The FastDay Forum

Hi! My names Sarah and I'm new my plan is to combo the 5.2 diet with slimming world and I'm not sure how it's going to come out.... I'd love to hear if anyone's tried this before? My main concern tho is if I'm eating too healthily. I'm not sure if the 5.2 thing works on eating rubbish then fasting or constantly eating healthy but with the fasting. So if someone could explain that would be nice
Anyway bit of back ground: I had my son in 2009 and at my biggest I was 13st 13. I managed to get down to 11st 8 on my own then after 3 months of slimming world I've lost a further 1 st making me currently 10st 8lbs. I'm not entirely sure what my bmi is but I'm 25 and 5ft 5inches so hopefully not too far into the overweight category. Weight loss is very slow for me as you can see and my motivation is lacking because of the recent slow progress. For the past 3 weeks I have done over 5hours a week exercise: a mix of karate and kinect. And still very little weight loss. I don't ache like I did when I first started and I drink plenty of water so I'm pretty sure I'm not holding lots of water. The only explanation I find remotely comforting is that my body has got used to the slimming world diet and that I don't have lots of weight left to lose. My goal is 9st 7lbs and that would sit me comfortably in the ideal category.
Anyway going back to what I said about my body getting used to slimming world, I've decided to try and shock it into weight loss mode again with the 5.2. Whether or not it will work or not I'm not sure.
My first fast day is tomorrow and I plan to have an apple and banana for breakfast then a 450 calorie microwave meal at night around 4.30. I've decided this by listening to a friends success on the 5.2. Il drink lots of water with a cup of tea with 2 sugars at lunch time. I'm hoping I've not missed the point here?
Thanks for reading and I look forward to reading any comments or answers you might have for me Sarah

Hi,
I think everyone is different but I don't know how many people combine 2 methods - maybe just doing 5 2 without the Slimming World thing as well might kick start your body into losing again? Not sure but most people on here do 5 2 (or variations of that) - it might get complicated otherwise. There's a thing on here called a Progress Tracker and you can put your stats in and it will work out your TDEE (what you should be eating on non fast days calorie wise). That is very useful, I have found because it is easy to overeat without realising. Fast days should be around a quarter of one's usual daily intake (so most people assume that would be 500 for a woman) so your 450 cal meal plus an apple and a banana would take you a bit over. Not to mention the sugar in your tea at lunchtime. Good luck! This DOES work though - just not sure you need to make it more complicated than it is

[Tracieknits]

Welcome to the forums!

I have to say, if I had fruit for breakfast and 2 sugars in my tea for lunch, it would make me ravenously hungry and I would most likely end up eating things I hadn't intended. I love carbs and sugar, but eaten on an empty stomach they really make me a lot hungrier.

What I do on a fast day is simply not eat until dinner. I have coffee with 1 tbs of milk in it, or chicken broth, or warm peppermint tea (nothing added). I'm usually fine until about 3pm when I start to get hungry. Chicken broth is what fixes me up when I'm really hungry on a fast day.

Good luck!!

Hi:

First, there is no need to do slimming world with 5:2. With 5:2, you simply eat 500 or fewer calories twice a week, and eat whatever you normally eat the other five. Research has shown that what you eat on your diet and non-diet days does not matter as long as you stay 500 or under on diet days and at or below your TDEE on non-diet days.

Here are some tips for someone just starting 5:2: post68626.html#p68626

As for exercise, it is the best possible thing you can do for your overall health. However, it really does not help you lose weight: 5-2-diet-chat-f6/topic6543.html. So please don't expect to lose weight 'faster' when you exercise.

I suggest you work on doing your diet days correctly and after a month or two, asses your progress and decide what to do from there. You may be pleasantly surprised at what happens to you.

Good Luck!

Sarah - Welcome aboard.

I know this is going to sound crazy, but I'm going to suggest you step back, have a look at things and then consider a mental shift.

Slimming world is a diet. Intermittent fasting (aka 5:2) is a lifestyle. Sure, you can combine them. But by doing so you lose one of the big benefits of 5:2, primarily not being on a diet.

I love that Intermittent Fasting means I only really worry about calories 2 days per week. Sure on the rest of the days I try to be aware of my calories. But that doesn't mean I count them or obsess about them. I do consider what I am eating and skip items if: a) I'm not really hungry (stress eating, boredom, social pressure, etc) or b) my next meal is really just another hour away. Fasting has taught me that it is OK to be hungry sometimes and that I will not die from hunger. So 'waiting till dinner/lunch' isn't usually that big of a deal.

I also second the suggestion to fill in the progress tracker. I have found it a tremendous tool for monitoring my progress and inspiring me when I was getting discouraged.

Thanks all! Really helpful! Especially the part about sugar in tea... I have some herbal tea so il take that instead with a couple of sweeteners.
I think the only reason I wanted to stay with slimming world is that I eat extremely close if not bang on that diet anyway and feel very healthy on it. I do however feel deprived when it comes to treats n that really grates on me come family meals! But also, the weekly weigh ins and the fact that I have to pay keeps me on track and reminds me I have to do this!
Thanks also for the advice on the progress tracker. I now know my bmi is 24.something and in green so I think I'm in a healthy bracket. It advises I should be eating just over 2000 calories on a feast day and 549 on a fast day so I think il be just in with my morning fruit and evening microwave meal of 450 cals.
There is one thing I forgot to mention tho, I have extremely low blood pressure due to a strange kidney! It's usually around 70 over 40 so I absolutely cannot afford to faint! However it's my understanding that it's blood sugar levels that make us faint and they have always been a steady 5. I suppose all the extra water I'll be taking on can only do me good as I'm prone to kidney stones. Again thank you and I look forward to hearing more from everyone

Hi @Sarah1988 And Welcome
My advice for boosting weightloss are to try just 5:2 as you've already had suggested to you just for one month to see how you go on, this is no diet and once tried you'll realise you don't need or want the "others".
However on the subject of boosting for me this was a reduction of my carb intake that kickstarted my weightloss after I'd reached the plateau so maybe that's worth a consideration Best of luck with your decision

Blimey @Sarah1988 that is very low blood pressure. Presumably you're having it checked regularly? Do you get dizzy if you stand up too quickly? Just make sure you drink plenty of water on your fast days.

I think 5:2, alone, would suit you better because you've already done so well with SW that you've reached a healthy weight. With 5:2 you should be able to stick with it long term...and keep the weight you've already lost, off! Non fast days or "feast days" are designed to be days free from calorie counting etc. so that you're more likely to stick with it. Whilst SW is one of the better diets, you still have to spend a lot of time working out what to eat, don't you...and so it's easy to get bored...and fall off the wagon.

I would say stick with 5:2...you can't go wrong

Bean

Hi! Yea I'm halfway through my first ever fast day today n it's going well so far. I think I might right a blog later on so I can reflect in the future.
Yes the blood pressure thing is a mystery. I never feel dizzy and have never fainted but if I do il be medicated or so I'm told. I do worry a bit about fainting as the result would be a coma since I wouldn't (theoretically) come round on my own.
I think il try my SW/5.2 combo n enjoy having a few more treats n see how it goes. I have taken on board your comments tho and il consider ditching SW once I have my 6 week result. So again thank you for advice on the progress tracker! Will be a useful tool
I might have a post later on too about conflicting advice iv read in two separate magazines on the 5.2. This was regarding carbs. Il figure out the best place to post that and ask the question later tho when I'm home from work and more importantly... Fed! xxx

I wrote a reply and then found I was logged out...here's attempt 2.

There's no reason you can't use the SW principles, just remember you need to eat more calories each non-fast day than you would have done, as the fast days should be the calorie restriction.

However, it's all a bit of a journey and you can flex how much you eat. The only thing I would say is keep an eye on how much you eat averaged over the week, rather than per day. People who mix diets can eat too little, SW is about 1200 cals a day, so (5 x 1200 + 2 x 500) is less than a 1000 cals per day, which is unsustainable.

Likewise, people can go with the "eat what you like" principle with relish and are dismayed to find they're not losing weight at all. It's "what you like" not "all you may want or like"!

I didn't lose much weight to start with and my OH did sums for me and said it would eventually work and it did but it's not the drastic calorie restriction of normal diets, which is why it works in the long-term.

Thank you! That's makes sense. I think il struggle to get a good amount of calories in if I'm doing SW on feast days.
My main question is, am I suppose to be not eating carbs on feast days? I might treat myself to a sandwich for lunch tomorow! And just have yogurt n fruit for breakfast xx

You can eat whatever you like but carbs tend to be "less bang for your buck" in volume of food and are more calories for less satisfaction. They also tend to raise blood sugar, so that an hour or two later, you're hungry again.

If you know the principles of the GI diet, apply them here too.

Yogurt if it's flavoured can have a lot of sugar, as can fruit, hence why you might get an 11am lull.

A lot of us don't eat brekkie...I eat porridge and cream if I want breakfast now with grated apple, spices and coconut!

I found that when I started I ate just as I always had (ie loads of carbs) and I did lose weight but then it slowed down and I started reading about decreasing my carb intake (for health reasons really) and it really has sped up the weight loss.....but there are varying ideas about what constitutes 'lower carbs' - I'd say that if you're going to cut them down, try and do it with the refined sort and see how that goes. I don't really eat bread these days but you just have to find out what works for you; some people on here eat loads of carbs and do ok, some (like me) need to cut them. Just experiment and see what works for you

Thank you. Il definitely have my long awaited sandwich for lunch tomorrow then lol I think il just make smarter choices I.e. Whole meal bread with plenty of salad.
So if this diet is against fruit n yogurt and things of that nature, how are you ever supposed to get what you've put in, out?? Just purely with veg?
What I find confusing is some people say eat whatever you want on feast days and some say no you still have to be low carb and careful? Which is it? Xx

[carorees]

Sarah, the answer is, it depends...

On whether you're lucky with your genes and you're not too sensitive to carb intake
And, on how much weight you need to lose

If you are apple-shaped it indicates your body can't tolerate carbs too well and trends to put fat on around the middle due to insulin resistance (a forerunner of diabetes), in that case you may well find weight loss stalls unless you reduce your carb intake and/or cut calories on feast days or add more fast days.

If you have a lot to lose and/or are pear or hourglass shaped you can pretty much eat what you like on feast days.

For now eat what you like and see how you go.

But just bear in mind generally that carbs are not your friends, they stimulate insulin release and insulin's job is to keep your blood sugar down to safe levels. Any sugar created from the carbs in your diet that you can't use straight away for energy gets stored, mostly in the form of fat as insulin works on your fat cells top get them to take up sugar and turn it to fat. When insulin is up, your fat stores are not shrinking.

When you fast you're not eating carbs so insulin falls and your body burns fat. If you keep an eye on carbs on feast days it helps to prevent you from undoing the good done by your fast!