The FastDay Forum

Hi all,

I started this 5:2 fasting in November after I saw the Horizon program, it's certainly working well for me.

Starting weight: 117 kg
Current weight: 105 kg
Target weight: 86 kg
Height: 176cm
Build: stocky
Sex: male
Age: 42

About 5-6 weeks ago I started doing the 4:3 diet which has sped up the weight loss, and I don't find it anymore difficult than the 5:2 diet. Typically I do Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but if I know I'm going out on Friday I do Thursdays instead...2 days in a row I find a bit harder than alternate days. I intend to go back to 5:2 in around 2 months or when I hit around 95kg

I do tend to overeat a bit on my feed days, but it doesn't seem to make much difference, I don't count calories on my feed days, for me this is one of the more enjoyable things about this regime.

Quite a few friends started doing it, but all have stopped doing it since. I guess it does take some perseverance and dedication. My family are also doing it, and have continued doing it, mostly for health reasons rather than weight loss.

I have lost 30kg before about 4-5 years ago. It took me 1 1/2 years to lose it, and that was through 4 hours exercise a day which just took too much of my time, and wasn't sustainable in the long run, even though I managed to do it for 18 months. I find this much easier.

My tip is to way yourself at the same time once a week, otherwise your weight goes up and down depending on feast or fast days, and I don't think it's good too see all those ups and downs, if I way myself first thing on the last fast day, I always get between a .5 kilo and 1.25 kilo continual weight drop each week.

I'll continue to post once in a while.

I do intend once I get to a healthy weight that I stick with the 6:1 just for the health benefits...but am looking forward to some better evidence on the long term health benefits of this way of living as there is far too much false information about health out there.

Cheers Matt

Hi Matt and welcome. Thanks for your info - you are doing great, but I am sorry to hear that your friends gave it up. Do you know why? I'm interested because to be honest we don't hear many failure stories here!

Do have a look around on the forums here, there is lots of discussion about the science behind 5:2, including the long-term health benefits, especially in the Nerdy Stuff.

They seem to have lost interest in it, or find it too hard...to be honest, I think they never really started it properly, or half hearted.

I think one of the problems people find is trying to cook smaller meals, to me also it seems a bit of a hassle, cooking and counting calories.

On my fast days, I actually stick to pre-made food largely. I have a low cal yoghurt for breakfast. A carrot, a stick of cellery, and some home made low cal soup for lunch. Then for dinner I have a 200cal meal replacement shake....It's a bit dull eating the same thing each fast day, but I don't find it much of a problem. I'm able to eat the same foods quite often actually without it becoming too boring for me.

Interesting. You do have to commit to this lifestyle (or WOE, or diet or whatever you want to call it), especially at the beginning, and maybe your friends didn't have supportive family?

I agree about cooking, I don't do it much either to be honest, I have tended to stick to calorie counted 'low calorie' meals, but M&S do some very tasty ones and quite a good range so I don't seem to have to repeat unless I want to. My OH eats them too so they can't be all bad..

As I am getting more used to this though the idea of a big plate of vegetables is becoming more appealing; you can eat a lot more greens than meat for your calorie buck!

Interesting. I have been toying with the idea of doing a 24 hour water fast followed by a non-calorie counted meal on a 4:3 basis (i.e. M, W, F) as I think the 24 hours x 3 are likely to give the health benefits plus I know that I could not eat all that much in the single meal. So even if it went over 500 cals it would still be a big drop in energy intake compared with a feed day.

It would mean stopping calorie counting completely which would be nice.

The question in my mind is whether three days a week compromises my enjoyment of life (or rather, food and the social activity around food).

It occurred to me after reading that the "2 day diet" allows a higher calorie limit on fast days. However, the 2 day diet involves being careful the rest of the week.

I haven't decided yet...

I don't find more frequent fasts an issue but I don't have a social life!