The FastDay Forum

Thanks @P-JK, I'll post in the "manly thread" one of these days, and you're right, speed skating isn't really an option in Denmark.

Last night was 26 year wedding anniversary and we had a lovely evening at home. However nice it was, it was the last big meal between here and Copenhagen marathon, now it's focus time and I want to after eating bigger than usual for a week. I aim for a new low on Friday morning.

Three weeks to marathon and my wanted goal weight!
Today I had my last harder run before marathon. From now on it's about staying active without getting injured. I have a little trouble in the right lower leg I have to nurse. I guess I'll wing it rather than follow a strict running plan the last weeks.
The goal weight will be hard to get to. As I will run less than I usually do, I will need less calories on a daily basis. I will do more HIT stuff to see if that will help losing the last two kilos. My hope is to be at 65 kilos Thursday before race day, but if it doesn't happen, so be it. 5:2 has become a habit and both me and missus love it. Last night we talked about how fantastic it is to get through Easter and NOT gain 2 kilos as usual. It's not only the missing calories on the fast days, it's very clear it does something to your appetite and food choices on the other days. At least for us it works that way, mostly without spending a lot of will power to "keep that diet".

Welcome Monday!
During yesterday's spontaneous Sunday fast I decided to go out on a limb today. I decided to add eating window, aka "Warrior diet" style to the last 2 weeks before carboloading for the marathon. Why? I'm so close to my goal I think if I push a little more I will get there for the big day (and thus make the long run a lot easier). So, I read about this warrior diet and tried to sort the sensible things from the obvious questions this "diet" rises. (Like why are you allowed to "nibble" on fruits (Alert: fructose incoming) when you are fasting during the day, or "under-eating" as it's nicely phrased - it has a certain ring, you must admit it!
Anyway, I've earlier tried and failed at eating window, but as I am reducing the running kilometers in order to be fresh for marathon AND at the same should be very careful of not eating as usual to gain weight, I thought it would come in handy.
Today went well, the morning dragged on a bit waiting for "not-lunch"... Oh well, so I had a little tomato, cucumber and celery, all the good stuff with practically no calories in it.
Dinner was chicken and vegetables with some olive oil, followed by overnight oats with strawberries, so now I'm totally full on 700 calories. If that's the normal, I can see why it works, actually it will work too well, which is why many of the people (bodybuilders) on "warrior" take supplement with protein shake galore during the training day. Nothing I'd recommend especially, but people have their thing I guess, just like many wouldn't dream of running 42.195 km. My only argument here is, "Yes, but we were built to run and not to sport the body of 4 times average muscles." (*grin*)
By now the eating window isn't over and I will fill in more to make sure I can do it again tomorrow. I'm curious where this goes and I suspect it works quite differently on people (men/women for one thing) and the only way to find out is to try it. I sure can feel my skin is looser ( I never know if that's with one or two "o"'s, has anyone got a memorable rule?)

Loose women lose weight!

boy, I laughed! Great one @CreakyPete!

Another day with a short eating window (20:4) has almost gone by - Surprisingly well. When I count calories today it's hard to get it above 1000, even when overdoing it (We had some egg noodles and turkey and veggies, kinda hard to measure precisely and I'm quite happy with an estimate)
Had I planned to go on a 1k calorie diet, I'd sworn I couldn't do it, but just like yesterday I'm full and have really enjoyed dinner and extras - Come on, when you only eat 4 hours a day, you're allowed extras! And one of my favs is Quest bars - a protein bar with really good carbs.
I doubt it's smart to stay below 1k calories, but I'm also kind of curious where this will take me. I think I'll "go with the feel" and see if it evens out during the next couple of days. I'm on an experimental roll with fasting here

I'm inclined to think that eating a 'normal' amount of food on non fast days is an essential part of a sustainable way of doing 5:2, as it would prevent the body from adapting to low levels of calories (as would be the case in a 'normal' daily diet). Anyhow, for just a short period of time I guess it would be no problem.

Thank you @P-JK, of course you're right, for a longer period it's way too low for me.
On that note I broke the fast today with breakfast, to start filling up. I knew I was going on a run and I want to keep fast as usual tomorrow.
After the run and dinner with fabolous extras like strawberries and a little cream, I added up today's calories: About 1400 max.
We'll see how it goes tomorrow but I'm surprised hunger since Sunday has been so manageable (and I have only been slightly annoyed with other people - normally a sure sign of too little food)
Today's fun is I invented a Spanish word for a fasting person: Fastito (m) Fastita (f)

Hasta la vista mañana Fastitos!

Dinner done on fast day which means I'm in the clear. This must have been fast number 24 according to the progress tracker. That time since February has really flown by fast! I'm really excited both the weight goal and marathon is so near. I've said it before, but one year ago I would never, ever have believed I could have gone below 70, and not at all 68. But here I am!
The days since Sunday I have been hungry (testing 20:4 eating window) and while it's been effective, it's too effective. I know I will need to fill up the tank tomorrow before I flip over and go on a binge of really regrettable sugary/wheaty/buttery stuff (see, my brain knows how to play me already!) I was beginning to feel sluggish today and that is not a recommendable road. The next half hour I will enjoy life with a cup of coffee and plan tomorrows meals.

God, I want cheese! Nooooooooooo!

Friday... How a plan fell apart!
Today I had the intention of healthy low cal breakfast at work with colleagues, but I forgot my orange for the greek yoghurt. Ironically I have the task of buying bread and cakes etc. for our breakfast, so when time came I was so thoroughly hungry I went for two delicious ecological buns with cheese and chocolate (though not on same bun). Quite a feast! Lunch was reasonable, but I had the weirdest experience later on my way home: I was really, really drained. Like you are after 30 k running. Almost shaking legs and all. So I decided to skip any calorie counting whatsoever and just fill up, also having the weekend's training in mind. I guess the days Sunday-Thursday, totalling around 4000 calories was going too low - Even if it wasn't planned to be that low, it was just what I could eat when using two fast days and eating window of 20:4 the other days.
I had three slices of rye bread, something we really like in Denmark and probably quite unique to us and northern Germany. I've been frustrated with rye being categorized and treated as a "baddie" like wheat, so I was glad I found this site today.
Does any of you know this site and what's your opinion on their scientific value?
Maybe rye is ok after all. There is at least one Danish study underway about the positive effect and probable cancer preventive effect (because of the whole grain, vitamins and fibers I think)
I promise I wlll bake some homemade rye bread and share pictures and recipe with you.

*** edit I just had a whole bar 100 g of Lindt 70% (90% was sold out) muhahahha ***

Sunday's small notes:
Fasted until after 12 k training run, but I wasn't really hungry after yesterday's intake. Today was a solid fill up too, probably unwise, but there you have it! At least now I'm ready for fasting tomorrow and Thursday too.

Merciless scales!
Relocating for our youngest daughter, running and eating too much of the wrong stuff - Bumped me up quite a bit. Tuesday will show the real setback once water levels etc. has settled on normal.

Weigh in after fast day and a new low! Only by a 100g, but I'll take it as a small victory.
Things are really busy with the marathon coming up in 9 days. I have joined a club for running/biking and I look forward to be a part of "the entourage" at the Copenhagen Marathon. As much as running is something you do on your own I don't seek "the lone wolf experience". Going to, participating and returning home from a marathon can easily be an 8 hour thing and for me it's just more fun to do it with other people.
This weekend will be focused on eating a measured amount of the right things, hoping the usual spike up in weight will stay away this time. That spike I will have Friday next week when I'll be carbo loading. I have no intention of proving how far and well human beings can run on fats! I will happily leave that to others. Why? Because I love my runs and I want to return as quickly as possible to enjoying my weekly runs. It seems that the closer we get to "zero" (totally depleted), the longer recovery.

I have read ultrarunner Scott Jurek's book and as far as I'm concerned, he is one of the running Gods. When Scott says eat, i'll eat

This weekend will be focused on eating a measured amount of the right things, hoping the usual spike up in weight will stay away this time

Well, I blew that!
Daughter's birthday with great sushi, a long run, chocolate etc. after that, loads of food and ice cream for Eurovision... I am tempted to quote Oliver P. Smith, a WWII general: "We're not retreating, we're just advancing in a different direction!"