The FastDay Forum

Okay,
Guess I need to start documenting my 5:2 journey.

Too ashamed of my measurements to make my progress tracker public, but need something to keep me honest, hence the thread.

To reiterate, when I started this, I came into the diet with the I detests ding I had weight to lose. Always been on the heavier side of things, even from childhood. Been a big kid both in terms of size and weight. I have huge square shoulders, which helps conceal the extra weight. I just did not realise how much.

When I signed on here, I entered my data into the progress tracker and realised from my BMI that I am classified as obese!

Started my first fast on Wednesday, with the second on Friday.

First week was a little screwy as I did not plan very well, and could not work out the best days to fast. My long term plans are fast days Monday and Wednesday.

Progress has been relatively good. My fasts entail no food from dinner the night before the fast day until dinner of the fast day, where I will take a meal, keeping to within the 600 calories. Then nothing until breakfast the next day. So 600 calories in approximately 36 hours give or take.

The other days are back to my normal eating patterns. I have not consciously gone out of my way to change my diet, but feel that I do not eat as much on the feast days even though I can.

This week, we even had a function on Saturday at our place with guests and entertaining food, which means yummy food and a tendency to over indulge.

Did a weigh in today, Sunday and the results are not too bad.

While I will not reveal my starting weights, I can say I lost 2.1kg this week.

Now to see how I go in week 2.

[Betsysgr8]

While I will not reveal my starting weights, I can say I lost 2.1kg this week.

Now to see how I go in week 2.

Good for you!

Well done Dude!

Awesome, Dude. Looks like you've got a plan.

[janeg]

Great going Dude! Onwards and downwards.

Great start and great post, Dude. Your weight loss is likely to slow down significantly because the first week is always a 'quick win' (water loss). The forum stats here show that weight loss falls dramatically in weeks two and three and continues to fall less dramatically until about week 13 when it pretty much stabilises. But given your starting BMI (I'm avoiding the 'o' word!) you are likely to continue to lose c.0.5 kg per week.

The first week is the hardest (followed by the 2nd and 3rd and 4th!) so you've already got the worst behind you. Your fasting plan (evening meal only) is the same as I always followed - I just reached my target after nearly 8 months, so it worked for me! Keep up the good work and this will soon be a 'way of life' for you...

Thanks for the well wishes! Any help and support is much appreciated.

Dominic, thanks for the heads up regarding the rapid drop off in weight loss. Better to now now than be as spivey disappointed at the next few weigh ins.

Even at 0.5kg a week, the loss is quite significant. Going away at the end of the year . I figure 8 months to go, or approximately 32 weeks. Figure 8 weeks of delinquency or no loss. Still leaves 24 weeks or approximately 12kg loss. Good plan to aim for

Now hopefully the plan will come together!

Week 2 has come to an end, and the results are no where as stellar. In fact, I appear to have put on half a kilogram more than the previous week, and my waist measurement has gone up 0.5cm.

Not great news at all. However, I can pinpoint my exact downfall.

First up, my fast days are Mondays and Wednesdays, which go well and I know I am losing. My fast days on Tuesday, and even Thursday when we were out was pretty controlled, with decreased appetite on those days.

Then comes Friday, my downfall. Went out to a nice restaurant. Had a great meal and was feeling great with lovely company. Thought I could do a desert as well as a main. Was satisfied after the main, but desert put my over the edge. Was overly full after desert, uncomfortably so and felt miserable from a bloated stomach for the rest of the evening. Funny thing was, normally, I would be able to eat all this and more, so i did not think I was pushing my luck. But I sure paid for it afterwards.

Saturday was just as miserable. Not from the food the nigh before, but felt extremely run down. Lethargic and lifeless. My muscles ached and I had a dull headache. Not sure if it was the fall out from the night before or just a quick virus. Food intake was pretty good, but mainly because I was out of sorts.

Weigh in, unfortunately, is Sunday.

Thoughts for the week. As indicated, I feel the diet works. I just need to monitor my down days. Suspect the stomach is not as distended as it was before and cannot tolerate as much food. Need to watch myself, as the eyes adjust to the reduced tolerance for food.

Secondly, I suspect, the long span between my Wednesday fast until the following Monday is a bit of a downfall. I may need to consider a Friday fast more for routine. Not something I am so keen on as Fridays can be a social night. Something to think about.

In the meantime, I have to get ack on the horse and make a go of this week.

Just survived another fast day today without too much incidence. Only real issue is a feeling of cold towards the end of the day.

Dude, Can you make Friday a 1/2 fast day ie use all your calories in the evening, at least you will have more chance of not spoiling the whole weeks Cals a TDEE of 2000 will give you a very pleasant evening.

Nessie,
Thanks for bringing that up. I was getting so caught up in the all or nothing approach to the diet, a partial approach was never even considered. While it is not strictly a 5:2 fast day, it is still restricted calories which should at least help with maintenance if the weight rather than splurging out!

Thanks

Dude I too am having trouble with eye adjusting to reduced food so what I've been trying this week is
on a non fast day is making 1/2 of what I would previously normally eat or serve up 1/2 on my plate knowing I can go back if still hungry after eating it. To my surprise I haven't gone back too many times, it many help you out too in this adjustment period.

Tammz
Thanks for the tip. I have been trying that these past few days. Unfortunately, I cannot yet claim that I am rarely going back for more. But little steps

Okay, so week 3 comes to an end and time for another weigh in. Much better news this week. No real change in measurements but a much better drop in weight. This week, the scales have dropped 1.5kg from the previous weeks effort, allowing for a grand total of 3.4kg lost in my 3 weeks on this diet.

While measurements have not changed, I am noticing a gradual change in body shape. As us usual for me, the bulk comes off the extremities first. (Areas I have not measured ). So the arms, legs and thighs feel smaller, and probably are, given the slight decrease in tightness in those area. The torso on the other hand is not changing and almost looks bigger as the surrounding areas decrease in size!

Did things a little different this week. Still essentially 5:2 with fast days on Monday and Wednesday. For these days, I pretty much go without the entire day, saving my calories for a decent 600 calorie evening meal. However, this week, I added a partial fast day to Friday. As per normal dash days, I go without the bulk of the day. However, for my evening meal, there was no effort made to restrict myself to only 600 calories. Dinner could be anything I wanted in whatever volume.

My rationale for the change / modification:
1) with my 5:2 schedule, there is a long break between Wednesday and the following Monday, leaving plenty of time to stray off target. Routine for me is a key to success.

2) Friday was not chosen as a full fast day as I go out Friday evenings. I would rather not have to restrict my choices on these outings. I figure, if nothing else, the partial fast day would work more as a calorie restricted day, allowing for a splurge that night. Also, but restricting my intake during the day, I Rebs to find my hunger is not as great that evening meal, so j will be less likely to over indulge that night.

It seems to have worked this week.

Although, being Mother's Day today,I am sure our outings will have a small impact.

[janeg]

Sounds good Dude and well done!
Mixing things up and experimenting with what suits seems to be the key to this working for folk.

And so ends another week on the new WOL. This week marks a month on the path. The fact I am still here means I am still sticking to the rules.

So, first up, the results. Still no loss in measurements around the waist. That is still stubbornly sitting at the same level as the start. However, the weight is still dropping. Another week down and another 1.6kg dropped for a grand total of 5kg lost in 4 weeks. While the waist is stubbornly static, the excess weight is melting off in other locations. In my case, it is coming off the chest and legs.

Modifications to suit my lifestyle. While I started 5:2, I have not stayed there. My fast days are Mondays and Wednesdays. In the first couple if weeks, the 4 consecutive feast days made it too easy to fall off the band wagon. One advantage I have found with the diet is that immediately post fasting, appetite is slightly reduced, resulting in a lower than normal food consumption the next day. This does not mean I an starving myself the next day. It just means I am less inclined to over indulge post fast day. The further from fast day, the more the tendency to over indulge. So, under 5:2, by the weekend, I have returned to my old eating habits.

As a modification, I have moved to a variant more like 4.5:2.5. Mondays and Fridays are still rigid fast days. I have also added Friday as a semi fast day. Still largely reduced calories (skipping breakfast and lunch). Dinners, if I don't go out, I will try to adhere to reduced calories. If I go out, I will try to be good, but will not obsess if I blow it.

This seems to have worked this last couple of weeks.