eat as much as you like. Check what your recommended calorie allowance is for you and try to stick close to that . If you have been used to calorie controlled diets you probably know what that looks like. I like to think of "eat well". The "freely" part is that no food is restricted and that is a huge weight (haha) off when for years we have been told no potatoes, bananas, rice or whatever. Clearly you can't gorge yourself and expect the fasting will magically erase that. Good luck!

Thanks Caro, good of you to take the time......good luck on your 5:2 journey. I see you are a "foreigner" as we'll, wonder how many of us there are?

Yep there are a few of us down under. My brother is in Paris for work for a year. I saw him this week. He has been enjoying the baguettes too!

Hi lornameg & welcome!

Most of us on here have tried every diet imaginable but this is by far the most flexible TMWOT. The short answer to your question is no you CAN eat what you like but NOT unlimited amounts unfortunately. Basically what you are doing is restricting your calories quite severely two days of the week which allows you to eat normally the other five. Regarding counting calories on non fast days, a lot of people don't but its not a bad idea just until you get used to portion sizes & calorie content of the foods you eat. (I'm trying not to think about hot baguettes )

Good luck tomorrow, post on "the fasting today" thread for support, drink plenty & you'll do fine

There is a quite large French contingent.

Welcome.

Welcome!! I'm starting this week too
Good luck......stick with it, I've read some really inspiring posts on this site and everyone seems very supportive

Other than watching the Horizon programme last year I was clueless when I first started but this forum is great to get info and advice.

Go for it!

Hello and welcome!

I tend to eat the same things I eat on fasting days, but just bigger portions. I don't eat bread on fast days (incredibly hard as I have a breadmaker and the smell of it baking... oh good lord!) and I have a few little tricks and food subs that cut the calories down - even on feast days. It's taken a few weeks, but you'll probably find you'll adjust your eating habits in no time!

Thanks to you all...had a roast dinner tonight, now on fruit teas till lunchtime tomorrow.
Planned meals for tomorrow
Lunch...salad bowl with half a small tin tuna, basic salad veg, 7 olives and 10 ml low fat dressing...160 cals
1 fat free fruit yogurt....60 cals
Dinner...1 portion roasted veg,....80 calories with dry fried egg on top 70 calories.
By my reckoning thats ....hmmm, only 370, do I have to eat all my 500 calories?????

By my reckoning thats ....hmmm, only 370, do I have to eat all my 500 calories?????

I quite often don't. I tend to base my meals around green veggies which fill me up and have next to no calories. With that many left over, you have the option to have a snack if you feel you need it. Or a bit more tuna with lunch.

Thanks again. Tell me, please, is there a way to thank someone without sending a new message every time, I've searched for an icon, but must be missing it. By the way, it was 24 degrees here in SW France today...not bragging or anything....

Hello lornameg
Welcome to 5:2 ing & the forum. To thank someone just click on the thumb icon on their post that is on the top right hand side of the script.

24 degrees - not jealous at all... I went walking with a friend today in Somerset it was 9 degrees and we got soaked!

I'm new to all this too and I'm planning to start tomorrow like you. Let me know how your day goes. I need all the inspiration I can get.

Hi lornameg, ooh warm baguettes! My daughter and I subsisted on baguettes (warm and otherwise), balsamic vinegar, cheese and espresso while traveling in Europe for 5 weeks. It was heaven!
Oh, and wine, of course!

Welcome!

Chris (wishing I was there right now)