The FastDay Forum

Hello,

Am pretty new to the 5:2 diet, but really enjoying it so far and have noticed immediate results!

Just one thing I wanted to know. I'm not finding it too difficult to stick to low calorie days even on my non-fast days. My TDEE is about 1,750 but I'm finding I usually come in at 1,200-1,500. Is this good or bad? From a common sense perspective I'd imagine good = less cals, more weight loss! But am worried I'm messing about with the science of the fasting diet!

From a common sense perspective: stay close to TDEE! Makes sure you don't 'overdo' things in terms of reaction of your body to the changes and is the best strategy in terms of longterm motivation (this is not a quick fix, but a strategy for life). Make sure you don't get fed-up after a couple of months.

Welcome!

On feast days, eat until satiated, then stop - even if its mid-bite. If that happens at 1200-1500 calories, that's good enough. TDEE is a scientific concept than unfortunately has no practical way to be measured. It's more important to stick with the fast day 500 calorie limit. avoid snacks between meals and to maintain a sufficient calorie variation from day to day.

Just noticed the colliding posts with P-JK and see a need to clarify. I'm quite sure that he and I are in agreement in that it is detrimental to purposely keep calorie count low everyday. The variation in calorie count is needed to keep the body from thinking that it's experiencing the start of a long term calorie deficit. Alternating fast and feast day keeps it guessing and stops it from countering your efforts by slowing metabolism.

Though the boys have already said it well, I'll chime in: Low cal every day makes it into just another diet, leading to the same results as most other diets: Falling off the wagon. I've been 5.2ing for over 2 years now, and while I haven't lost all that I'd like to (yet), I've kept off what I have lost, and that's a win for me! And I haven't experienced the increased appetite typical of over-restriction of calories, due to the body reacting and deciding it's starving and it needs to step up its efforts to make you eat. Not saying you should pig out on normal days; just that eating "normally" on those days appears to be a better long-term strategy. 5.2 is not the way for those who want to lose weight fast and go back to their old ways. Here's a pdf I put together for a friend of mine...

5-2 et al.pdf

5.2 Basics

(590.6 KiB) Downloaded 50 times

[Tracieknits]

I agree with the above posters and welcome to the forum