The FastDay Forum

Hi All

I'm new to the forum and have started doing 5:2 three weeks ago. My starting weight was about 76 kgs and I was 74 kgs this morning after having a fast day yesterday. I fast Mondays and Fridays. Under normal circumstances I would be absolutely ecstatic about the weight I lost and I'm quite pleased with the results but I actually need to lose 1 kg a week in order to be in shape for a trip back home in mid May. I work three days a week and look after a busy toddler the rest of the week so can't spend hours a day exercising. I can maybe exercise on three days a week.
I'm just after some ideas on how to get to the magic 1 kg loss per week. The fasting days are quite easy on me as I do them when I'm at home and not working. Should I do 4:3 instead or count/restrict calories on my days off? Fasting another day would mean I would need to do it on work day and I'm not usre I can do this. Any piece of advise is welcome. Thanks guys!

This is not a fast weight loss plan. However, you could try 4:3 but research has shown it doesn't speed up your weight loss a whole lot. I also wouldn't recommend cutting way back on feed days because you may fall off the WOE all together. I know you said you are strapped for time, but truly the best idea is to get some form of exercise in. When I first started I figured one pound a week was due to the 3000 calorie deficit I created and another from the 100,000 steps I took each week. You would be surprised how easy it is to grab three 20 minute sessions a day if you really put your mind to it. Just my thoughts on the matter and I wish you the best of success!

[Debs]

Yep, as GoLinda says, this is not meant to be a diet but a new way of life. Weight loss will be slow and steady otherwise you cannot maintain it. It does come off quickly if you have a lot to lose, but will slow down.

[carieoates]

Hello, welcome and well done for your loss so far.
Without knowing your BMI etc etc, it's difficult to help alos we can't see how much you need to lose. As already said it comes off faster at first and the more you need to lose. It's about 1lb a week loss this way, but some can do a bit more. Doing 4.3 won't make it come off faster, I do 4.3 it stops me starting my way hey weekend too soon. Have a look at the tracker forum stats for more info.
Good luck keep it simple and let us know how you're doing.

I wish you the best of success too and in all humility want to suggest:
- Weight is not everything. If you start training you will probably gain muscle and you will weigh more. You measures will be smaller though. You will also be a "healthier" individual by common standards.
- It is very hard to keep a weight loss of 1 kg for so many weeks, especially when you are a female. You want to lose about 7 kg's more. We don't know your BMI, but if you're close to 25 or even below, getting to 1 kg a week would require Madonna's personal trainer, nutritionist, time and budget.
- I see 5:2 about getting to "healthy" and not so much about getting to "skinny". I wish for all to be healthy and you have to define your own compromise of wanting to enjoy all of life's temptations and doing what's great for your body over time.
So instead of setting yourself up to a failure trap where you can only end up feeling bad, be ecstatic about your achievements come mid May, whatever they may be, knowing you have discovered and started a new way of life that will support you for many years to come.
- The best/most effective you can probably do besides exercise, is to cut sugar if you haven't already. That includes foods with added sugar so there's a lot of reading ingredients ahead. Sugar is like hair when you get older: It's everywhere you don't want it.

Hello Annette.
Congratulations on your 2kg weight loss - it is a great start!
What I say next is meant in the nicest possible way but perhaps if you are desperate to lose the weight that fast you might consider another form of weight loss. If you feel you can commit to calorie counting and restriction every day then maybe a more classic diet like Slimming World or WW would suit you?
I have done both in the past with good results but found them impossible to maintain but since you are only talking about a 7 week period perhaps you could do that and then find 5:2 as a way to maintain and help with any further weight loss.

Do bear in mind though that unless you are very overweight rapid weight loss is not healthy and 1kg (2.2lbs) a week might be pushing it slightly for long term loss. Plus I find it comes off all the wrong places!!

This is definitely a way of life not a quick fix, I lost 1kg last week as I restarted after a break. This week it will probably only be 0.5kg despite having no carbs Mon-Fri and no alcohol 5 nights. EDIT I have only lost 300g depsite three fast days, no bread, rice, pasta and a serious cut down in alcohol!!!

Good luck with your journey and remember it takes time, we all want to look our best but do it healthily xxx

Hi there! In thus situation,i agree with@spanner as many times in the past i've lost two pound or more per week on W Watchers and similar.
Please note the " many times" as its all always gone back on, sooner or later,leaving me still with the original weight problem AND more..which is why i no longer follow WW or Slimmers World, Rosemary Conley,Slimfast etc.
But for a short term strategy WW etc is your best way forward,then maybe review the situation after yr trip! X

Hi @Annett76And Welcome
This WOL is not a quick fix or even a diet as others have said however it is doable, easy, simple and very effective and totally sustainable, as you've already lost some weight you now know most of that yes 4:3 is an option but if you don't think it would be doable for you with work why not try lowering your carb intake
pop into the LC tent for ideas. Sue

Hi Guys

Thank you so much for your replies and honest answers. So my BMI is just under 27. So I'm just a little bit overweight. I didn't even realise that trying to lose one kg a week might be so difficult. I did WW a while ago and found it a PITA. lol I didn't even lose half a kg a week as it was so difficult to stick to and count points every week.

What you guys wrote made me think about going back on a program I did four years ago. It's called the Xtreme Fat Loss diet and lasts for 25 days. I lost about 5 kgs on it. Sounds great right. Yes, but exteme results demand for extreme measures. I'm not sure if you heard about it. It comprise of 5 cycles of 5 days and each day is different diet and exercise wise.

Day 1 Cheat Day - Eat what you like
Day 2 - Fast Day - Nothing but Branched Chained Amino Acid Supplements
Day 3 - Shake Day - Basically ow Carb Nutritional Protein Shakes
Day 4 - Moderate Carb Day - Yes, finaly a day that resmembles normal eating
Day 5 - Protein Only Day - Just Protein and non starchy veggies

You also exercise like crazy every day tailored to the type of diet you have.

I'm not even sure if the weight loss I had with this was due to the diet or more due to the amount of exercise I did as I think the calorie deficit without exercising might not be too different compared to 5:2.

What should I do. I know I would lose a ton of fat if I followed the Xtreme Fat loss diet to a 't' for 25 days, however, would struggle with the diet restrictions and amount of exercise required. Wheras I could easily follow the 5:2 diet and exercise about 30 minutes a day (Waking, Dancing ). I would probably even find it easier to follow 4:3 than the Xtreme Fat Loss diet. However would probaly not see the same results.

I just wish I had found out about this WOE three months ago.

What should I do???

Warm regards from Melbourne!!

If you want to give intermittent fasting a try, I recommend ADF/every other day "fasting". Fast days are 500 cals. Tracking calories is a pain, but maybe for a little while, track on non-fast days to make sure you're not going over TDEE. If you can find the time, exercise as well. Look at the various HIT/HIIT thread here for something quick and effective.

Having said that, I still think 1 kg per week is a tall order. Basically that is a 7700 calorie deficit per week. And the closer you are to a healthy BMI, the slower it seems to come off (probably because your TDEE is lower). For me, that would be about 3/4 of my weekly calories!!

The Xtreme Diet sounds grim
Reminds me of one i used to do at times called the Binge Buster
My daughter only mentioned it this weekend...I used to keep all the dreary Binge Buster details in my dresser drawer..As a child,she remembers periodically seeing me getting it out of the drawer..She said my mouth was always in a little thin straight line as i looked at it!
On a serious note tho,makes you realise how children are observing our habits even when we are unaware of it.

It's now your choice really how to spend the crucial next 25 days! I also often have that heartfelt feeling of " if only i' d known about this sooner"! X

Hi Annet76

Good luck with your crash diet, sounds horrendous but if it has worked for you before ...

An alternative would be to do Atkins"by the book" for 7 weeks, as this gives most people a big initial loss - for as long as they can stick with it. Then when you can no longer stick with it there is fasting for slower weight loss and maintenance.

I think you should do what makes you the most happy in the long run. No matter what, after your visit home: Pick up the 5:2 to be sure you never end up in this situation again.
I can't think of any reason why it matters so much to have lost the weight for your trip home other than it's really imperative for you to make a good impression on people important to you in some way. And that reason better be good
It makes me sad whenever appearances (belly size) completely dominates your own and others perception of "how valuable a person you must be".
If you are madly in love I can understand!

Well said@RunningOlsen very thoughtful comments and i agree with you! X

Agree with everything here. If you can't do more than 2 days fasting, go low carb and 16:8 with it. You might shave a little more, but 1kg a week is optimistic.