The FastDay Forum

I have missed a fast on purpose, like when we are away on holidays. But Ive never failed on a fast day. I've gone a little over my calorie count a couple of times but that was planned due to a birthday or other occasion.

Great idea for a poll, I voted that I have missed a fast due to "forgetting" or change of plan etc, actually I've done that today! What I like about these threads tho is that although it consider I've failed, I haven't really because I can just choose to fast another day, so thank you for that! X

I chose 'other'. I started 5:2 fasting January 2014 and have generally found fast days ok. I get a bit irritable and snappy towards the late afternoon but the whole fasting business has been much easier than I thought it would be. I gave myself some time-out following a bereavement and then got back on track. However I had one day, just one, where I couldn't settle and spent a lot of time 'picking' at food. I didn't plan to do this but realised by the time I came to eat my 500 calories that I had probably already consumed them. So I ate a meal and put the whole business down to experience. Back on track after that and still losing.

Other! Where is the box that says : got to 8pm and started pushing food in or went over calories and thought I'm over so might as well go for it! but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. Just means it'll take longer to lose the weight. Better than the old days when u pigged out on a diet and threw the towel in.

Every now and then I fail a fast day because I feel so hungry I can't function - not to mention the acid that builds up in my stomach. I don't know why this happens, but it feels as if my body is fighting back. It must be easier for people who drink tea and coffee - I loathe the taste of them. Water is no help to fend off hunger.

Any suggestions welcome.

I've never just given up on a fast day, but have decided to do a fast day when something has turned up socially, and decided to change my fast day to avoid any stress.
That's the beauty of 5:2. Can't do it today? Ok I'll do it tomorrow.
I enjoy my fast days.

Every now and then I fail a fast day because I feel so hungry I can't function - not to mention the acid that builds up in my stomach....Water is no help to fend off hunger.

That sounds very unpleasant, @saj. How are you splitting your food intake on a fast day? Do you have several small meals or do you save all the calories for one meal, or not consume anything at all?

Do you drink broth/thin soup on your fast days when you feel hungry? Sometimes, having a vegetable broth (even just the liquid, without the vegetables) can normalise someone's electrolytes/salt levels and make them feel better with surprising rapidity. And I wonder if you might find that the soup reduces the sensation of the acid stomach.

There seems to be 2 different interpretations to this question - "missing a fast" vs "starting a fast but not completing it for some reason"? I assume it is the latter?? I have chosen other because, like a few people who have posted, I have started a fast but have not kept to the calories, mainly because I can't cope with a constant feeling of hunger and no number of distractions or drinks helps. I did find that keeping to the calorie limit was necessary for successful weight loss, and most fast days I managed, but there are days when I am just not in the zone!

Difficult to chose which one to vote for as I've messed up loads of fasts, mainly through stress which destroys my willpower halfway through the day and I end up eating non stop, but sometimes I decide to change to another day if I don't feel in the mood for fasting when I wake up, or if we are expecting visitors or have family staying with us.
Just recently I find it hard to fast at all.

Me too @coffeetime, me too. I feel so hungry on fast days. Will power low. But I do feel this past year has been, for me, about maintenance rather than more loss. I'm 2 stone lighter than I've been for years. Hope we can both find our way soon. Keep us posted if you do!

]Hi everyone
I chose other because
1. I have been fasting and given up due to sickness that day
and
2. I follow the scool terms for fasting. Allowing myself a break for the school holidays. I don't go overboard with
eating at these times and still do 1 or 2 days of 500 calories. I consider this reward/reflection time and then look forward
to the school term and fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. It seems to give me some empowerment at not having to
do the same old lunches each day. I really enjoy how I am going. Weight not coming off via scales but showing in clothing and people who haven't seen me for a while are saying I am virtually "glowing" from hair to toes!
tenshi

In the year and a half I have been doing 5:2 I only had one day that my planned fast was abandoned. I abandoned the fast because half way through I realized I was leaving the next morning for a flyout and planned travel day. I'm not a great traveller so I decided I needed to tip a brew or 2 to settle my nerves.

I have given up a fast half way through the day twice in one week as I was so tired from lack of sleep and when I am tired I am sooooo hungry and I crave carbs like a monster so I just said "stuff it" and just gave up and ate like a carb crazy monster.

On the few occasions when I haven't completed a fast or gone over I've usually made it until at least 4pm so I don't consider that a failure. I call it 'throwing' a fast if I decide I'm not going to stick with it. It's only happened a few times, usually caused by circumstances, but once I think because I was fed up.

Sorry duplicate post

I wouldn't class it as "fail" but this year I have changed my mind half way through a fast day fairly often. Last year I'm pretty sure I fasted 11 months straight, twice a week, no excuses. It was just either a fast day (and I didn't eat anything) or a not fast day (and I ate whatever I felt like) - but I've had a lot going on this year which meant some time not fasting, and now I just can't get back into it properly again. It's like my brain has realised it can make excuses and end a fast.