The FastDay Forum

This is my 5th week doing the 5:2 regime. I have had a few issues and seem to be going through a rough patch health wise due to illness going around at work but have stuck through 9 fasts so far and am really noticing a difference.

When I started out I thought there was no chance this would work. Despite seeing all the loss discussed on theses boards I really didn't think it would work for me due to numerous failures in the past and even personal trainers not understanding why I was not losing weight. I didn't take any measurements before starting and have not weighed myself at all throughout. Party of this is because of a part history about getting obsessive over weight and party is because I didn't think it would work and I didn't want to experience the failure.

After the first week I felt a difference and so joined these boards and took my waist measurement. At the end of that week I took measurements from all over my body and once a week have been taking these measures. I am careful to measure in the same place each time, using moles or scars etc as position guides, and I take 4 or 5 measurements and record the median measure. I measure at the same time of day. I now have 4 waist measures and 3 measures of other places and am so far very pleased with the results.

Waist - lost 4.5 cm
Bust - lost 3 cm
Under bust - 0
Hips - 2 cm
Widest part of bottom - 6 cm
Top of thighs under bottom - 6 cm
Thigh - 4.5 cm
Calf - 0.5 cm
Upper arm - 1 cm

That makes a total loss of 27.5 cm all over so far.

My skin is much clearer. However, I notice my headaches and migraines have increased in number. I am hoping this decreases as my body settles into this regime. I initially started with the small meals on my fast days but have now changed to one main meal in the evening with a hot cocksure (EDIT: this should read chocolate but such an amusing autocorrect typo from my phone that I am leaving it in) late afternoon when I need it. So far so good. I hope that the trend continues.

I do know what weight I was just before I started as I had some medical tests done. I think after 6 months I will see what the weight change is but am determined to stick with not weighing myself for now and my measurements suffice as motivation.

That sounds really positive, well done. I know many of us are shy of having targets for fear of failure we have known in the past. It doesn't seem possible that such a simple regime can be so successful, yet it really is.
I must say I think you have iron will power to resist weighing yourself for so long, I couldn't do that. Need to know!

That sounds like a really good idea, I am obsessed with the scales and after a big loss the first week, put on 0.5lb second week and this week is not looking good on the scales (official weigh tomorrow). Having said that I do feel good, more energy, my skin is clearer too and my clothes do feel looser. I might take your idea on board and start measuring!

Hi Louise,

Well done! What great results for just 5 weeks.

It's also really good to know about the other effects, good and bad, such as skin and migraines, as I'm sure this will help lots of us when we start to notice things other than weight loss.

Evie

Really well done Louise - what brilliant results!!

I have to ask you, though, what is a 'hot cocksure'? It sounds like something I might need, too, especially late in the afternoon on fast days when I'm feeling glum. Sounds marvellous.

@ Marlathome - wow, that will teach me to post from my phone! It obviously has interesting autocorrect ideas. Hot chocolate. Although the other does sound like a distracting way to take ones mind off hunger, lol.

Thanks everyone else for the encouragement. As for not weighing, I threw my scales away a while ago. It removes temptation.

[carorees]

Brilliant Louise, well done!

It's great that you have got lots of measurements and I would be really interested to know whether the rate of loss at the different sites varies from week to week. My waist has hardly changed in the last month while the weight keeps reducing but I am pear-shaped so that may make a difference but I did not measure hips, bust, thighs so I don't know what has been happening there.

Your waist, bottom and thigh reductions are impressive! You'll need some shopping therapy soon I reckon

I prefer the sound of hot cocksure to hot chocolate! You can edit your post BTW if you want to correct it, but then it is much better as it is IMHO!

Carorees - I know, I edited but left the original typo in.

I am keeping lots of excel charts to show rate of loss. My results to-date show an initial large decrease in waist and that has now slowed, but I have also dropped to a waist height ratio of 0.46 (46%). I am pear shaped, carrying most weight on my bum and thighs (each of my thighs is nearly the same as my waist!). The rate at which I am losing inches from thighs and bum is consistent. My arm, calf, bust all showed no loss initially and have gone down in the last week.

I am saving a little each week for a big shopping trip after 6 months. It is going to be my reward for sticking to the diet regardless of whether I lose more or not.

Great stuff Louise, like you I know from my past that I can easily become obsessive. I no longer have scales at home and weigh once a month at work, I don't feel any pressure but do feel this is something I could do for the rest of my days

[carorees]

I am saving a little each week for a big shopping trip after 6 months. It is going to be my reward for sticking to the diet regardless of whether I lose more or not.

Good idea...can I join you?

Good idea...can I join you?

Of course

Bee - thanks.