The FastDay Forum

Hey everyone,
Feeling a bit confused!! After dithering for some time, I'm back on the fasting wagon but having trouble working out whether I should be eating 1,450 cals as calculated in MFP or up to my TDEE which is 1,888 cals on non fasting days when I'm trying to lose weight??
Apologies if this has been asked before, I have tried to find a post asking this already but there is soooo much great stuff in here I can't find it?!

Thanks. Xx

I have struggled with this too. You should be able to eat more than MFP says on feed days, because MFP is not taking into account that you are fasting.

My TDEE on here is 1700. Mon-Fri (non-fast days) I eat 1500 and count the calories and on the weekends I pretty much eat whatever I want, but I estimate that it's about 2000, so that all averages out to the 1700. I think that it's better to eat less than more, but not too much less!

Thank you cblasz... Are you losing weight?? Xx

Yes, slowly. But, I think I'm on a downward trend now. I recently started actually counting the calories during the week and I think that is making a difference. I was probably going over a bit before! I've also gotten better with sticking to the 500 calories on fast days. Also helping!

Cute avatar btw!

Thank you... It's one of the avatars on here. Right, going to adjust my cals on MFP and keep under, like you, so that I can relax a bit at the weekends. I currently fast Sundays & Wenesdays but going to do Mon & Wed's cos I've begun to feel a bit deprived on a Sunday!!

Yes, I can't imagine fasting on the weekend. I also like to do it when I'm at work. Good luck with the changes and let us know how it goes!

You eat up to your TDEE on 'normal' days because on those days you aren't dieting, so you can calculate it as maintenance if using the MFP calorie counter. The only days you are dieting is the fast days, where you are radically cutting your calories to make the weekly deficit.

It is designed this way so that for 5 days a week you don't feel deprived and don't fall off the wagon as its so easy to do on deprivation diets. That's not to say that you have to eat right up to your TDEE every single day. Use your judgement, if you will be having a heavy weekend, go under your TDEE on a few normal days, just not all the way to fasting level. If its a really hot week and all you fancy is a salad for dinner and can't force yourself to eat anything more, then listen to your body and just eat lightly.

The absolutely major advantage this diet has over all the others is the sustainability of it. You can stick to it because you don't have to eat Rivita or low fat anything for the rest of your life. You still get to treat yourself to fresh bread and cream and whilst you are doing the fasting its also teaching your body how to eat normal size portions.

Thank you Julieathome... That all makes so much sense now!! I'm repeating it all to OH, who isn't really listening but doing a great job at pretending!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply both of you, I really appreciate it. Xx