Week Three of the 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Diet

I’ve only been attempting this 5:2 intermittent fasting diet for a little over two weeks, but it already feels like part of my routine. I do get hungry on those days when I’m restricted to 600 calories, but on the plus side I’ve found that my energy levels are higher when I’m fasting. I’ve also noticed that I seem to be more mentally focused on these days. I wouldn’t go say far as to say that I now look forward to my two days of restricted calories, but I certainly don’t dread them – something that I worried might happen.

No Need to be Good All the Time

5:2 intermittent fasting differs a great deal from any other approach that I’ve turned to for losing weight. I’ve had some success with mindful eating in the past, but the difficulty I had with this is staying mindful every day. The thing I like most about intermittent fasting is that I don’t have to be good all the time. I only really need to focus on my diet twice a week. I do try to eat reasonably well the rest of the time, but there is not the same sense of striving day in and day out as there can be with other diets. This is why I feel hopeful that the intermittent fasting approach is sustainable long term.

Weighing Scales Danger

At the beginning of this attempt I did hope to avoid the weighing scales completely, but I haven’t managed to do this. I’ve being getting on the scales the mornings after my fasting days because I mistakenly believed that the news could only be good. This is why on Saturday it came as a bit of a disappointment to find that I’d put on a bit of weight (0.2 kg/ 0.44 pounds) since my last time on the scales. I know that these single readings don’t mean much, but it did feel a bit disheartening after a day of fasting. This is exactly why I wanted to keep away from the scales altogether. I have not weighed myself since Saturday but so far I’ve lost about 1.4 kg (just over 3 pounds).

My Exercise Regime

I have not had time for any Muay Thai training in recent weeks. My exercise regime consists of the 5 Tibetans in the morning, and I do about an hour of stepping up and down on a wooden step that my wife made for me. Leo left a comment on the last intermittent fasting post recommending that I only engage in low intensity (fat burning) exercises on my fast days, and this makes sense.

If people are interested in following this diet there is now a Facebook Page devoted to it- 5:2 Intermittent Fasting. I’d like to thank Jo for pointing me towards this group.

My Other Posts on 5:2 Intermittent Fasting

Ten weeks of 5:2 Intermittent Fasting

Second Week of 5:2 Fasting Diet