The FastDay Forum

So it's now the fifth week and the start of the ninth fast already! Just thought I'd record some things I've noticed:

- Eating, esp snacking, on the 'feast' days has become remarkably restrained without even trying. This is perhaps the greatest benefit. I feel mentally re-programmed to eat when I am actually hungry, not just mindlessly from habit. Not claiming this never happens, but far reduced! And the appreciation level goes up when you have less.

- Sometimes, you end up having to cook a whole major dinner on a fast day, even though you know you will only have about four bites of it. But somehow, dealing with food can almost take the place of eating it! I was reminded of when I worked in catering, and being so busy we'd work right through lunch, handling food the whole time but not eating it, and feeling almost like we had! Very odd. So anyway, it's not ideal but it's survivable.

- I've only felt wobbly once, when doing a lot of city walking on a fast. Possibly lack of fluid. But since I've always gotten lightheaded and dizzy when I merely stand up, I don't attempt exercise on fast days at all.

- People really don't notice what you're eating, or not eating. To avoid suspicion and questions - I've still told nobody - I might have one crisp or a bite of something in company. Leaving the whole allowance if possible til evening means dinner can look quite normal.

- I do feel my heart sink - 'oh god, another fast day already' - on the night before. But once into the fast itself, I'm completely fine going through til the evening, and tell myself I'm only skipping lunch, really (since I often skipped breakfast anyway).

So, all in all, working well, gradual loss about a pound per week and feeling hopeful.

Emm - your observations are really helpful. 7th fast today and I too find that mindless eating has reduced. I have learnt to recognise hunger from desire. Keep up the observations as they will be so helpful to those starting 5:2.

Emm, agree with everything you say. I'm only 6 fasts in but like you I'm finding my appetite is surprisingly reduced on feed days. Fast days are a challenge but as long as I make an effort to keep occupied I actually quite enjoy them. It's early days but I really think this is the long term way to go.

Thanks for the feedback emm. I'm only a week into this WOE and already I can see my thought process changing. Mostly on feed days when I say to myself I can have that biscuit if I fancied but do I reeeeeeally want it? Even if the answer isn't always yes, I certainly don't feel guilty about it.

Thanks, everyone. It's just so great how this works, isn't it? I've become conscious of how very many times a day I idly think of having something to eat, and then I'm glad to be able to choose not to, and save for later.

Just been out, smelling food everywhere on the streets, which sets off real rumbling pangs. But it's almost enjoyable, to feel the humger and know it's doing some good!

Thats very helpful emm, was wondering about exercising but Im a fainter and had been thinking it was probably best kept separate to a fast day. So far Im actually relishing fast days - it feels liberating. I know what you mean about enjoying feeling the hunger and Im enjoying that flat empty stomach feeling you get with it.

I don't quite faint, but if I stand up too quick everything starts going black... A lot of people on here do seem to exercise just fine when fasting, but when I was running lots I definitely needed to have eaten something at the right time or I'd be significantly weaker and draggier. Though I wonder whether this is something that can improve with practice??

Interesting observations Emm. I'm on the same fast as you and have experienced moreorless the same, a reduced appetite on non fast days, and I'm not finding the fast days difficult at all. I run on a fast day without a problem so exercising doesn't seem to be a problem.
I definitely find it easier not to eat anything during the day and then have more calories to play with in the evening, even managing to have a couple of squares of chocolate with a cup of tea in the evening.
Keeping busy really helps, as does reading this forum and knowing that other people are going through fast days too.
One of the negative points was not sleeping too well, but I seem to be over that now and am sleeping well on the night following a fast days.
No faintness or headaches at all.
I chew sugar free gum in the day because I have a horrid taste in my mouth and no doubt halitosis to go with it;)
I'm really happy with my weight loss so far (having had a couple of weeks where I lost nothing) and am looking forward to hopefully getting to my goal weight/BMI in the next few weeks and then going to 6:1. I'm enjoying this 'diet' for the discipline it instills and changing my attitude to food, i.e. not eating for the sake of it. Food tastes so much better when you are hungry!

I have very low blood pressure - get the black thing a lot and very prone to keeling over, not allowed to give blood cos I fainted after doing it! People seem to find it difficult at first to exercise and then that its easier on a fast day.

Hi Emm, interesting observations, shame you dread fast days though, my approach is well I'll try it today and see what happens, only five fasts in but it seems to be working.

Franglaise - the thought of someday going down to a 6:1 is very appealing! You're a lot closer to your goal than me, but I will watch your progress with interest!

- Bee, I think my negative thoughts are mostly because the fast really starts the night before, after dinner, to do it properly, putting an immediate ban on any recreational eating in the evening! But then again, I do so much less of this anyway now, there's no need to feel deprived! I'm sure this will change over time...

And now it's the morning after that 9th fast. Went to bed rather humgry but didn't mind at all, looking forward to breakfast. But woke up with no humger at all. So will carry on til lunch probably, and will really ENJOY whatever that's going to be...