5/2 Diet, Fast Days

Im curious, does anyone look forward to fasting days? I actually feel better on the day and the day after them. Is this normal?

What are you eating on the other days? :confused:

I think focus and productivity go up when fasting. Lately I eat between noon and eight and just kill it in the morning.

I have tried it several times and, to be honest, have struggled each time. My issue was not the low kcal days (which I found quite easy) but the days around it, where I tended to overcompensate and binge. At best, I broke even each week with bodyweight static. Which isn’t ideal when trying to shed fat, not to mention the negative feelings associated with overeating and being unable to improve body comp despite a shed-load of training. I do think the latter is related to whether this diet works. I was doing minimum 5 days a week, sometimes 6, which usually meant training on the fast days. Now if I can do one or two low kcal days a week I will, but daily totals may be closer to 1000-1200 rather than the 600-800 prescribed.

Ive only been on it for 2 weeks now but I have noticed gradual weight loss. My strategy is to do as little as possible and only make the diet more challenging as I stall. What I find interesting is that the morning after the fasts I tend not to be hungry at all. I will say at the very least the diet has helped me learn about my body, specifically when Im eating because Im having a craving, out of emotion, or actually hungry. Ive found it easier to avoid junk food, though I will admit I still eat garbage once in awhile.

I agree with that. I have for a long time followed a 16/8 style diet, even after the days I did the circa 800 kcal I could get to lunch without significant hunger issues. My problem was evening time. Despite bulking up with plenty of greens, salads, etc, on top of copious meat, sweet potato, etc, I would often overeat. The pattern was often the same - clean eating would deteriorate ending in junk. Hats off to anyone who can stick to it!