The FastDay Forum

Or do you keep on going? I work shifts and working the early shift this week. I get up at 4.45am and start work at 6am. By the time I have lunch I'm starving and it's only 10.30am. So I have gone slightly over (700 calorie all together) and just wondering whether to still class this as a fast day!

I would call it a fast day. Its a severe calorie restriction. Have you just started 5:2?

Yeah, started it on Monday. Perhaps had my two fast days too close together.

I would class it as a fast day. I think it depends on if you mostly want weight loss or health benefits. If you're in it for weight loss you may need to moderate what you eat on other days. If its for health then I think the main point is to go a decent length of time without food.

It took me a few goes to get down to 500 and I'm still often nearer to 600 if I'm honest. I also found I needed at least two days between fasts at the start but now, whilst I prefer to have my fasts spread out over the week, it doesn't bother me if I only have one day between.You soon start to find what works for you as an individual.

I would call it a fast or a semi-fast and try to squeeze in a proper fast in the week. But even if you just stick to 2 fasts, it's still OK. 700 is probably less than half of what you usually eat.

Yes just keep it as low as you can. Don't be tempted to try to do another fast the next day (i.e., don't write your day off as a failure). As minumonline says it's still a big calorie restriction. Just be a bit more careful on your next feed day.

I always think th emargin of error is about 100kcals to still be classed as a fast day, depnding on what you eat normally. As long as it is well over half your mnormal intake, it should be fine. Just try and eat 100 fewer the next day or something. don't have the extra jaffa cake! lol.

I'm in agreement with our other 5:2 friends - this would still count as a fast day for me and I might take it into consideration the next day (all depends on what I was up to and how hungry I might be) Good luck gib369 I guess you'll have a bit more juggling to do with the shift patterns to make it work for you, so it may take a bit longer to adjust too (?)

I would call it a building block for your next fast day. It takes a while to figure out what works and what doesn't.

My Oh who worked out the numbers for me (he can do it in his head, he's a bright boy ) says so long as I stay under a 1000 it'll work for me (that was on ADF).

If you have one day at 700, another at 500 and the rest at 2000, assuming you're average here, then it works out at 1600 cals per day, when you should really be trying for 1500. So yes, if you modify your diet slightly on feed days and stick to 500 the other fast day, you're ok.

If that makes sense??

If you are doing the diet for its life extending capabilities then you must get inside 500/600 calories to be sure it will work. If you are trying to lose weight - who cares?

Having said that no one really knows where the 600 calorie cut off is so 700 may be ok. Don't beat yourself up. I would count it as a fast day...