The FastDay Forum

Hi, I'm Sarah and started the 5:2 diet about 3 weeks ago. Looking to get some new ideas for food to eat on fast days ( I don't like fish) Also wanted to ask this......Your fasting day has to last 24hrs so can I start my 24hrs on an evening? For example I am fasting today and then thinking Sat. So if I eat normally on Fri then say have my last meal at 5pm could I then use my 500cals thru Sat but after 5pm on Sat have a normal meal? Does that make sense?!

[Moogie]

There's been a lot of debate about doing it that way, which is the alternative option Mimi describes in the book. The original way Dr M did 5:2 (and which most of us follow) is to wake up on a fast day, consume only 500 cals, go to bed and then eat normally the next day. Some of us go from dinnertime the night before, fasting (0 cals) for 24 hours and then having a 500 cal dinner.

The way you're describing should cause some weight loss, but not as quickly (especially depending on the size of the dinner you have after your fast, as this could bump the day's calories back into fairly normal figures!) and won't give you the added health benefits either as I understand it.

But, the key to 5:2 is its flexibility, and if you try that and it works for you - and you're happy with the rate of loss, then keep at it It may not be what most of us are doing or the original method, but if it works, woohoo

Thanks, I prob won't do it that way very often but thought I might struggle with it being a weekend!!! I have only got about half a stone to lose so hopefully won't affect too much and doing it for health benefits too