The FastDay Forum

I've started and stopped this post more than once thinking I was being a bit melodramatic but decided to go ahead as I suppose if I can't waffle about diet woes here where can I?!

I've been feeling a bit low for a week or two about how I'm doing on 5:2 as I have felt like I'm not getting anywhere. I haven't lost any weight during August and I've gained a couple of pounds but felt like a beached whale. Could be a combo of PMT/time of the month or just being a bit lax with food/extra wine etc and not being as active as I should. Am planning on being a bit more vigilant with thing in September - not been 'off the wagon' as such, but been moving towards the edge of it!

Coming on the boards, I've read lots of stories of delight & joy at people losing weight despite eating like horses on feed days, and whilst I'm really chuffed for people I'm starting to feel more like a failure than a success story. And then I re read the Fast Diet book and they were saying how easy it was and how they led shed loads of weight really quickly and I'm still stuck on about 8lb in 17 weeks. I don't feel I've gone overboard with food but maybe eaten a bit more than I should.

BUT

I have stuck at it, and I still do my fast days, so presumably I am getting some of the health benefits. I am a healthy weight and don't actually need to lose more weight, but am just wanting to lose vanity pounds and be able to wear some of the clothes that are languishing in my wardrobe. I only have about 7lb to be where I want to be, so in a way it hardly matters if things are stalling as I don't have any 'deadlines' like weddings or holidays to slim for.

I think my skin is gradually improving, although it could be due to the summer. I haven't had as many significant spots as I used to, so am hoping that it's an effect of fasting as that's the only majorly different thing I've done. It's taken a couple of months to improve but if it's down to fasting I will be absolutely over the moon as I have tried lots of things to no effect so far.

I haven't restricted my diet in any other way other than the 5:2 - at first I probably went a bit mad and overate on 'normal' days but that was at the time I was losing most. I have embraced the wine, cake, homemade bread - not really eating too much but not denying myself. No other diet has allowed me to do this without gaining weight. I think that's what I've found most frustrating about my recent 'plateau' - if I have to start counting calories on 'normal' days then they cease to become normal and this becomes just another diet. I love food and especially providing food for others. I absolutely refuse to cut out a particular food group or type of food, and I eat a wide and healthy diet.

And my husband doesn't care two hoots about what I weigh (neither do my wider friends and family) as, surprisingly, they value me for who I am and not the amount of space my body takes up. I really should focus more on that and what good I do in the world than navel-gazing.

So, in short, I just wanted to share the rollercoaster of emotions I can go through. I am probably in a more reflective mood as it's a fast day, a day I'm not at work and I'm feeling a bit weird today anyway (achy spacey head, stomach cramps etc) so tomorrow I will probably have 'got a grip' a bit more and will probably be rather sorry for burdening you all with my grumbling!!

Not giving up though - it'll come good in the end!

No solutions, just a hug.

September is a good time for a restart though, memories of back to school and all that. If you can do a couple of weeks where you can honestly tell yourself you have given it your best shot that might help you clarify your thoughts.

Thanks Sian, I think it's partly that late afternoon on a fast day feeling, too. I want to eat a big bowl of porridge but might just have that for my dinner while watching Bake Off. Fast day comfort food!

Yes, am already thinking of what I want to achieve in September and how I want my daily food routine to look like. More wholefoods, less cake, less alcohol, maybe moving to 2 meals a day and less snacking, and definitely more exercise. But I'll not be too strict as that for me is bound to fail!

First world problems eh!

Venting is good for you as no stress should stay in

Having said that, you are a lucky woman greenmonster as you have wonderfull people around you who love you just as you are. So, relax, enjoy the last summer days and September is another month

Hauts les coeurs !!!!!!!

Interestingly, I've not lost weight this month in the sense that I get on the scales and I'm pretty much the same weight as 4 weeks ago. However, I use Libra and on the trendline, I'm still losing and still on target for my goal.

If I only weighed weekly, I'd be very unhappy by now but I am reassured by the trend and maybe I might tighten up on a few things going forward. So it might be a masked loss, depends on what you're eating. I've cut the carbs a lot so my ups and downs are much less now.

OOh, sorry Greenmonster, I posted one of those annoying posts basically saying woohee, I've been stuffing my face and the weight is still falling off. I was actually pleasantly surprised and relieved by all the friendly messages in response and the lack of anyone posting to the effect of go and soak your head you smug cow, which is probably what I would have wanted to say. I wondered if it was a tribute to the amazing niceness of all the people on this forum or to the superb vigilance of the moderators. In your case, clearly it was niceness, so thank you!

Anyway, to put my post in context, there have probably been plenty of other times when I've been quite strict but gained weight. I just don't know about them because I tend not to weigh myself unless other signs like looser clothes suggest the result may be a pleasant one. I think BB is making the same point in that her (or his) trendline is still down despite weekly numbers not being down.

However, while you are doing a stocktake, maybe you should ask if your body is trying to tell you something? I think you mentioned before that you had only been once, briefly, at your goal weight, and you are already slim. I can understand it would be nice to see that low number again, but maybe you are at the right weight for you. Do you do much exercise? If you don't at the moment and you started some serious toning work, you could easily drop at least half a dress size while staying the same weight. Half a size is what 7 lbs roughly amounts to. Plus stopping, at least for a while, at this weight will give your skin a chance to catch up and avoid the wrinkled effect. My skin has acquired the texture of one of those balloons left over a birthday party, which I fear is normal on losing weight at my age (nearly 60). But if you are young, you can avoid that fate!

Hi greenmonster well like I've also not given anything up at all I really don't want to go down that road or the calorie counting daily. !!!
I've loads to lose and I'm doing 4:3 also not eating breakfast on 2/3 of the other days especially when I'm eating evening meal out, this as you can see is working for me, and considering I guesstimate my feed days amazing really but also something I can tweek later when needed. From day one I've walked on fastdays started at 2 MLS and now up to 6mls each of my 3 fastdays. But you're getting close and September getting very close, my advice is enjoy your. ''mini '' break then mix it up a little if possible do 4:3 but a few weeks ago when I got stuck I made my next weeks fasts as if they were back to day one you know the ones where you don't cheat + treat at calories. I obviously was treating myself as since then kickstarted with a 1 lb loss weekly. This is what worked for me, and if I was in your position I would also want to lose the vanity lbs
If it came with the extra days fast or watching calories then so be it if you really want to get there you have the Tools. Good luck Sue

Thanks Sue and Kentishlass

I hesitated posting as I really didn't want to take away from anyone who's experienced the excitement of weight loss, especially when it's unexpected. I've had that, too and there's nothing like that feeling when you waltz around the house feeling amazing. I think I just wanted to vent a bit as I've been feeling a bit 'off' for a while. I haven't actually really got a goal weight - I've got fed up with the past in being fixated on a particular number and just wanted to see whether this way of eating allowed me to eat the foods I like (healthy and not so healthy) without gaining weight and without having to obsess over calories etc. And it has done so, all in all. I'm 5 foot 5 and currently 9st 3lb. My lowest weight (wedding day) was 8st 9lb and although I don't think being that weight is sustainable for me, I would like to be somewhere between there and 9st so hardly a massive drop from where I am now (so really why I'm stressing I don't know)! I also agree with the 'toning up' bit as my arms are pretty wobbly as are my thighs, and I am definitely intending on getting down to our leisure centre for swimming, some exercise classes or *shudder* the fitness equipment.

Sue, I am always in awe of those who have lots to lose as it really takes courage to take control and to start the long, winding road to significant weight loss. I'm looking forward to seeing how you progress over the next year or so. I rarely go over my fast day 500 cals - I think it's the 'normal' days I can go overboard with - not massively but all the little bits here & there add up. I have tried 4:3 but found the third day too much and have just preferred 5:2 so we'll see.

[wildmissus]

Hi greenmonster - I could have written that! I think that many other people could have too, so I think you are normal. I've had lots of ups and downs weight wise and emotionally as well. I had a period of 7 weeks where my weight didn't change, May/June. At first I was really disheartened then I realised that I had lost weight and maintained it for 7 weeks - result. I wouldn't have done that on any other diet. Just stick with it, patience and persistence pays off in the end.

Yep, been there, done it all, so at least we know how you feel and no one is judging you. You will get back on track and it is really frustrating to be in a plateau, drives you bonkers, doing everything right and, at best, just standing bloomin' still, aarrghhh!!!!

September will change things for you, it's a sort of changing month, a bit like March, strange but seems to be that way for a lot of people so, let us know how it goes,

Ballerina x

Greenmonster you need to let it out good and loud sometimes. I would however like to point out that it's how u look at it. You are in normal weight range (harder to keep losing lots), you have lost and should be proud of that and I'm sure you look fabulous! Do u just want to fast till u get to this vanity weight...as in a destination? Or do u see it as a way to eat as a WOL? You will lose again, we have all been thru the plateau and a lot of us have gone thru the eat what u want and lose weight phase too (but mine was 3 fasts a week to do that). Congratulate yourself on a great job so far and look on the glass half full side. Good luck :>)

Hi, greenmonster, as others have said, I feel just like you and I could have written your whingey post. I've lost weight, even had a good weigh-in at the drs. today - yet I am still a bit depressed and on a plateau - not to mention that I have a 12 day trip planned for September and want to enjoy it, but don't want to come home with a big weight gain - yes, I'm already moaning about it in advance.

Just wanted you to know you're not alone and I'm with you.

Hi all

thanks for your kind replies - good to know we can come on here and vent and whinge. Well, after quite a difficult fast day yesterday (first full day of period and all that entails), I feel a lot better today - and I had lost 2.5lb this morning. Now I know it's just fast day loss and I will be up at least one or two tomorrow but that's a bigger drop than I've been previously seeing so we'll see how the week pans out. I think it's been a combination of things including PMT bloat (which I don't usually get) but suffice to say I am feeling more like the second half of my post than the first half (also having enjoyed some food today helps the old mindset!)

So basically September is where hopefully things will get back into gear again (I know what you mean Ballerina, I actually never really like august, always feel like the summer's got old and I want autumn in all its glory to arrive) and I am focussing on all the positives about 5:2 and life in general. Like you said, wildmissus, what other 'diet' could we go on where we can eat what we want and not put on weight? That's the holy grail, surely?! Losing weight on top of that is just a bonus!

And lovemyparrot, that made me chuckle - advance moaning! You sure you're not British? That's the sort of thing we excel at and I would have thought that Californians had a more positive outlook! I'm sure you'll be fine - at least you know you have strategies to either limit damage whilst away or go at it full throttle then start again when you come back!

Hi, greenmonster - you're so right - I'm very British . . born and bred in Eltham SE9 . . and proud of it

Hi greenmonster, good you're feeling better. I have just written my own post recommitting myself to this WoE and expressing some of my own frustration - just wanted to add my voice to those telling you you're not alone.