Hi Arlene and everyone else who reads this group,

I am a fast-5er. I started this way of living in October 2005. I lost
20lbs. The weight came off steadily. I believe I have hit my body's
goal weight but I will let my body decide that. I plan to live this
way forever. I recently told my daughter that if she put me in a
nursing home in 40 years, she better make sure they cooperate with my
fast-5 plan. It is so freeing! Yes, Arlene in the beginning lunch
with friends may be difficult, so during your transition period you
may want to wait a couple of weeks before going out. But that is all.
I can go to lunch and sip a diet coke with no feelings of regret or
difficulty. My body has so adjusted to this pattern that I don't want
to eat. Now, however, I am in the maintenance period and if I need to
adjust my window, I do. Fasting during the day is just plain good for
you. It is healthier then adding all those unnecessary calories and
toxins for your body to store. My arthritic aches and pains have gone
away, from my toes, to my knee, to my elbow, all gone. I cannot help
but believe this is the way we are supposed to live! I am 42 and have
never felt better!

I did not go through the countdown period during my first three weeks
that Dr. Herring recomends so my first week was a little difficult.
Day one and two seemed easy but day three was a killer. I was weak
and shaky, my coworkers told me I was pale; the minutes till five
seemed so long! But when 5 came there was such a great relief. I
went through a period of several months where I ate everything in
sight during my 5 hour windo because I was afraid of being hungry the
next day, but that slowed down after I learned to trust that my body
could handle and enjoy 19 hours of fasting.

My husband has always eaten this way, naturally, and he has never
gained more then 5 lbs. He told me that you do get hungry during the
day. And, I still experience hunger, but I drink a non caloric drink
and it goes away. So, I think the hunger feeling is actually thirst
during the fasting hours. However, during periods of weight loss--
sometimes I went several weeks without losing (even a month during
christmas) but then I would experience extreme hunger all day and
voila I would lose more weight the following few days. It was almost
like my body fought me every few pounds or established a set point
that it struggled to let go. But, I did not give into the hunger and
rejoiced that I had passed another set point.

Fast-5 is the easiest meal/diet plan I have ever been a part of. The
beginning may be difficult, but not really any more difficult then
most calorie reduction plans the difference is the simplicity and ease
of maintainance. I decided not to set a goal weight but instead a
goal size. I think my body knows how much I should weigh and I trust
that. I reached my goal size in March! I lost a few more pounds but
have really been steady all of April.

Hope I did not write to much. I would love to be your cheerleader
Arlene. And, anyone else who wants to embark on this journey of
becoming who they want to be in a healthy body.

Tara