The window is described as 5-10 because a) it's what's worked for the
testers and b) it includes dinnertime, the most socially important
meal for most people, and c) it allows for some snacking while
watching primetime TV.

In the book (p 46) it says that there is nothing special about 5 pm,
and there's no reason to believe that a different start and stop time
will work differently, because it's the 19 hours when you're not
eating that seem to matter most. The "Fast-5" name means more "Fast
for 19 hours, then break-fast for five" than "Fast until five o'clock."

If you choose an early window like 1-6, and find yourself falling to
eating temptations after your window closes, you might want to
schedule the window later in your day, so it ends closer to your
bedtime. Otherwise, if it suits you AND it works, then go with it full
steam ahead. If it doesn't work, try going with the later window. I
suggest keeping with a change in schedule for at least three weeks
before concluding whether the change you made makes any difference in
your rate of weight loss.

You write that you've heard that you should not eat after 6 or 7
because your metabolism goes into resting mode. You've probably also
heard that you should eat breakfast because it "jumps starts" your
metabolism. So can eating a meal jump start your metabolism AND put it
into resting mode? I don't think so, and my opinion is that it does
neither. There is a lot of hearsay and weakly structured research
about food and metabolism, and it has led to the confusion of many and
countless frustrated weight loss efforts. The Fast-5 plan obviously
runs right against the notion of breakfast being the most important
meal of the day. You can decide for yourself whether it's more
important to you or to the cereal manufacturers.

Timing of eating is obviously significant, or there would be no Fast-5
diet, but it appears that it is the interval between meals, not the
time of day at which you eat them, that allows the Fast-5 diet to
work. We know of successful Fast-fivers who have windows of 4-9 and
3-8, but do not know of anyone who has tried 1-6 for long enough to
make a conclusion.

What it comes down to is "Does it work for you?" and "Is it something
you can do comfortably for as long as it takes to lose the weight you
want to lose?" Being able to answer "Yes" to both questions is what
has made the Fast-5 diet the weight loss approach that many have been
looking for.

Best wishes for your success,
Bert



--- In fast5@yahoogroups.com, "froggies4jamie" <jamie@...> wrote:
>
> Is there a specific reason why it's 5-10? I've heard that you should
> not eat after 6 or 7 because your metabolism goes into resting mode.
> What makes 5-10 better than say.. 1-6? My husband decided he wants to
> do it from 4-9, and I most likely will want to do it around tht same
> time or 3-8, I go to bed early. Thanks! :)
>