Horizon - intermittent fasting diet.

deniselaine I hope you are successful on this diet. I have been eating all my 500 calories (for females) in one go for lunch. I wonder whether splitting them throughout the day might prevent the body from going into the desired fasting mode. I honestly have no hunger problems and I am doing alternate days. It was great to eat a roast lunch with family today, an eating day, with no guilty feelings! My weight loss has slowed down, but I expected that, and feel that I can continue for as long as it takes.

Well done Rosiebee too!

Thanks Shysal, hope I can do as well as you're doing. I don't think though that I could manage to eat all my calories in one go and then do without for the rest of the day. On the 'fasting' day, I've been skipping breakfast, keeping busy till lunch and then having a salad or maybe some homemade vegetable soup. Possibly a low cal ready meal at tea time and lots of water throughout the day. I was 'nibbly' after my salad so I had a cup-a-soup pepped up with a bit of chilli sauce. You might be right about having them altogether but I think I'd weaken when getting tea ready for DH. It was bad enough at lunchtime when he was having roast pork from yesterday's roast, on soft buttered rolls. At least he made them himself. Keep posting.

Shysal thank you for your message and well done on your achievements so far ... I didn't have breakfast and tried to go without lunch too but ended up having some fruit at lunchtime and the rest of my calories at dinnertime. on my next fast day I'm going to try again to wait till dinner time - I'm hoping that with a bit of practice I'll be able to do it.

Just having a slurp of the old pinot grigiot, lovely! We have now been on the "fast" diet for two weeks, and glory be, yesterday (the 5th fast day) we both felt much better. Previously we experienced real hunger pangs and, dare I say it, some flatulence! But yesterday we both felt much better. We now have breakfast and then a couple of dry small crackers during the day, with a poached egg for "dinner" at 6 p.m. After two weeks we don't seem to feel so hungry the day after the fast, but we have added toast to the evening egg, taking us over the recommended calorie count. I was disappointed to find that I had gained 2 lbs last week during my normal days, but this week my weight stayed the same after 3 days of normal food. We are both more aware of everything we eat, but this hasn't stopped us enjoying our food, and feeling more comfortable in our clothes has been a huge boost to our will power. DH has lost over 8 lbs now, but has continued building our extension throughout this period, so probably works off the calories in physical exertion. I have also been on the Wii fit every other day, which I hope will help me a bit. Good luck to everyone who's trying this eating programme.

I watched the Horizon programme, having read reports of research into fasting/low calorie diets in the D Telegraph. I'm 64 and hovering around 9st7lbs to 9st10lbs - slightly too heavy for my 5ft1in frame. Yesterday (Wed 12 Sep) was my first fast day but it was one of the two days when I go to work and by mid afternoon I was falling asleep! Mondays and Fridays would be better days as I'm at home then and if it gets too much I can distract myself by going for a walk, gardening etc. Had a headache by bedtime, probably should have drunk water. Had a cup of tea with milk for b'fast, black coffee mid-morning and lunchtime, coffee with milk in the evening. Found at the end of the day I'd had 680 calories!! However, I've had only about 1200 today. There are recipes on the internet, worth Googling 5-2 diet. Desperate to reduce my tummy!

I hope you can stick with it grandmama. I have found I need to drink lots of water, which also makes me feel full. Unlike you, I have bags more energy than I did before, and have been walking for about 5 miles each day as well as lots of gardening etc. I am at the end of week 5, doing alternate days, and have lost 13lb so far. Let us know how you get on.

Thanks Shysal for the encouragement. Today, Friday, was much easier. I counted out the calories last night so I could space them out during the day. Half a grapefruit for breakfast + brioche + cup of tea; slightly unintentionally bought M&S £6 meal deal for DH and me so had a fishcake at 200 cals + French beans + water. Cup of tea with milk mid-afternoon then home-made fruit salad (I make a big tub of it on Mondays to see us through the week) and a milky coffee. Approx 500 calories. Went to town and back (on bus, didn't walk this time!), spent afternoon painting the front of the house and gardening. Feel much better than I did after Wed's fast. Will definitely keep going! Also drank water!

Both DH & I have been following this diet for a few weeks now and we've both lost a reasonable amount of weight. Like shysal I have found that, surprisingly, I seem to have more energy on the "fasting" days although by the late evening I often feel very cold. One huge plus for me is that the hot flushes at night seem to be improving

I've just started the 2 day a week version of the fasting diet, and am finding it very comfortable to manage. I've opted to make my fasting days completely fruit, veg & salad days. You end up with what looks like a lot of food for your 500 cals . I've also chosen to spread it across the day, so I still have 3 meals. I can't say I've actually felt hungry at all, and I haven't woken up ravenous on the days in between either.
I do have a question for those of you trying this: I've noticed from Facebook postings that some of my acquaintances who are trying it seems to be stuffing their faces on their 'normal' days . Are you translating the "eat what you want" on your non-fasting days as an excuse to over-indulge, hoping that the fasting days will have the desired effect nevertheless?
I'm finding the opposite. It's making me very aware of what I eat in general, and I am being more conscious of eating healthily every day.
I'm interested in finding out how other GNetters are approaching it (and eventually maybe, in whether results show a distinct different between the opposing approaches)

I found I seem to eat sensibly on non-fasting days. For instance, I fasted yesterday and have not even thought about breakfast yet, but I shall have a bowl of cereal soon. I expected to want to binge but that has not been the case. I am just coming to the end of week 6, doing alternate days, and have lost 1 stone 1lb. I think knowing I can eat what I like stops the craving I had when on an every day restriction.
Good luck everybody, I think we have found a method that works!

I saw the Horizon programme and reading the last few posts I just want to say that I think you're all wonderful! Such will power! If I put off having breakfast I get a painful nauseous tummy and a headache and don't have the strength of will to persevere to see if it goes away. I just couldn't cope with one fast day!
I'm not doing too badly though just cutting down to under 1100 calories a day. Slow but sure.

I've been having a big bowl of fruit for breakfast NfkDumpling on my fasting days. I don't think it's a good idea not to have some sort of breakfast.
1100 cals is certainly a weight-loss regime, and good luck with your efforts

Hello you guys!! I am new here. Seems like fasting is the latest diet trend! I've found these articles about fasting, thought to share them with you. I haven't tried the 5:2 yet, so reading about other people's experience helps!

healthdivas.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/the-power-of-intermittent-fasting.html

healthdivas.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/why-exercising-at-this-time-of-day-is.html

healthdivas.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/why-does-breakfast-make-me-hungry.html

healthdivas.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/the-intermittent-fasting-dilemma-how.html

healthdivas.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/best-kept-hollywood-weight-loss-secret.html

healthdivas.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/what-will-cause-you-to-lose-more-fat.html

they also run a new fasting forum, fastingforum.healthdivas.co.uk

Lots of food for thought chelsea! Thanks. My diet is still going well, have settled to losing about 2lb a week, which is slow but sure, and still very easy to stick to.

Forgot to say welcome chelsea, I look forward to your future input. I must warn you that Gransnet can be addictive!

thank you!!

2 lbs a week, permanently gone, is a LOT..!! brilliant!

Like you I have lost weight fairly painlessly. Half a stone in 6 weeks. Breakfast is a small fruit salad- no banana of course. Lunch is a huge bowl of vegetable soup plus a half a slice of bread o roll or pita bread. Dinner is a huge veg stir 'fry' - no fat, or a large veg curry, avoiding pulses in both cases. Avoiding protein gives lots of 'free' calories, I am sure we eat plenty of them on other days! Yes, I am a bit hungry but knowing I can eat normally tomorrow makes it OK. I try not to be stupid on the other days. This is definitely the easiest regime I have been on and I feel great.
This includes running up to 20 miles a week, when I allow myself an illegal banana before setting off if it is a fast day.

Well done granniesruntoo! It is an easy regime to stick to isn't it? Including the few pounds I had lost before reaching a plateau prior to starting this diet, I have lost a total of 32lb so far, and am happy to keep going for as long as it takes. I had gained 3 stone whilst taking medication for an overactive thyroid, which had previously been impossible to lose, so I am delighted to be wearing some of my old clothes again, feeling confident that I can ditch the large ones for good.

Congratulations granniesruntoo and shysal! I'm also finding the 5:2 pattern really easy to stick to. Psychologically, knowing you can eat 'normally' the next day makes it so much easier to not cheat or give up!
I don't know how much weight I've lost as I gave up having scales in the house a few years ago. I found that scales made me extremely obsessive about weight, so now I go by clothes size alone.
I've been in my 'fat' size 12 trousers/skirts for over a year now, and it's time to get back into my 'reasonably slim' size 10s (especially as the size 12s were getting a bit snug
In 4 weeks I've gone from struggling to get the 10s over my hips, to just about doing up zips if I breath in
Hopefully, with 3 weeks to go until my holiday, they will all be fitting comfortably
NB: I'm a tiddling 5' 0" tall, so size 10 bottom is not actually that small!

Just an update on our progress on the 5:2 programme. To date I have lost 11lbs in 7 weeks, and DH has lost 12 lbs. Not a lot in terms of poundage, perhaps, but what a difference to the way our clothes fit! I had despaired of ever losing the pounds, which have crept up over the years of Slimmers World, F Plan, etc., etc., but this way of eating has been such a boost to my confidence, and one I feel I could continue with no difficulty, though it is easy to relax and slip! As I enjoy baking, last week in a moment of weakness found myself making English muffins - and they did taste good, but once I had slathered on the butter and jam (not a hungry day, of course!) it was then easy to take in half a bar of chocolate, too. So I will just have to content myself with cooking for the grandchildren, and try some of the Hairy Dieters' recipes for low-fat baking. Tried on a size 20 coat in M & S this morning, and even allowing for the style, it did seem too big.
Keep at it, everyone.

fantastic you guys, well done!! i haven't tried 010 yet but reading about your weight loss here is quite inspiring! and most importantly, increasing live spam and improving health is what really counts!! and on top of things, it helps with cognitive function - ie neurogenesis happens when fasting, the birth of new brain cells! more about this here:
healthdivas.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/how-can-you-keep-your-body-and-brain.html

when I am brave enough I may join you!

Thanks for the link chelsea. It seems a bit too extreme for me, as it sounds like a daily regime. The reason I am succeeding with the alternate day fasting is that the prospect of eating well next day keeps me going. I am still losing 1-2 lb per week and have dropped 3 sizes in clothing since August. The bingo wings and eventual spaniel ears for boobs are a small price to pay!

shysal I have already been blessed with the bingo wings and the spaniel ear boobs, so this diet will change nothing in that area! I have been doing the alternate days thing and like you, I find it gives me energy, I feel great and I am beginning to lose one to two pounds a week. I shall carry on.

I do this! Sometimes I dont eat anything for 3hours!