I literally stumbled upon something while Googling that has my doctor husband and I very intrigued. I’d like to share it with you.
A physician, Bert Herring, has a program called The Fast-5 Diet. He and his physician wife, Judi Herring, have created a not-for-profit organization surrounding this program, in part it appears, to keep their brainchild free of commercial contamination– a move that from my perspective automatically gives this approach credibility. It is no small feat to get approval for a 501c3/not-for-profit, so if the government has condoned their legitimacy that is one step up in my book. Obviously, the fact that they are physicians and have taken the oath to do no harm helps as well!
You can download Dr. Herring’s book outlining the program for free. Yes, you read that right: free. Intrigued by the aforementioned information, I downloaded the book, became further intrigued and had my physician-hubby read it to make sure the physiological explanations didn’t sound too outlandish to be true. His verdict: yes, it does make sense.
Here is the basic premise of the Fast-5 program. Every 24 hours you go 19 hours without eating (hence the word fast) and eat for 5 hours; pretty simple. Dr. Herring recommends making your 5-hour window somewhere around 5-10pm for a few reasons but does say that as long as you stay with the 19-5 rule those 5 hours can be placed where ever they make the most sense for your life.
With a major physical event looming in early 2010 that will be much easier if I am a little lighter, I decided to give it a whirl. Frankly, my system has never had breakfast as a requirement and as I read Dr. Herring’s historical review of how humans used to hunt and had to eat all of the food in a feast-like manner before it rotted, which equated to once a day meals, I felt like I had gotten the big “a-hah” about my system. All throughout my life people had tried to convince me of my need for a regular breakfast soon after awakening and my attempts would soon be aborted; it just did not feel right for my system.
My husband, however, has always been a breakfast-lunch-dinner-snack-snack-snack kind of guy and is VERY active, but he, too, would like to lose some weight so that he can run and bike a little lighter.
I’ve been doing it about a week now: LOVE it. My major challenge is that as a mom to so many I am handling food all day and Dr. Herring thoroughly explains how a nibble here or there makes my system crave more. So I absolutely am “high” on this plan where I do not have to make choices throughout the day (ie. would this be healthier or this).
I love that I am once again excited about cooking a hearty, nutritious supper for my family because I can enjoy it 100% with them instead of calculating how many calories will fit into that part of my day.
And the biggest surprise? From the very first day I was full quickly into my 5 hours of eating time and have had NO desire to “catch up” or make it a 5 hour gorge-fest. I don’t start feeling hunger pangs until mid afternoon and by that time drinking some water or sugar-free iced tea does a fine job of sustaining me. I have never seen my husband as full as he has been after these normal sized suppers he is eating; he is in awe.
Dr. Herring insists on not weighing for the first 3 weeks as it takes a while for the weight loss to start in some folks and it is then a slow steady process that has as much or more to do with the physiological response to the 19 hours of fasting as it does to reducing intake.
Testimonials and the discussion board gave further encouragement. I’ll report back in a month or two what my hubby and I are seeing!
Bon appetit!
August 13th, 2009 at 11:58 am
I love this idea and have just downloaded the ebook. The concept makes perfect sense to me, so I will take my inspiration from baud and go for it. Wish me luck!
August 15th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
I have health issues like; depression, diabetes, and high blood pressure, most due to weight problems. Is this “diet” safe for me??
August 16th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
i had posted this article to my FaceBook and one of my FB friends said she started it on 8/6 and yesterday reported losing 6lbs and feeling very satisfied with what she had eaten during her 5 hours. i’ll report back about my own experience in a month or so! good luck! (remember to check with your physician if you have any doubts about whether this is a healthy plan for you and download the free-ebook at the website linked in the article for a detailed description of the program)
August 21st, 2009 at 10:39 am
Just ran into the fast-5 website yesterday while trying to figure out why sugar and insulin don’t mix. I’m like you, never have an urge for breakfast but eat it because of all the fears surrounding slowed metabolism etc…well slow or not, the weight wasn’t coming off when I was eating it. The book’s approach sounds very reasonable. Reminds me of the calorie restriction diet. I know that once I put something in my mouth in the morning, it’s starts me rolling for the rest of the day. I’d like to be able to enjoy my dinner with my boys! Made them breakfast this morning and didn’t even lick my fingers afterward! So, here goes day 1. Good luck!
August 26th, 2009 at 8:52 am
I’ll be curious to see how it goes for you Sonia! My update just appeared yesterday, but let’s just say after I’d written that article and THEN weighed there were some surprises. I’ll cover it in my next update but highly recommend that unless you have LOTS of weight to come off you focus less on the scale and more on the lifestyle and how it makes you feel. Cheers and feel free to touch base!
September 3rd, 2009 at 4:46 am
I started this diet beginning of August of 2008 to lose the last 15 pounds that I wanted off. Let me tell you it does work! I lost 2 pounds the first week and then 1-1.5 pounds every week there after until I got to my goal weight. It took me until the middle of November and by that time I had gotten so used to eating between the time frame of 11-4pm (which works best for me) that I just made it my normal eating routine to this day and I’ve maintained my weight. I seem to eat a little more than what I started out with on this diet but that’s probably because I exercise a lot harder than before. I did eat mostly eat healthy foods when I started out but now I kinda just eat what I want in moderation, of course. Anyway, I am so glad I found this diet cause it was so hard for me to lose the last 15 pounds doing just regular 6 small meals a day (which weren’t always so small).
November 20th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
So glad to hear that others are trying this diet too and that it’s working for them! The eating small meals every day wasn’t doing it for me. By the end of the day, I was so obsessed with what I ate that I finally gave in to a high-calorie treat and ruined the entire day’s careful monitoring.
I started the Fast 5 diet last Tuesday (today’s the fourth day), and I agree with the last meal’s feeling of fullness. I was so stoked to eat whatever I wanted, but once I got done with the healthy stuff (salad, greens, soups, etc), that I almost had to force myself to eat the doughnut! lol.
I’m excited to see the results. I haven’t been weighing myself, since that fluctuates so much and has little bearing on whether or not I’m losing actual FAT, but I’ll be checking up on inches lost.
As for one thing that I read in their book that I didn’t agree with: their thought that our ancestors only ate once a day (if that) because of the unpredictability of when they would get good meat is bogus. Meat was only a small portion of their diet. They ate mostly veggies, tubers, fruits, nuts, whatever they could gather that was nutritious and digestible. Though, depending on their environment, sustenance was sometimes hard to come by, they surely didn’t eat just once a day when they could get a deer (if hunting, and not scavenging, which yielded even lower nutritional benefits).
November 20th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Fast-5 Diet makes perfect sense to me. I am also a physician trained in Europe. Besides, I am fully qualified nutritionist and fasting methods have been my forte. As soon as I read Dr. Herring’s e-book I knew it must work.
And besides the 19-hours fast gives the body enough rest to re-balance and harmonize and detoxify at the same time. I strongly recommend this eating style (please consult with your physician if any health issue).
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:27 pm
I decided to try this initially for weight loss but was pleasantly surprised to find out the possible benefits to someone who might have RA (rheumatoid arthritis). I started Tues, Nov. 17 so I’ve been on this for 6 days. My 5 hour window is b/w 3-8pm which for the most part best suits my schedule. This was my first “weekend” doing this and was a bit of a challenge especially when my husband started cooking bacon and eggs this morning. But, happily, I was able to resist. It’s a lot easier for me to do this during the week, while at work. Tomorrow will be another interesting day as I am off, home with my son who is also off from school this whole week. I do weigh myself everyday (that’s out of habit) and have marked a 2 pound loss. That, however, is quite typical for me as I do fluctuate 2-3 pounds (up and/or down) during any given week. Physically, I do enjoy the lightness of it. I feel “leaner”, not at all bloated and clothes are fitting quite comfortably. I am hopeful to see / feel noticeable changes with regard to my RA. I will keep note of the changes and will write back if anything significant occurs.
December 4th, 2009 at 11:26 am
I have been on and off with Fast-5. I kept giving up and trying again! The weekends usually throw me off track.
Living with 2 brothers, a mom and a eat-at-night dad is hard for sticking to a diet!
especially when said brothers eat junk food that is bought in a good deal of amount from Walmart that is just about 3 blocks away!
but so far I’m happy to have stumbled upon this program. It relaxes me and makes me feel that all other diets (i.e. cabbage soup) require a herculean amount of willpower to complete it!
December 4th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
As of this morning, I’ve lost total of 4 pounds. I’m on my 3rd week and still hanging on. Fasting has been easy on most days, but on some, I end up advancing my window to 2:30-7:30, rather than the usual 3-8. I am still “enjoying” the one meal a day especially since it’s the one meal I get to share with my family. So I do find I eat a bit more than I would prefer. I usually break my fast with either a fruit or cup of soup, then a couple of hours later, have early dinner.
Tonight, we ended up at a buffet (korean style, you cook your own main entrees) and could not believe how much I ate. However, in retrospect, I realize the amount I had is no where what I could have eaten had I still been on my old diet ways. I didn’t feel so full to the point of having to unbutton my pants, which would not have been unusual in the past.
What is most surprising to me is how much more relaxed I am. Before I started with fast-5, I used to get excited (upset) quite easily. Now, I find I don’t seem to be as uptight or stressed over the same things I would have been with, in the past. My hormones seem to be more stable.
The last 2 days have been relatively pain free (from RA), noting absence of prescribed Rx. Symptoms before meds would fluctuate from light to moderate pain. I see a specialist next month. Curious to see how my bloodwork will look like then.
December 13th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Way to go CB– sounds like it is working for you! Keep us posted.
I hear you Esther. Maybe it’s best not to think of this as a “diet” and just a period of time you can eat . . .
Jana- thanks for your professional opinion.
I hope all is going well for the others that have tried this!
January 1st, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Hi!
I was told about this w;ay of eating by a friend who lost a significant amount of weight on the Fast-5. I decided to give it a try a month ago, and have lost four pounds so far. It isn’t a lot of weight, but I am thrilled, as I didn’t have to deny myself anything durig the holidays. Our holiday traditions have MUCH to do with food. I am so happy to know that I can display self control for 19 hours, and then eat what I choose. That gives me the incentive to stick it out. I will let you know how well I do in the months to come. I would suggest this plan for anyone who likes to eat!
January 4th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
I’m on the fast-5 diet now. I started it at 256 pounds. I went down to 232 pounds, then took a few weeks off over the holidays and went back up to 244 lbs. I’ve been back on the diet for a week now. For those who are interested, I’m tracking my progress in a blog at:
http://fast5-dietexperiment.blogspot.com/
This is the one diet I’ve found that works for / with me.
January 23rd, 2010 at 1:16 am
I’ve been on Fast-5 for 2 months now and have lost total of 11 pounds. I was stuck for a while but got it to move again when I started walking regularly (at beginning of the year). I’ve been walking about 2-3 miles daily. Noticed that it’s better to walk BEFORE I’ve had anything to eat. When I walk after eating, I feel more sluggish. As for my RA, well, I cancelled my doctor’s appt. I guess that’s a sign that it hasn’t really been bothering me as much. Not totally gone; just not bad enough to want to sit at a doctor’s office any time soon. I plan to see my regular doctor in a couple of months to check on other stats … cholesterol, BP, etc. This has been a great experience for me so far. I hope it is for the rest of you as well.
February 1st, 2010 at 2:46 pm
I’ve been doing fast-5 for almost 2 months now , I started off at 85 kgs,With limited calories intake at 1200kcals per day,also with Fast-5 diet ,I manage to lose 20 kgs in 2 months.Anyway,after couples of week from start,i stop limiting calories intake continuously. Instead,I do it once or twice a week.Making sure that my body wouldn’t go into starving mode.
Right now,I’ve managed to stop at 65 kg,I extend my break-fast to 6 hours per day to maintain this weigh.
I dont’ know if it’s my own assumption or not,Fast-5 isn”t really all-bout-weigh diet program. Fast-5 tends to make your shape firm,using all excess fats in your body ,especially your belly.than focusing at the weigh’s number. I’ve tried other program ,like Atkin,or 5-days 7days diet program.It doesn’t work like Fast-5.