Did 5 Day Fast together with three colleagues starting June 12, 2023.

“I already ate healthy, but a lot of bread. And I regularly do intermittent fasting, also because I don't always take the time to eat breakfast in the morning.

Our colleague Mellany had done 5 Day Fast at the beginning of this year and was enthusiastic. One day we talked about doing it with the team as a challenge. Then we invited Ramon from 5 Day Fast to first tell us more about what it entails and what the short-term benefits and long-term effects are. I've actually never done a nutrition program or weight loss program before. I do exercise regularly and often cycle, among other things.

We started together on Monday. It was the week that many people suffered from hay fever and that also affected me in the beginning. In terms of work, I found it difficult the first days. You feel a little hungry, lack of focus and sometimes it was difficult to concentrate myself. But because you do it with your colleagues, it was also fun.

However, on days 4 and 5 I realized that with some nuts, apple, a few dates and a tomato soup I could function just fine and even felt good energy. So the awareness that you don't need that much food at all is the most important positive point that I take from this challenge. Somewhere you already know that, of course, but you don't. During the five days you live through this and you actually feel it. The latter really raises awareness.

So the 5 Day Fast breakfast with nuts & apple were great and I just kept those. The advantage is also what I do have breakfast but don't spend too much time on it in the morning. Nice energy, by the way, the nuts and fruit instead of bread. With bread you have more of a peak in your energy, followed by a downer, which you then try to fix by taking more coffee.

I really liked the food. A week later, for example, we made the lentil stew at home again, which is simply delicious. My girlfriend joined in a bit. She is also involved in nutrition and supplements. It was nice that we also did this together at home.

The vital employee
Now afterwards I still feel fitter, more energetic and I have a good focus. There is awareness and not only with regard to food, but also sleeping on time, getting up early in the morning, having a light breakfast and feeling nice and energetic. In the context of vital employees, I would certainly advise other teams to do this, again something different than a communication training. It would be nice if employees could do this with their training budget. I think there is enthusiasm for that.

Finally
Would I do it again? It was an educational and positive week, but I also thought it was a bit expensive, at least if you did it more than once a year. But I'm not saying no!

“5 Day Fast: Our quest is to get people to do this three times a year for a structural improvement of your preventive health with the long-term goal that people live longer healthy lives without becoming chronically ill”.

“Oscar: yes, that's what you're telling me. I mainly only looked at the short-term benefits, I notice. But if you look at it that way, what is now 500 euros a year to live a longer healthy life without those diseases. Then it might not be expensive at all”.