1. Download the Fast-5
The foundation for the Fast-5 diet is a book written by Dr. Bert Herring called "The Fast-5 Diet and the Fast-5 Lifestyle." You can download this e-book for free from the Fast-5 Diet website. You can also purchase a paperback version.
2. Fast for 19 Hours a Day
The Fast-5 diet is based on a 19-hour daily fast. While most of us break our fast in the morning after sleeping all night, Dr. Herring suggests that we don't eat anything until 5:00 p.m. in the evening. While on the Fast-5 diet, you can eat anything you want between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. At all other times during the day, you can drink beverages with no sugar, but you can't eat anything. The diet is very easy in some respects because you don't have to eliminate certain foods or count calories.
3. Lose a Lot Slowly
People on the Fast-5 diet usually lose about a pound per week. One of the other advantages of the Fast-5 diet is that most people's blood pressure decreases. No food is off limits between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., but you will obviously lose weight faster if you eat more nutritionally dense foods. Exercise is great, but it is unwise to begin a strenuous exercise plan when you first start this diet.
4. Don't Worry About Binge Eating
According to Dr. Herring, some people binge eat in the beginning because they haven't eaten all day. However, this usually changes after a few weeks. He also points out that you don't get hungry during the day because you are not stimulating your hunger with small amounts of food. That's why it's important not to drink beverages with sugar during the day because these can trigger hunger.
5. Maintain Your New Weight
There is no hard-and-fast maintenance plan recommended by Dr. Herring for people who have reached their goal weight on the Fast-5 diet. However, he notes that some people continue eating in the same way and maintain their new weight. Some people only do the 19-hour fast on weekends, but this can actually be harder than doing it every day because your body has gotten used to breaking your fast earlier. Some people modify the diet by changing their five-hour window on days when they have a social engagement where they would like to eat. Dr. Herring claims that this diet is safe because it is just an extension of the 12-hour fast that most people do every day.
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