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For anyone trying to lose weight...my experience with the 5:2 fasting diet

Hi everyone!

I have been a good stone or more (14 pounds for our American friends) overweight ever since having my first child - and that was nearly thirteen years ago! I went from eight and a half stone (pre-pregnancy) to twelve stone, and then settled at just over ten stone for the last ten years or so (I'm only 5ft 3in tall). I have never dieted, although I try not to overeat, and although I appreciate some of my curves I've never really been happy about being bigger. Apart from a nasty flare last year when I lost a few pounds then put them straight on again, I have never managed to lose any weight.

So I have now embarked on my first 'proper' diet ever - the 5:2 fast diet, and it is working!

I'm sure many of you will have heard about it, but basically it consists of cutting your calorie intake to 500cals (600 if you're a man) on two days of the week. On the other five days you just eat your normal diet.

For those of us with poor will power it means that you can work on the 'one day at a time' principle and I manage to get through the fasting day because I know that it's only for that day - I can even go to bed early to make the next day come quicker!

I had a little difficulty getting used to 'fasting' at first, but if I keep busy and away from the kitchen it's not a problem. I also had a bit of trouble finding out what was best for me to eat, as I couldn't fill up on too much salad because it upsets my guts, but I have found bananas good, lots of water, and simple prawn, chicken and rice/pasta dishes are good, spiced up with a little sweet chilli or soy sauce.

Anyway, I have been losing a pound a week (a good steady rate, I think) and according to my body fat scales it is actual fat loss (rather than water or muscle). So after 6 weeks I am 6pounds lighter and feeling fab. I can already get into previously worn jeans, and I'm just off now to have a sandwich and a chocolate biscuit for lunch, and I can still have my glass of wine on non-fasting nights - yum!

They say that once you reach your target weight, fasting just once a week should keep you at that weight. There are a whole host of health benefits associated with fasting, apparently due to how it affects the immune system, so I'm hoping my CD could also improve as an added bonus. My husband, who is a lean running machine, is also doing the diet but just for the health benefits as he has no fat to lose!

Anyway, I just wanted to pass on a positive experience and encouragement to anyone who has heard of the diet but not been sure about whether to try it or not.

Cheers!
:wine:
 

scottsma

Well-known member
Location
Tynemouth,
Well done nitty !!!! it's always good to hear something positive and if it inspires just one person (me) it's a bonus.People think that all of us with IBD struggle to keep weight ON,and while that's true for lots of people,it's not true for all.There are quite a few posts from friends trying to lose a few pounds so I'm sure your achievement will give some a boost.I'm more or less your size and certainly eat healthily most of the time,it's the chocolate that sneaks into my mouth that does it.Thanks again for your post.
 
I have also done this diet and found it the easiest to stick to. I have done lots of other diets in the past and as soon as I stopped I would put the weight back on, I lost 11lb with the fasting diet and I haven't put any on again since I stopped. I'm glad it works so well for you I have had to stop recently as I am flaring and struggling to eat any way so I am just gettin food in when I can.
 
Sorry you're not well at the moment KayleighMeek.

Well done for the diet, though. I hear that a lot of people find it much easier to stick to than other diets.

I believe that, by eating normally on the non-fasting days, you keep your metabolism at its normal rate (as opposed to long-term low calorie diets where the body ends up slowing down and trying to store energy) and that is why you don't get the rapid weight regain if you stop the diet.
 
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