The FastDay Forum

I have lost 9.8 pounds in 5 weeks on this diet, I over indulged at the weekend (1800 sat and 2100 sun) and I have around 1600 a day on non fast days in the week. I just feel guilty a lot of the time and feel with the amount I have to lose I should me eating 1200-1400 on non fast days.........

This is not a diet to feel guilty on! It is a way of. Eating that has to be sustainable and eating a low calorie diet for a long time probably isn't . You are losing weight and eating well stick with it and stop worrying

Thanks...I have always been a worrier

I think you have done really well. On most awful restrictive diets people lose what you have lost, so you really dont need to change anything. I think the problem is that we have been made to feel guilty when we eat normally, as if we were being naughty. You carry on

You're doing fine - I am still getting used to the fact that I can eat a wide variety of foods and enjoy myself and still lose weight albeit much more slowly in my case!I think for years I looked on so many food items as being bad either because of their high number of calories or low nutritional value, but now I am eating a more varied diet I accept that I can occasionally eat these items and it isn't going to do me any harm. You don't come over as a worrier, just a sensitive and caring person. Think of a glass as being'half full' rather than 'half empty' - you are losing weight = well done!

[Betsysgr8]

Thank you Merlin very well said! Claire you are doing fantastic and losing more than average per week. When you reach goal do you want your body adjusted to just eating 1200 cals a day?! or do you want to have a more enjoyable 1500+ cals a day? You are doing fantastic just remember it took time to gain it and it will take time to undo it.

Claire, do you feel guilty because you think you should lose faster, or because convention wisdom dictates such few calories for weight loss?
In any case, if there is something making you feel like you should cut down, then why not try it for a week or two and then see how you feel? If you feel good (or weight loss increase), then assess what you might want to do. If you feel miserable (or weight loss slows), then you can go back to how it was before, and have less guilt.
Sometimes we have these worries because of uncertainty, so you can at least take that out of the picture. You aren't stuck on any one way to do this, so mess around with it for a bit until you reach your happy place!

(PS, I would be miserable, but at least I would know )

Relax. You are doing really well. I always find I lost weight when I stick rigidly to fast days and don't count calories on other days - I just eat when I'm hungry. Don't worry about it, you hardly pigged out! Maybe you could do some extra exercise instead if you want to feel less guilty? Honestly, a few extra calories at the weekend is nothing.

Claire, if you ate the amount of calories you say, would you manage to do so everyday for as long as it takes you to lose the weight you wish to lose?
And would you lose as much weight as easily as you do with 5:2?
The answer to both questions is no. On top of that, if you did follow a diet of 1200 calories everytime you had a party invitation or a dinner out you'd either fell miserable for not eating or guilty for eating.

Think of all that, think of how you'd feel following a restrictive diet and then think of how you SHOULD feel with 5:2.
Not guilty but very, very happy and proud of yourself!

Thanks so much everyone, I love this forum!
My sister is getting married on 7th Sept and I wanted to be 14 stone for then, so I have 2 stone 10 pounds to lose in 14 weeks, which is 2.7 pounds a week so maybe I am putting too much pressure on myself..

Yes... You probably are....

To be honest, you need to stop thinking in terms of 2.7 per week and take it as it comes....

Keep to 5:2, stick with what is manageable on non fast days, and try to go for healthier options/ increase exercise to tone up

You may not hit 14 stone, but you might get to 14 something, which is still a major achievement and you'll look and feel great too ....

Your loss so far is great... Just take it a day at a time and keep going

Sorry
Should also have said, I think the guilt is natural... It's a long process to learn healthy choices and control.... I've been on 5:2 since January and haven't cracked that yet....

I find I am great at control during the week - to the extent that I restrict myself to healthy meals then blow calories on snacks, and weekends are harder as I have to fit in with family activities and eating habits.....

I hope I'll get to a better overall balance eventually

Claire, I will let you know how my experiment with two days of Dukan attack weekly goes. If it's successful, you might want to give it a try. I understand wanting to lose weight ASAP, I want the same because I don't have any clothes that fit me.

Hi Clare
Well I agree you've done well so far keep at it coz if I remember correctly your still in holiday mode, make your main aim 1stone less than you are now this is doable and maybe you'll get closer to your goal. Sue

Not much to add Claire except support. You are doing so well, keep going