The FastDay Forum

Hi all,
Well after years of struggling with my weight and trying many different diets I've decided that a 'diet' isn't the way forward for me. So here I am, trying a new way of thinking and hoping to find that that 5 2 is a new way of life.
Started on Monday, and today is my first fast day. Feeling a little nervous about not eating til 6 this eve, but am keeping myself busy in the meantime. Have downloaded the my fitness pal app to keep track of calories, which is a godsend! Also started the 'couch to 5k' programme yesterday. Hopefully this isn't too much too soon but I'm sick of being overweight and unhappy.
Am also currently signed off work with depression, and so decided that setting myself this goal will help with that.
Anyway, there's my intro, I'm going to go off now and read all the inspirational stories and salivate over the recipe suggestions.

Dot

Hi Dotted. Welcome and good luck with your journey.
Don't try to do too much too soon. I've suffered from depression in the past and there's nothing worse than trying to do too much. However, if you feel you can cope with both diet and exercise, then go for it.
There's plenty of advice and lots of friendly people on this forum.

Welcome D!
I echo Chris's words,don't take on too much ..or at least if you find the Couch to 5 k quite difficult,just concentrate on getting familiar with your fast and repair days..tho of course some gentle exercise will help both body and mind as well
Hope you will feel happier soon
Lots of fun and encouragement on here to help you on your journey x!

Hi @Dotted, welcome to the forum! Great that you've found this place

I'm with Chis P on the speed of things. Have you not taken too much on yourself? Doing both changing the diet and exercising is hard to cope with. I know I couldn't do it, I've tried. The good thing is you can lose weight just with 5:2 and without exercising. After a while when you're feeling comfortable with fasting and being a bit lighter you could slowly start exercising.

Many of us, including me, started of fasting having 2-3 meals a day. Then gradually changing into 1 meal. At the beginning I couldn't fast all day.

But again, if you think you can cope, go ahead with full speed!

Best wishes

Hi Dot,

It can seem scary, I know I was nervous before my first fast, but that was nearly a year ago and here I still am.

Lots of folks on here have done or are doing Couch to 5k, I'm sure there's a thread about it if you have a rummage around. The weather in the UK is not conducive to doing much outside at the moment but as you are at home you can pounce on any dry spells as they crop up.

The Progress Tracker is a great tool, and doesn't have to be made public.

Good luck

[Tracieknits]

Welcome to the forums!

As others have said, don't beat yourself up if you have trouble making so many changes all at once - but good for you for doing something to change!!

Thanks so much for the welcome, encouragementand advice all. I know i may be taking on a little too much but will try all the same, and if it's too much I'll put the 5K on the back burner for a while.
I didn't realise you could still have 3 meals a day on fast days, I thought it was a meal 24 hours after your previous? Have gone okay so far, herbal teas have helped. Am now planning what I'm going to eat!
A quick question for you all, I have signed up on the progress tracker and it tells me I'm allowed 670 cals today, but I thought it was 500 standard? Which would be best?

Thanks again
Dot x

Welcome @Dotted. Nothing is 'standard 'on here. It's what works for you.....tweaking to fit! Why not try for 500 cals and if you get really ravenous have the extra 170 cals later on!
By the way I split my fast day into two meals, a very small meal at about 2pm of 100 cals and the rest for my evening meal at 7pm.

Thanks Auriga,
that sounds doable, small meal at lunch and then bigger at dinner.
Dot x

Welcome, @Dotted, and well done for deciding to take control of your body! Many of us on here find our fast days easier if we have just one meal in the evening and liquids only during the day. This is because we find that eating anything triggers our 'hunger switch' and sets us off wanting more and more food. By delaying our meal this tends to be easier to control.

However, there are also many people who do eat one or two smaller meals during the day. In fact, there is a huge variety of ways in which people tackle their calorie allowance so it's whatever you want it to be!

Judging by the TDEE which the tracker has allocated you, I suspect that you may have quite a long journey ahead of you as far as weight-loss is concerned and this is the reason for your larger TDEE. It means that you could eat up to this maximum and should still lose weight, although you don't have to do so! Again, it's entirely up to you! You are in charge!
Good luck and enjoy the journey!

Hiya Dot and a warm welcome from me too - this is my 5th fast day - and yes you can more or less work it however it bests suits you personally.... I had a poached egg on slice of toasted Nimble at brekkie which was around 9.30am, lunchtime I had a bowl of fresh strawberries and a little melon, was full after eating it too - then around 7pm am having a weight watchers meal - maybe chicken curry and rice. that takes me to around 500 cals for the day. not too bad really . stick with it and when you feel able then and only then think about tackling the get fit bit xxx

Hi @Dotted And Welcome
You sound as if you've planned yourself a great new beginning to go with your new WOL and yes take small easy steps to begin with and see how you get on.
Good luck

Hi Dot and welcome.

Find what works for you. We are all different. Some eat three meals a day, some nothing.

I started with porridge for breakfast then a small evening meal. The first couple of fast were about 900 to 800 cals a day. Once I got used to reducing my cals I dropped it down to one evening meal and 500 cals. Over time this has reduced. I now do one meals of about 300 cals.

The key is do what is workable for YOU and adjust it when appropriate.

Good luck on your journey.

Lesley

Hi and welcome:

Here are some tips that might help: post68626.html#p68626

Good Luck!

Thanks to all the new posters so nice to know there's a place to go for support.
@stowgateresident I do have quite a lot of weight to lose, currently at 17 and a half stone, which makes me cringe writing it! But am ready to be in it for the long haul and don't expect overnight results.
@simcoeluv many thanks for the link, that post was really useful!

I did okay on my fast day yesterday. I had a banana at about 4 and then home made chili con carne on a baked potato at 6. Was definitely hungry by that point, so think for a while I'll do 2/3 meals on fast days until I get used to the lower calories.

Here's to success!

Dot x