Horizon - intermittent fasting diet.

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

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

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 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'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)

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Well done Rosiebee too!

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.

I don't know if I'm correct, but I believe you gain the health benefits by eating most of your calories at one sitting - though I could be wrong! We have most of our calories at breakfast time, then top up with a poached egg at about 6 p.m. If we absolutely must eat, we have a dry cracker once or twice during the day, counting in the calories.
Begin day three of the fasting days tomorrow, and have a lot of activities planned to distract me! It's certainly a big help having DH trying the regime with me. In the past it has been so hard providing big meals for him while staying on a lettuce leaf myself.

i've been on myfitnesspal for months & months and keep losing / gaining the same 3-4 pounds. came across the 5/2 diet earlier this afternoon and will be starting it tomorrow and I am planning 600 cals max for fast days spread over breakfast 150 / lunch 150 /dinner 300. has to be more cals at dinner as hubby is the cook in our house. will be keeping everything crossed that it will work for me as I have at least 1.5 stone to shift ...

I've been doing the 5/2 diet for just a week and have lost 4 and a half pounds. Yes I know it's probably water but it's still weight! I love cooking and I always ended up being frustrated on other diets because they all seemed so restrictive. But now for most of the week I can still cook and have fun trying out new recipes and just be spartan for two days. It's also good because I feel in control. We're away on what looks like being a boozy weekend with family this week so I'm going to have 2 or maybe 3 days early in the week when I stick to the low calorie regime, go careful for a few days and then relax at the weekend. On previous diets I'd have worried about undoing all the hard work and not really enjoyed the time away. I'm also going to start logging my weight on Gransnet. I know it's only been a week, but I've at last got a good feeling about a diet. I think this will work for me.

dahlia - I am impressed by your weight loss! You will probably find it slows down a bit after a week or two, as mine has. I only weigh the morning after a fast day so the results are comparable. The great thing is that in the future it will be easy to maintain by fasting perhaps once a week. I am still actually enjoying the experience and have loads more energy.
How are others getting on? There were a few others wanting to give it a try. My DD and SIL are starting tomorrow for health benefits rather than weight loss.

Just an update on the "diet" so far. After our miserable bank holiday Monday, we were able to eat normally for three days and today once again we are on the "fast". It is much easier today, as we have been busy all day and enjoying rare sunshine, so it is easier to ignore occasional pangs of hunger. DH weighed today and has lost 5lbs, I have lost 4lbs. Having been on all sorts of dieting programmes in the past, I realise this is normal when cutting back, but we both felt fine on the "fast" days and I must admit we did think more carefully about what we ate on the "normal" days. We just want to give ourselves a chance before we become too heavy/unhealthy, so we are doing exercise as well e.g. walking, Wii fit. Ian, I realise diets do lead to weight gain when you come off them, but having tried everything I believe husband and I can maintain this way of eating quite happily, and not crave "forbidden foods" as happens with other diet programmes. Feel very positive and will let you know how we get on. Certainly enjoying the little food we have had today!

I've just got the Hairy Dieters book and the recipes seem soooo sensible. They're just the sort of food DH and I enjoy too without anything faddy. I'm going shopping on Sat in the market for fresh veg and see what happens. It's just learning what's best with what is available and adapting to eating less fat by using alternatives yet still being able to eat the things we love like stews and roasts. Herbs and spices seems to be a prominent feature.

I think we know that, Ian. Nice of you to show an interest, though...

All types of exercise helps.

Ian - I suspect you speak as someone who does not have the tendency to put on weight. Some of us have it, some don't. I find that eating what I like is what piles on the pounds!

Rather easier said than done, Ian...

All diets are rubbish, you lose weight and then put even more on when you stop, the best is to eat what you like and stay even in weight.