The FastDay Forum

Hi all, I'm not feeling this fast day today or week in fact.

I fasted Tues, did well but I know I went over my cals - home made potato salad left over from a BBQ and southern fried chicken goujons (about 5!)

I am also fasting today, gone well so far but thinking of yummy things to eat later!! My hubby is out with work til late and he's already given fasting a miss this week, think it's prob because we are both in holiday mode as we go on hols next week!

What shall I do???

Feeling like I can't get below the 10 stone mark at the mo, only lost 4 pounds since starting this in April although I've been maintaining 10st 4 for some time so not sure why it won't shift. Was hoping this is a plateau but it's been too long - see my progress tracker.

The only thing positive I'm getting is at least I'm not putting any weight ON.

Hubby is giving up on the whole fast thing but I will be sticking with it, just not sure about today....

[Moogie]

If you're not feeling it, don't do it - you'll just resent it if you do. You have to be in the right mindset or be a right stubborn cow and decide you're doing it anyway! Sounds to me like you've hit a sort of natural weight for yourself and your body wants to stay at that. Does look a bit too long to be a plateau so I can only think that you're eating too much on your non-fast days and therefore not losing any more. The other option is to add in some more activity to burn additional calories.

How do you do your fasts? What weight do you want to get to? What's your TDEE & activity level? I'm sure we can help you troubleshoot to shift some more - but maybe best to think about that after your hols!

Thanks for being understanding Moogie!

I'd love to be 9st- 9st2 if I can, I did set my goal at 8.5st but think now that was unrealistic. I've never been over 10st until now so I do feel very uncomfortable and self conscious especially around my middle area as this is where it's piled on.

Just worked out my TDEE which is 1671 calories
My activity level is Sedentary - I work in an office and spend most of my time sitting at a desk concentrating.

I am hoping to swim every day on holiday as it is my favourite activity but I never do it here, again comes down to feeling self conscious. I have tried home DVD workouts but never stick to them. I seem to go through phases.

The fast diet has however made me change the way I feel about eating and even though I still enjoy lots of nice foods especially at weekends I will eat when I'm hungry most of the time, not just for the sake of it. I have been skipping breakfasts on some days if I'm not hungry.

I usually fast on a Mon and Thurs and go all day drinking green tea or water and have 500 cals for my evening meal.

Any tips? I agree, will wait til after my holiday!!

[Moogie]

Do you mind if I ask how tall you are? I reckon you and I must be about the same, I'm about 5'4" and TDEE is around 1640. I'd love to get back down to 9 stone which is what I was at my smallest but I don't see it being maintainable for me realistically and would be happy to hold around 9.5 stone. I'm also a desk monkey, doing generally very little physical activity.

I think your best bet is to start keeping a food diary for a week or two when you get back from holiday to tot up just how much you've been eating and whether you've been over TDEE most days. With a lower TDEE your fasting calorie deficit will be easier to wipe out - you're only missing out on about 2340 cals each week through fasting (not enough to lose 1lb), so about 465 cals extra per feed day (say a nice piece of cake or a couple of snacks) would wipe that out. If you've been eating nearer to 2000 on your feeds that's pretty close to balancing out your deficit

I've recently had a bit of a plateau myself for some 7 weeks and nothing I tried seemed to help so I just persevered and it seemed to break by itself! I am trying to be a bit more mindful now of my feed days though, I thought I was keeping within TDEE but maybe my TDEE is lower than the estimate!

Not at all, I'm 5'4.5" (don't forget the half!!) so yeah we are about the same. I notice your BMI is lower than mine, what do you eat on average on non-fast days?

Good idea about the food diary, will see how I get on. I don't really want to have to keep counting calories every day though so may do it for a week like you suggest as it might be surprising.

I guess TDEE can change with weight loss too can't it? You are doing really well though, wish my so-called plateau would break itself soon!!

Hi if you don't feel like doing it don't !!! Because your head has got to be in the right place and you've got to want to do it
From now until your holiday do the best you can calorie wise try to maintain basically, Enjoy your holiday because you've earned it and because that's what holidays are for. But on your return you've got to get right back into this WOL and if you really want to shift one stone find out if you can or if you've already reached the point where you body is happy, maybe on your return you could do 4:3 and in the same week skip a couple of extra breakfasts this is what works for me especially when I know I've a heavy week ahead eating out wise ( which I do a lot of )
I never thought I could lose this amount of weight and still eat out, I've done 4:3 from the beginning and walked on each of my 3 fastdays this is by far the best way for loosing weight, very doable long term wise, which is just as well because I've a very long way to go
20 weeks later and an amazing 35 lbs lost
Dropped a group on my BMI and Down 3 sizes in my clothes
I've had to buy whole set of. ''Interim '' clothes then when I'm down another 3 sizes these can go to charity also, so if you get stuck in it works,m so maybe you've been overeating on your feeddays.
Have a great holiday and Good Luck Sue

Thank you Sue, that's really encouraging! A huge well done on your weight loss sounds like you know what you are doing.

I actually feel like I should continue my fast day so I am going to plough through and it will save me money too as I was feeling like going home via the chip shop!

I will look into the 4:3 when I return from holiday. Once tonight is done and I know I will feel better for eating, even if it's 500 calories I can relax and enjoy the weekend. I also think I will fast Monday as we don't go away until Tuesday - I am determined to stick to this!

Thanks for your support

[Moogie]

Not at all, I'm 5'4.5" (don't forget the half!!) so yeah we are about the same. I notice your BMI is lower than mine, what do you eat on average on non-fast days?

Most days I start with a bowl of country crisp cereal (about 50-60g) with a few good dollops of natural bio yogurt. This week I've been trying the 0% fat version as this particular brand doesn't have any additives or nasties in place of the fat. It's not quite the same but it's not bad. I was just curious and think I'd rather have the full fat My breakfast is usually around 10.30-11.30am as I don't feel hungry first thing. Sometimes I'll have a hot chocolate (made half milk, half water) in the morning if I'm peckish as I don't really do tea or coffee.

Lunch is usually mid afternoon for me and something fairly small - sometimes a small ham salad sandwich, sometimes a couple of boiled eggs. I've really come to love eggs! If there's some leftovers in the fridge I might have that, but I try not to go over about 300 cals for my lunch. Not strictly counted, just being mindful. Usually there'll be a piece or two of dark chocolate somewhere in the day. Apparently it's good for you and I now prefer it to milk choc.

Dinner varies and if I feel I've overeaten recently I'll cut back my portion or swap something out for more veg. I haven't cut down on carbs deliberately but I don't feel the need to eat as many potatoes as I used to with my dinner Still love pasta & rice!

I try not to snack too much but those little bits of choc help and on a busy day I might have another hot choc or a couple of biscuits.

I love cake & biscuits - sweet tooth! - but if I'm going to have a piece of cake I'd tend to swap that with my lunch (or breakfast!) and have a piece of fruit on the side. Not that I'd do it every day but I think it's better to have it instead rather than as well.

Weekends do tend to involve a few more 'naughties' - dessert and biscuits, maybe a takeaway or a lunch out. I try to be vaguely aware of the calories to keep around TDEE but not too strict. If I have a really piggy weekend I'll try to cut back a bit in the week. So at the weekends I'm probably nearer 2000 cals whereas in the week I try to keep down to 1400 or so. Doesn't always happen Overall I'm just glad to be enjoying my food still and not gaining weight. It's coming off more slowly now but I'm happy!

Occasionally if the mood takes me I'll chuck in a half fast, ie I do my dinner to dinner with nothing (or just a hot choc ) and have a normal dinner. Basically skipping a meal or two. Only if I don't feel hungry of course!

Yes, TDEE changes with weight loss. When I started I could have around 2000 a day. Remembering back to my skinny days when I calorie counted all the time, I know I only needed around 1500 to maintain. Guess I'm heading that way, but at least with a fasting day or two my other days can go up a bit to balance it for maintenance!

Defo wouldn't want to keep a food diary all the time, but it can be an eye opener in the short term and make you realise where the extras can creep in. I used to grab a pinch of cheese any time I was grating it. Now I realise that was a good 50 calorie pinch! And if I had another... oops!

Hi Mizzo,

I must say that I can empathize with you. Normally I'm thinking ahead about my fasting days but last night it just dawned on me that Thursday is a fast day. I'm having a hard time holding out but I know that if I give in, I'll have more regrets than if I stick it out. After all, I can eat tomorrow, right?
Drinking only water on my fasting days is tough but I'm not finding the hunger any more or less then when I eat.
So I'll just take a glug of good ole water and wait for my hunger to pass. And if I procrastinate long enough, tomorrow will be here.

Sorry for the late response.

@Moogie - thanks for the food info, interesting to hear about the pinch of cheese, that's my biggest downfall at the moment. I'm such a savoury person so we are opposites there! I am going to stop eating it in the week as I know it's so bad but I love it so need to limit it now if I want to get serious. Also interesting to hear you are quite sensible when it comes to your food ie limiting carbs with your evening meal, if you eat cake you won't have anything for lunch, a small lunch etc perhaps I need to be more strict! Will def do a food diary for a week, see where I'm going wrong!

@bobbyd98683 - I hope you made it!! I tried and cheated a little but nevermind eh there's always the next fast which happens to be today!! Hope you enjoyed your weekend of guilt-free eating!